Member Spotlight: BloomWell Supports Colorado Springs Businesses with HR Solutions to Boost Retention and Avoid Legal Issues
Erin Brawner, owner of BloomWell, named her HR firm after her grandmother’s maiden name, symbolizing growth and positive change. Bloomwell offers customized HR services to small businesses in Colorado Springs.
The company started during the COVID-19 pandemic to help small businesses navigate complex labor laws introduced at the time to protect workers. Laws like the Families First Coronavirus Response Act required some employers to give paid sick leave and more family and medical leave for COVID-19 reasons, posing challenges for small businesses without budgets for legal help. BloomWell helped them avoid lawsuits.
Brawner, who moved to Colorado Springs after falling in love with the city during a 2015 trip, has grown her business through referrals from the Colorado Springs Chamber & EDC.
“I recently started working with a great client that happens to be a local business that I love, so I’m really glad to have had that referral from the Chamber [&EDC],” she said. Brawner emphasizes the importance of engaging with chamber members to build business connections.
Despite a cooling labor market and hiring rates outpacing quit rates, businesses in the U.S. still face a shortage of skilled workers. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce said in its October report that the education and healthcare and business services sectors regularly post job openings. Brawner, with over a decade of HR experience, helps businesses attract and retain talent through customized consulting and coaching services.
“I offer tailored services to small businesses, working with each of them to understand their needs,” she said.
The job market has shifted since the pandemic, with many companies allowing employees to split their time between home and office and others providing remote working options. While these models offer flexibility, they can impact productivity and innovation. Companies like Amazon, Disney, X (formerly Twitter), Starbucks, and JP Morgan are now requiring more in-office work. Brawner believes that managers can build strong teams by understanding their employees, listening to them, and encouraging diverse ideas to enhance creativity and innovation.