PH Balanced

The problem we are addressing within the Gender Equity in STEM Challenge is the underrepresentation and limited career advancement opportunities for Black, Latina, and Indigenous women in STEM. This issue has far-reaching implications, affecting not only the individuals directly involved but also the communities and society as a whole

Black, Latina, and Indigenous women are more likely to leave STEM careers than white women. According to a study by the National Center for Women & Information Technology, 40% of Black women, 35% of Latins, and 33% of Native/Indigenous women leave STEM careers within the first 10 years of their careers which are higher than 26% of white women exit rate.

According to the National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics, in 2018, Black women are 5.7%, Hispanic/Latino women are 10.7%, and American Indian or Alaska Native women are 0.3% of all scientists and engineers. Approximately 1.5 million Black, Indigenous, and Latinx women in the US who are STEM professionals which represents about 10% of all scientists and engineers.

The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated these challenges, leading to a higher attrition rate for women in STEM fields compared to other sectors. This crisis worsens after these women exit their STEM careers. We found that current employee performance evaluation processes and Human Resources software do not capture or delineate the inequity in promotion of marginalized women in STEM. Disproportionately, Black, Indigenous and Latinx women in STEM in mid-career receive promotions compared to white counterparts. 

Even when they are high achievers with proven success and highly educated, getting a promotion is difficult. Nearly 80% of the Black women engineers reported being turned down for promotion to the same or similar role at least twice in a 36-60 month period. Also, they were often training the person who received the role. 

Black women are always on the glass cliff and at high risk of falling. The glass cliff is a common practice of promoting women to positions of power during times of crisis or downturn. This is when the chance of their failure is more likely to occur.

Reasons why these women leave their STEM careers include lack of career advancement, discrimination and harassment in the workplace. A study by the Anita Borg Institute found that 62% of Black women, 55% of Latina women, and 52% of Indigenous women have experienced gender discrimination in the workplace. They may also face challenges in balancing work and family responsibilities, as they are more likely to be single mothers than white women. Additionally, they may not have the same opportunities for advancement as white women.

We are focused on retaining Black, Latina, and Indigenous women in their STEM careers! 

Our solutions directly address the factors contributing to the problem. The development of inclusive performance evaluation tools and data-driven promotion analysis systems aims to uncover biases and inequities in career advancement practices. By highlighting these issues, organizations can address the promotion disparities faced by marginalized women in STEM.

PH Balanced is a data driven talent marketplace designed to help engineering construction organizations with retaining underrepresented talent. Its goal is to increase internal mobility, reduce turnover cost, and provide a chance for underrepresented employees to showcase their skills for promotions, ultimately creating a feeling of belonging and diversity within the organization.

It makes tracking DEI goals on talent mobility, equitable job opportunities and diversifying management roles easier. Its Talent Marketplace feature connects employees to current or future open jobs, and provides insights to business partners, senior leadership, and HR teams on key focus areas such as engagement, retention, and diversity and inclusion. 

The goal of Talent Marketplace is to increase internal mobility, reduce turnover cost, and provide a chance for underrepresented employees to showcase their skills, ultimately creating a feeling of belonging and diversity within the organization.

PH Balanced is a data driven talent marketplace designed to help engineering construction organizations with retaining  Black, Latina, and Indigenous women in their STEM careers. Its goal is to increase internal mobility, reduce turnover cost, and provide a chance for these women to showcase their skills for promotions, ultimately creating a feeling of belonging and diversity within the organization.

Our solution is innovative in several ways, as it combines data analytics, technology, and a holistic approach to address the underrepresentation and limited career advancement of Black, Latinx, and Indigenous women in STEM fields.

Firstly, our data-driven promotion analysis system brings a novel approach to understanding and addressing promotion disparities. By leveraging advanced data analytics, we can identify patterns, biases, and barriers that contribute to the underrepresentation of marginalized women in higher-level positions. This data-driven approach provides organizations with valuable insights to implement targeted strategies and policies to rectify inequities in career advancement. 

Secondly, our inclusive performance evaluation tools introduce a new way of assessing the accomplishments and potential of marginalized women in STEM. These tools are specifically designed to capture and measure the unique challenges and contributions of Black, Latinx, and Indigenous women in technical roles. By taking into account the intersectionality of their identities and experiences, we provide a more accurate and inclusive assessment of their performance, ensuring that their achievements are recognized and rewarded appropriately. This approach challenges the existing evaluation methods that may overlook the distinct obstacles faced by underrepresented women and, consequently, undervalue their contributions.

