005: “You Have No Time to Be Racist”: How Startups Strip Bias in the Name of Growth

Anne and Matt dive headfirst into one of the rawest convos in startup land: race, bias, and who actually gets hired. From language immersion to startup hiring pipelines, they ask what’s fair, what’s real, and what’s just PR. Anne unpacks her own biases as a founder and female consumer, while Matt challenges what DEI looks like in high-growth vs. low-growth companies. This episode isn’t trying to be politically correct—it’s trying to be honest.

🚨 Stuff You’ll Want to Remember:

• Learning language = unlocking culture. It’s not just practical, it’s transformational.
• In true startup culture, performance crushes bias. You don’t have time to discriminate.
• DEI quotas are fading—founders want performance, not politics.
• Who gets hired often depends more on who’s buying than who’s qualified.
• Environment shapes opportunity—your hiring pool is already biased by zip code.

💣 Sh*t Only Founders Say:

• “You have no time to be racist.” — Matt
• “If your product sucks, then all the other sh*t comes up.” — Matt
• “People still don’t want an 18-year-old roofer showing up to do a $15K job.” — Anne
• “If you want to win, you eliminate variables. Everything else is noise.” — Matt
• “Brand experience isn’t just about delivery—it’s about who’s delivering it.” — Anne

💬 Lines That Slap:

“Reverse racism is still racism—it’s just the glorified kind.” — Anne

“You start dreaming in another language—that’s when it sticks.” — Matt

“Most people want to hire people who look like them. It’s not wrong, it’s human.” — Anne

“If you can’t speak English, you shouldn’t have been hired.” — Matt

📡 Where to Find Us

• Anne → Fix & Form - LinkedIn
• Matt → ChipBot - LinkedIn