SYZYGY now offers human resources in addition to its accounting and CFO-level consulting services. SYZYGY, a trusted partner in the creative advertising production industry, developed its new human resources department to meet the demand for scalable, flexible, and production-savvy HR services. Led by Melissa Pezzello as head of client HR, these new offerings further SYZYGY’s commitment to being the back-office engine of productivity that enables companies to grow in inspiring, innovative ways.
The structure of SYZYGY’s HR services echoes the approach that has made their accounting and financial support offering so successful: expert, no-nonsense, reasonably priced, and tailored to the needs of each company as it moves through its life cycle. SYZYGY can develop an overall HR strategy for production entities that’s user-friendly and adaptable, with an emphasis on prioritising people and company culture. These specialized services include recruiting, professional development, compliance, benefits, engagement, and day-to-day HR support. Because HR services can be far-reaching and complex, SYZYGY has developed bespoke plans that fit the needs of each company and benefit its unique roster of employees.
Leading this charge is Melissa Pezzello, SYZYGY’s newly appointed head of client HR. Melissa is passionate about helping creative small businesses and start-ups build and maintain HR programs that align with their values and resources. Hailing from the East Coast, her career began at Handel Architects in Manhattan, where she got her first shot at HR projects. During her time there, she revamped the company’s policies and benefits package to comply with NYS and NYC labour laws, revitalised Handel’s recruiting and onboarding process, and scaled the team to double its size in less than a year while retaining key employees.
Melissa later moved to Los Angeles to pursue her master’s degree in Human Resources at USC while working at advertising and marketing agency Consumer Acquisition. There, she developed Consumer Acquisition’s HR programs from 0-1, including global recruiting and performance management, while leading the HR due diligence before and after the global marketing agency Brainlabs acquired the company. Melissa was then recruited to Beacons AI as the tech company’s first HR hire, and her innate drive to develop HR programs once again created positive change for the entire workplace.
“Saying yes to this opportunity was very exciting,” says Melissa of her new venture with SYZYGY. “Many production companies don’t realise that they need HR support regardless of their size. HR is essential to the overall health of every business, which is something we care deeply about at SYZYGY. I’m excited to provide expert and industry relevant HR services to SYZYGY’s current clients and expand our efforts to better serve the rest of the industry.”
Tyler Burr, co-founder and COO of SYZYGY, adds, “Production has always been a talent industry, but if the last couple of years have taught us anything, it’s that production and operational talent is just as critical as creative talent in this industry. We love working with owners and MDs who understand their companies as small businesses and prioritise building a backbone that can support strategic growth. HR is a natural extension of the back-office services we’re already providing our clients, and is becoming an increasingly critical function for the production industry, particularly in California and New York. Melissa represents a magical mixture of extensive knowledge and a practical understanding of the way things work in production, making her the perfect fit to lead this offering. And, of course, she passes the vibe check.”