Minerva Summary
Problem:
Talent is everywhere, but big tech opportunities are often packed in a few cities, how might we allow people to live and work where they want?
Solution:
Minerva is a hiring management platform that allows US start-ups to hire remote, international talent.
Sara’s Part: Product Designer, UX Designer, Interview, and pitch management.
Context:
The following is a snapshot of our interdisciplinary venture capital start-up project. More details to come
Navigating Uncertainty and Innovation: The Story Behind Minerva
During the height of the pandemic, I found myself in a virtual design sprint led by Pioneer Square Labs (PSL) under the guidance of Greg Gottesman. We were tasked with brainstorming startup ideas in cross-functional teams, and I was eager to collaborate with business and software engineering experts to make an outstanding product.
Our First Idea
Our group gathered under a product concept that one of the VCs endorsed, but others were unsure about. We moved forward with this idea and started to produce mockups, and surveys and find interviews with local experts who could advise upon this device. However, as we continued our research and development stage, the experts were not inclined to support this idea.
The People Factor
One of the more challenging moments came during a call with a subject matter expert. Rather than focusing on our work, he made continued personal, negative remarks on my team, and after our prepared questions were left unanswered, the call fell silent. I knew this call would be wasted if we didn’t get proper feedback from this expert, so I spoke up.
I have managed personalities of all kinds and lead from a place of empathy and comradery. While I engage every conversation in a business tone, if someone is giving trouble, or wants to joke about my teammates, I will meet them where they are and bring them back to a respectful, even ground. So I joked and cajoled him like a friend, and guided him back around, and finally extracted the feedback we needed. I was so surprised when he ended the call laughing and said “After this, you’ll learn to appreciate having someone like Sara on your team.”
Designing Minerva
We made it out of that call and decided we should pivot now or never. With just three days to find a new idea and present something more viable than our previous concept, the team seemed stuck. We met up and I had prepared a dozen fully formed ideas, while no one else had a new idea. We were to present our new idea to Greg the next day, and he wasn’t interested in our previous recycled ideas. Luckily, Greg said “he loved” the new idea I had provided, a platform for hiring international remote workers. This idea came from my experience in Seattle’s job market and the complexities of working internationally.
With our new direction, I led branding and design, aiming to create a professional yet accessible look. We validated the concept with industry professionals and iterated based on feedback.
Diverse Experience is a Strength
Throughout this process, I realized that my diverse work background and ability to work with stakeholders and cross-functional collaborators was an asset, not a setback. My experience in complex regulatory environments, like Seattle Cancer Care Alliance, helped us craft a solution to real-world challenges faced by companies expanding globally. The result? A practical and timely solution for hiring international talent.
Minerva’s Success
At the end of the sprint, we presented Minerva—a platform designed to simplify global hiring—and the VC panel voted it “First to Break Even” of about 70 other original concepts. This wasn’t just a win for the project; it was a personal victory, proving that boldness, collaboration, and a structured process can turn an idea into a tangible product.
In the end, being a design leader isn’t just about making things look pretty. It’s about guiding teams, solving real life problems, and staying adaptable when the road gets tough.
