For many HR pros, startups are a career sweet spot. That’s the case for Stacey Richey, who currently is global VP of people at Smartcat, a Series C AI translation company.
She’s worked at companies during hyper-growth periods. What first gave Richey the startup bug, she told HR Brew, was a formative early career experience working at a private equity firm, and consulting its portfolio companies on their talent strategies.
Richey spent 10 years at a boutique staffing agency before joining the private equity firm Vista Equity Partners, which primarily invests in software companies, as global talent manager and global consulting manager. There, she helped develop HR processes that enabled Vista’s portfolio companies to scale their annual recurring revenue (ARR) by 40% to 60% year-over-year.
“That was my first foray into HR, and I loved that job. I was so blessed because I got to work with the best and brightest minds of the industry,” she said.
At the time, the firm had more than 27 companies in its portfolio, and Richey was responsible for nearly half. On top of that, Vista was acquiring new companies at least once per month, with valuations running from $20 million to $4 billion, with Richey’s team expected to guide them through expansion.
What was most exciting about her role, was getting exposure “to different industries, to different people, locations everything was different,” she said, adding that no two companies were the same. “That allowed you to really identify: What are the best practices when growing a company, and how do you actually not only just grow, but sustain and retain, whatever your growth goals are?”
This conversation has been edited for length and clarity.
What’s the best change you’ve made at a place you’ve worked?
One of the most meaningful changes we’ve made is adopting an AI-first approach to all our internal operations. Before we backfill a role, we evaluate whether an AI agent can do the work. Every single employee has at least one license to an AI tool or is using agentic AI in their daily operations. This shift is helping us scale more effectively and focus human talent where it has the greatest impact. We are already on our way to increasing ARR per employee by 10x, 100x and eventually 1,000x as we continue to optimize how people and AI work together.
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What’s the biggest misconception people might have about your job?
Culture is not carried by HR. Culture building is a team sport. HR can help shape and support it, but it’s built every day through how teams work together, how leaders show up, and how decisions get made across the company. As organizations increasingly adopt AI into their day-to-day, it’s easy to assume that culture will stay intact. But when how we work changes, how we build connection and trust has to evolve, too. That’s why everyone, not just HR, plays a role in shaping the culture we want to keep.
What’s the most fulfilling aspect of your job?
Getting to watch people succeed. Whether it’s a promotion they worked hard for, a new skill they mastered, or a creative new way they’ve found to use technology, those individual wins matter. They’re a reflection of growth, both for the person and for the company. Celebrating these special moments and getting the opportunity to be on this journey with them is by far the best part of being in HR.
What trend in HR are you most optimistic about? Why?
I’m thrilled about the adoption and applicability of AI within people operations! Not only will AI lead to exponentially higher productivity, but it will also enhance the human experience of being an employee by allowing people to spend more time on creative problem solving, strategic thinking, and the most meaningful parts of our work.
At Smartcat, we’ve used AI to accelerate foundational programs like our Career Ladders with greater consistency and speed. This kind of time savings has allowed us to reinvest in the work that drives real growth and connection.
What trend in HR are you least optimistic about? Why?
I’m not excited to see so many DEIB initiatives being rolled back or placed under legislative scrutiny. Celebrating our cultural differences allows us to build our intercultural intelligence, which is one of the strongest predictors of success in the workforce. Our cultural differences also allow us to build a greater appreciation for one another, both at work and beyond. It’s a pity that something so foundational to connection, empathy, and performance has been reframed as negative.