Despite having already been an entrepreneur for a few years, he recalls feeling like the program was his first experience being "taken seriously from the start" as a founder. He remembers feeling that he had the space to be vulnerable about the help he needed. He considers his participation in the 9-week accelerator to have been "game changing". In 2019, Riley became the first NYU Law student to participate in the NYU Summer Launchpad. This new iteration sought to use software that would not only help connect people to jobs, but would also more comprehensively provide support for all steps of the job search process – including preparing, applying, interviewing, and succeeding in a job. Bloc’s second iteration came after their NYU Law Venture Fund contacts introduced them to the NYU Entrepreneurial Institute's coaching and programs. But, with limitations on how many people they could serve, Riley and Amina soon realized that they needed a new way to reach a larger audience. In Bloc’s early stages, they held conferences to connect students of color with opportunities. In his sophomore year, he met Amina Yamusah and they went on to co-found Bloc (now Sector). Initially, he thought he would be able to affect change through policy, but after coming to New York for college he learned about startups and the potential they offer in providing faster and more direct solutions. His grandmother was a career technical educator and his grandfather was a teacher, providing him with a lens into the world he navigates today. Growing up on the South Side of Chicago, Riley was exposed to issues surrounding education and employment from an early age. When asked for the most common feedback he gives to new social entrepreneurs, Riley Jones replied with this important message: "You can’t have the 'social' part without the 'entrepreneurship.' If you don’t build something that’s sustainable, you can’t create something that ultimately does good and makes an impact." He has lived this philosophy during his own startup journey, as well as by participating fully in the NYU entrepreneurial community. Sector is a job application tracker that walks you through data-driven steps that will double your chance of getting hired. This blog post was written by student author Ellie Gershenwald (Steinhardt '22) based on an interview with February 2022 Founder of the Month, Riley Jones (Law ‘20), co-founder of Sector. Stay up to date on upcoming events, deadlines, news, and more by signing up for our newsletters!
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