For businesses where results, and people, matter.
I'm Aaron, and I founded Head & Heart to help leaders strengthen the people side of their business so they can deliver better results.
Aaron Brown-Kert
Founder & Principal, Head & Heart People Advisory
- 15+ Years
- Commercial + People roles
- Fortune + Global 500
- Including Fortune 1
- National HR Leadership
- Director, Business Partnering, Operations, Talent
- International Markets
- Canada · Australia · UK
When the people side of the business isn’t keeping pace, it can get in the way of what the business needs to deliver.
Struggling to grow and retain the talent we need.
Results are inconsistent across managers and teams.
The business has grown or changed faster than the way we're organized.
A leader or HR team is navigating a challenge or initiative where experienced judgment would help.
When I led HR at Levi’s Canada, turnover was affecting our ability to deliver on our business strategy.
Business deliverable
The business needed stable frontline teams to support store operations, customer service and delivery of its five-year plan.
What we saw
We knew people were leaving, but we didn’t yet understand the scale of the problem or what was driving it.
What I did
I built the evidence by getting out onto the front lines and speaking directly with the people doing the work. I then partnered with the Canada Leadership Team to understand the drivers and turn what we learned into action.
The Results
50% reduction
Frontline annualized turnover fell from 112% to ~56%
~$300K saved year over year
In direct training and onboarding costs
+10%
Manager Effectiveness Index year over year
+12%
Inclusion Survey Index
Employee engagement reached the top 25% of the Fortune 100 benchmark.
The problem isn’t always retention.
At Walmart, I helped strengthen the frontline leadership pipeline to support store operations and customer service.
Business deliverable
The business needed reliable management coverage across a large, complex frontline operation so stores could keep running effectively and serving customers.
What we saw
Critical management roles were staying open too long, creating pressure on store operations and exposing gaps in the leadership pipeline.
What I did
I worked with market and store leaders to identify critical roles, assess internal talent and readiness, and strengthen succession and development plans so more people could step into leadership sooner.
200+
Internal promotions into management
60% reduction
In vacancy rates
Across ~4,000 employees and an approximately $1B market portfolio in Southwestern Ontario.
What I learned as an HR leader in Fortune companies shapes how I work with clients today.
- 1
Start with the business priority
Clarify what the business needs to achieve and what success would look like.
- 2
Frame the people and organizational issue
Identify where talent, leadership, roles or ways of working may be holding delivery back or need to become stronger.
- 3
Build the evidence
Test that initial understanding against relevant business and People data and what leaders and employees closest to the work know.
- 4
Agree on the response
Separate symptoms from their drivers, then agree on a practical response to what the evidence shows.
- 5
Take action and measure
Work with leaders to prioritize actions and initiatives, track results and adjust as needed.
Whatever the issue, there are a few things you can expect from how I’ll approach the work.
You’ll work directly with me.
We’ll get clear on what’s happening and what’s driving it.
We’ll agree on what success looks like and how we’ll know whether the work made a difference.
I’ll work with the team you already have and build capability along the way.
If I’m not the right fit, I’ll tell you, and help point you toward someone who is.
The process is straightforward. The judgment behind it comes from experience.
15+ years across commercial roles and People leadership.
National HR leadership
Levi’s Canada · 1,000 employees · $270M business
HR Business Partnering in complex frontline operations
Walmart · 4,000 employees · ~$1B business
Global talent & performance
Levi Strauss & Co. · 20,000 employees · 100+ countries
HR Operations
Compliance · Policy management · Health & Safety · Training
Leadership coaching
Morgan Stanley · Mastercard · Cencora · Howard UniversityFellowship Coach, HOW Institute for Society
HR team development
Track record of building capable HR teams through coaching, professional development including both soft and technical skills, and leadership
Earlier commercial experience: Bell Canada · Samsung Electronics
You don’t need to arrive with a diagnosis.
Bring the challenge. We’ll figure out the right next step.
Assessment · Defined project · Focused advisory