Free guide for Canadian founders

Your next hire either sticks — or quietly becomes your next problem.

The first 90 days decide which. The First 90 Days is a free, plain-language playbook for what to do before, during, and after a hire so they actually stay — built for Canada, written for the founder, not an HR department.

PDF guide Built for Canada Plain language, no jargon

Why the first 90 days

Hiring is the easy part. Keeping them is where it falls apart.

Most founders pour everything into finding the right person — then go quiet the moment the offer is accepted. The new hire arrives to no plan, picks up the wrong habits in week one, and three months later you're wondering why the energy is off. It's rarely the person. It's the gap between “you're hired” and “you belong here.” This guide closes that gap with a simple, repeatable plan — so a new hire arrives confident, ramps up faster, and actually stays.

Phase 1 — Before Day 1

Pre-boarding: the period between “offer accepted” and the first day. Do it well and you get fewer no-shows, faster ramp-ups, and people who arrive sure they made the right call.

Phase 2 — The First Week

Days 1 to 7 set the baseline for everything. The goal isn't full productivity — it's confidence and connection. Get this week right and you've bought yourself months of momentum.

Phase 3 — Days 8 to 90

A clear 30-60-90 arc — Learn, Contribute, Lead — with the check-ins and the Canadian-compliant 90-day review that protects both the employee and the business.

An employee who feels certain they made the right choice will outperform one who's still deciding six months later.

What's inside

Everything you need for a confident first 90 days

No theory. Just the checklists, templates, and questions you'll actually open the week before someone starts.

Pre-Boarding Checklist

Everything to handle before Day 1, in three lanes:

Admin & Compliance — offer letter, TD1 Federal & Provincial, SIN, direct deposit, WSIB
Workspace & Tools — email, logins, equipment, access
Culture & Connection — welcome email, buddy, team heads-up

Welcome Email Template

A warm, professional, fill-in-the-blanks email to send within 24 hours of the offer — so they arrive already feeling like they belong.

Day 1 & Week 1 Plan

An hour-by-hour Day 1 agenda and a day-by-day Week 1 schedule that balances learning, relationships, and light early wins.

The 30-60-90 Day Framework

Learn → Contribute → Lead. Clear milestones for each stage, so both of you know what “on track” looks like.

90-Day Review + Canadian Compliance Note

How to run a fair end-of-probation review — and the provincial-standards basics to know before any decision at the 90-day mark.

Why this one

Not another generic onboarding PDF

Built for Canada

TD1s, SIN, WSIB, and provincial employment standards — not US or general templates.

A founder's lens

Written for the person who built the company and has to live with every hire — in plain language, no HR jargon.

Use it this week

Open it, adapt the checklists, send the email. Nothing to set up, no system to learn.

Melanie Leelook, founder of Melstream HR Inc

Who made this

Hi, I'm Mel.

I'm the part-time HR Partner for Canadian small businesses that aren't big enough to hire one full-time. With 20+ years in HR, I help founders manage their people without small problems turning into big ones — or losing their best ones.

This guide is the same playbook I walk founders through when they're about to make a key hire. I'm sharing it free because a good first 90 days protects the relationship and the business — and that's worth getting right whether or not we ever work together.

Practical. Strategic. Human.

Want it already built for you?

The Employee Onboarding Toolkit

The guide shows you the plan. The Employee Onboarding Toolkit hands you every checklist, agenda, 30-60-90 plan, manager check-in template, self-assessment, and 90-day review form — ready to use from Day 1.

See the full toolkit

Get the guide

Send me The First 90 Days

Free, instant, and yours to keep. Drop your email and the guide is on its way — plus the occasional plain-language HR note for Canadian founders. Unsubscribe anytime.

Have a hiring question instead? Email me — a real answer, no pitch. Or book a free HR clarity call.