Why Work Here: Anjali Menon, tbh

Summary

In this insightful conversation, a founder reflects on the journey of building a startup, emphasizing the importance of resilience over speed and external validation. The founder highlights the challenges of hiring, seeking candidates who demonstrate problem-solving ability and resilience, and prioritizing practical tasks over superficial traits. They also discuss the growing mental health crisis, the role of AI and personalized treatments in addressing it, and the untapped potential for innovation in this space despite an influx of mental health apps. The founder encourages entrepreneurs to take their time, build sustainably, and embrace diverse paths to success.

Takeaways

• 😀 Founders should avoid feeling pressured to rapidly scale their company to unicorn status and instead build at a pace that suits their goals and vision.
• 😀 Resilience is the top quality sought in candidates, as the startup environment often presents unforeseen challenges, and individuals must be able to navigate tough times.
• 😀 Assessing a candidate’s resilience involves looking into their past experiences, particularly how they overcame obstacles and how long they persevered through challenges.
• 😀 The interview process should go beyond superficial traits like sociability and focus on testing candidates with real-world scenarios and tasks they will face in the role.
• 😀 Using a structured rubric for interviews, involving multiple teams, and gathering feedback from all stakeholders helps reduce biases and makes hiring decisions more objective.
• 😀 Candidates who go above and beyond, such as providing a detailed action plan for the role before even being hired, stand out significantly during the hiring process.
• 😀 Traditional hiring materials like resumes and cover letters are less important than showing tangible evidence of how candidates would perform on the job from day one.
• 😀 Technology, including AI, has the potential to revolutionize mental health care by offering personalized tools to support mental well-being in ways not previously possible.
• 😀 Stanford University is researching how mapping brain cells and changing neural networks could potentially reverse conditions like depression, offering hope for more effective mental health treatments.
• 😀 Despite a flood of mental health apps, the industry has yet to see a breakout solution that dramatically shifts how society approaches mental health, presenting a significant opportunity for innovation.
• 😀 The company is optimistic about advancements in mental health tools and is eager to explore technologies that could improve how individuals manage their mental health, especially in a post-pandemic world.

Q & A

What is the speaker's perspective on achieving startup success?

The speaker believes that not every startup needs to aim for unicorn status. Instead, the focus should be on building sustainably and profitably. Young founders should avoid feeling pressured by societal expectations and focus on building the business in a way that works for them.

What quality does the speaker prioritize when hiring candidates?

The number one quality the speaker looks for in candidates is resilience. They want individuals who are prepared to face challenges, remain committed, and fight for the cause even when things get tough.

How does the speaker assess resilience during the hiring process?

The speaker assesses resilience by asking candidates to share specific examples of challenging projects they've faced and how they navigated through them. The goal is to understand their problem-solving process and their persistence during tough times.

How does the hiring process differ from other companies the speaker has worked with?

The speaker emphasizes practical exercises in the interview process, ensuring candidates face real-world challenges similar to those they would encounter in the role. This approach contrasts with companies that might overemphasize personality or rely too much on resumes.

What steps does the company take to reduce biases in hiring?

The company involves multiple teams in the hiring process to gather different perspectives and reduce bias. They also use a structured rubric for ranking and rating candidates based on specific criteria, making the decision-making process more objective.

What can candidates do to stand out during the interview process?

Candidates who go above and beyond by preparing relevant work or providing concrete examples of how they would approach the job stand out. For example, submitting a playbook or a project plan before the interview shows initiative and clear thinking.

Has anyone surprised the speaker with an exceptional approach during the interview process?

Yes, the speaker recalls candidates who surprised them by offering to intern and even providing detailed plans on how they would approach projects, showcasing their proactive attitude and readiness to contribute.

What is the speaker’s perspective on the current state of mental health solutions?

The speaker believes there has been a large number of mental health apps, but none have significantly changed how mental health is addressed on a societal level. While there are useful tools, the breakthrough solution that drastically alters mental health care has yet to emerge.

What mental health innovations excite the speaker for the future?

The speaker is excited about the potential of AI and other tools to personalize mental health care. They mention how advances in brain mapping by institutions like Stanford could revolutionize mental health treatment, moving beyond traditional solutions like antidepressants.

What does the speaker see as the biggest challenge in the mental health space?

The speaker points to the ongoing challenge of improving mental health solutions and addressing the mental health crisis. Despite numerous mental health apps and services emerging post-COVID, there has yet to be a revolutionary breakthrough in the field.