Stay True to Your North — The Beginning.

Written By Tara Bodine

The day I was on the other side of the HR conversation…

A few years ago, I got fired.
Not for underperforming. Not for slacking off.
But after years of people-pleasing, bending to toxic corporate norms, and being regularly cursed at, I was let go, suddenly, and without cause.

All that effort to conform, to “be a team player,” to protect the business at the expense of my sanity?

It didn’t earn me a promotion or a gold star.
It earned me burnout and a box of my things.

Now what?

In a post-COVID, post-birthing-three-sons world, I found myself broken down and staring down the big question:

What do I really want to be when I grow up?
Yoga instructor? Bartender at a local brewery?
Both felt more fulfilling and safer than climbing one more rung on the HR ladder.

As a recovering people pleaser raised in a household that struggled to make ends meet, getting fired (especially for no logical reason) is a real mind f*ck. Money had a firm grip on my choices. I had built a career with multi-six-figure pay, stock options, and bonus potential.

Could I really walk away from that?
Would my kids be proud to see me home for dinner and off my laptop at sporting events… or wonder if I had failed?

Bye, Felicia.

I chose HR 25 years ago because it lives at the intersection of business and psychology.
I’ve always been fascinated by how work shapes identity, and how identity shapes families.

But after two decades in corporate HR, I couldn’t be the face of broken systems anymore. I had seen the ripple effects of poor leadership firsthand: the anxiety that followed people home, the strain on relationships, the lost confidence, and the crushed spirits. Toxic workplaces have traumatized people, and by extension their families and communities.

I knew I wanted to use my skills and experience to make a real impact.

New beginnings.

So I took a leap of faith and started True North People Consulting, because I believe that when businesses lead well, everyone benefits.

And I chose small businesses on purpose.
They are the heartbeat of our communities.

When they thrive, families are stronger, cultures are healthier, and local economies grow more resilient.

All are welcome.

This is for the business owners who believe you can run a company with both grit and heart. This space is for people leaders who are trying to do right by their teams, without losing their minds or their margins.

It’s for those who want to:

  • Create workplaces people actually want to be part of

  • Lead with clarity, without losing themselves in the process

  • Navigate hard conversations without tiptoeing or tearing things down

  • Let go of outdated HR rules and build something more human

Here, we skip the corporate buzzwords, the perfection pressure, and the illusion that anyone has it all figured out.

This is a space for honest conversations, practical tools, and new ways of thinking about work, leadership, and the humans behind it all. Real stories and strategies to help you lead well—and stay true to your north.

Tara Bodine