Leah Busque

“I had the idea for TaskRabbit one night when my husband and I were getting ready for dinner.”

“It seems like those of us who run a business can't go five minutes without encountering the term "company culture." The phrase is always uttered with extreme adoration, yet the very concept seems as nebulous as it is elusive.”

“Beyond brand, culture can help drive your product itself by creating the conditions for the idea generation that is and will continue to be the lifeblood of any company.”

“I believe there's been a slippery slope of new companies that have formed in the name of on-demand services... that maybe aren't having as much of a focus as they should on the worker.”

“One of the cool things we're seeing at TaskRabbit is local tech and gaming startups hiring TaskRabbits to test their products and deliver immediate user feedback. As the founder of a tech startup, I can tell you that this type of focus group testing is paramount - and usually really pricey and difficult to coordinate.”

“Startups need to focus on building a foundation for their company culture early, and then they need to revisit it often. Every time a hire is made, a feature is launched, a Facebook status is updated, a press interview is given, a round of financing is raised, or a meeting is held, culture should be part of the decision-making process.”

“Online transactions, once relegated to leaps of faith, have evolved into our status quo. We no longer ask ourselves whether or not it's wise to buy online. Instead, we ask whether or not it's wise to deal with a particular person, service provider, or business.”

“Hiring's tough. It's not just filtering through hundreds of applications and blocking out big chunks of your day for interviews - those are the simple parts. The difficult thing is the nagging feeling that, despite your best efforts, the perfect candidate will somehow fall through the cracks.”

“Corporate efficiency has led to a nasty trend of filtering resumes for keywords. This might save time, but it ensures that many of the best candidates will never make it to the interview.”

“I've never thought of myself as a female engineer or founder or a woman in tech. I just think of myself as someone who's passionate.”

“As a mom, you're so panicked and starved for time, you just need help.”

“I've had some very strong female role models, so I think that's an important thing.”

“I'm an engineer turned entrepreneur who's passionate about connection.”

“All of our TaskRabbits go through a vetting process, which includes an online application, a video interview, a series of background checks, and then an online quiz that they have to pass before they're activated on the site.”