If one thing has become clear this season, finding the right talent for your team isn\u2019t as easy as picking from a pile of resumes This week\u2019s guest is Leah Solivan, the founder of Taskrabbit and now an early-stage investor who has seen that the power to change a homogenous startup exosystem comes from empowering diverse VCs to fund underrepresented founders who will hire the hidden tech talent.
\nFrom bootstrapping TaskRabbit on credit cards to scaling it into one of the defining companies of the gig economy, Leah learned firsthand that the hardest part of building a company isn\u2019t the product, it\u2019s selecting the right people to build it.
\nIn this episode, Isabelle Johannessen and Leah unpack what it really takes to build diverse teams from day one and why most companies get it wrong by waiting too long. They also explore how the lack of diversity in venture capital directly shapes who gets funded, and ultimately, who gets hired.<\/p>\n
Apply to Startup Battlefield: We are looking for early-stage companies that have an MVP. So nominate a founder (or yourself): techcrunch.com\/apply. Be sure to say you heard about Startup Battlefield from the Build Mode podcast.
\nTechCrunch Disrupt: If you’re thinking about applying to Startup Battlefield, then October 13 to 15 in San Francisco, we’re back for TechCrunch Disrupt, where the Startup Battlefield 200 takes the stage. So if you want to cheer them on, or just network with 1000s of founders, VCs, and tech enthusiasts, then grab your tickets. <\/p>\n
Use code buildmode15 for 15% off any ticket type. <\/p>\n
Chapters:
\n00:00 The hard way to hire diverse talent
\n01:20 From engineer to Taskrabbit founder
\n03:39 The moment that sparked Taskrabbit
\n07:39 Why building teams is the hardest part
\n12:06 Learning how to hire from scratch
\n17:36 Why venture capital lacks diversity
\n27:25 How to build diverse teams from day one
\n39:42 What founders get wrong about competition<\/p>\n
New episodes of Build Mode drop every Thursday. Hosted by Isabelle Johannessen. Produced and edited by Maggie Nye. Audience development led by Morgan Little. Special thanks to the Foundry and Cheddar video teams.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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