Show notes
Jul 9, 2025
In this episode of ScaleUp Radio, Kevin Brent is joined by Claire Loftus, the dynamic founder of Evolve, a people-first HR consultancy operating across Northern Ireland, Great Britain, and the Republic of Ireland.
Claire shares her journey from working in HR and navigating personal health challenges to founding Evolve in 2017. With a team of nine working remotely, Evolve offers flexible, pragmatic HR support tailored to a diverse range of clients – from startups to large corporates – across multiple jurisdictions.
🔍 Episode Highlights:
- The Evolve Ethos: A refreshingly human approach to HR that blends practical solutions with strong relationship-building.
- Unique Model: Evolve offers accessible, flexible retainers starting from just £100/month, as well as ad-hoc support and investigations.
- Entrepreneurial Roots: Claire draws inspiration from a family of entrepreneurs and shares how pregnancy just six months in and the COVID-19 pandemic shaped the business’s early growth.
- Facing HR Head-On: From managing employee disputes to leveraging personality profiling like DISC, Claire gives honest insight into common HR pitfalls – and how to avoid them.
- Growth & Self-Awareness: A recent ADHD diagnosis has shifted Claire’s perspective on leadership, leading to greater self-awareness and a stronger emphasis on autonomy for her team.
- Looking Ahead: Evolve is eyeing growth to a 20-person team, preparing for economic shifts, embracing AI cautiously, and exploring a five-year exit plan.
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For now, continue listening for the full story from Claire.
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Most founders I speak to feel busy but stuck; plenty happening, but not always clear on what genuinely matters most this quarter. If that’s you, the G90 Summit is worth a look. A structured half-day where we work through everything competing for your attention, get clear on the three to five things that must happen in the next 90 days, then commit to them and build the system to make sure they actually happen. Quarterly, virtual, £97 a seat.
Claire can be found here:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/claireloftus/
https://go-evolve.co.uk/contact/
Resources:
Rebel Ideas by Matthew Syed - https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/rebel-ideas-the-power-of-thinking-differently-matthew-syed/4848192?ean=9781529348408
Outwitting The Devil by Napoleon Hill - https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/outwitting-the-devil-with-study-guide-original-1938-classic-napoleon-hill/7758595?ean=9781722507213
Breathe - https://www.breathehr.com/en-gb/hr-software/hr-management-app
Remarkable - https://remarkable.com/