Tech’s homogeneity problem

The hidden impact of tech layoffs has to do with diversity

Hello and welcome back to Equity, a podcast about the business of startups, where we unpack the numbers and nuance behind the headlines.

This is our Wednesday show, where we niche down to a single person, think about their work and unpack the rest. This week, Natasha interviewed Karla Monterroso, a longtime leadership coach, racial equity advocate and the founder of Brava Leaders. We talked about her route into the leadership coaching space but mainly sought to answer questions about the challenges facing executives today. Here are some of the topics we touch on

  • Diverse leadership and the unique semblance of power on a person of color.
  • How she’s thinking through the second-order impacts of Elon Musk’s Twitter takeover and what signal it sends to the industry.
  • Tech’s homogeneity problem and if it’s getting better or worse.
  • How leaders can cultivate a workforce that leans into conflict.
  • And of course, we end with a lightning round — including but not limited to how Monterroso would define 2022 in a headline.

We’ll be back Friday with a festive rerun of an old episode. For those celebrating, happy Thanksgiving and, needless to say, we’re very thankful to have you here.

Equity drops every Monday at 7 a.m. PT and Wednesday and Friday at 6 a.m. PT, so subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Spotify and all the casts. TechCrunch also has a great show on crypto, a show that interviews founders, a show that details how our stories come together and more!