Hello!
I'm Kristy-Lee

I help small to medium sized businesses overcome (and avoid!) staffing stress and headaches by making sure their businesses are protected, they hire the best people and once they have them they have the tools, knowledge and resources to get the most out of them.

My mission is to help you build a business that is successful by all the measures - whilst getting your nights and weekends back!

Let's Chat

Small Businesses Deserve Better Support.

That's the idea People Powered Business was built on, back in 2006, and still today.

For two decades we've worked exclusively with small and medium business owners across Australia, helping them build better teams, navigate HR and people management with confidence, and master the mental game of being the boss.

This is our story.

Our Story

In March 2006, Kristy-Lee quit a perfectly safe and secure job to chase something she believed in, that small businesses on the NSW Central Coast deserved practical, professional HR and recruitment support that actually worked in the real world.

She founded Footprint Recruitment, and word spread quickly. The business grew rapidly.

Recruitment On It’s Own Isn’t Enough

By 2010 it was clear that hiring was only part of the picture. If what existed beyond that was broken or non-existent, clients would have a revolving door of people issues. Business owners didn't just need help finding people, they needed help keeping and leading them.

At the same time, the Fair Work Act became a reality and small to medium sized businesses were lost, confused and overwhelmed. No one was there to help them navigate these huge changes in their obligations.

Footprint HR was launched to support small businesses with outsourced HR, performance management and people decisions that were becoming increasingly complex as teams expanded and the Fair Work Act and Modern Awards were implemented.

The business continued to grow. More clients, bigger teams, more responsibility, and the same challenges kept showing up again and again.

By 2012 the work consolidated under The Footprint Group, bringing recruitment and HR together under one banner.

The Footprint group > People Powered business

Timeline showing the evolution of People Powered Business from Footprint Recruitment in 2006 through to People Powered Business in 2024

The Real Problem Became Clear

This period gave Kristy-Lee a front-row seat to the realities of small business leadership. Across hundreds, if not thousands, of businesses, one thing became obvious:

The biggest problems weren't policies, awards, or compliance. They were confidence, clarity, and decision-making.

Business owners were:

avoiding difficult conversations
second-guessing people decisions
carrying the emotional load of their team
and constantly wondering if it was meant to feel this hard

But there were only so many businesses that could be helped with the existing model.

By 2019 it was time for something to change.

A National Focus, Clearer Focus

In 2020 The Footprint Group moved fully online, allowing support to extend across Australia. At the same time, The People Powered Business Podcast launched, creating a new way to speak directly to business owners about HR, people management and the mental load of being the boss.

Soon after, People Powered HR was created as Australia's first online HR subscription designed specifically for small businesses, giving business owners across Australia access to expert HR support, compliant templates, tools and resources at the most affordable price possible.

Where We Are Today

Today, People Powered Business exists to support business owners who want better teams, clearer direction and a business that doesn't rely on them for everything.

The focus is no longer on "doing HR to businesses." It's about helping business owners think more clearly, lead confidently and build teams that support growth, not stall it.

Everything we do is built around the P.E.O.P.L.E. Pathway, our framework for supporting small business owners across the entire employee journey, from hiring the right people the first time through to managing, developing and leading them every step of the way.

That's why our work now centres around People Powered HR, structured practical HR support for small business owners across Australia, and Power BOSS, private mentoring for business owners who want a trusted thinking partner for every people decision they face. Bespoke solutions are also available so we can meet you where you are at.

Kristy-Lee is also a sought-after speaker and expert guest, regularly sharing her expertise on small business HR, people management and leadership across Australia. She hosts The People Powered Business Podcast and co-hosts The Australian Small Business Show - two weekly podcasts dedicated to the realities of running a small business with a team.

Different levels of support. One clear purpose.

Why “People Powered Business”?

Because businesses don't grow through systems alone. They grow through people, including the person at the top.

Getting your people right changes everything about how your business feels to run. And that's exactly what we're here to help you do.

Hello!
I'm Kristy-Lee