Once PH Balanced has identified patterns, biases, and barriers it is able to identify business areas and managers who are not equitable in their practices. Our system notifies organizations’ leaders with types of trainings, tools and resources to provide, in these business areas and to those managers. This will help create a more inclusive and equitable workplace. 

The system goes beyond traditional performance evaluations by analyzing comprehensive data sets, including factors related to gender, race, and ethnicity, to uncover systemic biases and ensure a fair and inclusive promotion process. It brings together accountability on an individually and organizational level which is missed in our competitors.

Moreover, our holistic approach addresses not only the professional aspects of women's careers but also considers the broader context of their lives. We recognize the impact of work conditions, such as lack of advancement, low salary, and frequent travel, on the retention of marginalized women in STEM.

Our team at PositiveHire is uniquely positioned to design and deliver a solution that addresses the lack of representation and advancement opportunities for Black, Latina, and Indigenous women in STEM. Our expertise, firsthand experiences, and deep understanding of the challenges faced by underrepresented women in the field make us the right people to drive this change.

Having spent 15 years in the corporate engineering construction sector, I personally witnessed the barriers faced by marginalized women. The absence of diverse leadership and the prevalence of biased practices fueled my motivation to leave my engineering career and create PositiveHire. 

To ensure that our solution aligns with the needs of the target population, we have undertaken extensive research and engagement with stakeholders. Over the past four years, I have interviewed and engaged with over 100 recruiters, Diversity & Inclusion, Human Resources, and people analytics professionals. We have gained insights into the factors contributing to inequity and exclusion. 

The consensus among them is that they encounter significant difficulties in recruiting and retaining marginalized women in STEM at all levels within their organizations. The recruiting process often filters out diverse talent, hindering their access to job opportunities. This collaborative approach allows us to develop a solution that truly addresses the needs and aspirations.

Furthermore, our team's diversity is a driving force behind the inclusive design and implementation of our solution. By having individuals from different backgrounds and experiences, we can effectively incorporate diverse perspectives into our work. This diversity enables us to create a solution that is responsive to the unique challenges faced by underrepresented women, ensuring its relevance and impact.

In addition to our team's composition, we are actively engaging with the target population throughout the development process. We have established partnerships with professional organizations, community groups, and academic institutions that support Black, Latina, and Indigenous women in STEM. Through these collaborations, we conduct focus groups, surveys, and individual interviews to gain direct input from the community. This ongoing engagement ensures that our solution is guided by their input, ideas, and agendas.

Our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion goes beyond the development phase. As we move forward, we will continue to foster an inclusive community through webinars, podcasts, and annual virtual summits. These platforms will provide professional development content, networking opportunities, and career coaching tailored to the needs of marginalized women. By empowering these women with the necessary skills, knowledge, and support, we aim to create a lasting impact on their lives and careers.

In summary, our team's expertise, firsthand experiences, research efforts, and continuous engagement with the target population demonstrate our strong position to design and deliver a solution that addresses the challenges faced by Black, Latina, and Indigenous women in STEM. By incorporating diversity, equity, and inclusion at every stage, we ensure that our solution is not only relevant but also transformative, empowering underrepresented women to thrive in their careers and create a more inclusive STEM community.

Our solution, PH Balanced, is currently in the Prototype stage of development. We have moved beyond the Concept stage and have made significant progress in building and testing our product.

To demonstrate that our solution is more than just an idea, we had a team of General Assembly students develop clickable PH Balanced Figma designs that showcase the user interface and functionality of our platform. These designs have been used for demos and presentations to potential stakeholders, garnering positive feedback and generating interest in our solution.

Building upon these designs, we have collaborated with a software development team at North Carolina State University to create a beta version of the PH Balanced software. The PH Balanced beta version is currently accessible on the cloud, allowing us to gather valuable feedback from users and iterate on the features and user experience. This iterative process helps us refine and improve the functionality, usability, and performance of our solution.

Through the beta testing phase, we have engaged with a select group of users, including engineers, data analytics professionals, Diversity & Inclusion consultants, behavior scientist and IT leaders in companies and academia. Their feedback and input have been instrumental in shaping the direction and future development of our solution. We have incorporated their suggestions and addressed their needs to ensure that our solution meets their expectations and provides value to our target users.

The transition from the Concept stage to the Prototype stage signifies a tangible manifestation of our idea into a functional product that is being actively tested and refined. We have invested time, resources, and effort into the development process, demonstrating our commitment to bringing our solution to life and creating a meaningful impact in the field of STEM.

