Running a startup in 2020: Where to pivot and where to never change.
Sitting at home, with many of the common playful distractions of life removed from our reach, we are presented with an opportunity to reflect – on the world, our communities, ourselves, the role we play, the role we wantto play.
Now, more than ever, I’m finding that many of us are reflecting on how we spend our time – what do we do, and why do we do it – and asking ourselves, is how we spend our time aligned with our fundamental values of how we want to live our lives?
The events of the past month or so have solidified both my goals and how I should be spending my time as the CEO and co-founder of Scouted. I’ve reevaluated my priorities to align with immediate company needs, and so I’m primarily focused on four factors:
Morale, Runway, Execution, and Agility.
And while Scouted’s immediate priorities might have shifted, this period of uncertainty has reaffirmed the importance of the mission my co-founder and I embarked on five years ago: tochange the fundamental dynamics of the labor market to be based on true merit and potential.
We often get asked, out of all the businesses we *could* have created, why did we create a platform that helps people get jobs?
The short answer?
Because a person’s first, second, or even third job has the ability to change the entire trajectory of their career.We saw way too much talent get overlooked for opportunities because they didn’t attend the *right* school or have the *right* former title and we realized how much both candidates and companies were missing out.
So, how did we put that into practice? What is Scouted? Simply put, Scouted is a hiring marketplace that believes people are more than their resumes. We help people with 0-15 years of experience land jobs based on who they are, not just how they look on paper.
Maybe you want to transition careers and need to parlay how your skills transfer from one industry to the next. Maybe you’re on the hunt for your first job, eager to kickstart your career. Regardless, here at Scouted, we’ve always believed that you are more than your resume .This has been our driving force from day one and it still is today. That’s why we created a platform that shows off your talents, personalities, and potential.
It’s important to note that Scouted services both sides of the marketplace: We also help companies screen and sort talent based on abilities and potential, on top of skills and experience, because building out the right team is fundamental to your company’s future relevance and success. That’s why we’re determined to bring employers a more strategic, efficient, and data-driven approach to hiring talent.
What energizes us at Scouted is the knowledge that every day we get to connect individuals to fulfilling careers that allow them to thrive. I constantly feel grateful that I get to work in an industry with the opportunity to not only drive impact at the macro level but also one where we get to make a real difference at the micro level. .
And so now, more than ever, I’m determined to keep Scouted relevant and thriving. The world needs a place that not only helps people find meaningful work but supports them throughout that process. Scouted is here to ensure you are seen for who you are, not just how you look on paper.
And, what I’ve realized is that, while these foundational values will never change, the way they manifest in the world, the way we achieve our vision, might. And that’s not only OK — that’s actually critical. The ability to adapt to changing circumstances in order to deliver value in new and different ways is how we collectively innovate and support each other.
At Scouted, we will continue to charge ahead to level the playing field – we will continue to build a meritocratic talent ecosystem to unlock human potential. And, for now, we’re doing our part through job placement by connecting candidates and companies with aligned values. But, that’s just our first step. We’re constantly thinking about the infrastructure, resources, and expertise we have on hand and how we can deploy these assets in different ways to help an even broader spectrum of people and companies.
For now, we’re focused on how we can help you, in any way we can.