Jessica Lipton, Founder and Chief Technology Officer of Elevate Delta 8, is here to reflect on her entrepreneurial journey and the lessons she learned along the way.
Industry Leaders: You have faced a lot of challenges in your everyday life while succeeding as a business owner. What kept you going?
Jessica Lipton: This may sound cliché but what really helped me keep going was seeing the impact that my products have had on customers. They frequently reached out to me and told me about the breakthroughs that they have had with my product or how it helped them overcome certain obstacles relating to anxiety or stress. This made me remember the passion that I had for what I love which was actually helping people overcome challenges related to mental health. This gave me enough motivation and courage to remain resilient in the face of discrimination and bias.
Industry Leaders: What outcomes according to you turn out the best when female minds take over in the industry?
Jessica Lipton: I believe women are very well suited to handling crises which is an extremely important skill to have as we saw amidst the pandemic. A lot of women are tasked with professional as well as domestic responsibilities where they have to deal with competing priorities. This gives women the ability to be adaptive and flexible which is important when a business intends on pivoting.
Industry Leaders: What possible differences do you feel you have altered in Elevate Delta as compared to other industry leaders?
Jessica Lipton: One of the most significant differences that I have made within my organization is that I have instilled enough confidence and have empowered workers enough that they are able to speak up about biases and gender discrimination. The decision-making process was made more transparent which reduced the likely hood of my organization being affected by conscious and unconscious biases. So if my employees spot a decision that was influenced by bias, they are no longer afraid to speak up in an attempt to set things right.
“Blind Hiring entails hiring based exclusively on merit and avoiding any kind of focus on names and gender until the decision to call someone for an interview has been made.”
Industry Leaders: How is Elevate Delta helping female employees to work in a safe, productive, and growing environment?
Jessica Lipton: At Elevate Delta 8, I have modernized our approach to hiring. When I’m setting up a job description, I choose my words carefully to avoid discouraging more women from applying and so that we’re able to attract a wider pool of workers. I also practice “blind hiring”. This process entails hiring based exclusively on merit and avoiding any kind of focus on names and gender until the decision to call someone for an interview has been made.
Moreover, at Elevate Delta 8, we use gender-neutral pronouns when giving examples. This encourages the use of language that eliminates unconscious bias. We have transitioned from having a traditional organizational culture to one that promotes equity and widens our horizons by stringently discouraging gender stereotypes while encouraging and acknowledging anyone that speaks up against bias or discrimination.
