It’s Time to Champion Underrepresented Talent

Diversity, or the lack thereof, has been the topic of conversation as the highly anticipated Silicon Slopes Tech Summit came to a close. Though tech companies in the Silicon Slopes area have provided an influx of new jobs in Utah, the amount of underrepresented talent employed by these companies is low. We could blame it on Utah’s general “lack of diverse population”, on the homogenous religious communities, or on the difficulty of finding qualified underrepresented talent. We could  blame it on numerous factors, but it doesn’t change the fact that underrepresented talent in Utah is just that—underrepresented.

While Utah’s startup community is on the road to becoming the next Silicon Valley, companies face significant recruiting challenges in the most competitive talent market since 1969. “Leaders can no longer afford to ignore any opportunity that could present qualified candidates. This includes creating an inclusive environment where everyone feels like they have a place”(Mentorli, 2020). The truth is, Utah is 78% white and predominantly Mormon. While many of the cultural responsibilities that come with Utah’s dominant religion prove beneficial for entrepreneurs, “the very thing that is transforming Utah into the next tech mecca could be the very thing that ends up holding it back” (Bluestein, 2020). 

It’s no question that the companies on the Slopes are in need of cultural pivots to better recruit, hire, and retain more underrepresented talent. The call for diversity has been issued, and a new company, called Mentorli, appears to have the solution. Through their mentorship platform, Mentorli increases a candidate’s chances of landing a job by 15x. “We’re leaning into that power to close the opportunity gap underrepresented candidates face,” says CEO Luke Mocke.

Creating equal opportunity for job seekers is simply the right thing to do, but it turns out there’s a significant business case too. For one, there’s a linear relationship between earnings and racial diversity on the senior leadership team—to the tune of .8% in earnings for every 10% lift. However, the most compelling reason for fast growing companies in the US, and Utah specifically, to hire diverse talent is to open their talent pool for future hires. Homogenous organizations unknowingly marginalize talent that looks different to them. To ensure they’re creating an inclusive environment for all qualified talent, they need to create a representative workforce. Failing to do so is already creating monumental challenges as minorities in the US become the majority. 

Mentorli supports this philosophy by empowering underrepresented employees to recruit candidates from similar backgrounds—showing candidates how to set themselves up for success in the interview process and thrive in a new environment—building diverse networks from the grassroots level. Read Mentorli’s full press release here. As a participant in the recent Silicon Slopes Tech Summit, Mentorli is offering a FREE first hire to companies that schedule a demo before February 7, 2020. Check it out today!

RevRoad Companies Shine in Silicon Slopes Competition

Hallo at Silicon Slopes Competition

Of 32 companies accepted to the first round in the Silicon Slopes Startup Competition in Lehi, Utah, 4 were RevRoad portfolio companies.
XION Retail, Skill Struck, HaLLo and Journeyfront pitched live in front of the judges in the hopes of winning a $250,000 investment with Peak Ventures.
“This is great representation from RevRoad,” said CEO Derrin Hill. “In addition to making a good showing in front of the judges, each company that participated used the event as an opportunity to meet with other investors and business leaders in the Utah entrepreneurial ecosystem.”
On Jan. 31, HaLLO and Journeyfront were invited to participate in the final round.

Daniel Ash, Founder and CEO of Journeyfront, tells judges how his SaaS platform helps companies hire better employees using artificial intelligence.
Daniel Ash, Founder and CEO of Journeyfront, tells judges how his SaaS platform helps companies hire better employees using artificial intelligence.

Joon, Cofounder and CEO of HaLLo, tells how English learners can connect to practice from anywhere in the world.
Joon, Cofounder and CEO of HaLLo, tells how English learners can connect to practice from anywhere in the world.

RevRoad is proud of the hard work, grit and innovative drive of the entrepreneurs in our family of companies, and we look forward to big things in the future.
We’re taking the Utah entrepreneurial scene by storm!

