Culture & Jobs at Root

It’s the most wonderful time of the year! That’s right: it’s time for the annual Purpose Awards. 

HR friends, it's been a year. There's no doubt that when the market goes south, HR and People Ops roles are some of the first on the chopping block. 

If you've been following along in this series, the name Boon probably isn't unfamiliar. They've partnered with us on 3 of the first episodes of Finding Balance, because it's something they're passionate about too. 

What do you want your obituary or gravestone to say? It's an intense question, but it's something I think can really help us frame the way we think about our lives. For Nils Root, his would say, "He made the most of his time."

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, but for those who struggle with mental health issues, finding support is a year-round challenge. 

Columbus, Ohio-based Drive Capital has announced today a new $80 million seed program to help support entrepreneurs in the "Driveway."

Columbus, Ohio, is a booming, cosmopolitan city attracting employers and top talent from all over the country. 

As the Ohio tech and startup scene continues to grow, so do the job opportunities! We've pulled together an exciting list of startups and tech companies in Cleveland, Columbus, and Cincinnati that are currently hiring and doing great things.  {{cta('5f6df6ea-8370-4070-9b21-e7064a12d0f8','justifycenter')}}

How and where we work have changed so much over the last two years, it’s having a lasting impact on company structure. Job seekers demand flexibility when it comes to location, schedules and culture because the old way of working, well, wasn’t really working. 

There’s no doubt a shift is happening in the hiring landscape. Many companies, big and small, have gone from rapidly hiring to cutting teams and reorganizing their labor force. But that’s not the whole story.  Despite the media’s focus on layoffs and hiring freezes, there are still many companies that are hiring. Just in the last couple of weeks, we’ve seen companies continue to hire, raise money and grow.

My dad always says, "If you're not learning at your job anymore, it's time to move on." Professional growth and development are huge factors for taking — or leaving — a job. 

There’s no doubt a shift is happening in the hiring landscape. Many companies, big and small, have gone from rapidly hiring to cutting teams and reorganizing their labor force. But that’s not the whole story.  Despite the media’s focus on layoffs and hiring freezes, there are still many companies that are hiring. Just in the last couple of weeks, we’ve seen companies continue to hire, raise money and grow.

There’s no doubt a shift is happening in the hiring landscape. Many companies, big and small, have gone from rapidly hiring to cutting teams and reorganizing their labor force. But that’s not the whole story.  Despite the media’s focus on layoffs and hiring freezes, there are still many companies that are hiring. Just in the last couple of weeks, we’ve seen companies continue to hire, raise money and grow.

At Purpose Jobs, we believe that businesses can be a force of good. Whether that’s through the products or services they offer, or the way they interact with the community. 

Job searching can be an exhausting journey. There. We said it. It’s because of the work and effort we know you have to put into this search, that we want to make it simple for you to see what jobs are available while getting a quick glimpse into a company. So use this 5-minute break from your daily tasks to check out these open jobs.

3-year-old Insuretech Branch Raises $147M to Reach Unicorn Status

When it comes to finding the right job — and staying there — candidates are looking for a lot, especially in a virtual setting. Gone are the days where foosball tables and free snacks constituted benefits. Of course, we still love them, but there has to be more that matters. 

For an updated list, check out 2023's Best Companies for Work-Life Balance.   Work-life balance. It’s been a buzz word for the last two years as the COVID-19 pandemic blurred the lines between work and home. As we enter a new era of benefits, the pandemic has made one thing clear: a healthy work-life balance is very important. 

The Midwest had a banner year in startup funding, despite the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic continuing through 2021.

Empora Title Lands Investment from Root Insurance; Columbus’ Startup Flywheel in Full Effect A former employee of Root Insurance has launched a new venture aimed at digitizing the real estate title process.

As the old saying goes, Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither was Silicon Valley, nor the Silicon Prairie. 

The list is out for 2024 — check out the Top Startups in Columbus, Ohio to Watch in 2024   It’s hard to even stay current on all the great things startups are doing around Columbus. 

You don't have to be technical to work at a tech company. While top startups seem to always have open jobs for engineers, there are tons of great roles open to non-technical candidates, too. 

A lot is changing about how we live and work as we emerge from the coronavirus pandemic. 

Columbus is a quickly emerging tech hub for healthtech and insurtech startups. Many boomerangs are returning to the Midwest, especially to Columbus, to find great tech jobs. 

On October 12th, our Purpose Jobs crew teamed up with OhioX, One Columbus, Drive Capital, TechLife Columbus, Pride Fund 1 and Ohio Impact Fund to virtually host the State of the Columbus Startup Community. And it was an incredible afternoon! 

This post has been updated include updated links and resources. The State of the Columbus Startup Community brought together top Columbus tech leaders to share the secrets behind this rapidly growing startup community and showcase amazing job opportunities.We heard from Mark Kvamme (co-founder of Drive Capital), Kristy Campbell (COO of Rev1 Ventures), Catherine Allshouse (CIO of Veeva Systems), Densil Porteous (CEO of Pride Fund 1), Tim Trad (Creative Director at Path Robotics and founder and CEO of

It's no secret that software engineers are in high demand. There are plenty of open software engineering jobs, but if you're looking for a new gig, it can be overwhelming to see all the companies hiring software engineers. 

There’s an undeniable momentum to Columbus’ startup scene. 

In the Midwest, boomerangs are returning to the region to start companies, live sustainably, and find meaning in their work. Startup and tech companies are rapidly hiring for open tech jobs. VC firms are taking notice and investing heavily in middle of the country states. Startup communities across the Midwest are exploding — especially in Columbus.

