BETHESDA, Md., April 27, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Everyone wants to be recognized, valued, and respected for who they are and what they do at work. A new book, When People Rise: HR Secrets for Small Business Growth, Success, and Legacy, released by Brave Healer Productions' Brave Business Books imprint,  and helmed by Susan S. Mahaffee, provides a warm, grounded guide for leaders, healers, and business owners who believe workplaces can be spaces of healing, not harm.

Mahaffee is president of a certified woman-owned HR consulting and leadership advisory firm that partners with small- to mid-sized businesses. An Amazon best-seller in three categories, the book utilizes her 20 years of experience as well as those of a circle of expert contributors who show how trust, compassion, and integrity can become the most powerful strategies business leaders have.

She writes in the book's introduction, "I believe in weaving people's stories, experiences, and perspectives together because that's how I've grown, how I've become better, and how real progress happens. No one builds something meaningful alone. Inside these pages, you'll find real stories paired with practical tools. Each chapter reflects lived experience and offers approaches you can actually use – because insight without action doesn't change anything."

Among the topics covered are why wellness is not a perk, how setting boundaries provides purpose, how one decision secures future generations, and ways conversation can drive real HR change.

When People Rise's circle of experts includes Trisha L. Wolford, who wrote the foreword, as well as Heather Archer, Emily Owens Channell, Jaime Damkroger, Agnes M. Geisler, Elizabeth Harris, Adina M. Lavoie, Ben Madden, Sabina May, Rick Miller, Sonia E. Pacheco, Sanita Pinchback, Dr. Pamela J Pine, Stacey Piper, Laura Reynolds, Jill A. Rogers, Shelly Schoff, Aisha Scott, Kris Valerio Shock, Maura Dowd Sniegoski, Katie L. Tanner, and Booke Toomey.

Author Bio
Susan S. Mahaffee is the president and founder of People Rise LLC, a certified woman-owned HR consulting and leadership advisory firm that partners with small- to mid-sized businesses, entrepreneurs, and family-owned organizations. With more than two decades of experience in HR leadership, executive coaching, and organizational strategy, Mahaffee helps leaders navigate the people moments that shape culture, trust, and long-term success. In addition to her consulting work, she is a Certified Executive Leadership Coach, speaker, and host of The Employee Help Desk podcast.

Praise for When People Rise
"Filled with great storytelling and a bevy of unique perspectives, When People Rise is the people-centered handbook all leaders and HR professionals need to read."— Andrew Biernat, author, The Team That Loves Mondays

 "A must-read for any HR leader who has ever felt the weight of a difficult conversation.  The book's true superpower is its ability to make the tough conversations more meaningful and less menacing."   — Lance Young, chief human resources officer, Walton County School District, Georgia

About the Lead Author

Susan S. Mahaffee is the president and founder of People Rise LLC. With more than two decades of experience in HR leadership, executive coaching, and organizational strategy, Mahaffee helps leaders navigate the people moments that shape culture, trust, and long-term success. She is a Certified Executive Leadership Coach, speaker, and host of The Employee Help Desk podcast.

Learn more @peoplerisellc; @whenpeoplerise; https://www.peoplerisellc.com/podcast

About Brave Healer Productions

Brave Healer Productions (including Brave Business Books and Brave Kids Books), is an award-winning publisher for holistic health and wellness professionals who want to become best-selling authors, build their community and business, and leave their legacy more consciously. Brave Healer Productions has published over 100 Amazon best-selling books.

A full list of services offered by Brave Healing Productions can be found at https://lauradifranco.com.

Contact: Laura Di Franco, (703) 915-3653; 412799@email4pr.com; https://lauradifranco.com

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SOURCE Brave Healer Productions