Frequently Asked Questions

Ostara HR is a strategic people consultancy that helps founders building companies solve challenges at every stage of their journey. Founded by Sarah Buckley, a Chartered HR professional with over two decades of experience, we specialise in transforming people problems into competitive advantages.

Ostara is the Germanic goddess of dawn, spring, and renewal—the perfect embodiment of transformation and new beginnings. Just as Ostara heralds the awakening of nature after winter, we bring fresh approaches to founders' people challenges.

The name reflects our mission to transform traditional practices and our balanced approach of being both strategic AND practical, compliant AND creative.

Unlike traditional HR consultancies focused on compliance or tech consultants with limited people expertise, we specialise in the intersection of strategic thinking and practical technology implementation.

We help founders at every stage - from "Stop being your most expensive administrator" to "Here's how we'll handle due diligence." You get both tactical solutions and strategic guidance from someone who's built systems that powered companies through IPO and M&A.

We work with founders building companies across diverse sectors - from early-stage startups drowning in admin chaos to growth-stage companies preparing for funding rounds. Our clients typically range from companies just starting to hire their first employees to those preparing for Series A and beyond.

We provide full-stack people solutions across six key areas:

• Turn Data Chaos Into Decision Intelligence: Simple analytics that predict problems early
• When Team Conflicts Threaten Your Mission: Expert resolution that protects relationships
• Stop Being Your Most Expensive Administrator: AI automation for routine tasks
• Policies That Don't Suck: Compliance frameworks that humans understand
• Scale Your Culture Without Breaking It: Systems that preserve what makes you special
• Investor-Ready People Practices: Strategic guidance for funding and M&A

We offer flexible engagement models:

• Project-Based: Fixed-scope deliverables for specific challenges
• Ongoing Support: Monthly partnerships for continuous guidance
• Strategic Consulting: Board-level guidance for big moments

Whether you need a quick fix for admin chaos or strategic support for due diligence, we adapt to your needs.

Yes! We help founders stop being their most expensive administrators through AI automation solutions. This includes automated workflows, chatbots for routine queries, data integration, and our September 2025 course "AI for HR: Save Hours, Stay Human."

We focus on automating routine work whilst preserving the human elements that make your culture special.

Absolutely. We transform data chaos into decision intelligence through:

• Simple metrics that predict who's about to quit
• Performance patterns that spot problems early
• Power BI dashboards that tell stories, not just show numbers
• ROI measurement for people investments
• Early warning systems for team issues

Getting started is simple:

1. Take our quick assessment to identify your biggest challenges
2. Book a consultation to discuss your specific needs
3. Receive a tailored proposal based on your situation
4. Begin transforming your people challenges into competitive advantages

For urgent needs, we can typically start within 24-48 hours. For strategic projects, we usually begin within 1-2 weeks of proposal acceptance. We're always transparent about our capacity and will work to accommodate urgent situations.

We work both remotely and in-person depending on your needs and location. Based in Buckinghamshire, we can provide face-to-face support throughout the UK, with regular in-person availability in the Southeast. Many of our services work perfectly remotely, giving you flexibility whilst maintaining high-quality delivery.

Our clients typically experience:

• Significant time savings through process automation
• Better decision-making through data intelligence
• Reduced team conflicts and improved relationships
• Streamlined policies that people actually follow
• Scalable culture systems that preserve company essence
• Investor-ready people practices for funding rounds

Specific outcomes depend on your situation, but we always establish clear success metrics at the start of our partnership.

Our pricing varies by engagement model:

• Strategic Consulting: £150-200 per hour for board-level guidance
• Project Work: Fixed fees based on scope and complexity
• Monthly Partnerships: £1,500-5,000 per month depending on level of support

We always provide transparent pricing upfront with no hidden costs.

Yes, for larger projects we can arrange staged payments aligned with milestones. Monthly partnerships are billed monthly in advance. We accept bank transfers, Direct Debit, and secure online payments.

Project work has no minimum commitment - you pay for what you need. Monthly partnerships typically have a 3-month minimum to allow for meaningful progress. Strategic consulting can be engaged on an as-needed basis.

Response times depend on your engagement level:

• Monthly Partners: Within 24 hours (same day for urgent matters)
• Project Clients: Within 48 hours during active projects
• Strategic Consulting: Within 24-48 hours

Emergency support is available for critical situations.

You'll work directly with Sarah Buckley, ensuring you benefit from her 20+ years of experience across multiple sectors. For complex projects, Sarah may involve trusted specialists whilst maintaining oversight and quality control.