TL;DR
The tech industry has long been under the lens for its lack of diversity. Tech Ladies, spearheaded by General Manager Caro Griffin, is not only highlighting this gap but is actively working to bridge it. We had the opportunity to sit down with Griffin to discuss the journey of Tech Ladies, its talent network, and how it used the no-code platform, Softr, to bolster its mission.
"Tech Ladies is the largest community of women in tech," Griffin begins, highlighting the dual role the platform plays - supporting members in their career progression and connecting them with promising job opportunities.
From pitching ideas to building functional products
What led to the creation of the Tech Ladies Talent Network was a clear gap in the hiring market. She emphasizes, "Niche job boards like Tech Ladies are a great way to get your open roles in front of the right people, but it’s only one part of a successful hiring strategy." Traditional platforms like LinkedIn, she points out, can be inefficient for sourcing due to incomplete profiles and lack of insight into candidates' job preferences.
Caro Griffin
General Manager, Tech LadiesThe challenge
"We wanted to create a two-sided marketplace that was a win/win for both candidates and companies.".
Griffin shares the trial and error phase where they initially had a simple MVP, a blend of Airtable and Webflow. However, the solution wasn’t scalable or secure. The quest for a real product brought them to Softr.
"Tech Ladies who are open to new roles can fill out a robust profile with their skills and backgrounds," Griffin says. What truly stands out is the dynamic nature of the application, and she credits Softr for this agility. She elaborates, "The fact that Softr is powered by an Airtable backend allows us to be really nimble with this application process. Our team is largely non-technical but they can all update fields and add new ones, as needed."
Solution
"Softr made it really easy to get started. [...] I love that we can do all of this without code."
Griffin's experience with Softr is indeed commendable. She claims to have built the initial version of their platform in just a week. But it's not just about speed; it’s about the platform’s scalability.
The measurable results are tangible. The talent network was instrumental in turning Tech Ladies into a 7-figure business. Griffin proudly states, "The Talent Network helped us turn Tech Ladies into a 7-figure business, and that wouldn’t have been possible without Softr." But for Griffin, the numbers, while significant, are secondary to the impact.
"But maybe more importantly, it’s helped dozens and dozens of women find great jobs at companies that care about building diverse and inclusive teams. That’s the impact that I’m really proud of!"
What's next
Wrapping up our conversation, she mentions their recently launched app version and the continued focus on maximizing its potential.
As for Softr, Griffin’s testimonial is both concise and profound:
"Softr allowed us to quickly validate a new idea, build a customer-ready app in a week, and continue building on top of it when it was a hit. It’s been a game changer for our business."
In the realm of tech, where the road to inclusivity is long and winding, platforms like Tech Ladies, powered by tools like Softr, are not just stepping stones but catalysts for real, transformative change.
