Few HR leaders are as energizing—and unapologetically real—as Susan P. Chen. With nearly two decades of experience across startups, scale-ups, and global corporations, she’s seen firsthand what happens when organizations ditch outdated playbooks and build people systems that truly reflect their team’s energy.
As the founder of co:grow and author of The Death of Best Practices, Susan is on a mission to reshape how we think about HR—less bureaucracy, more clarity and momentum. In this conversation, she shares what drives her, why Fractional HR matters, and how imperfection fuels meaningful, scalable growth in organizations.
Highlights
Reimagining HR from the Ground Up
Q: Across industries and roles, what part of HR work continues to ignite your passion?
A: What energizes me most is helping people and teams unlock something they didn’t know was possible—seeing that “wide-eyed clarity” when their strengths finally align with how they work and live. Even after 18 years, it’s the problem-solving and creativity within HR that continues to ignite my passion.
I’ve worked across startups, scale-ups, SMEs, and MNCs. No matter the industry, the most powerful outcomes happen when we stop trying to copy best practices and start designing from real human energy.
I’m also constantly drawn to the ability to ask, “What if?”—to challenge assumptions and use creativity to solve problems that matter. That combination of reimagination and creative impact is what keeps me deeply engaged in this work.
Q: What moment led you to “decode the People Function” and build co:grow around that mission?
A: co:grow was born out of years of experience building people systems while also navigating the gaps, the bloat, and the noise. I saw too many founders and HR leaders stuck trying to adapt corporate-sized practices to early-stage realities. It was also born out of the myth that strategic and impactful HR isn’t accessible to smaller players.
The turning point wasn’t one single moment—it was repeated exposure to the same friction points across industries and cultures. I started co:grow to build lean, creative, practical people systems—fractional, accessible, and built for real, ongoing momentum.
Q: Your book challenges standard HR practices. What drives your urge to disrupt rather than refine?
I wrote my book because I was tired of seeing the same tired best practices being passed around and celebrated, despite the world and work changing dramatically.
What drives me isn’t disruption for its own sake, but the belief that we, in HR, can do better: reward originality over conformity, build trust without bureaucracy, and design talent practices that actually unlock potential.
The book also represents the optimism I have for HR practitioners—to channel a growth mindset and become the strategic partners we know organizations need. Not just to manage risk or process, but to drive clarity, unlock talent, and shape the future of work.
Energy, Impact, and Embracing Imperfection
Q: How do you stay energized while guiding others through growth and leadership transformation?
A: What keeps me energized is seeing leaders move from confusion, burnout, and self-doubt to clarity and momentum. So many of the people I work with are carrying everything—operational firefighting, emotional labor, strategic decisions—and yet feel like they can never step back enough to see the full picture.
Helping them create space, realign with their strengths, and rebuild from that place is deeply fulfilling. I also draw energy from how we’ve designed co:grow: we work in teams and collectives, support each other in delivering excellence, and keep things human.
I don’t believe in the coach or consultant as a detached expert—I believe in walking alongside the people I support. That’s why we believe in the power of Fractional HR leadership as a more embedded approach to solving real organizational challenges.
Q: How does your angel investing with Epic Angels fuel your passion for developing people and organizations?
A: Angel investing through Epic Angels connects me with female founders and their teams at their most creative and scrappy stages—and I love that. It fuels my passion for talent because I get to support not just companies, but the humans building them.
Epic Angels supports a broader mission I care deeply about: increasing access to capital for female founders, for overlooked teams, for bold ideas that challenge the norm. If we want innovation, we have to make room for change.
I believe that funding people is just as important as funding ideas, and that better people practices are a growth lever, not an afterthought.
Q: Which recent co:grow initiative gave you a strong sense of meaning or fulfillment?
A: One of the most fulfilling recent moments at co:grow was supporting a founder through a complete reset of how they lead and structure their team.
Instead of defaulting to the old “hire more senior people and layer on processes” approach to take the load off, we co-designed a leaner, strength-based organizational model and ways of work that brought clarity and lightness to their day-to-day.
Watching the founder and their team feel the difference and step into new roles with energy—it reminded me why we do this work.
Q: How does embracing imperfection at co:grow keep your passion alive as a leader and founder?
A: Our philosophy at co:grow is that imperfection is a feature, not a flaw. It’s what gives us the space to iterate, adjust, and co-create solutions that truly fit. Instead of aiming for perfect answers, we focus on real progress—working in partnership with our clients to keep learning and improving. We meet them where they need to be met.
That mindset keeps me grounded and passionate as a founder because it gives us permission to build with our clients, not just for them. It also means we stay flexible, fast, and focused on what really matters.
Final thoughts: Building from Real Energy
Susan P. Chen reminds us that HR, at its best, isn’t about processes—it’s about possibility. Whether guiding leaders through transformation or co-creating lean people systems, she’s proof that you don’t need to choose between creativity and strategy. You can have both.
Her work at co:grow and her belief in the power of imperfection are an open invitation: stop chasing “best practices” and start building from what’s real—your people, your energy, your mission.
Highlights
Read the Chinese article here, or listen to the podcast here.
