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  • September 2023 (Revised July 2024)
  • Case
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Honest Jobs: A Path to Redemption

By: Paul A. Gompers and Jeffrey Barkas
  • Format:Print
  • | Language:English
  • | Pages:27
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Abstract

Founded by a formerly incarcerated job seeker, Honest Jobs' mission is to be the hub where people with criminal records come to build careers and employers come to find great talent. Honest Jobs faced early challenges as a two-sided platform for justice-involved job seekers and employers, but by 2022, the organization had partnered with 1,200+ employers and supported 40,000+ job seekers who were reintegrating with society. As 2023 approached, founder and CEO Harley Blakeman looked to raise a Series A round to supplement the $3M+ that had been raised in prior rounds. The decision Blakeman faced was whether to pursue impact-oriented VC firms or traditional firms and how much money to raise given hiring needs and expansion plans.

Keywords

Business Startups; Venture Capital; Recruitment; Entrepreneurial Finance; Selection and Staffing; Digital Platforms; Job Search; Mission and Purpose; Expansion; Employment Industry; United States; Colorado; Ohio; Texas

Citation

Gompers, Paul A., and Jeffrey Barkas. "Honest Jobs: A Path to Redemption." Harvard Business School Case 224-010, September 2023. (Revised July 2024.)
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About The Author

Paul A. Gompers

Entrepreneurial Management
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Related Work

    • September 2023 (Revised July 2024)
    • Faculty Research

    Honest Jobs: A Path to Redemption

    By: Paul A. Gompers and Jeffrey Barkas
Related Work
  • Honest Jobs: A Path to Redemption By: Paul A. Gompers and Jeffrey Barkas
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