Becca Steffen

People ask all the time, "What was so special about that 2011 Techstars Seattle cohort that it produced 3 unicorns (Remitly, Outreach, and Zipline) out of only 10 participating companies?" Was it the people, the startup climate, the emergence of mobile and cloud, the magic of Techstars Seattle, or perhaps something in that 11:11 whiskey? It's probably a bit of all of those things, but what's more interesting is that there is one thing that 2 of them have common and one thing that all 3 of them do. And the latter is something that's extremely rare these days. Both Outreach and Zipline were pivots. In Outreach's case, I'd call it more of a travel than a pivot. They lifted both feet and walked down the court while Zipline found its way from an iPhone robot to drones. But the real differentiator IMO? The founding teams of each of these companies changed between the start of the program and demo day. Remitly added Josh Hug, and it's hard to imagine that company today without him. Zipline added Keller Rinaudo Cliffton, and it's even harder to imagine that company today without him. Outreach merged with Team Apart, adding Gordon Hempton and Wes Hather to the founding team. Fun fact, (and please don't kill me Manny Medina), but Manny didn't even give the pitch on demo day. None of these companies would have become what they are today without these changes and yet today the idea of an investor or accelerator managing director facilitating changes like this in a founding team is widely viewed as overreach and in some cases even toxic behavior. But that gets me back to that Techstars program. It was less of a program designed to accelerate 10 companies and more like a Manhattan Project where every part of the Seattle startup ecosystem (investors, mentors, founders, operators) all got together and worked backwards from the goal of building as many great companies as possible. Nothing was anathema. So why am I bringing this up now? Because it's the best way to explain what we're building at Foundations (https://lnkd.in/gr8MTrHN). And it's how I'm going to measure our success or failure. Stay tuned for more as we head towards a formal launch in September.

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another week, another hiring manager saving significant time while being more confident in the cultural alignment between their org and potential hires. three rockstar candidates identified out of 20+ without having to spend 15-30 minutes each. Anyone else want to hire faster with better alignment? #startwithalignment #buildinpublic

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When you hire someone in a new state, do you need to register to do business there when you use a PEO? If you ask most PEOs, they would say, "Yes - you should also register your entity with the state if you have employees there." But why? Technically with a PEO you are "co-employing" people. Typically PEOs don't handle foreign registrations or secretary of state filings for your entity, so that's on you. If you're not registering in a new state is because you don't know how or don't have time, Discern makes it extremely easy. You can complete your foreign registration filing in a few minutes directly out of our product. I don't know if I fully realized it when we were building the product, but it is by far one of our biggest points of value add for companies growing across state lines. Registering in a new state is a shockingly annoying process to do on your own. You typically need to get a certificate of good standing before you can even file, and sometimes the filing involves publication requirements where you need to advertise your foreign registration in an actual newspaper. We handle all of that behind the scenes. All you do is complete the digital form in Discern. IFYKYK

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I'm officially People Ops at Avnos, Inc.! Ok, officially it happened two months ago 😁 . It's been an awesome two months learning about carbon removal, DAC, climate challenges, water, community benefit plans, and more. Most importantly, I've spent the last two months getting to know our team of 26. As the 'people' person, getting to know the humans behind the scenes is my top priority and frankly, I'm blown away by who we are as a company and what we're building. We not only remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, but we also produce water. People-wise, we're distributed across the world. We have employees in California, New Jersey, South Carolina, Oregon, Colorado, Pennsylvania, and Switzerland. We have an office in Los Angeles, CA (Playa Vista to be exact!) and an office and lab in Bridgewater, NJ. As we near 2025, we are actively growing the team! Check out our open roles and see if something aligns to your experience and interests. We're actively hiring a VP of Manufacturing and a Technical Business Development Manager (hybrid role). If you don't see something that matches your experience, join our talent network. You can see it all on our job board: https://lnkd.in/gux_vAmS #Carbonremoval #DAC #C02removal #Avnos #Carbon #ClimateTech #CarbonRemoval #NetZero2050 #Innovation #CleanEnergy #Sustainability #BridgewaterNJ #HDAC #Avnos #CleanTech #ClimateAction #TechnologyForGood #CarbonNeutrality #GreenTechnology

