(650) 218-0800 john@johnowenshr.com

Simplifying the Complexity of Effective HR Solutions

John Owens HR is a boutique HR consulting firm that helps early stage to mid-stage pre-IPO companies establish foundational best practices in HR. Based in Seattle, we work with thought-leading businesses throughout the West Coast.

Our approach will be current, relevant, and tailored to your organization. This takes thoughtful analysis, incorporating inputs from your Board, CEO, and executive team. While there are many best practices for HR, it is essential to apply methods and procedures based on an in-depth understanding of your business and its current challenges and priorities. Services are delivered with clarity and precision, tapping many years of successful HR leadership and positive outcomes.

HR Consulting Firm with a Track Record for Driving Results

Ask us how our experience can benefit you. We have a long history of creating meaningful compensation strategies, defining and implementing impactful Corporate Values, and driving results to achieve key business goals in fast-paced, complex companies. In addition, we have consulted with multiple CEOs/Boards on leadership and competitive compensation approaches, created CEO/ executive succession plans, designed strategies to successfully manage leadership transitions, facilitated leadership team meetings, and conducted CEO 360˚ reviews. We can do the same for you. Learn more about John OwensHR.

“John delivers scalability, trusted partner”

Antoine Blondeau

Founder and Managing Partner, Alpha Intelligence Capital

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John delivers scalability—he combines the leadership development skills that are critical to an organization’s growth management with the operational task mastering skills that keep the engine humming. He has a deep understanding of how culture makes or breaks companies, and how to instantiate the right culture into a company’s hiring, talent development, and communication processes A trusted partner to a CEO and his/her team.

“Refreshingly different, excellent sounding board & adviser”

Babak Hodjat

Founder and CEO, Sentient

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John’s approach to people management is refreshingly different.  He helped nurture and safeguard a culture of innovation, ambition, and no-ego at Sentient. He is compassionate, trustworthy, down-to-earth, pragmatic, easy to work with. An excellent sounding board/adviser, he was the first person I would go to in times of joy or stress. All I ever had to do was give him a mandate and he would get the job done successfully. He helped create the best workplace I’ve worked at. I highly recommend John, he’s the best.

“An amazing team member at the executive level.”

Gurmeet Lamba

Execution focused Tech Exec, Cupertino, California

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John and I worked together for 3.5 years at Sentient Technologies. John was a superb Chief People Officer. First, John had the driving role in establishing the company culture. His high EQ helped create an environment that was driven, valued accountability and most importantly, introspective and low ego. He has the ability to put himself into another person’s shoes and understand what drives them, the issues and barriers they face, and then helps address them.

Secondly, John is an amazing team member at the executive level. He believes strongly in nurturing leadership teams, has a portfolio of techniques and tools to enable transparent and high trust leadership team dynamics. Finally, John was an amazing partner to me in my roles as VP of engineering and later as COO/GM – he was easy to work with, always ready to give frank candid feedback on any problem I needed help with. I could always go to John as a sounding board to talk through ideas or issues I would face.

“Helps organizations achieve exceptional performance.”

Rick Van Hoesen

CFO, public and private technology and life sciences

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John led the Human Resources function at Epocrates from small startup through public company. He was a valued colleague throughout, and one of the mainstays of the company’s development. His talents extend far beyond the HR function—he is an all-around executive leader who helps organizations achieve exceptional performance.

“Sound judgement, valued member of the team”

Joe Kleine

Chief Commercial Officer, Doximity

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John was mission critical in the success of Epocrates from start up to publicly traded company. He has an exceptional “Emotional Quotient” and very sound judgement. There wasn’t a hiring or personnel decision that he wasn’t invited to participate in and his opinions were always valued. He was a valued member of the management team and highly thought of by all.

“Practical, realistic, respectful”

Paul Banta

Founder, Pinot's Palette Apex Bringing Art & Fun to You Company

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During the 10+ years I worked closely with John at Epocrates as the company grew from a small start-up to a publicly traded business, John was very professional, thoughtful, and diligent. His approach to HR emphasizes the HUMAN component and the corporate culture that developed strongly reflected John’s ethics and beliefs. We worked through several delicate situations together, and his approach was always practical, realistic, and respectful to others.