Colorado, home to world-class ski resorts and the Mile High City, is undergoing its usual wintry deluge. The conditions might be ripe for shredding the pure-white slopes of Vail and Aspen, but city-dwellers have battened down until the coming spring.
But amid the snow-battered streets and sleet-covered cars, a few bright spots exist this cold winter season. Among them is the Denver Nuggets’ winning streak. Led by Serbian superstar Nikola Jokić, the NBA team is looking to make yet another deep playoff run after the postseason disappointment of years past.
Outside of Ball Arena, the resilience of Denver’s sports teams are also reflected in its vibrant tech scene. There’s Checkr, whose platform promotes fair hiring practices through AI and machine learning-backed background checks. Driven by their mission to effect more equitable employment, employees are unperturbed by the plummeting temperatures outside as the team looks to hire.
“This job was the first time in a long time where I experienced a wide range of communities coming together to support one another,” said Sonia Khan, the company’s corporate social responsibility manager.
Fourteen miles away, logistics tech company Outrider is similarly proud of its company culture. The Golden-based company works on autonomous robotics for yard operations. For its ambitious mission of making freight transportation sustainable, the team is looking to recruit more members, leaning into the values embodied by leadership to do so.
“Outrider provides all the resources you need to thrive in your role, and the leaders demonstrate authenticity and transparency,” said Technical Recruiter Othman Mechkor.
Come this spring, as the Nuggets set their eyes on the Larry O’Brien championship trophy, Colorado’s hardy tech companies will also look to battle through the year ahead. For further insight on how they’re drafting new talent, Built In Colorado sat down with Khan and Mechkor to learn what appealed to them about their own home teams.
Think back to your early days on the job. What surprised you or stood out to you most about Checkr’s culture?
What stood out to me most about Checkr’s culture when I first started was how diverse and inclusive the company was as it relates to women in leadership and diversity of thought; particularly how dedicated the people of Checkr were to our mission of fair-chance hiring. It wasn’t just about saying we wanted to build a fairer future, but really acting on it and embedding the mission into everything we did at the company.
What’s the coolest project you’ve worked on recently, and what skills did it help you develop?
I’ve been with the company for just under a year and I’d say the coolest project I’ve worked on recently has been taking on a bungee assignment that turned into a full-time role as a corporate social responsibility manager with Checkr’s first philanthropic group, Checkr.org. I’ve learned so much about those who are impacted by the justice system and the barriers they face on a daily basis from the moment they are released and return home. It’s really opened my eyes to the unconscious bias we all have, and now I’m actively working to fight against it.
Think back to your early days on the job. What surprised you or stood out to you most about Outrider’s culture?
One of my earliest memories at Outrider was the remarkable culture that we were building. It may sound cliche, but everyone here is incredibly kind, helpful and patient. You get the sense that people genuinely want you to succeed and grow within the company.
Recently, we had a company-wide meeting where our leaders discussed the current state of the company, the changes they plan on making and our roadmap for the year. During the meeting, they encouraged us to ask questions and share ideas on ways to improve our current processes or policies. This showed me that our leaders want our voices to be heard and that our opinions are valid.
What’s the coolest project you’ve worked on recently, and what skills did it help you develop?
I joined Outrider a year ago. In that time, I’ve experienced a tremendous amount of personal and professional growth. I’ve become a more proficient, efficient and agile technical recruiter. Outrider enables accelerated growth in part due to the fast-paced environment and high-caliber mentorship from talented peers.
These talented peers have spent multiple years working at some of the largest and most influential tech, robotics and AI companies in the world — and I get the opportunity to collaborate with them on a daily basis. I constantly find myself learning new things, which is immensely valuable to my growth.
