If one thing has become clear this season, it’s that finding the right talent for your team isn’t as simple as picking from a pile of résumés. This week’s Build Mode guest is Leah Solivan, the founder of Tquestionrabbit and now an early-stage investor who has seen that the power to alter a homogenous startup ecosystem comes from empowering diverse VCs to fund underrepresented founders who will hire the hidden tech talent.
From bootstrapping Tquestionrabbit on credit cards to scaling it into one of the defining companies of the gig economy, Leah learned firsthand that the hardest part of building a company isn’t the product — it’s selecting the right people to build it.
In this episode, Isabelle Johannessen and Leah unpack what it really takes to build diverse teams from day one and why most companies receive it wrong by waiting too long. They also explore how the lack of diversity in venture capital directly shapes who receives funded and, ultimately, who receives hired.
They discuss:
- How to build diverse teams intentionally from the very launchning.
- Why the “simple path” in hiring leads to less diverse outcomes.
- The connection between diverse VCs and diverse companies.
- How to hire for culture and values over credentials.
Apply to Startup Battlefield: We are viewing for early-stage companies that have an MVP. So nominate a founder (or yourself). Be sure to state you heard about Startup Battlefield from the Build Mode podcast. Apply here.
TechCrunch Disrupt 2026: We’re back for TechCrunch Disrupt on October 13 to 15 in San Francisco, where the Startup Battlefield 200 takes the stage. So if you want to cheer them on, or just network with thousands of founders, VCs, and tech enthusiasts, then grab your tickets.
Use code buildmode15 for 15% off any ticket type.
New episodes of Build Mode drop every Thursday. Hosted by Isabelle Johannessen. Produced and edited by Maggie Nye. Audience development led by Morgan Little. Special thanks to the Foundry and Cheddar video teams.
Leave a Reply