In summary, our clickable PH Balanced Figma designs and the beta version of our software accessible on the cloud illustrate that our solution has progressed beyond the Concept stage. By engaging with users and incorporating their feedback, we are continuously improving and refining our product to ensure its effectiveness and relevance. This progress positions us as a Prototype-stage solution, ready to move forward and scale our impact.

In my 15+ year engineering career, I have witnessed a glaring absence of Black, Latina, and Indigenous women in engineering management positions. This lack of representation has led many women of color, including myself, to leave corporate America. Numerous women have either become stagnant in their STEM careers or transitioned into less technical roles. To address this issue, I founded PositiveHire.

PositiveHire's mission is to combat the departure of marginalized women from STEM careers by providing management opportunities in inclusive workplaces. With 40% of Black women, 35% of Latins, and 33% of Native/Indigenous women leaving their STEM careers within the 10 years of starting their careers, I’m committed to solving this issue.

It is critical to address the crisis in STEM due to the lack of inclusivity, racism and sexism in the workplace which stagnates career progression opportunities into management roles. 

One of the key benefits of participating in the Solve Challenge is the access to a network of resource partners across various industries and sectors. This invaluable network will provide us with the opportunity to gain early customers, collaborate with experts and organizations that can offer valuable insights, expertise, and support. Having MIT Solve Challenge to help us overcome the financial, technical and legal barriers we face would be invaluable. By tapping into this network, we can leverage their knowledge and resources to refine our business model, strengthen our theory of change, and develop robust plans for growing and scaling.

Furthermore, the MIT Solve Challenge offers learning and development modules specifically designed to enhance our understanding of business models and strategies for scaling our solution. These modules will provide my team and I with the necessary tools and frameworks to define, refine and optimize our approach, ensuring that we are well-equipped to achieve maximum impact and scalability. By participating, we can enhance our skills, knowledge, and strategic thinking, which will ultimately contribute to the long-term success of our solution.

Another significant aspect of the MIT Solve Challenge is the provision of individual or group leadership coaching provided through a DEI lens. This coaching process will enable us to engage in reflection, learning, and personal growth, empowering us to maximize our personal and professional potential. Through this coaching, we can identify and address any areas for improvement, enhance our leadership capabilities, and cultivate the necessary skills to effectively lead and drive change within our organization.

I’m most excited about the MIT Solve Challenge peer-to-peer network which allows us to connect and collaborate with other like-minded innovators and entrepreneurs. This community of practice will serve as a valuable support system, providing us with dedicated spaces to convene, share insights, exchange ideas, cultivate partnerships and learn from and grow together. The peer-to-peer network will foster a collaborative and empowering environment, where we can gain inspiration, forge partnerships, and collectively work towards advancing gender equity in STEM.

Sometimes it's better to show you than to tell you!

It’s easier to show you than to tell you. I built a community I needed and wanted while I was a civil engineer building the power grid. I consistently provide information and resources to Black, Latina and Indigenous women while sharing their stories via social media.

Online community is the heart of PositiveHire. We continue to build it on a daily basis. In doing so, we offer monthly  professional development webinars discussing topics like the glass cliff, positioning yourself for a promotion and more. 

We write blogs and provide other professional development content via our newsletter and weekly LinkedIn Live interviews. In addition, I offer free one-on-one career strategy calls. Lastly, we provide paid career coaching to aid them in overcoming workplace barriers.

My team and I are deeply connected to the community in which our project is based. As a civil engineer with a background in building the power grid, I recognized the need for a supportive community and took the initiative to build one herself. My product manager and lead software engineer are both HBCU graduates and identify as Black women as well. Through our firsthand experiences and understanding of the challenges faced by Black, Latina, and Indigenous women in STEM,  we consistently provided information, resources, and support to empower these women.

At PositiveHire, our online community lies at the heart of our initiative. We actively nurture and expand this community on a daily basis. Through various channels, such as social media, we share the stories of Black, Latina, and Indigenous women, amplifying their voices and experiences. This serves as a platform to inspire and connect with others facing similar challenges.

In addition to fostering an online community, we offer monthly professional development webinars. These webinars cover important topics such as the glass cliff phenomenon, strategies for positioning oneself for promotion, and more. By providing these educational opportunities, we aim to equip women with the knowledge and skills needed to navigate their careers successfully.

Furthermore, we actively engage with our community through informative blogs, a bi-monthly newsletter, and weekly LinkedIn Lives. These platforms allow us to share valuable professional development content, practical career advice, and inspiring stories to uplift and empower marginalized women in STEM. We believe that by providing access to relevant resources and insights, we can help individuals overcome workplace barriers and advance in their careers.

