The Story Behind Shtudy: Why We Only Work With Companies Who Believe In Equal Opportunity, Not Just Headcount

We didn’t start Shtudy because we wanted to build another recruitment agency. In fact, it was the exact opposite. We wanted to build a go-to marketplace that prioritizes the candidate-employer relationship before anything else.

We started Shtudy because we were tired—tired of seeing brilliant, qualified, overlooked talent consistently passed over for reasons that had nothing to do with ability. Talent that checked every box except one: “looked the part.”

This is the story of how a mission turned into a movement.

And why today, we don’t work with companies unless they believe in equity, equality and opportunity—not just headcount.

The Beginning: A Resume Doesn’t Show Hunger

The idea for Shtudy was born in quiet moments—between interviews, after coaching calls, during long conversations with job seekers who did everything right and still couldn’t get hired.

You know who we’re talking about.

The self-taught coder who built a fully functioning app before ever stepping foot in a classroom.

The immigrant with a degree that no one in the U.S. “recognized,” but who could troubleshoot your systems blindfolded.

The young Black woman who graduated top of her class but got told—again and again—that she “wasn’t the right culture fit.”

The problem wasn’t a lack of skill. It was a lack of access, a lack of belief, and more often than not—a lack of willingness from employers to challenge their own biases.

We realized: if we were going to help these candidates get hired, we’d have to do a lot more than send resumes.

We’d have to rebuild trust. Rethink what hiring meant. And only work with companies ready to do the same.

We started vetting employers as aggressively as they vet candidates. Some didn’t like that. We didn’t care.

Because for every yes that felt right, we found ourselves turning down ten no’s that weren’t.

And that’s how it had to be.

Equity Isn’t a Buzzword, It’s a Filter

There’s a big difference between hiring for optics and hiring for impact.

Headcount says: “We need to fill 5 roles by Q3.”

Equity says: “We need to ensure these roles are filled by people who haven’t historically had a seat at the table—because the table is worse off without them.”

We made a decision early on: if a company was only interested in checking a diversity box, we’d walk away.

This wasn’t always easy. Some of the biggest names in tech came calling. They wanted “diverse pipelines,” but when we asked what their retention strategy was—what kind of coaching, mentorship, or belonging initiatives they offered—they had no answers.

We knew then: partnering with them would betray the very people we were trying to uplift.

So we said no.

And yes—it cost us. But it also earned us something far more valuable: integrity.

Because the day you start saying yes to the wrong people is the day your mission dies quietly in a corner.

And we’re not in the business of quiet deaths.

Real Stories, Real Stakes

Let me tell you about Marcus.

Marcus didn’t go to a top-tier school. He didn’t have a LinkedIn page full of tech influencers commenting on his posts. What he did have was grit. And a GitHub repo that would blow you away.

He came to us after being ghosted by six different companies. One told him his “communication style might not mesh with the team.” (Marcus is soft-spoken. He listens more than he talks.)

We coached him. Prepped him. Advocated for him. And we partnered with a company who truly valued potential—not polish.

Marcus is now a Senior Software Engineer. And he’s training interns who remind him of… well, him.

That’s what equity looks like.

Let me tell you about Sara.

She was a single mom with a background in QA testing, but she’d taken three years off to care for her newborn. When she returned, recruiters told her she was “out of sync with the current stack.”

We saw something different. We saw someone who understood detail, who tested better than half the industry veterans we’d seen, and who wanted it badly enough to teach herself every new tool being used in 2024.

We placed her with a startup who needed someone exactly like her: focused, flexible, and humble.

Three months later, she was promoted to QA Lead.

We’ve got hundreds of stories like that. All made possible because the employer said, “Yes, we believe in equity—and we’re ready to prove it.”

Why We Turn Clients Away

When people hear that we fire clients, they think we’re being dramatic.

We’re not.

If a client insists on unpaid internships for entry-level roles… they’re out.

If a client refuses to share salary ranges up front… they’re out.

If a client asks us to “not send too many foreign-sounding names”… they’re definitely out.

