On this edition of Your American Story radio, Raja welcomes a pair of local business leaders onto the show to discuss the contributions they’re making to improving the overall climate for businesses, both large and small, in Western Pennsylvania.
-When a person typically thinks about a greenhouse, he or she thinks of a safe, controlled environment, where plants are given the proper nurturing in order to grow and prosper, and in turn, provide a positive, sustainable impact on their environment.
In 2001, thanks to the collaborative efforts of the State of Pennsylvania, Carnegie Mellon University, The University of Pittsburgh, UPMC, and local foundation partners throughout Western Pennsylvania, the greenhouse concept came to life for the Pittsburgh business community, through the formation of the Pittsburgh Life Sciences Greenhouse (PLSG). Under the leadership of President and CEO John Manzetti, the PLSG aims to provide organizational support, educational resources and capital funding for biosciences companies throughout the region, in order to set them on an unwavering path of growth and sustainability that will lead to job creation and economic growth that will lift the region for decades to come. The results over the past 12 years have been mind-boggling, as the PLSG has made over 180 investments in over 75 companies, a total investment in excess of $20 million that has leveraged over $900 million in additional capital, creating over 1,800 jobs along the way.
On this edition, John Manzetti talks with Raja about the mission of the PLSG, the results the organization has enjoyed thus far, and where they go from here. You won’t want to miss this exceptional discussion.
-If you look at the traits that make up a successful entrepreneur, “determination” is one that is near, if not AT, the top of the list. And few, if any, entrepreneurs come more determined than Don Charlton.
Having lived in poverty until he was 18, Don had developed a passion for computer programming, a love of art, $75 and a bus ticket to start his journey at the Rochester Institute of Technology, en route to a career as a software developer before hitting his home run in 2009, with the development of The Resumator. The Resumator takes much of the guesswork out of the hiring process, streamlining the mounds of resume data that employers must wade through once a job opening is posted, and organizing the data so that the strongest candidates emerge to the forefront dynamically, saving employers countless hours and wasted interviews along the way. Since its launch in 2009, The Resumator has been used by over 2,000 employers, including such leading edge companies as Warby Parker, Mashable, Instagram, MLB.com, and both the Obama and Romney 2012 Presidential campaigns.
Here, Raja talks with Don Charlton about his remarkable journey, the unbelievable success he has enjoyed thanks to the Resumator, what his plans are going forward, and what drives him to continually strive for bigger and better outcomes on a daily basis.