To further support our community, I offer free one-on-one career strategy calls. These personalized sessions provide an opportunity for individual guidance and support, helping women navigate specific challenges and make informed decisions about their career paths.

Lastly, we offer paid career coaching services to those who seek additional assistance in overcoming workplace barriers. Our experienced coaches work closely with individuals to develop tailored strategies, build confidence, and unlock their full potential.

Through these various initiatives, we actively engage with and support the community in which our project is based. Our commitment to providing valuable resources, educational opportunities, and personalized guidance demonstrates our strong connection to the community and our dedication to empowering Black, Latina, and Indigenous women in STEM.

The Clubhouse app

Our solution is innovative in several ways, as it combines data analytics, technology, and a holistic approach to address the underrepresentation and limited career advancement of Black, Latinx, and Indigenous women in STEM fields.

Firstly, our data-driven promotion analysis system brings a novel approach to understanding and addressing promotion disparities. By leveraging advanced data analytics, we can identify patterns, biases, and barriers that contribute to the underrepresentation of marginalized women in higher-level positions. This data-driven approach provides organizations with valuable insights to implement targeted strategies and policies to rectify inequities in career advancement. 

Secondly, our inclusive performance evaluation tools introduce a new way of assessing the accomplishments and potential of marginalized women in STEM. These tools are specifically designed to capture and measure the unique challenges and contributions of Black, Latinx, and Indigenous women in technical roles. By taking into account the intersectionality of their identities and experiences, we provide a more accurate and inclusive assessment of their performance, ensuring that their achievements are recognized and rewarded appropriately. This approach challenges the existing evaluation methods that may overlook the distinct obstacles faced by underrepresented women and, consequently, undervalue their contributions.

Once PH Balanced has identified patterns, biases, and barriers it is able to identify business areas and managers who are not equitable in their practices. Our system notifies organizations’ leaders with types of trainings, tools and resources to provide, in these business areas and to those managers. This will help create a more inclusive and equitable workplace. 

The system goes beyond traditional performance evaluations by analyzing comprehensive data sets, including factors related to gender, race, and ethnicity, to uncover systemic biases and ensure a fair and inclusive promotion process. It brings together accountability on an individually and organizational level which is missed in our competitors.

Moreover, our holistic approach addresses not only the professional aspects of women's careers but also considers the broader context of their lives. We recognize the impact of work conditions, such as lack of advancement, low salary, and frequent travel, on the retention of marginalized women in STEM. 

By providing support and resources for workers who are caregivers, we help create a more inclusive and supportive work environment. Our solution acknowledges the interconnectedness of various factors and seeks to address them comprehensively, ultimately fostering a culture that values diversity, work-life balance, and employee well-being.

Furthermore, PH Balanced has the potential to change the market by challenging the status quo in STEM fields. As organizations adopt our data-driven promotion analysis system and inclusive performance evaluation tools, they will not only improve their diversity and inclusion efforts but also gain a competitive advantage. By recognizing the untapped potential of underrepresented women in STEM, organizations can drive positive change within their own structures and create a market demand for inclusive practices. This shift can influence industry norms, inspire other organizations to follow suit, and contribute to a broader cultural change towards gender equity in STEM.

Our impact goals for the next year and five years are centered around creating transformative change in the lives of Black, Latina, and Indigenous women in STEM by addressing the barriers they face in career advancement and promoting gender equity. We aim to achieve the following impact goals:

1. Increase Representation: Within the next year, our goal is to partner with a diverse range of engineering construction companies and STEM-focused organizations to connect a minimum of 500 mid-career underrepresented women professionals to management roles. Over five years, we aim to expand our network and increase the number of placements to 25,000, creating substantial representation of underrepresented women in leadership positions.

We'll actively engage with engineering construction companies, organizations, and professional networks, highlighting the benefits of diversifying their workforce and the value that marginalized women bring to management roles. We'll leverage PH Balanced to match candidates with suitable positions, providing a platform that facilitates connections and promotes inclusive workplaces.

1. Improve Promotion Rates: In the next year, our goal is to collaborate with  10 organizations to implement PH Balanced. This will help identify and address biases and barriers in promotion practices, with a focus on improving the advancement rates of marginalized women in STEM. Over  five years, we aim to expand this collaboration to 50 organizations, thereby impacting a significant number of workplaces.

