Q&A with Porter Braswell and Ryan Williams, Co-Founders of Jopwell

Porter Braswell and Ryan Williams are the co-founders of Jopwell, the leading career advancement platform and end-to-end solution for companies committed to diversity and inclusion. Porter worked at Goldman Sachs from 2008 to 2014 in the firm's FICC, Equities, and Global Compliance Divisions in New York. Ryan worked at the firm from 2010 to 2014 in the firm's FICC and Equities Divisions in New York.

Can you tell us what inspired you to start Jopwell in 2015?
Porter and Ryan: Jopwell is the leading career advancement platform and end-to-end solution for companies committed to diversity and inclusion. We unlock opportunities for our community to learn, connect and apply for roles across industries while helping companies authentically access, engage, recruit and retain Black, Latinx and Native American talent.

The idea for Jopwell was born when both of us were working at Goldman actually. We were both fortunate to have access to finance internships throughout our high school and college years. It was these internships that got us in the door at Goldman and helped us to secure full-time jobs following graduation. Working on the trading floor, we found that, in addition to doing our day-to-day jobs, we were also frequently called upon to assist the team in recruiting other candidates of color.

We quickly saw the disconnect that existed, not just at Goldman but across all industries and companies. It wasn’t that the pipeline didn’t exist but that companies and organizations didn’t know how to reach this community. We knew there had to be a better way to attract top talent at scale, while building a diverse professional community, so we left our jobs to build a platform that did just that. From there, Jopwell was born.

How does hiring through Jopwell help companies avoid biases?
Porter and Ryan: At Jopwell, we address the diversity disconnect in the workplace head-on and work closely with our partner companies to solve their hiring challenges. Historically, companies have relied on either an internal referral program or diversity programs to reach underrepresented talent. This is an extremely limited way to build a recruitment pipeline and requires the candidate to have connections to either the company or access to a diversity recruitment program.

We believe that by leveraging technology, we can help companies across industries engage, find and retain great talent to make their workplaces more representative and inclusive. From companies at the startup stage to Fortune 500 level, Jopwell creates tailored solutions to help each company with their unique diversity, equity and inclusion challenges.

How does Jopwell place candidates in jobs?
Porter and Ryan: On the candidate side, Jopwell creates holistic candidate profiles to showcase work experiences, goals, interests and aspirations. The platform’s algorithms then surface opportunities across industries, including roles a candidate aspires to but may not have otherwise considered. At Jopwell, we connect directly with our community members and help expand their horizons about where the future of their career trajectories can take them.

We’ve also been fortunate to have formed partnerships with more than 250 of America’s leading companies, facilitating tens of thousands of connections between our Jopwell community members and partner companies. Jopwell works with companies across a range of industries (e.g. finance, technology, healthcare, sports, nonprofits, commerce, publishing, etc.) that know representation matters. We’ve been proud to work with companies including Spotify, Peloton, UBS, the PGA, and many others, which you can find listed on our website.

Who is a diverse leader that you both aspire to emulate?
Porter and Ryan: During our time at Goldman, we were extremely fortunate to have connected and built a relationship with Edith Cooper (former Global Head of Human Capital Management). From Goldman to launching Jopwell and beyond, Edith has been a prominent advocate of the work we’re doing and a great mentor for us, helping us shape how we approach, lead and build the team at Jopwell.

Especially as a professional of color, it is important that you find someone you trust and feel comfortable with and who understands where you are coming from and where you want to go. With Edith, we have the ability to approach her for advice and with clear asks without the fear of judgement. As the Jopwell community grows, we spend a lot of time thinking about providing our members with the tools and resources they need to succeed, including access to advice from senior executives and leaders in their field. In the same way that Edith has been present, humble and honest in all our interactions, we hope to pass that along to both our employees and Jopwell’s larger community.

Porter, we read that your experience at Yale as an undergrad provided you with a view of what a “thriving workplace could be.” How did that early experience shape how you think about diverse work environments?
Porter: My time at Yale was truly great and has shaped my stance on how to build workplaces that are reflective of various communities. At Yale, it was not just the academics that created a successful culture — a person’s entire background and experience is also taken into the holistic viewpoint. I realized that innovation occurred and thrived in moments where people from all different backgrounds and walks of life came together to address important - and sometimes uncomfortable - conversations. As we continue growing Jopwell and work with partner companies to help solve their diversity challenges, making sure we have people of all backgrounds involved is top of mind and necessary.

Ryan, you have shared advice and expertise at many events including the Fast Company Innovation Festival, the Peer 150 HR National Summit, the DISC Sports Diversity & Inclusion Symposium, and NABA, Inc. What is the most important message that you like to share with your audience and what have you learned from being a thought leader in these settings?
Ryan: When Porter and I speak at events like the ones you mentioned, we are extremely grateful to have the opportunity to share Jopwell’s work with the audience and discuss the true impact that diversity and inclusion has as it relates to the workplace. Whether these conferences are attended by professionals of color or not, the message is still the same: diversity is an integral part of a company’s long-term strategy and needs to be taken seriously with action at all levels. With the year 2040 marking the start of the decade when people of color will be the majority in the United States, it is essential that companies and their employees begin making changes now so that their workforce is representative of the customer base and inclusive for people to bring their true and authentic selves to work.

What type of monetary gain do companies have in store when they hire diverse employees through your company?
Porter and Ryan: Increasing representation in the workplace is a business decision that directly affects a company’s bottom line, and there is data that proves this point. According to the 2018 McKinsey report, “Delivering through Diversity,” companies that were in the top-quartile for workplace diversity are 33% more likely to financially out-perform their less diverse counterparts. This fact shows that diversity within companies is not a “feel good” initiative — it is a business imperative and should be invested in as such.

You have both made lists such as Forbes "30 Under 30," Fast Company’s “100 Most Creative People in Business,” LinkedIn’s “Next Wave Top Professional Under 35,” and Inc. Magazine’s “30 Under 30.” What has been your proudest accomplishments to date?
Porter and Ryan: One of our proudest moments since launching Jopwell happened this past October when we hosted Jopwell’s first ever-summit, Jopwell Talks. Hosted at the Brooklyn Museum, the day-long summit welcomed 400+ community members to hear Gayle King, Marcus Samuelsson, and other inspiring leaders celebrate their experiences in the workplace as people of color.

Having rarely attended conferences that are created by and for our community, we knew we wanted to create an environment where we, professionals of color, are represented authentically, both in the day’s content and in our fellow attendees. This event really re-affirmed the importance of in-person connections and touchpoints, inspiring us to host more of these events throughout the year for professionals of color.

What are some things that you learned while working at Goldman Sachs that have helped you launch and run Jopwell?
Porter and Ryan: Our time at Goldman taught us the importance of adding value outside of our daily routines to further the business without sacrificing performance. As Jopwell is addressing an issue that is affected by numerous touchpoints and factors, we are constantly evaluating our work to make sure we can make the greatest impact possible. Whether it is with partner companies or community members, we always look at ways we can better the work we’re doing and become a true partner and advocate — solidifying a relationship that expands well beyond the job search process and into long-term success for all.