Redirecting.work
Hallie Bregman
A Journey from Academia to People Analytics Entrepreneur
I first met Hallie through the people analytics community when she was a Visier customer. Over the years, I’ve followed her career transitions and expertise, especially in manager democratization and her DEI work. Hallie’s story is one of risk-taking, adaptability, and maintaining balance between professional growth and personal fulfillment.
The Catalyst for Change
Hallie’s career has been defined by her willingness to take risks. She has made several major pivots, moving from academia to corporate work, then from being a data scientist to HR and analytics, before becoming an independent entrepreneur. She’s always been in “what’s next” mode, seeking variety and fulfillment without constantly changing jobs. Consulting offered her the chance to do just that—providing a diverse range of clients and challenges while allowing her to stay focused on her passion for people analytics.
Career Planning
Although Hallie didn’t have an overarching career plan, she set clear goals at each stage of her journey. Most importantly, she aimed to take on new opportunities and continue to learn. By staying open to nontraditional paths, Hallie has been able to rotate around functions and industries. She found that the variety of opportunities really resonated, and now applies that with her variety of clients.
New Direction: Consulting and People Analytics
Today, Hallie runs her own consulting business, where she helps clients navigate their people analytics journey. She is actively building a boutique firm that focuses on applying leading insights across clients and their stakeholders. Her tagline, “We turn people data into your strategic advantage,” speaks to her belief that people analytics shouldn’t be siloed in HR but embedded into the broader business strategy.
In addition to her core consulting work, Hallie has been deeply involved in DEI initiatives, though she notes that companies currently lack the budget and focus needed to drive these efforts forward. Much of her consulting now revolves around strategy and business analytics, often partnering with Visier to provide strategic services that fill a gap in the market–deep people analytics expertise with a birds eye view on how to bring it to life.
Advice for Successfully Pivoting
Hallie’s journey offers valuable lessons for those looking to make a career pivot:
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Have a Financial Plan: Hallie advises preparing for periods of uncertainty when running your own business. She stresses the importance of having a financial cushion to weather any fluctuations in client work.
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Embrace Educational Selling: A challenge she didn’t anticipate was the need for educational selling—explaining the value of people analytics to potential clients who may not fully understand its impact. This requires patience and strong communication skills.
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Leverage LinkedIn for Visibility: A former boss advised Hallie to be vocal and active on LinkedIn, advice that has been instrumental in building her brand and attracting clients.
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Maintain Work-Life Balance: Hallie is firm about setting boundaries, scheduling “me time” on her calendar, and stopping work at 4 PM twice a week to focus on personal time. This discipline has helped her stay energized and able to maintain a balance between work and family.
Personal Interests and Balance
Beyond consulting, Hallie makes time for her hobbies and interests. She goes on adventures with her daughter, travels whenever she can, and enjoys solving jigsaw puzzles. These activities help her recharge and maintain productivity.
Conclusion
Hallie’s journey from academia to becoming an independent people analytics consultant highlights her adaptability, continuous learning, and focus on personal fulfillment. Her approach to work-life balance, combined with her expertise in transforming data into business impact, is a testament to the importance of flexibility and self-reflection in navigating a successful career pivot.