We'll actively reach out to organizations, highlighting the benefits of implementing our innovative solutions in promoting gender equity and creating inclusive environments. We will provide training and support to ensure the effective implementation and utilization of PH Balanced, and we'll continuously refine and improve our systems based on feedback and data insights.

1. Foster Organizational Change: Our goal in the next year is to partner with leading organizations in the STEM sector to implement comprehensive diversity and inclusion initiatives that address systemic biases and create more inclusive workplace cultures. In five years, we aim to work with at least 20 organizations to foster lasting organizational change.

We'll collaborate closely with organizations to assess their current practices, policies, and culture, identifying areas for improvement and designing tailored strategies for change. We'll provide training and resources to help organizations develop inclusive leadership practices, address unconscious biases, and create supportive environments for underrepresented women. 

1. Influence Industry Norms: Within the next year, our goal is to actively contribute to the national discourse on gender equity in STEM by sharing our research findings, insights, and best practices through conferences, publications, and media platforms. In five years, we aim to become a recognized thought leader, influencing industry norms and shaping the conversation around DEI.

We'll  actively engage with stakeholders in the STEM sector, including policymakers, industry leaders, and academic institutions. We'll participate in conferences and events, publish articles, and collaborate with partners to advocate for policy changes that support gender equity in STEM. 

In summary, our impact goals for the next year and five years revolve around diverse talent retention, increasing representation at the management level, improving promotion rates, fostering organizational change, and influencing industry norms. 

To measure our progress toward our impact goals, we are utilizing a set of specific indicators that help us track and evaluate the effectiveness of our solution. These indicators provide quantifiable metrics that demonstrate the positive changes we aim to bring about. While we are open to exploring additional indicators aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the following indicators are currently being used:

Increase in Retention Rates: We will measure the percentage of Black, Latina, and Indigenous women in STEM who remain in their technical careers after implementing our solution, PH Balanced. By comparing retention rates before and after using our platform, we can assess the impact of our solution on retaining underrepresented women in STEM.

Promotion Disparity Reduction: We will track the percentage of marginalized women engineers, particularly Black, Latina, and Indigenous women, who receive promotions to management roles within engineering construction organizations. Our goal is to reduce the promotion disparity between underrepresented women and their counterparts, and we monitor this indicator to evaluate progress in achieving equitable career advancement.

User Satisfaction: We will gather feedback from users of our data analytics platform and inclusive performance evaluation tools to assess their satisfaction and the perceived impact of our solution. Through surveys, interviews, and user feedback mechanisms, we gauge user satisfaction and capture qualitative insights on how PH Balanced has addressed their needs and improved their experiences in the workplace.

Organizational Adoption: We will measure the number of organizations that have adopted our solution and implemented it within their Human Resources and talent management processes. The adoption rate serves as an indicator of the market acceptance and uptake of  PH Balanced, showcasing its potential to effect systemic change in promoting gender equity in STEM.

PH Balanced Score: We develop a score to assess the inclusivity of workplaces, taking into account factors such as diversity, representation, promotion rates, and employee satisfaction. This score allows us to evaluate the progress made in creating inclusive work environments for marginalized women in STEM and serves as a benchmark for organizations to track their own progress using  PH Balanced.

These indicators enable us to monitor and evaluate the impact of  PH Balanced over time. By collecting data and feedback, we can identify areas of improvement, refine our approach, and make data-driven decisions to enhance the effectiveness of our solution. Additionally, we remain open to collaborating with relevant stakeholders to further identify and refine indicators that align with the UN SDGs, ensuring our measurement framework aligns with globally recognized sustainability goals.

The PH Balanced talent marketplace offers a comprehensive solution to the challenges faced by Black, Indigenous, and Latina women in STEM. By increasing representation, improving promotion rates, fostering organizational change, and influencing industry norms, PH Balanced aims to create transformative change in the lives of underrepresented women professionals and advance gender equity in the STEM field. By retaining early career diverse women talent and inspiring K-12 diverse students to pursue STEM careers, PH Balanced creates a ripple effect that impacts the future generation of STEM professionals.

The PH Balanced talent marketplace offers a transformative solution to address the issues faced by Black, Indigenous, and Latina women in STEM in the workplace. By connecting underrepresented women professionals with management roles and promoting gender equity in the field, PH Balanced aims to create a significant impact on the problem of low salaries and limited career advancement opportunities.

