Summer has officially arrived, and it’s hard to believe how quickly this year is moving. Spring was a full and meaningful season, both personally and professionally.

On the personal side, my son got married, and our family gathered for a series of celebrations at our home, Stony Brook Farms in Hendersonville, North Carolina. It was a joyful season filled with family, gratitude, and memories we will cherish for years to come.

Professionally, May marked UpTalent Consulting’s fourth anniversary; a milestone that has given me an opportunity to reflect on how far we’ve come and the incredible clients, candidates, and partners who have been part of our journey. We continue to build exciting new opportunities within our business community, and I’m energized by what lies ahead.

I’m also thrilled to share a personal accomplishment: I recently completed my first book! It has been a rewarding experience, and I’ve shared details on how to attend my launch party’s in this newsletter, below.

As we move into the summer season, I hope you and your teams have time to enjoy the longer days while continuing to make meaningful progress toward your goals. If there’s anything I can do to support your organization, your leadership team, or your talent strategy, I’d welcome the opportunity to connect.

Feel free to reach out and schedule a virtual coffee with me. I’d love to learn what’s happening in your world.

Wishing you a wonderful summer ahead,

Louise Bijesse
Founder & CEO
UpTalent Consulting

I'm excited to be helping launch a new BNI chapter here in Western North Carolina, where I'll have the privilege of serving as Vice President. If you're local, we'd love to see you at our launch party on Wednesday, June 24 at 8:30 AM as we begin building connections and growing alongside BNI's national network. The Henderson Chamber will also be attending for an official ribbon cutting

I continue to enjoy partnering with our fractional HR clients as their organizations evolve and grow. Every engagement is an opportunity to better understand employee needs, strengthen workplace experiences, and help teams do their best work.

Thursday mornings with my Asheville Rotary group remain a highlight of my week. I've enjoyed serving as DEI Co-Chair and look forward to stepping into a new role as Public Image Chair while continuing to support our community impact initiatives.

Recently, I completed a significant GreenHouse ATS implementation project for a growing organization. The work involved reintroducing the platform's full capabilities, streamlining workflows, and helping the team create a more efficient and engaging employee experience.

We're currently supporting a Hendersonville business in its search for a new sales agent. It's an excellent opportunity for someone interested in building a career in the insurance industry while serving a growing community.

UpTalent is leading several highly targeted searches for senior-level legal talent throughout the United States. If you know an accomplished attorney who may be open to new opportunities, I'd welcome an introduction.

I'm deep in the planning for the launch and book tour for my first book, Don't Follow the Recipe. This one has been years in the making. It's an honest look at what it really takes to start over, to build something new when the old path stops working, and to find your footing again when things don't go the way you planned. If you've ever felt like you took the long way to get where you are, this one's for you.

I'm one of the original professionals helping build out new leadership courses and workshops through the WNC Leadership Alliance, a collaborative network of professionals dedicated to strengthening the Western North Carolina business community through high-quality leadership development programming. Our work is set to launch in January 2027, and these programs will help business leaders turn hiring into a long-term strategy for growth, not just a reactive scramble. I'm so excited to watch this one take shape!

As part of this, I'm building out a Recipe for Success workshop series, drawing on themes from Don't Follow the Recipe. The first set of sessions focuses on People & Culture and Recruitment, including The Hiring Process Makeover, How to Attract the Right Candidates (Without a Big Brand), and How to Interview and Make Better Hiring Decisions. Other contributors are building out workshops on leadership, teams, and strategy, so it's shaping up to be a well-rounded lineup that serves WNC businesses of all sizes and sectors.

On June 27, 2026, I'll be volunteering at Root Cause's annual Take Root Festival in Fairview. The event celebrates community, local food systems, and the organization's mission to create greater access to healthy food and meaningful connections.

As UpTalent continues to grow, I'm energized by the opportunities ahead and grateful for the clients, partners, and community members who are part of the journey. Thank you for allowing us to support your people, your business, and your vision for the future.