During the pandemic, many people who moved back with family moved to the Midwest, and if you did that’s not bad news for your career. 

High school sports may not be the first industry that comes to mind when talking about technology advancement, but that’s exactly where one Columbus firm is finding a product-market fit. 

River Financial, a San Francisco-based company that lets people incorporate Bitcoin into their broader investment portfolios, has selected Columbus for its global operations center.

From content marketing and SEO jobs to growth marketing, Midwest tech startups have a growing number of job opportunities for marketing professionals. And the Midwest is also home to a growing number of marketing and media startups. 

Are you interested in a product job at a tech startup? You might only think of the coasts when it comes to product, because historically the Midwest tech scene was focused on IT and engineering. 

A place that was once known as Test City, USA, due to its close resemblance to the overall population and preferences of our country as a whole, is now the 14th largest city in the US and growing. Many people know Columbus, Ohio, as the home of the Ohio State Buckeyes or as the capital of a state that produced 8 US presidents. However, some things that the general population may not know is that Columbus is within 500 miles of 50% of the US population, was home to the first woman to fly around the world,

Okay, we know it’s true: Midwest winters are cold. If you’re not into living in a winter wonderland, it’s understandable, though Michigan winters can be absolutely stunning if you get out and explore. 

People are rethinking where they live, how they work, and what they do with their time. The New York Times calls it the new YOLO Economy. Perhaps the term "YOLO" is a little too casual for what's going on here.

Field notes about the Columbus startup ecosystem from a student, founder, and community organizer. I noticed a pattern when I first moved to Columbus: most of the people I met weren’t from Columbus. They were from Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago, New York, California, and nearly everywhere else. And wherever they came from, they were here to stay.

The economic effects of the last year have created and accelerated career opportunities in some unlikely ways. Many high skilled tech workers are now looking for a career change or seeking to be part of innovative companies in some of the most livable cities in the US. Tech hubs in the Bay Area are losing their appeal to rising “second cities” that have become some of the fastest growing tech cities in the country. CompTIA’s interactive survey of IT professionals found that 78% of tech workers have moved,

The Midwest is home to a growing number of insurtech companies that have clustered around well-established insurance companies in cities such as Columbus. These companies have created amazing talent pools for insurtech startups looking to disrupt the industry.

On April 13th, we hosted the Midwest Startup & Tech Virtual Career Fair: Best Places To Work. We had tons of companies join and hundreds of jobs seekers. But if you missed the event and are looking for a job in tech—whether that’s in software engineering, marketing, people, product, sales, or other—don't worry. You can still apply to jobs at these amazing companies.

There’s no doubt that the Midwest is a great place to be for tech jobs. And if you still have doubts, just check out some of the best startups and tech companies that call the Midwest home. They’re great places to work, and, with competitive salaries and affordable cost of living, life in the Midwest can be pretty good. 

The list is out for 2022! Check out the Top Columbus Startup and Tech Companies to Watch in 2022   Columbus is one of the best cities for tech jobs, and 2020 proved that. This Midwest city was in some major headlines last year for startup jobs, startup funding, tech IPOs, and rapid growth. 

2020 certainly was a challenging year for startups across the board. And fundraising, though it fared better than many thought it would, was still no exception. 

There’s no doubt that 2020 will go down in the history books. A once-in-a-lifetime pandemic, a national reckoning with racial injustice, record unemployment, a divisive election, and a lot of other news that seems so small compared to everything else. 

Why were there only two Midwest startups on LinkedIn’s recent list of the top 50 startups on the rise? 

If you work in marketing, you know it can be a funny field. Us marketers wear a lot of hats, and it can be hard to find a position that fits your skills and experience. 

On August 25th, purpose.jobs and the Midwest Tech Banking team at Silicon Valley Bank hosted the Midwest’s largest virtual career fair. Within 60 minutes we had…  

Yes. You read that title right. Top tech companies are hiring—right now. Woot woot, cue the happy dance. 

Ever wonder what powers the top Midwest startups and tech scene? Well, it’s a whole lot of good ideas, smart people to execute them, and, of course, capital. Starting a business takes a lot of money to get things off the ground, and there are many Midwest venture capital firms that are making it happen. 

Three years ago we started purpose.jobs to help people find jobs they love in the Midwest. 

For the most up-to-date list of the best Columbus startups, check out the Top Columbus Startup and Tech Companies to Watch in 2022 The researchers have spoken—Columbus is the 9th best city to launch your career (and no, we’re not surprised that the top 9 cities are all in the Midwest). 

Columbus is a hotbed for fast-growing startups and tech companies. We featured a few of them on our list of the top startups in the Midwest, but there are lots of companies in Columbus that are growing, hiring, and still getting funded. Back in March, Olive raised $51 million, and Finite State just announced they raised $12.5 million. 

It’s no secret that we love Detroit over here at purpose.jobs. We’re Detroiters and take a lot of pride in the city we call home. It’s a great place to live and work, and Glassdoor seems to think so, too. They named Detroit the 10th best city for jobs based on hiring opportunity, cost of living and job satisfaction. I’m not surprised that Detroit came in the top 10. 

Want to know where the money's at? It's right here in the midwest. More specifically, the Great Lakes region. Venture capitalists are looking outside Silicon Valley and New York to diversify across new hubs. 

Work/life balance is always relevant but even more so now. So we updated this post on September 21, 2021 with new stats and fun facts.