And here’s why: our candidates are trusting us with their time, their energy, their future. We take that seriously.

We’re not a resume factory. We’re not just pushing paper.

We’re building bridges where doors have been shut.

Every company we partner with either helps us build that bridge—or becomes part of the problem.

Our Vetting Process: Culture First, Contracts Second

Before we send a single resume, we ask companies to show us their people.

How do they onboard underrepresented hires?

Do they support career progression internally?

Have they ever promoted a woman of color to leadership?

Do they measure inclusion, not just diversity?

Do they allow ERGs to lead with budget, autonomy, and decision-making power?

Do they handle bias-related complaints quickly, transparently, and with accountability?

If not, are they willing to learn how?

We don’t expect perfection. We do expect honesty. And willingness. Because equity isn’t a fixed destination—it’s a practice. A set of behaviors. A culture.

We’ll work with you if you’re ready to do the work.

If you’re not, we’ll kindly pass.

And sometimes we revisit six months later—when the culture has caught up to the intention.

We’ve had companies come back to us, proud to say: “We made the changes. We listened.”

That’s the best kind of client. That’s the one who makes it.

What Happens After the Hire

Most firms close the deal, cash the check, and disappear.

We don’t.

Because equity isn’t just about getting the job—it’s about growing in it.

Every candidate we place gets continued support. Whether it’s 1:1 career coaching, salary negotiation prep for their next raise, or a check-in to make sure their team dynamic is healthy—we stay involved.

We’ve helped dozens of candidates turn first jobs into lifelong careers. Why? Because we care about retention. About advancement. About wellness.

We’ve seen too many candidates burn out because no one checked in after day one.

That won’t happen on our watch.

From Garage to Movement: How Shtudy Evolved

Shtudy didn’t start with investors or capital.

It started in a living room, with late-night calls to candidates who were ready to quit. With free resume reviews, mock interviews, and a belief that we could change at least one life.

That “one life” turned into ten. Ten turned into a hundred. Then a thousand.

We scrapped together systems. Learned from failure. Took feedback seriously. And every time we helped someone get the job they deserved, we doubled down.

Eventually, the industry noticed.

We got our first major client because they said, “You’re the only ones asking us the right questions.”

That client is still with us.

Today, we’re a thriving company with team members across the U.S., coaching tools, data analytics, and more—but our foundation hasn’t changed.

We’re here for the ones who’ve been told “not yet” one too many times.

And we’re just getting started.

The ROI of Doing the Right Thing

Let’s talk business.

Companies that hire equitably retain talent longer. They innovate faster. They connect more deeply with customers. Their teams solve problems from more angles, more creatively.

This isn’t fluff. It’s data-backed.

One of our clients saw a 40% boost in productivity after they restructured their hiring process to be equity-first. Another filled critical technical roles in half the time—because they stopped fishing in the same talent pools everyone else was using.

Another company reduced turnover by 30% just by providing mentorship and equitable promotion practices.

Turns out, when you value people for who they are, they show up fully. And when they show up fully—they thrive.

That’s not a “diversity initiative.” That’s just good business.

Equity isn’t expensive. Bias is.

What the Future Looks Like

We’re not just building a company. We’re building a standard.

A standard where every candidate is more than a resume. Where every company is more than a quota. Where every placement is a partnership.

We imagine a world where the tech industry isn’t just diverse on paper—but equitable in practice. Where belonging isn’t just a value on the website, but an everyday experience for every employee.

It’s already happening.

And we’re just getting started.

We believe the future belongs to the bold—the companies willing to be uncomfortable, to grow, to admit what they don’t know, and learn anyway.

We’ll continue to lead with values. To prioritize potential over pedigree. To coach, place, and advocate for talent that’s been systemically overlooked for far too long.

We won’t compromise. Because the stakes are too high.

Our people are too brilliant. Too necessary. Too ready.

This is Shtudy.

We believe in potential over polish. In grit over pedigree. In equity over headcount.

And we’ll keep building until the rest of the industry catches up.

Want to work with us? Be ready to show us more than your open roles. Show us your values.

Because we don’t build pipelines. We build futures.