Four Foods Founders to Share Their Story at RevRoad University Event

Four Foods Image

Provo, UT — Utah power couple Shauna and Andrew Smith will share their startup story with a live audience of entrepreneurs on Feb. 7 at RevRoad University. The event will take place from 11 a.m. –1 p.m. at RevRoad HQ, 1555 N. Freedom Blvd.
The Smiths work in tandem as president and CEO of Four Foods Group, a restaurant operations company that owns franchises across the country. Their brands include Kneaders, R&R Barbecue, Little Caesars, Swig, The Soda Shop and Mo’ Bettahs.
Four Foods fills the role of owner and operator for its franchises, with a focus on growing and scaling emerging brands, Andrew Smith said.
The pair will talk with RevRoad’s Rebecca Palmer about how they built the business from a single Kneaders franchise 10 years ago. They’ll discuss the role tech has played in their growth, their business partnership as a married couple and more.
To see a preview video, visit https://youtu.be/PRDQRsMZNmI.
February’s RevRoad University will also include a legal workshop with RevRoad Chief Legal Counsel Joel Beus. He’ll discuss intellectual property, including what kinds of information qualify for trade secret protections and how to prevent misappropriation of trade secrets and confidential information.
The free event will include complimentary lunch, courtesy of R&R Barbecue, and invitees are encouraged to come with questions for the presenters. The event will be streamed live at https://bit.ly/2oJw2mR.

Elios Unveils New Name, Expands Global Connectivity Offerings

Elios Charger

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Provo, Utah — After more than four years of success with on-the-go power products for professional travelers, GoPlug Bags is now part of the Elios family.
The innovative company will focus on products that combine global trackability and portable power for unprecedented safety and security. The proprietary technology lets customers track what matters most, anywhere in the world.
In addition to finding the items and people most important to them, customers can protect themselves when they are lost or in danger. The new lineup of portable chargers will include discreet SOS panic buttons that work in more than 210 regions and countries throughout the world.
“Elios will continue building out GoPlug’s technologies and provide customers with the best travel, personal safety, and consumer electronic markets,” said Steve Dalley, Elios COO.
The rollout of the Elios GPS trackable power bank will be combined with crowdfunding efforts on Kickstarter. New product offerings will include the Cricket, a micro GPS tracker, and the Dragonfly, a GPS tracking power bank. These personal security devices can be used to track children, pets, luggage, electronics and more.

Innovations in Narrowband Tracking

Elios uses narrowband technology, which is new to GPS trackers and represents the latest in IoT (Internet of Things) technology. Narrowband technology uses a much narrower band of frequencies than traditional mobile networks such as GSM or LTE but reaches much further and requires much less power.
“Life shouldn’t be controlled by your batteries, and we solved that,” said Josh Cross, CEO. “But it shouldn’t be restricted by the reach of your Bluetooth either.”

About Elios:

Elios, Inc. is located in the heart of the Silicon Slopes, with years of experience developing bleeding edge power and tracking technology for people on-the-go. Industries benefiting from our products include: law enforcement, travel, outdoor, filmmaking, academia, global exploration, and many more. In addition to helping companies and individuals track what’s most important to them, Elios pledges a portion of its proceeds to helping solve two of the largest issues in the world today: personal safety and access to electricity.

RevRoad University to Host Homie Founder Johnny Hanna

Johnny and Paige Hannah

Anyone interested in learning the story behind the Homie billboards scattered up and down I-15 is welcome to attend RevRoad University on Thursday, Dec. 6, at 11 AM.
The free event will feature an interview with Homie founder Johnny Hanna and his wife, Paige. They will talk with RevRoad’s Rebecca Palmer about the beginnings of Homie, the struggles they have faced trying to grow a company as they grow a young family, their successes, and their plans to take Homie nationwide.
Audience members are strongly encouraged to come with questions of their own for the Hannas. Complimentary lunch, courtesy of Homie and RevRoad, will be served after the live interview and Q&A.
In addition to the interview, RevRoad University will include a free workshop on how startups can “create their own rainmaker machines.”

“No one has a job until someone sells something, and generating revenue is one of the most important things a business can do,” said RevRoad CEO Derrin Hill, who will lead the workshop alongside RevRoad Chief Sales and Talent Officer Dave Myers. “Join us to learn about several key aspects of creating a sales machine for your company.”
For a sneak peek of the December event, click here: https://youtu.be/5lBGjJeiKLE. Attendees can add their names to the Meetup event at https://meetu.ps/e/G3RrP/2Qr1p/f.