Nico Roberts

About Nico Roberts

Happily settled back in San Francisco after a few years in the Midwest. I love my role at Fountain and I am so proud of the tremendous progress we continue to make in our mission to open opportunities for the global workforce. I truly believe the platform we’re building has the power to fundamentally change the way that companies hire. Our mobile-first technology meets candidates where they are, increasing access to opportunities and ensuring an optimized experience for all.I am often asked what prompted me from Deloitte to pursue a position at a startup. Here’s my story:During my time in Chicago, I used to ride the bus home late at night. I vividly remember a woman boarding the bus with a large stack of paper in her arms and her young daughter beside her. As the doors closed, a rotating bar bumped her elbow, scattering the papers across the floor. When I jumped up to help, I immediately noticed it was an entire stack of job applications for hourly roles. I remember thinking to myself, “Gosh, this lady still has to go home and fill all of these out by hand, only to return them all the following day to each prospective employer.”Something shifted in me that night. It was as if my eyes were finally open to the plight that so many people were faced with in their search for work. A close friend of mine happened to be on Fountain’s founding team, so I reached out to him to see how things were going on his end. I was aware of the fundamental premise behind the startup, and the excitement, exhaustion, enthusiasm, and pure love that he had for the work was all the validation I needed. He connected me with one of the company’s co-founders, and the next thing I knew I was on a flight to San Francisco to meet the rest of the team.I am a firm believer in creating products that improve the lives of the people around us. Spending time with customers, listening to their evolving needs, and adapting our technologies accordingly is what drives me. It\'s all about modernizing and automating where necessary, a principle deeply rooted in the YC ethos.If you enjoy listening to Queen, dream of owning a professional South African rugby team (staying true to my roots), or share a passion for startups and technological innovations, I encourage you to connect with me.

Experience

1. Chief Operations Officer

   Fountain

   Jan 2023 — Present · US

Education

• Westminster College (MO)

  Accounting, Business/Management and MIS

  2006 — 2010