Wonder Woman Wednesday #5: Ariel Lopez
Knac, the SaaS platform that ensures NO resume goes unnoticed.
Did you know that close to 80% of resumes never get screened?
Knac is on a mission to change that.
This week I sat down with Ariel Lopez,
Founder and CEO of Knac, a software-as-a-service (SaaS) platform that helps companies make better hiring decisions by ensuring every applicant is accounted for and vetted properly.
Ariel is a career coach and public speaker with expertise in digital media and technology. She has been featured in Forbes (here), FastCompany (here) and various other publications!
Keep reading to learn about Ariel’s entrepreneurial journey 😊
Why did you create Knac?
I am a mission-driven career coach with a passion for increasing accessibility and helping startups scale teams!
I’ve been in the tech space for a really long time. I am always thinking about future of work and how to create impactful solutions through technology.
Therefore, I have a very good understanding of inefficiencies that come with hiring.
We wanted to create a solution that would democratize this hiring process that has been broken for so very, very long. This is a system people apply to every single day.
Knac ensures that no resume is getting lost.
How do you ensure that all resumes are seen?
Knac integrates with the Applicant Tracking System (ATS).
An applicant tracking system (ATS) helps companies organize candidates for hiring and recruitment purposes.
If the ATS is the blackhole where resumes get lost, think of Knac as the flashlight.
Knac provides real-time visibility into recruiters’ pipeline via analytics.
Real-time visibility means no more waiting until the offer stage to realize “oh we didn’t interview any women!!?”
This is only one example of why analytics is SO important
Important to note that we are training our tech to recognize people that come from non-traditional and diverse backgrounds
(e.g. if you didn’t go to a top 10 school, or you’re self-taught, went to a bootcamp, etc. etc.)
Top 3 tips for pitching your startup to investors?
Do as much research as you can about the fund. Get an extremely good understanding of their portfolio.
Know if there is a conflict of interest and what kind of investments they like to make. Be strategic about your relationship building.
We are fundraising right now and it definitely never gets easier but it gets a tad easier when you know you are PITCHING to the right people.
Tie all capital to milestones!!
In a landscape when so many companies have a billion+ dollar valuations and aren’t even making a fourth of this in revenue, it is so important to tie your capital to milestones.
Get very comfortable with rejection.
The sooner you do, the easier your life will be.
But even venture capitalists will tell you that rejection is part of the process. They pass on great companies all the time.
Favorite books / podcasts?
Podcast = How I Built This with Guy Raz
Book = The Compound Effect by Darren Hardy