One of the key ways in which PH Balanced can address the issue of low salaries is by increasing representation of underrepresented women in leadership positions. By partnering with a diverse range of engineering construction companies and STEM-focused organizations, PH Balanced aims to connect a minimum of 500 mid-career underrepresented women professionals to management roles within the next year. Over the next five years, this network will expand, with the goal of placing 25,000 underrepresented women in leadership positions. By increasing representation at the management level, PH Balanced directly addresses the gender pay gap and works towards achieving pay equity for Black, Indigenous, and Latina women in STEM.

Additionally, PH Balanced seeks to improve promotion rates for marginalized women in STEM. By collaborating with organizations and implementing data-driven promotion analysis systems and inclusive performance evaluation tools, PH Balanced aims to identify and address biases and barriers in promotion practices. 

Furthermore, PH Balanced strives to foster lasting organizational change by partnering with leading organizations in the STEM sector. By implementing comprehensive diversity and inclusion initiatives, these partnerships aim to address systemic biases and create more inclusive workplace cultures. Through assessment, training, and resources, PH Balanced works closely with organizations to identify areas for improvement and develop tailored strategies for change. By working with at least 20 organizations over the next five years, PH Balanced drives long-term organizational change that benefits not only Black, Indigenous, and Latinx women in STEM but also the entire workforce.

Lastly, PH Balanced aims to influence industry norms and shape the conversation around diversity and inclusion in STEM. By actively contributing to the national discourse through sharing research findings, insights, and best practices, PH Balanced becomes a recognized thought leader in the field. Engaging with stakeholders such as policymakers, industry leaders, and academic institutions, PH Balanced advocates for policy changes that support gender equity in STEM. Through conferences, publications, and collaboration with partners, PH Balanced catalyzes broader positive impacts and inspires others to adopt similar approaches.

PH Balanced is primarily tech-based, leveraging advanced data analytics and software tools to address the problem of gender equity in STEM. The core technology that powers PH Balanced includes:

1. Data Analytics System: We employ sophisticated data analytics techniques to analyze promotion practices and identify inequities in the career advancement of marginalized women in STEM. This system utilizes machine learning algorithms to process large volumes of data, including promotion records, employee demographics, performance evaluations, and other relevant information. By applying statistical models and data visualization techniques, we extract meaningful insights and patterns that help organizations understand the factors contributing to promotion disparities.
2. Inclusive Performance Evaluation Tools: We develop inclusive performance evaluation tools using technology to capture and measure the accomplishments and potential of marginalized women in STEM. These tools are designed to address the biases and barriers that often hinder the recognition of their contributions. Through user-friendly interfaces and customizable features, organizations can evaluate employees based on inclusive criteria, such as collaborative skills, innovation, leadership potential, and the ability to overcome adversity. The tools employ data aggregation and analysis techniques to provide comprehensive evaluations that go beyond traditional metrics, allowing a more holistic and fair assessment of individuals' performance.
3. Online Platform: PH Balanced operates through an online platform that serves as a central hub for organizations and individuals in the STEM sector. This platform provides a secure and accessible environment for users to access the data analytics system and performance evaluation tools. It offers intuitive interfaces, data visualization dashboards, and interactive features to facilitate the exploration and interpretation of data. Additionally, the platform enables organizations to track their progress, monitor the effectiveness of their diversity and inclusion initiatives, and access resources and best practices for promoting gender equity in STEM.
4. Cloud Infrastructure: To ensure scalability, reliability, and security, our solution relies on cloud infrastructure. By utilizing cloud computing services, we can process and store large amounts of data efficiently, perform complex data analytics tasks, and provide real-time access to users. The cloud infrastructure enables seamless integration with existing organizational systems and ensures data privacy and protection.

The core technology behind our solution empowers organizations to leverage data-driven insights and inclusive evaluation tools to address gender inequities in STEM. By harnessing the power of advanced data analytics, machine learning, and user-friendly software interfaces, we provide organizations with the tools they need to make informed decisions, recognize the contributions of marginalized women, and foster an inclusive and equitable workplace environment.

We have strong evidence supporting the effectiveness of our technology, PH Balanced. Numerous articles and white papers have discussed the success of blind hiring, highlighting the benefits it brings to diverse hiring practices.

In the article titled "Blind Recruiting: A New Way to Hire More Diverse Candidates" by the Harvard Business Review, blind recruiting is defined as the practice of removing identifying information from candidates' resumes and applications, such as names, genders, and schools attended. This approach helps to reduce unconscious bias in the hiring process and facilitates the identification of qualified candidates from underrepresented groups.

