Jaime Bott

When I reflect on where I’ve come from and where I’ve ended up, I can sum it up in three words: “I feel lucky.” I was born to a 15-year-old single mother and life had challenges stacked up against us from the very start. Yet, I never let that diminish my desire for a better life. I always felt I could choose a different path than the one that was laid out before me.

Education was my way out. I was the first in my family to go to college. My first few jobs were in retail management, and though I didn’t have access to formal mentorship, recruiting and mentoring new team members gave me a sense of fulfillment and purpose. It was then that I knew I wanted to do more of it. This, coupled with the fact that I’d had so many great role models in my life who helped me along the way, made me realize that I genuinely wanted to pay it forward. I’ve always felt that you get back the positive energy you put out into the world.

Eventually, I got an MBA and fell into (and in love with) recruiting. Recruiting helps improve people’s lives for the better; candidates find career growth, improved compensation, or a better culture, while startup founders find much-needed talent to help move their businesses forward.

When I joined Sequoia Capital in 2010, I was so excited about the prospect of helping founders and talent. More than a decade later, that excitement has not waned. