Dear Reader,
If 2020 was the year we were asked by the market to grow 500%, then 2021 is the year we invested in our systems so that we could do it again. Last week, we won a contract that will require us to hire almost one hundred new Odettians in what we believe will become a transformational partnership over the long term. This contract came to us via word of mouth, and our team won because our quality was the best. This was the happiest day since I started the company.
Upon hearing the news, I went for a long walk, and I thought about the power of good intentions. It has become clear to me that we are benefiting from something greater than business forces. I believe that if you are on a mission to be of service and you are able to remove your ego, then the universe conspires in helping you to achieve your goal. Three and half years in, and nearly two thousand people have joined our team, hired us, and helped us make our wildest dreams come true. Today we want to THANK YOU.
I am proud of the Odetta team and everything we have done this year. We:
- Expanded our global workforce to 290 Odettians
- Grew our client base to 270+ (with 120 net new clients this year), powered by 1,200 individual tech startup leaders
- Structured a partnership with a tier 1 consulting firm to deliver market research services
- Structured a partnership with one of the fastest-growing internet companies to do data tagging
- Became known for our data sourcing capabilities, with 30% of our clients via word of mouth
- Built an automated data infrastructure that allows us to track workforce accuracy and deliver 360° feedback
- Nurtured a community of 15K+ people through the power of Social Media
- Wrote to 3K+ readers through our blogs and newsletters
- Became part of #UnreasonableFUTURE, an accelerator for mission-driven growth stage companies
- Won #21 Best Startup Employers in the USA by Forbes based on happiness metrics
- And most importantly, truly helped make the world a better place by empowering women around the world to accomplish their dreams
Next year, we are excited to:
- Double both sides of our platform
- Upskill our teams with virtual boot camps for every role we recruit for and staff
- Improve our product flows for our Odettian applicants, our existing workforce, and our clients
- Productize our most popular services
- Continue to tell the stories of our amazing Odettians in video format
- Expand our team to 500+ Odettians depending on the business need
We look forward to continuing the journey with you in the year ahead. Wishing you holidays filled with fun and laughter, and our very best wishes for a joyful present, a well-remembered past, and a meaningful New Year.
Happy Holidays,
Katharine
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Founder Lesson Learned: Reimagining Flexibility
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We want to push the boundaries on what it means to have flexibility in the workplace. When we started Odetta, we thought primarily about “flexibility of location”. This is remote work at scale, pre-Covid. We quickly realized that our workforce wanted “flexibility in time”, e.g. being able to select the time of day they work, in order to maintain a balanced life. It is only until recently that we have recognized another value proposition in our platform to be “flexibility in load,” such that one can work intensely for some days, and less intensely on others. I know I enjoy all of these flexibilities myself in order to perform well in areas of my own life.
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“The top three things that are important for me at Odetta are the camaraderie, the flexibility, and the purpose. I’m so proud and quick to tell everyone that I work at a place that is by women for women. And if I can add another thing it’s the recognition. I feel seen. Knowing that when I work and put in my all, that it’s recognized, is very fulfilling. And that makes me eager to grow and learn more. I guess flexibility can mean different things to different people but personally I love that I’m working at times that feels like a full-time job and at the same time I’m home to welcome my daughter when she comes home from school. Finally, my concerns aren’t overlooked or brushed aside for the “right time''. They are immediately addressed and solutions presented and I appreciate that genuinely. I feel like I can progress. It’s not a job where I’m just working hours to make money.”
—Isra, Current Odettian
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Quote of the Month: Quote of the Month: The Importance Of Doing Ordinary Things In An Extraordinary Way
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“I long to accomplish a great and noble task, but it is my chief duty and joy to accomplish humble tasks as though they were great and noble. ... The world is moved along, not only by the mighty shoves of its heroes but also by the aggregate of the tiny pushes of each honest worker."
—Helen Keller, Author and Activist
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