The Opal Agency — HR Consulting & Operations | Colorado Springs
HR Consulting & Operations

People-first
workplace
solutions.

You don't have to know what you need. That's what we're here for. From day-one compliance to building your entire HR department — we meet you exactly where you are.

Explore our services
20+
Years of HR & compliance expertise
9
Years in business
50
U.S. states served
15+
Countries served internationally
$200k+
In documented client savings
Always Montanna — no handoffs, ever
Same-day responsiveness
California specialist
We find problems before they find you

Trusted by

Chief Detective Legal Scale Gould & Ratner Sema Films Leigh Winters Beauty Mount Lai Marguex Agency Avibra Guass Money SO Collective Kounsel Copy Science Core Sanara Mental Health Unity ABA Maxem Health Urgent Care Krause & Kinsman Law LMR Digital Marketing Marshall Advanced Nursing The Trivial Company Ponte Firm Sweet Eats Reel Waste & Recycling
Our philosophy

Great HR isn't just about compliance. It's about creating the conditions where people and organizations grow together — with clear policies, honest communication, and genuine care for the humans at the center of every decision.

What staying close
to the work looks like

90%
Founding client retention
Nine years in. Most of our original clients are still here.
87%
Stay 2–3+ years
After an initial engagement, 87% of clients continue the relationship long-term.
10
Active clients — by design
We intentionally keep our roster small. Every client gets the same level of attention on day 900 as they did on day one.
$200k+
In documented client savings
Payroll errors, misclassification catches, incorrect wage issues — found before they became bigger problems.
$70k

Recovered for a professional services client after identifying a payroll processing error that had gone undetected — including by the payroll provider themselves.

$30k

Recovered for a marketing client after catching incorrect state payroll wage calculations that had been quietly compounding over time.

Our services

01

HR Policy & Compliance

Handbooks, policies, multi-state compliance, I-9 verification, DOL audit support, and the frameworks that keep your organization protected and clear.

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02

Workplace Communications

The messages that are hardest to write — terminations, policy changes, sensitive HR situations — handled with clarity, care, and the right words.

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03

People Strategy

Fractional HR leadership, org design, hiring frameworks, and long-term people strategy — including building HR departments entirely from the ground up.

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04

Beyond HR

Entity formations, state account setup, payroll transitions, annual reports, and the operational layer most consultants don't touch. If it keeps your business running right, we do it.

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05

HR Audits & Assessments

A clear-eyed review of where you stand — compliance gaps, policy risk, classification issues — and a prioritized roadmap for what to fix first.

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06

Employee Relations & Investigations

Workplace complaints, sensitive terminations, internal conflicts, and investigations handled with care, confidentiality, and the kind of clarity that protects everyone involved.

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We don't just do
what you ask.

Most consultants answer the question in front of them. We look at the whole picture. If something's off, we'll tell you — even if you didn't know to ask. That's how $70k payroll errors get found. That's how problems get caught before they cost you.

01

Discovery

We start by understanding your full picture — not just the immediate ask, but your structure, your risk, and your goals.

02

Assessment

We look for what's missing, what's at risk, and what's been quietly building into a problem. Then we tell you clearly what we found.

03

Delivery

Clear, actionable work — policies, frameworks, communications, formations, audits. Done well and on time.

04

Partnership

You hear from us directly — same day. No account managers, no junior staff. Just Montanna.

Where we work

All 50 states.
And well beyond.

We have deep experience across every U.S. state — with particular specialization in California, which has employment laws complex enough that clients across the country seek us out specifically for it. Our work extends internationally as well, supporting clients across multiple countries and territories with the same rigor we bring to everything else.

All 50 U.S. StatesCalifornia specialist
Puerto RicoU.S. Territory
Canada & MexicoNorth America
United KingdomInternational
India & PhilippinesAsia Pacific
Jamaica + moreCaribbean & beyond
Montanna Washburn
The person behind the work

Montanna
Washburn

Founder & Senior HR Consultant

Montanna partners with founders and executive teams to build practical HR foundations — from day-one compliance to building entire HR departments from scratch. She works with everyone from first-time founders who've never made a hire, to established organizations navigating complex multi-state and international requirements.

With over 20 years of experience across financial services, legal, healthcare, entertainment, and growth-stage organizations, she brings a strategic perspective at the intersection of HR, compliance, and employment law. Currently pursuing her Juris Doctor.

When she isn't deep in compliance work, she's being supervised by two very opinionated pets.

20+ Years Experience California Specialist Multi-State & International JD Candidate Colorado

Let's build something better.

Not sure where to start? That's fine — most people aren't. Tell us what's on your plate and we'll figure out what needs attention first.

You'll hear back from Montanna directly — same day.


Or book directly

Prefer to talk first?
Schedule a free discovery call.

30 minutes. No pitch, no pressure. We'll talk through what's on your plate and figure out what needs attention first — together.

Book a discovery call
What to expect
  • A review of your current HR situation and what's on your plate
  • Honest assessment of where the gaps or risks are
  • A clear recommendation on what needs attention first
  • Straight talk on whether and how we can help — no obligation
Come prepared with
  • Your company name and industry
  • Location(s) where you operate or have employees
  • Approximate employee or team size