FACILITYCalgary

She describes her work/job, career – as a philanthropic role in some ways, she’s helping people. On the surface it looks simply an HR function, but clearly her heart is in it. Repeat clients are her measuring stick …

Connecting with people hasn’t changed much, but the tools we use has changed a lot – and one of those ways, LinkedIn, is how I met Patty Miller. I don’t recall who clicked what first or who reached out first, and soon a conversation began, led to a meeting and to this interview, learning about her business ventures – Miller HR Solutions and InfluenceGenius. In short, head-hunter, consultant, coach. But as I learned over a long lunch, there is much more to Patty and her businesses than first meets the eye …

In the beginning – born in Edmonton to entrepreneurial parents, second youngest of four children (she has three brothers) she learned to stick up for herself and be highly competitive from an early age. While being an average student graduating from O’Leary High, working part-time in retail sales, earning a Business Administration Certificate from NAIT she was swimming, diving and travelling the world with Kupalo Ukrainian Dancers. Strength, it seems, is built in many parts in many ways.

Patty moved to Calgary to follow husband-to-be Greg Miller (they have two sons). Her resume includes telecom sales, GE Software, TRS Staffing, David Aplin, Adecco, Hinz … and then establishing her own shop. “One of those jobs was won in an elevator pitch, another was won because I offered to create a new business unit without an office – from the backroom.”  As she told her story the element that struck me most was her explanation of times at TRS when she was doing too-good-a-job selling (they were having trouble recruiting fast enough to fill assignemens she was winning) – she was told to stop selling and start recruiting. Then things changed. She really liked recruiting! When Hinz was bought by Rockwell her job would have moved to Milwaukee. She opted to start her own shop and hasn’t look back …

Patty’s start-up was swift – she began pitching her Miller HR Solutions business model – sent just 15 emails, which landed her first five clients. That was nearly nine years ago. She admits of having ‘hired thousands of people’ in her career – a role she still plays in various ways, but her eyes light up and she has a lot to say when it comes to discussing her coaching work, helping leaders be better leaders.

To say she is demonstrative/pushy would be overstating, a bit. To say she is confident, strong and direct would be more accurate …

Why are you successful? “I’m tenacious and I believe in myself. I bring lots of value and there is nobody else ‘just like me’ .”

What has held you back? “When I was very busy I didn’t see the need to diversify – and the recession hit me – but that experience, and the learning is behind me, and part of me now.”