Tina Ullmann: The Strategic Architect of Human Capital and a Trusted Partner for Business Growth
In today’s complex and ever-changing business landscape, the single greatest driver of sustainable success is an organization’s people. Yet, for many growing businesses, accessing the executive-level strategic leadership needed to cultivate this vital asset remains out of reach. Answering this critical need is Tina Ullmann, a visionary leader, seasoned HR executive, and the Founder and CEO of Vireo HR Advisory. With a career spanning 25 years in corporate human resources, she has crafted an innovative fractional advisory model that delivers C-suite-level people strategy to the businesses that need it most. By seamlessly blending high-level HR architecture with transformative leadership coaching, Tina is not just a consultant; she is an essential partner in building resilient, profitable, and people-centric organizations. For her unparalleled expertise and her unwavering commitment to fostering growth, The Influential Today Magazine is proud to honor Tina Ullmann as The Most Trusted HR Advisor and Life Coach for 2025.
The Genesis of a Visionary Entrepreneur
Tina Ullmann’s journey to founding Vireo HR Advisory is a testament to a lifelong entrepreneurial spirit, meticulously honed over more than two decades in the corporate world. Her distinguished career in Human Resources was built upon a strong foundation in Retail Operations, giving her a unique, ground-level understanding of the mechanics of a successful business. This operational acumen informed her entire HR trajectory, as she ascended through a series of increasingly senior roles, from HR Manager to leadership positions in Organizational Effectiveness, Talent Management, and Leadership Development, culminating in her role as a Vice President of Business Partners and Labor Relations.
This comprehensive experience, which touched every facet of the employee lifecycle, provided her with an unparalleled perspective on what truly drives organizational success. She witnessed firsthand the power of a well-executed people strategy and the immense cost of its absence. Throughout this journey, her innate entrepreneurial drive persisted. She saw a distinct gap in the market: a pressing need for strategic HR leadership within small and mid-sized businesses that were poised for growth but could not justify the overhead of a full-time senior executive. It was from this insight that the vision for Vireo HR Advisory was born. “I wanted to start an advisory business that brings Fractional HR Leaders, Fractional Integrators and Fractional Talent professionals together to give businesses a full range of resources available to them,” she explained.
The Vireo Vision
The fractional executive model is a game-changer for modern businesses, and Tina Ullmann is a leading expert in applying its principles to the human resources function. Inspired by the work of pioneers in the field, like Anessa Fike, Sam Eaton and Elles Skony. She embraced this innovative approach to design Vireo HR Advisory, providing companies with access to a strategic thought partner who could shape their organization from the inside out. “What I love about the Fractional HR model is that we can help businesses that are in mid-growth, start up or have interim needs in large organizations,” she said. “We are jumping in and helping to shape an organization that would not normally be able to afford the full time support of an HR Leader.”
When a potential client, particularly a small business owner unfamiliar with HR consulting, asks what she does, Tina frames her role in the language of business impact. “I share that I am a business consultant focusing on the people strategy and execution for their business at a fraction of the cost and reduced overhead on their profitability,” she stated. This approach immediately demystifies the function of HR and connects it directly to the bottom line. She powerfully articulates a core business truth that many leaders overlook: “Their people are their biggest expense and their largest revenue driver so you need to ensure they are part of your strategy.” This business-centric philosophy is the cornerstone of the trust she builds with her clients.
The Integrated Coach: Cultivating Leadership from Within
Tina’s value proposition extends far beyond traditional HR. Her deep expertise in Organizational Development and Leadership, shaped by influential mentors in the mid-2000s who helped frame her passion, is woven into the fabric of her advisory work. For her, strategic HR and leadership coaching are not separate disciplines; they are inextricably linked. “When supporting business owners with fractional HR the coaching just comes naturally and is part of our thought leader partnership,” she explained. This organic integration means that as she helps architect the structure and processes of a company, she is simultaneously developing the leadership capabilities of its key people.
In addition to this integrated coaching, she offers two structured programs designed to foster leadership at critical stages of a career. Her Mid-Level Manager Strength-Based Coaching program, offered in both individual and cohort-based formats, equips emerging leaders with the tools to excel. For senior leaders, her Executive Coaching program is tailored for Directors and above who are preparing to ascend to the next level of leadership. This dual approach ensures that leadership development is both a continuous, integrated process and a targeted, strategic intervention.
Tackling the Core Challenge: Bridging the Leadership-Employee Divide
With her extensive experience across numerous organizations, Tina has developed a keen eye for the most common points of friction in growing businesses. “The most common opportunity I see is the communication and process breakdown that causes a disconnect between the business owner and the employees,” she observed. This disconnect, if left unaddressed, can stifle growth, erode morale, and undermine the very foundation of a company’s culture.
Her solution is both strategic and tactical. She acts as a vital bridge, reconnecting leaders and business owners to their teams. “I help through developing connection, creating process, structure and engaging communication,” she said. By implementing these foundational elements, she restores clarity, rebuilds trust, and ensures that the entire organization is aligned and moving in the same direction. This ability to diagnose and resolve the core people-related challenges that inhibit growth is central to her reputation as a trusted advisor.
The Resilient Leader: A Philosophy of Adaptation and Hard Work
Tina’s journey as an entrepreneur has provided her with its own set of powerful lessons, which she candidly shares. The most surprising challenge she faced when starting Vireo was the sheer amount of effort required for business development. “You think that your years of experience, awards and accomplishments will stand on their own…they don’t,” she admitted. “You have to put in the work.” This realistic and hardworking ethos resonates deeply with the business owners she serves.
Her leadership philosophy is perfectly encapsulated by her favorite quote from Elizabeth Edwards: “She stood in the storm and when the wind did not blow her way, she adjusted her sails.” This mantra of resilience and adaptability is not just an inspirational saying; it is the operating principle by which she navigates her own business and guides her clients. She understands that success is not about avoiding storms, but about having the wisdom and courage to adjust course and continue moving forward.
This adaptability is supported by a rigorous commitment to staying informed. “Staying up to date with all changes that are happening in the HR and Small to medium sized business spaces is what keeps me ahead of the curve,” she stated. In a world defined by ambiguity, she provides her clients with a sense of stability and foresight. Looking ahead, she is driven not by a superficial excitement for trends, but by a “passion to help businesses through the ambiguity, complexity of the current environment that we will continue to be in for a few years.”
Grounded by her commitment to her own wellbeing through practices like breathwork, gardening, and walking her dogs, Tina Ullmann leads with a calm, centered, and strategic presence. She is a master of her craft, an innovator in her field, and an indispensable partner to the businesses and leaders she serves.
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