In 2019 Darrian Mikell got the dreadful call no one wants to receive. He had been laid off from his job and had a few months of severance to figure out what to do next. What followed was a true test of grit and perseverance where Darrian turned life’s obstacles into opportunity and went all in on Qualifi.   

Darrian Michael is the Co-Founder and CEO of Qualifi, a software platform that powers the fastest phone interview experience in the world and helps recruiting teams hire great candidates faster than ever before.

He has been building Qualifi since 2019 and was a participant in Techstars Anywhere Accelerator in 2021. 

Be sure to check out these great clips from the show:

• [2:50] The correlation between sports and business. 
• [17:57] Helping grow a startup from 2 to 70 in three years.
• [23:35] How overcoming adversity helped launch Qualifi
• [31:35] How to be a good Co-Founder 101 
• [41:15] Perfect your pitch

Get IN. is the show focused on the unfolding stories and most extraordinary innovations happening in the heartland today. Get IN. is brought to you by Powderkeg and Elevate Ventures.

In our conversation with Darrian, you will learn about:

• Using athletics as a framework for how to run your business. 
• Identifying opportunities even under troubling circumstances. 
• Simple tips for not getting complacent with your network

-------

Get IN. is the show focused on the unfolding stories and most extraordinary innovations happening in the heartland today. The show is hosted by Christopher (Toph) Day, CEO of Elevate Ventures and Matt Hunckler, CEO of Powderkeg. Get IN. is brought to you by Powderkeg and Elevate Ventures.

If you have a chance, please leave an honest rating and review on Apple Podcasts by clicking here. It will help the show and its ranking on Apple Podcasts incredibly! Thank you so much!

Want to get connected with other leaders in the Powderkeg community? 

Are you interested in joining the only private membership network focused on supporting tech companies and executives in communities beyond Silicon Valley? Apply for Powderkeg Premium Membership today.

Interested in starting your own Podcast?

Casted is THE first and only podcast and video marketing platform made SPECIFICALLY for B2B brands. The platform makes it possible to publish, syndicate, amplify, and measure the value of your podcast and video content And if you’re a startup, Casted offers their for Startups program that might be for you — offering exclusive deep discounts of up to 82% off retail price for qualifying startups. Connect with Casted at Casted.us/powderkeg.