By addressing diversity early in our growth, we hope to create a competitive edge and improve our representation significantly with just a few hires.

After raising our Series B, we saw a drop in female representation in job offers, which made me feel ashamed and prompted internal discussions about diversity initiatives.

It's crucial to have discussions about diversity early on, rather than waiting until your company has grown significantly.

Diversity in hiring should be prioritized from the start to prevent a homogeneous culture that can hinder growth and innovation. As the company grows, early employees may want to take on roles like VP of Engineering, but you need to proactively discuss their career paths to retain them and maintain company culture.

The diversity and inclusion movement's aspirations are generally positive, but the methods employed can sometimes hinder effective outcomes.

At Lever, diversity and inclusion have been integral to our culture since day one, even though it took time to diversify in various dimensions.

It's crucial to ensure that the candidate pool reflects the diversity we want in our teams, as this impacts the effectiveness of our work.

The biggest roadblock to making hiring more inclusive is the misconception that software alone can solve the problem without addressing deeper cultural issues. More companies are increasingly prioritizing diversity and inclusion, recognizing it as essential rather than optional.

I encourage everyone to think about diversity as they start their own companies, as it can have a significant impact on the workplace culture.