SME News Q3 2025 / 30 Clarity, Culture & Cadence: The Modern CEOs Blueprint Strong leadership, clear accountability and a thriving team culture aren’t just nice-to-haves – they’re the driving force behind every ambitious SME that scales successfully. Yet for many CEOs, building that foundation is the toughest challenge. That’s where Modern HR steps in. Founded and led by multi-awardwinning HR Director and Leadership Coach Mandy Hamerla, Modern HR partners with UK SMEs to build high-performing leadership teams and workplace cultures that unlock sustainable growth. We caught up with Mandy to find out more, in light of her recent success in the Business Elite Awards 2025. Modern HR was founded in 2017 by Mandy Hamerla to help SMEs build strong leadership teams and workplaces people truly want to be part of. Mandy’s passion for leadership and HR began as a teenager, inspired by watching her entrepreneurial father run successful small businesses and seeing first-hand the impact of staff issues. “It made me curious about why some people love their work and go above and beyond, while others just show up and do the bare minimum,” she recalls. That curiosity shaped her education and career, leading to a Business Studies degree and a Masters in HR Management. After building a successful corporate career, becoming one of the youngest Directors in a FTSE 100 company at just 30, leading a large global HR team - Mandy shifted her focus to SMEs in 2017, where she felt she could make a bigger impact. Today, she works primarily as a Fractional HR Director and Gallup Strengths Coach, helping ambitious CEOs build happy, high-performing teams. The results speak for themselves. Modern HR clients are thriving, with tech companies like Lokulus named a Top 25 Tech Company by Best Companies, and charities like MQ recognised as a Top Company to Work For by The Sunday Times. These accolades reflect Mandy’s ability to develop great leaders and build cultures where people genuinely want to show up, stay, and perform at their best. Her work has also earned her recognition as Best Leadership Coach 2025, alongside being named NatWest Business Woman of the Year 2025. “Great leadership is the lever that shapes culture, drives performance, and powers business growth. My mission is to help SME CEOs get it right.” Modern HR’s flagship offering is the Mighty Teams® Programme – a 90-day intensive for CEOs wanting to build a high-performing leadership team. Mandy helps them diagnose weaknesses and create a bespoke, gamechanging strategy and action plan, focused on improving clarity, culture and cadence. Clients describe the results as transformative – with higher profits, stronger engagement and the freedom to focus on growth. Mandy also runs the Leadership Accelerator Programme, which equips leaders and managers with the tools to lead with confidence, influence, and impact. With spaces limited and demand high, those serious about levelling up their leadership are encouraged to move fast. Looking to the future, Mandy’s focus remains on helping leaders and teams succeed in today’s modern and complex business landscape. For ambitious SME leaders, her advice is simple but powerful: “Your leadership team will make or break your business. If you invest in building the right leadership team, your business won’t just grow - it will thrive and achieve results beyond what you ever imagined.” Contact: Mandy Hamerla Company: Modern HR Web Address: www.modernhr.co.uk
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