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NowFounder, LMNHRAustin, Texas

Lisa NovakSPHR

Executive advisor & coachLeadership developerHR strategistSpeaker

Startups are built by people. For over twenty years and more than ten startups, Lisa has helped founders hire them, grow them and keep them, building cultures people stay for, from the first two hires to two hundred.

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Lisa Novak
Listening first 10+ startups scaled Seed to Series C
Startups helped to scale
10+
Years leading people
20+
Company sizes she serves
2–200
Growth she led at data.world
5×
Diversity she kept there
50%+

01People first

She listens to the people.

“People call me intuitive, but I really just pay attention to all the things and listen to the people. I’ve learned through ten-plus startups over twenty-something years that while there are themes and patterns, each one is unique.”
A startup team laughing together around a table
Culture is a daily practice.Not a poster on the wall, but how people are hired, welcomed, heard, grown and rewarded.

Elevate culture

Values people recognise, and leaders who live them.

Drive growth

Hiring, onboarding and managers that scale with the plan.

Lift performance

Reviews, rewards and pay that point at what matters.

Avoid the pitfalls

The costly mistakes she has seen, and fixed, all too often.

02LMNHR

HR leadership that grows with you.

Lisa’s firm. LMNHR gives tech startups fractional HR leadership, executive advisory, strategic consulting and programmes designed for exactly where they are.

What she builds at this stage

    01

    Fractional HR leadership

    A seasoned head of people, for the hours a growing company actually needs.

    02

    Executive advisory & coaching

    A trusted partner for founders and leaders as the company outgrows them.

    03

    Strategic consulting

    People strategy tied to the business plan, revenue and the next round.

    04

    Custom programme design

    Onboarding, reviews, rewards and pay, built for this team, not copied.

    03Impact

    Culture you can feel, and measure.

    Teams she has grown, one person at a time. Pick a company and watch it grow.

    From 30

    0people

      Before Lisa, and after

      Annual turnoverRenew Data

      16% 8% in one year

      Sales team turnoverPhunware

      30% <10% every two months

      Recruiting feesPeriscope Holdings

      25% 14–20% staffing cost −40%

      98%

      Retirement plan participation, after her four-part education programme

      +50%

      Participation in company events and training at Renew Data

      −30%

      Time to complete financial and security audits

      ~$30K

      Late fees eliminated every year, by bringing every state into compliance

      04Career

      A career spent finding the right people.

      From recruiting for Sprint and Rockwell to the executive team at data.world, always at the heart of Austin’s tech scene.

      1. 2023–PresentAustin

        LMNHRNow

        Founder & Consultant

        • Fractional HR leadership and advisory for the global tech startup market, headquartered in Austin.
      2. 2019–2023Austin

        data.world

        VP, Employee Experience

        • Served on the executive team, building HR, talent, compensation, payroll and operations from the ground up.
        • Grew the company from ~30 to over 150 people across 25+ states and internationally, with over 50% diversity.
        • Built a high-performing HR team of eight across employee experience, talent, operations and L&D.
      3. 2017–2018Austin

        Periscope Holdings

        Director, Human Resources

        • Cut recruiting fees from 25% to 14–20% and overall staffing expense by ~40%.
        • Created the first cross-functional leadership team, and a competency-based review process with over 100 competencies.
        • Designed engagement programmes to reverse 55%+ year-over-year turnover.
      4. 2016–2017Austin

        TBG Partners

        Director, HR & Operations

        • Set the first short- and long-term corporate strategy, brought the firm into compliance, and created its first benefits, ESOP and compensation training.
      5. 2007–2015National

        Renew Data Corp

        Director, Human Resources

        • Led a national workforce of up to 250, and positioned the $30M company for a successful acquisition.
        • Halved turnover from 16% to 8% in a year, making it a premier place to work in eDiscovery.
      6. 2003–2005Austin & Asia

        SigmaTel

        Corporate Staffing Manager

        • Grew the company from 118 to over 500 people worldwide, including two acquisitions.
        • Led the nomination that won Austin Business Journal’s “Best Place to Work”.
      7. 1995–2007Austin, Dallas, Kansas City

        Integral Wave · Chartered · Pedley Richard

        Recruiter to HR manager

        • Built the founding team of a semiconductor startup, and staffed mission-critical roles for Sprint.
        • Grew Rockwell Semiconductor’s Austin design centre from under 30 to 75 people in five months.

      05Get to know Lisa

      The person behind the people.

      A few things she’d tell you over coffee. Grab a tile and throw it around.

      Survivor

      Mount St. Helens, the 1979 Wichita Falls tornado, a hurricane, a flood and several earthquakes. Resilience, built in.

      Backstage

      Has hung out with members of the Beatles, the Stones and the Eagles, Willie Nelson and Johnny Cash… then decided HR was cooler.

      Hook ’em

      A huge Longhorn fan. Yes, she’ll come to your tailgate and drink your beer.

      Intuitive, mostly

      People call her intuitive. She says she just pays attention to all the things and listens to the people.

      A true Austinite

      Landed in Austin in 1983 when her dad was stationed at Bergstrom AFB. Proud of the city’s growth, and yes, she complains about it too.

      Two speeds

      A notorious extrovert who also loves alone time at her little country house outside the city.

      On the mic

      Speaking, panels, webinars and podcasts are fun for her. She knows and learns stuff, and loves to share it.

      P.S.

      Her middle name is Marie.

      Giving back

      Board of Directors2018–Present

      ACE Academy Austin

      A non-profit school for gifted children. Board oversight, and HR guidance when it’s needed.

      Board Member2021–2023

      Conscious Capitalism Austin

      Championing business that elevates people, purpose and community.

      Advisor2019–2021

      Cambio

      Matching talent to opportunity, and adding some human to the job search. #MoreThanAResume