Contractor vs Employee Checklist

EMBEDDED HR THAT ACCELERATES SCALE
SkyFi boosts hiring velocity and operational maturity with Ampleo HR

INTRODUCTION

SkyFi is an Earth intelligence company delivering satellite imagery and AI-driven geospatial analytics to government and commercial clients worldwide. As a fast-moving pre-Series A startup, SkyFi needed to scale rapidly—but without the overhead and delay of hiring a full-time HR team. That’s where Ampleo came in.

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CHALLENGE

As SkyFi approached a critical inflection point in its growth, CEO Luke was faced with a classic startup dilemma: hire a full-time HR team or stay lean and outsource to a trusted partner. The business needed structure, talent acquisition, and onboarding—fast—but without the overhead of full-time salaries, equity, and training.

The internal team didn’t yet know if they needed one person or five, but they knew they needed expert help right away.

SOLUTION

Ampleo HR embedded directly into SkyFi with Leslie, a hands-on HR expert who operated like a true team member from day one. She joined team Slack channels, integrated into day-to-day operations, and immediately earned trust.

Leslie handled:

• Candidate sourcing and interview coordination
• Job description development
• Onboarding and offboarding processes
• Structuring HR systems to support scale

She even introduced a structured onboarding experience across departments—helping elevate SkyFi’s people ops from early-stage chaos to a repeatable, professional experience.

RESULTS

Faster hiring: HR systems optimized to attract and onboard top talent
Stronger product velocity: Faster hiring led to faster delivery for customers
Team integration: Ampleo felt like part of the team, not an external resource
Capital efficiency: Expert support without the cost of full-time hires

CONCLUSION

For a startup scaling at speed, Ampleo HR delivered exactly what SkyFi needed: expertise, efficiency, and execution. By embedding directly into the team, Ampleo helped SkyFi stay lean, scale fast, and build the people infrastructure needed for long-term success.

EMBEDDED HR SUPPORT THAT EVOLVED WITH THE BUSINESS
Listen Technologies transforms HR from reactive chaos to strategic clarity

Download the full PDF here: Listen Technologies Case Study

INTRODUCTION

Listen Technologies is a global leader in assistive listening and audio communication systems, helping people overcome barriers related to hearing loss, language, and noise. As the company scaled, CEO Maile Keone knew HR couldn’t be left to chance. After more than 18+ months without dedicated HR leadership and evolving hiring needs, President & CEO Maile Keone turned to Ampleo HR for support.

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CHALLENGE

During a period of growth and organizational transition, Listen Technologies operated without internal HR leadership for over a year. With no dedicated HR leader in place, Maile was managing benefits questions, compliance risks, and employee issues on her own—while driving a fast-growing product strategy. The result: HR was reactive, fragmented, and pulling her away from higher-impact work.

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SOLUTION

Referred by Ampleo Finance, Maile reconnected with Abby Martin and quickly saw a difference. Abby’s deep expertise, empathy, and flexibility stood out. The engagement began with a search—then evolved into a part-time placement with Chris Lynford, who proved to be such a strong fit that the company ultimately hired her full-time.

Chris integrated quickly, bringing structure and professionalism from the start:

RESULTS

Rapid risk reduction: Legal and compliance gaps surfaced and prioritized within weeks

Increased leadership bandwidth: Maile shifted HR tasks off her desk and back into the right hands

Clearer HR roadmap: Defined the right level of support needed—including a transition to full-time HR

Employee confidence restored: Chris became a trusted, in-house-level presence

Strategic shift: From reactive firefighting to proactive HR planning

CONCLUSION

Ampleo HR helped Listen Technologies move from HR uncertainty to confidence and clarity. What started as a flexible solution quickly became essential—so much so that the part-time resource became a full-time hire. With a trusted HR foundation in place, the company is scaling forward with focus, backed by a partner that delivers just-right support at every stage.

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EMBEDDED HR SUPPORT AT A CRITICAL MOMENT
Comprehensive Mobile Care enhances control and shifts from HR firefighting to long-term strategy

INTRODUCTION

Comprehensive Mobile Care is a family-owned provider of onsite dental, podiatry, optometry, and audiology services. For over 25 years, the organization has delivered ethical, compassionate care to senior and veteran communities. When a sudden internal leadership gap left the business without HR support, management needed help—fast.

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CHALLENGE

The unexpected departure of an HR lead created an urgent need for HR and finance support. With no one to handle onboarding, payroll, compliance, or employee relations, the management team was left shouldering the work themselves on top of leading the business. Already stretched thin, they needed a partner who could step in immediately, bring clarity, and rebuild the HR function from the ground up for a company growing 50% a year.

SOLUTION

Referred by a trusted investor, Ampleo HR responded quickly. Within 48 hours, Alexis was embedded as a dedicated HR partner, fully integrated into Comprehensive Mobile Care’s systems, team, and daily operations.

Alexis brought both structure and strategy, taking on:

• Onboarding, I-9s, payroll, and benefits administration
  
• Compliance tracking and reporting across multiple states
  
• Manager support and resolution of day-to-day employee requests
  
• The foundation for longer-term HR planning and measurement

Three months into the engagement, the nature of the work began to evolve—from reactive admin tasks to proactive people ops. Alexis helped the team measure attrition, assess labor costs, and support manager development.

RESULTS

• Time saved for leadership: 20 to 40 hours a week reclaimed by executive team
  
• Compliance reestablished: Multi-state reporting, insurance filings, and onboarding brought back online
  
• Transition to strategy: Moved from admin execution to people metrics and manager enablement
  
• Stronger internal trust: HR embedded in daily operations and employee problem-solving

CONCLUSION

Ampleo HR delivered more than a quick fix. By embedding directly into the business, we helped Comprehensive Mobile Care enhance operations, increase confidence in HR in a people focused business, and build an HR function that supports their mission. With day to day fires behind them, the team is now focused on long-term people strategy for its valued field assistants, and organizational health.