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I wasn’t planning on attending #RailsWorld 2024—didn’t have tickets, didn’t think I’d make it. But then, a bit of serendipity happened! Amanda Perino, Executive Director of the Ruby on Rails Foundation, posted that she had a few extra tickets from folks who couldn’t attend due to various reasons, including Hurricane Helene’s impact. Next thing I knew, I was there! Rails has always been the perfect platform for us. It’s a framework for developers who love to code and create. That passion is something we value deeply in our team. Plus, it’s a true one-person framework—there’s no need for complex division between front-end and back-end, which lets us stay lean and agile. I see Avinash Joshi, my awesome technical co-founder, nodding his head in agreement. It's thanks to him that we stay on top of the latest and greatest tech implementations. And here’s something for the CEOs out there: having a technical background is invaluable in building a tech company. It’s not just about understanding the code; it’s about being able to back up technical decisions when it counts. Grateful for the chance to connect with the Rails community and with folks like Amanda. Exciting times ahead for those who appreciate simplicity, passion, and a little bit of luck! 🚂✨ #Cravd #entrepreneurship #rails

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🚀 Excited to announce the first *SignalFire Developer Sparks* event! 🔥 Come join Alan Shreve, founder of ngrok, and a group of amazing engineers as we gather to dive deep into engineering careers. If you’re an engineer and you've ever wondered: - Am I growing fast enough in my role? - What does career progression look like at an early-stage company? - How do I balance technical depth with leadership opportunities? - What skills should I prioritize to future-proof my career? - How does a project go from hobby to vc-funded? These are the questions we’ll tackle together—because let’s face it, no career path is one-size-fits-all. 🔗 RSVP here to secure your spot --> https://lu.ma/sfsparks1023. Looking forward to a great conversation. #DeveloperCareers #EngineeringGrowth #SignalFire #DevNetwork

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Incredibly valuable insights + resources from the best culture builder I know on creating an onboarding process that integrates folks into your culture effectively.

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"Let’s face it, the candidate experience in 2024 has been a, dare I say it, a s*** show." Truer words were never spoken Carrie Corcoran. The candidate red carpet was quickly ripped out from under them once the market turned back to a company-led market. But that red carpet should always be there regardless if it's a candidate market or a company market. Let's make your 2025 (and beyond) #candidateexperience memorable and at a minimum, human 🧑. 👉 Read Carrie's tips https://lnkd.in/eRnwwRGq

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I’m so happy to share the recording of a conversation I had with the Teamraderie Team, Jared Spataro, and Ethan Mollick earlier this week. As Ethan mentions at the beginning, AI is something you need to spend time with and engage with in order to fully grasp. It’s moving so quickly that some of the topics we covered are now almost obsolete! I found the conversation to be very valuable - I thought the mix of live demos, Q&A, and conversation was really engaging. The importance of experimenting with AI, with AI agents, and learning and development to give your employees the right tools to focus on the work they want to do was a key takeaway for me. My key takeaway was that we shouldn’t just think about adding AI to what we already have – we should harness the power of the technology to create differently and embrace innovation to build a better future of work.   The conversation really made me think about HR and our role in AI transformations. Do you think HR is resistant to embrace AI and automation? Why or why not? https://lnkd.in/ezEX6tsH Thank you to everyone who joined us, and to our fantastic host, Michael McCarroll.

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Have you ever joined a new company and felt like it wasn't the same company you heard about during the interview process? Or, have you ever been a leader wondering just how much you can (should) share when delivering tough news? Well, if you can relate, this new episode is for you! Link to listen in the post below 👇

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An interesting moment...I was recently offered a VP People role. I declined bc I'm happily obsessed with building Included. But the offer is on trend: what tech companies really want in HR leaders is the founder's obsession with measuring everything. They were after my ability to track people metrics – so here's what tools I would use in my first weeks as an HR leader to start measuring: 1. Calendar data - a secret weapon. The magic number? 30% cross-functional meetings. Less than that? Your teams are working in silos. Leverage this early signal as a conversation starter with leader - get transparent about where the info came from to demonstrate early data-driven signals. 2. Survey data & the one metric matters most. Teams with >15% engagement gap from company average in growth scores. Those are your problem spots. Begin bonding with the top layers of execs in those teams right out of the gate to enable early visibility. 3. HRIS data - it's hiding retention triggers: 18 months without a promotion + comp below market rate = resignation risk. Get to the info fast and act as a "retention guru." Over the next 3 days I'm going to break down how to implement each of these. • Bite sized action plans • Tool recommendations • Easy hacks to metrics Follow along if you want to level up your people analytics game 📈 or...if you want to get scouted for an HR leadership role! 🙃 #PeopleAnalytics #HR #Leadership #CHRO #First90days #VPHR #AI #AIforHR #Worktech #HRTech #Femalefounder #WomeninAI #HiringStories

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💭 Would love to share more about Greenhouse can help your recruitment process + how we can continue to support your org as your needs change. 🗓 Let me know if you'd like to book some 1:1 time.