The article cites a study conducted by McKinsey & Company, which found that companies using blind recruiting increased the number of women hired into leadership positions by 40%. Additionally, a study by the World Economic Forum revealed that blind recruiting led to a 50% increase in the number of ethnic minorities hired into senior roles.

While blind recruiting is not a complete solution for achieving equity in hiring or the workplace, it is recognized as a valuable tool for reducing unconscious bias. The article emphasizes the importance of adopting a comprehensive approach to diversity and inclusion, which includes additional measures such as unconscious bias training, mentorship programs, and employee resource groups.

Moreover, the application of sentiment analysis to identify bias in performance reviews is another significant aspect of our technology's effectiveness in promoting fairness and equity. The white paper "Using Sentiment Analysis to Identify Bias in Performance Reviews" by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) discusses how sentiment analysis can be utilized for this purpose. It provides examples demonstrating how sentiment analysis has successfully identified bias in performance reviews and highlights its benefits in creating a more equitable workplace.

The white paper emphasizes that sentiment analysis helps uncover bias that might otherwise go unnoticed, offers data-driven evidence of bias in performance evaluations, and contributes to the establishment of a fair work environment. However, it also acknowledges that sentiment analysis is not flawless and should be used in conjunction with other methods, including human review, for a more comprehensive approach to identifying bias.

In conclusion, the cited articles and white papers provide strong evidence that blind recruiting and sentiment analysis are effective tools in promoting diversity, reducing bias, and fostering a fair and equitable workplace.

Full-time staff: 1 - founder, Michele Heyward

Part-time staff: 1 - Product Manager, Hayley McKinney

Contractors: 7 - includes software developer, recruiter, content writer, community manager, video/audio editor and (2) virtual 

I founded PositiveHire in 2018. Our core team includes:

Founder & CEO, Michele Heyward, acivil engineer with nearly 20 years of industry experience in project management, construction, tech transfer and sales.

Director of operations, Maria Heyward, brings 20 years of healthcare experience to the team. 

Product Manager, Hayley McKinney is a computer engineer with software development experience. She has been with PositiveHire for 2.5 years.

Software Engineer, Dr. Deidra Morrison has a PhD in computer science and expertise in software development. 

Community Manager, Rita Siniscalchi is responsible for PositiveHire's digital marketing presence, executing social media strategies and driving community growth. 

By focusing on eradicating systemic racism in the workplace where Black women and other underrepresented women have had decades of discrimination and unequal opportunities,   PositiveHire blends technical and traditional data with consultancy services to make a lasting impact.

PositiveHire helps employers create workplaces where Latina, Black, and Indigenous women STEM professionals feel that they can show-up as their authentic selves and are treated with equal value. PositiveHire magnifies the benefits of a diversified workplace where every employee is given equal opportunities regardless of his or her sex, gender, background, or race. 

PositiveHire employs methods to help employers and the corporate management create cultures of belonging which include but are not limited to the following:

• Anti-Racism

• Attrition assessments

• Strategic recruitment planning

• Workplace culture

• Leadership training

• Bias Training

Our Mission Statement remains focused on diversity, equity and inclusion. PositiveHire has for its mission to provide consultancy and support services to create equitable workplace and recruitment policies as well as assist Latina, Black, and indigenous women STEM professionals achieve their career goals.

PositiveHire has spent significant time to develop policies and strategies to internally promote diversity and equity in our workplace. Changes in workplace culture especially in terms to virtual and distributed teams can be difficult. But when thinking about how I wanted to support women and be family oriented I carefully considered the numerous barriers women encounter when retaining employment. We have a flexible work schedule which allows our employees and contractors to work when it is most feasible to them. I believe in leading from the needs of my team opposed to that of capitalism. 

There are times when I express openly to my team to only attend meetings or internal events if they feel comfortable doing so. In addition, turning on cameras is not required or requested on any of our video calls. It’s truly a privilege to have them invest in my vision and more of a privilege to let me see into their homes and families.

With this approach, I’ve been able to diversify my team by providing  equal opportunities which has resulted in increased workplace efficiency and a more robust work environment.

Our business model for PH Balanced is designed to provide value to both employers and underrepresented women in STEM we serve while generating revenue to sustain our operations. Here's an overview of our business model:

Our primary or B2B customers are mid-sized companies and professional engineering organizations operating in the engineering construction industry. These organizations are committed to promoting gender and racial equity and diversity within their workforce and are seeking innovative solutions to address the promotion disparities faced by marginalized women in STEM.

Black, Latina, and Indigenous Women in STEM: While not direct customers, marginalized women in STEM are the ultimate beneficiaries of our solution. We aim to improve their career advancement opportunities and create a more inclusive and equitable environment in STEM fields.

