April Employee Spotlight: Bronwen Kenyon

Name: Bronwen Kenyon

Title: HR Practice Manager

Hometown: Abbotsford

What did you study?:

Bachelor of business with a major in HR and a communications essentials certificate.

If you could travel to one city where would you go and why?:

Bolzano, Italy, I want to go back for some of the pasta, especially Knudsel with a gorgonzola cheese sauce.

What did you want to be when you were a child?:

A hairdresser, not entirely sure why, our aunt was a hairdresser so it was interesting that she worked from home and got to talk to people all day long.

What activity do you like to do in your spare time?:

Snowboard, watch Netflix, anything to do with dogs, I like patios and alcohol, always looking on Amazon for something new to decorate my house, or planning trips.

What book are you reading/ show are you watching right now?:

Reading Into the Water by Paula Hawkins, a murder mystery sequel, it’s one that has the murder at the beginning and then backtracks showing the different perspectives. Watching Brooklyn 99 and Grey’s Anatomy.

Who is your inspiration?:

Ellen Degeneres, because her attitude around smiling and being happy and giving back to the people who deserve it is something more people need to do, and she makes me laugh.

What is your favourite thing to do in Vancouver?:

Walking around the seawall and checking out new restaurants and coffee shops, and I’m a sucker for walking down robson, ooh ooh ooh and doughnuts, like Cartems.

If you could have coffee with one person, alive or dead, who would it be and why?:

Blake Lively, because I want to be best friends with her. I know Helina’s was super philosophical but whatever.

What subject was your favourite subject in school?:

Calculus 12 because it was a lot of fun, it was challenging, and I designed a bad-ass hockey themed bridge, including the SOHCAHTOA for all the angles, it was about a 20 hour project.

Can you explain quickly what your job is all about?:

My job is split into two parts. For external clients I am the HR branch of their company to whatever capacity is needed; so I help with recruitment, policies and procedures, HRIS implementations, compensation plans, and other tasks. The other part is internally, with Entreflow, I do all of the same tasks as I do externally, as well as taking care of onboarding, employee relationship management. From a non HR perspective I oversee the operations of all of the projects for Entreflow, inlcuding financial management, recruitment, and HR.

What do you love about your job?:

The feeling I get when I find the perfect person for a position and the company is excited to have that person come on.

What tips can you give to small business owners to reach success?:

Make sure you are hiring the right people and treating them right. If you treat them right they’ll treat your customers right and make you more successful.

If you could learn to do anything, what would it be?:

I really want to learn how to do calligraphy, it’s so beautiful to watch.

Guilty pleasure?:

Häagen-Dazs chocolate peanut butter ice cream, patios and a cold beer, driving with all the windows rolled down and music blasting on a warm day.

Secret talent that no-one knows about?:

I’m really good with technology, generally I’m the first person people call to fix their phones or computer. I’ve been too busy with school to produce any other talents.

What do you like most about Entreflow?:  

That not one day is ever the same and that we have an awesome team, and even when things are stressful, that we can have an open conversation about it and you can make a difference within the organization.

What do you like most about working with startups and small businesses?:  

I like the fact that you can see the impact you are making in their company and you get to work directly with the decision makers.

A penguin walks through that door right now wearing a sombrero. What does he say and why is he here?:

“It’s margarita time!” and he’s here because it’s 5 o’clock.

What is the funniest thing that has happened to you recently?:

My sister and I showed up at the new office early, accidentally tripped the alarm, locked myself out of my notes on my phone that told me the code so we ran, and texted the owner of the building apologising.