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With the Fall equinox just behind us and the rain hitting Portland yesterday, it's "the perfect time" to remind about the power of stepping outside. Even as the seasons change, here's why I believe outdoor breaks are so important: • Morning dog walks "typically" kickstart my day. Fresh air in my lungs and some sun (or rain) on my face provides a moment to get clarity before tackling big challenges. • Walking - especially with dogs - helps you "go slow to go fast." I get to soak in the details around me and see things in a new light (especially if there aren't many squirrels or rabbits). • Embrace the elements. Even as the rains in PDX begin, this practice becomes even more important. A little rain shouldn't stop us (we've got enough ACG and Gore-Tex in our closets). • Bring company - two-legged or four-legged. Everyone benefits from fresh air and outdoor time, rain or shine (and if you know me - I love a good walk & talk). I've found these outdoor breaks reset my mind and boost productivity. A quick change of scenery can spark creativity and new perspectives. And don't take it just from me (https://lnkd.in/gJzMtAwT) & (https://lnkd.in/gnMij4a2) How do you stay productive as seasons change? Share your tips! #WorkLifeBalance #ProductManagement #PortlandFall #FallProductivity

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🌟 When people thrive at work, success follows. Leaders, take note: • Mental health isn't a "them" problem - it's an "us" opportunity. • Cultivating a positive work environment yields: 1. Enhanced innovation 🚀 2. Top-tier talent attraction 🧲 3. Improved performance metrics 📈 Building a great workplace culture takes time and dedication. But the rewards? Immeasurable. Question: How are you prioritising mental health in your organisation? #WorkplaceCulture #EmployeeWellbeing #LeadershipInsights #MentalHealthAtWork

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One of my favorite contributors in the (tech) hiring space right now is Sam Marelich. This excerpt is from his blog on hiring: "One Way to Enslopify Your Startup: Be Too Rigid with Experience Requirements" 🚫💼 Every hire you make lowers the bar of talent. This compounds over time. A prime example: “We want an SDR with 1-3 years of experience.” He's heard this over and over. But here’s the truth—being an SDR doesn’t actually require years of experience. The best SDRs aren’t staying in that role for 3 years. And they’re definitely not switching jobs for an SDR position unless you’re working at companies like Databricks or OpenAI. So, ask yourself: Are you hiring for experience, or for potential? --------------- Level-setting: Hiring is probably the most important thing of all. Even in the early days when you're looking for a co-founder, getting it right is worth 1000x down the line. Sam's point on hiring standards that are too "high" really resonates: why should someone with a proven track record join your unproven startup? Especially if they can walk into a larger company with a much stronger reputation. The answer to your hiring woes lies in finding diamonds in the rough. In those early stages, a person’s innate skill in [XYZ] will contribute far more to the team than simply their experience at a bigger company. You’re not just looking for a resume match—you’re looking for superpowers. Dig deep, people. The right hire often doesn’t look like the "perfect" fit at first glance. But their unique strengths can make all the difference in building something great.

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Ever wonder how your nonprofit's fundraising KPIs stack up against other top-performing organizations? Well, you're in luck! I'm incredibly excited about the launch of our new Benchmark Report. The 30 page report includes... 📊 Fundraising benchmark data from 370 top-performing nonprofits 📏 The 7 essential KPIs necessary to measure your fundraising health. 🚀 Tips and tactics to move the needle on each KPI and beat the benchmarks! Download the report below and start the journey toward crushing your fundraising goals! https://lnkd.in/dXRfYCiK

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🚨 Founders, I hate to throw another thing on your plate, but there's a new required government filing that might be costing you $500 / day. Luckily, it's simple to do. Here's everything you need to know. First, what is this? The Corporate Transparency Act now requires companies to continuously report beneficial ownership information (BOI) to the U.S. Department of Treasury’s FinCEN. Deadlines: - Incorporated in 2024? You need to file it within 90 days of incorporation. - Incorporated in 2023 or earlier? Need to file by Jan 1, 2025. I recommend just doing it asap and getting it over with. Consequences if you don't: Fines up to $500/day and criminal penalties, including imprisonment. Here's how to do it. File it on "fincen dot gov" (don’t forget to update it as info/addresses change) Or, DM me and let Central do it for free.

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