Who we are
The Brave Work Project provides fractional Operations/HR support for organizations that aren’t quite ready for a full-time hire—but who definitely need to get things taken off of their plates. We can also support you while a team member is on leave.
Our work is practical, embedded, and operational. We’re more than just freelancers. We are invested in what you’re trying to build and will provide strategic feedback on best practices for how to scale the backend of things in ways that are efficient and helpful now—and—that won’t backfire on you later.
We take work off leadership’s plate so companies can keep moving.
HOW WE WORK WITH CLIENTS
Most of our clients come to us saying some version of:
“We need help with Operations or HR or Hiring—but not a full-time hire yet.”
So that’s where we start.
As a fractional partner, we step in to:
Stabilize messy systems
Clean up what’s overdue or unclear
Build the foundational protocols growing companies need
Support managers (without turning them into therapists) to galvanize their teams
Reduce the background noise of too many things to do, not enough time, and no dedicated person to own the project.
KATE SWOBODA, FOUNDER OF THE BRAVE WORK PROJECT
Hey there, I’m Kate, founder of The Brave Work Project.
I’ve led and supported startups and established companies doing the unglamorous, necessary work: writing policies, building performance frameworks, supporting managers, handling onboarding, and making sure companies don’t accidentally create chaos as they scale.
I’m calm in complexity, direct when things are muddy, and invested in the people I work with.
I bring a burnout-informed, systems-aware lens to everything I do—not as a culture initiative or leadership trend, but as a practical safeguard.
My approach is straightforward: I take real Operations + HR work off your plate, build structure where it’s needed, and help you grow without turning your company into a bureaucracy—or burning out the people who make it run.
My superpowers include: Knowing when a meeting could be an email; helping people articulate what they need when they can’t quite find the words to explain it; and helping stressed out business leadership get focused on the priorities that matter, most.
The credentials: I have 12+ years of experience working in companies of all sizes and in different industries. I’ve offered support within every team—executive, marketing, finance, engineering, product, customer service. I have two HR certifications, a project management certification, and experience as an instructional designer and corporate trainer. I also have a MA-Psychology, a PCC from the International Coaching Federation, and have coached executives and senior leadership for improved performance.