Building Your Queendom: Community, Conferences & Courageous Career Reinvention

In this special episode of The EVOLVE Talent & HR Show, recorded at the Workhuman Live Conference, host Anna Morgan sits down with Sarah McConnell for a conversation about community, entrepreneurship, intentional networking, and redefining success in the future of work. After more than two decades in HR, Sarah shares why Workhuman Live remains the one conference she returns to every year—and how attending solo opened unexpected opportunities for growth, connection, and courage. Together, Anna and Sarah explore the power of curated dinners, fringe events, and authentic relationship-building in an increasingly digital world. The conversation highlights why trust, generosity, and human connection continue to outperform transactional networking. Sarah also opens up about her entrepreneurial journey—from leaving traditional HR paths to building a fractional consulting business—and the mindset shifts required to create something meaningful on your own terms. One of the most memorable moments comes when Sarah reflects on friends telling her she’s building an empire, only to realize she may actually be building something different: A queendom. This episode is for HR leaders, founders, consultants, and anyone navigating career reinvention while seeking deeper community and purpose. Why Workhuman Live is the one conference Sarah prioritizes every year The freedom and growth that come from attending conferences alone Curated dinners, fringe events, and creating meaningful connections How community combats isolation for founders and HR professionals Why trust and relationships outperform transactional networking Building a business rooted in purpose, courage, and human connection Sarah’s transition into entrepreneurship and fractional HR consulting The realities of building a business after a long corporate career AI, HR technology, and designing solutions intentionally for smaller teams Frustrations with traditional HR systems and opportunities for innovation Portfolio careers and the rise of fractional leadership The mindset shifts required to create your own path “Borrow the belief”: navigating uncertainty as an entrepreneur Redefining success through fulfillment, flexibility, and ownership 00:09 — Anna introduces the EVOLVE Talent & HR Show and its mission01:40 — Meet Sarah McConnell and the vision behind Gather Group02:32 — Why Workhuman is the only conference Sarah attends annually03:06 — The freedom and growth that comes from attending conferences solo04:20 — Fringe event strategy: saying yes while trusting your instincts05:11 — Why curated dinners create deeper human connection06:25 — Community, hopelessness, and the power of gathering good humans07:38 — Conferences as trust accelerators for vendors and practitioners08:26 — Building a “Queendom” instead of just an empire09:20 — Why intentionality defines the Workhuman conference culture10:35 — Sarah’s journey into entrepreneurship and fractional HR consulting11:09 — AI, HR tech, and building tools intentionally for tiny teams12:47 — HRIS frustrations, market research, and designing better systems14:12 — What Sarah wishes she knew before starting her business15:31 — “Borrow the belief” and the emotional side of entrepreneurship16:35 — Portfolio careers and the future of fractional work17:40 — Why building your own path creates a different kind of fulfillment18:16 — Where to connect with Sarah and Gather Group | Follow Us | Follow Sarah McConnellWebsite | https://www.gthr-group.com/LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/in/sara-mcconnell-shrm-cp/(Sarah McConnell is the co-founder and principal HR consultant of Gather Group, where she partners with small and midsize organizations to build scalable people operations, HR infrastructure, and human-centered workplace foundations. With more than 20 years of HR experience, Sarah specializes in helping growing organizations untangle operational complexity while creating intentional, people-first systems that support long-term growth.) Follow Anna MorganWebsite | https://yourcareerbff.com/LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/company/evolve-conference-careerbff/posts/?feedView=allInstagram | https://www.instagram.com/annamorgancareerbff/Facebook | https://web.facebook.com/anna.morgan.351104 Join the EVOLVE Shine 2027 waitlist:https://yourcareerbff.com/evolve-2027 Interested in collaborating or sponsoring EVOLVE experiences?Book an EVOLVE partnership call:https://calendly.com/annamorgan/evolve-partnership If this episode resonated, subscribe, share it with a fellow HR or Talent leader, and leave a review to help more people-first leaders discover the show.