The Recruiter Who Started a Restaurant and a Global Tech Platform to Provide Workers with Dignity

Episode Description: Holly Diamond arrived in New York with $400 and a dream, faced the heartbreak of job searching during the 2009 recession, and eventually opened a restaurant during the pandemic to employ her parents. Now she's the CEO of Work Onward, a map-based hiring platform connecting small businesses with local workers, especially in immigrant-owned businesses and blue-collar industries.

What You'll Learn:

• How to turn personal struggles into scalable solutions
• The power of taking action before you feel ready
• Creating dignity in employment for overlooked populations
• Building technology that serves vulnerable communities
• Balancing profit with social impact in business

Key Timestamps:

• [00:00] Introduction and Holly's nomination
• [01:30] What is Work Onward and how it works
• [04:30] The restaurant origin story during COVID
• [10:45] Holly's "Just Do It" philosophy
• [12:30] The concept of dignity in employment
• [18:30] Self-care and taking care of your wellbeing
• [24:15] Who Holly nominates for the show

Key Takeaways:

• Sometimes the craziest-sounding decisions are exactly what the moment requires
• Your personal struggles can become your professional superpowers
• Technology should make opportunities visible, not create more barriers
• Dignity in work starts with how we see and treat each other
• Community and collaboration are essential for creating lasting change

Resource Links:

• Work Onward: [Platform information]
• Holly's Restaurant: [Location details]
• Connect with Holly: [Professional contact information]

Guest Bio: Holly Diamond is the CEO of Work Onward, a map-based hiring platform that connects small businesses with local hourly workers. Originally from South Korea, she moved to New York in 2009 and has spent over 10 years as a recruiter specializing in blue-collar industries. In 2020, she opened a restaurant to employ her parents during the pandemic, which became the inspiration for Work Onward's mission to create more inclusive hiring practices.

Host Bio: Aransas Savas is a researcher, coach, and host of The Uplifters Podcast. Connect with her:

• Instagram: @aransas_savas
• Podcast Instagram: @the_uplifters_podcast
• TikTok: @theuplifterspodcast
• Website: www.theuplifterspodcast.com
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@theuplifterspodcast
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aransassavas/

Keywords: career transition, immigrant entrepreneurs, job search platform, social impact business, small business hiring, dignity in work, pandemic pivots, family entrepreneurship, tech for good, inclusive hiring