Our advanced data analytics system provides organizations with valuable insights into promotion policies and practices and identifies inequities in the career advancement of marginalized women in STEM. This helps organizations identify and address biases, barriers, and systemic issues that hinder the progress of underrepresented groups. Moreover, PH Balanced points out the trouble spots or biased managers in organizations which need to be trained or re-trained.

PH Balanced’s inclusive performance evaluation tools enable organizations to accurately capture and measure the accomplishments and potential of marginalized women in STEM. These tools consider the unique challenges faced by these individuals and provide a fair and comprehensive assessment of their contributions.

PH Balanced has three distinct revenue streams. First is licensing and subscription. We offer our data analytics system and performance evaluation tools through licensing and subscription models. Organizations can license our software and integrate it into their existing HRIS systems or subscribe to our platform to access the tools and analytics on a recurring basis.

We provide consulting services to support organizations in implementing our solution effectively. This includes customization of the tools to align with their specific needs, training staff on using the system. and providing guidance on promoting diversity and inclusivity in their workplace culture and practices.

True to our mission, we have made diversity, equity and inclusion as the main focus of its programs and services. Diversity and inclusion consulting is one of the main services we offer to PH Balanced customers. In line with this, we assist our clients through the formulation of policies and regulations aiming to achieve the organization’s diversity goals and to create a workplace where there is equitable access to opportunities.

Last service we offer in B2B is data analysis and reporting. We offer additional services such as in-depth data analysis and reporting, helping organizations interpret the insights generated by our system and providing recommendations for addressing promotion disparities and fostering an inclusive environment.

For the marginalized women, we will continue to offer community, professional development content and career coaching. Online community is the heart of PositiveHire. In addition, many of our webinars are on our websites and we have online professional development courses available. Lastly, we will continue to provide career coaching to aid them in overcoming workplace barriers.

We have a 3 part plan to fund PositiveHire which includes selling products or services, grants and sponsorships.

We launched the startup with our services. The services being provided by PositiveHire included: 1) Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Consulting, 2) Recruitment and Executive Search, 3) Professional Development Training, and 4) Speaking.

I leverage my paid and free speaking opportunities to obtain other service based contracts. I’ve been used LinkedIn Lives to obtain DEI consulting and recruiting contracts. With our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion consulting we assist clients through the formulation of policies and regulations aiming to achieve the enterprise’s diversity goals and to create a workplace where there is equitable access to opportunities.

PositiveHire blends data with services to impact the future trajectory of workplace diversity and inclusion. PH helps clients create more inclusive and diverse organization through:

• Evaluation

• Strategy

• Training

PositiveHire only recruits for management and executive roles. This leads to increased revenue from non-management level roles. It assists our clients’ specific diversity hiring goals and needs by leveraging its networks and proprietary database. 

Speaking also leads to us obtaining professional training contracts. Because we use a DEI lens which addresses the barriers Latina, Black and Indigenous women STEM professionals encounter, we fill a niche market. This in turn helps employers retain diverse STEM talent longer.

When it comes to grants, PositiveHire has been able to earn a few. In the last 4 years, we’ve been awarded nearly $40,000 in grants. These grants have helped PositiveHire sustain business operations in 2020 and 2021 which were the most difficult during the height of the pandemic. 

We’ve also worked with a grant writer to create a proposal to continue to apply for grants. In addition, we apply to programs which provide grant funding along with startup services like pitching to investors, creating your go-to-market strategy and building your founding team.

Last method we are using to support PositiveHire until it is financially self-sustaining is sponsorships. Because PositiveHire hosts webinars, two podcasts and two different annual virtual summits, we’ve been able to have a few sponsors. After obtaining training, I’ve created a roadmap to assist in obtaining consistent sponsorship for our virtual events.

To-date, PositiveHire has generated over $115,000 in revenue. This has been a combination of various services including recruiting, DEI training sessions, career coaching and speaking.

• I’ve spoken at the American Chemical Society

• I’ve provided DEI training sessions to WTS-Minnesota which is the group of transportation professionals—women and men located in Minnesota who are committed to transforming the transportation industry.

• I’ve provided diversity recruitment services to BART and INTO University Partners as well as various engineering design companies.

Organizations who've awarded PositiveHire grants include:

1. Coalition to Back Black Businesses: $5,000

2. SEED SPOT: $5,000

3. Black & Brown Founders: $3,000

These are a few of our most notable revenue streams to date.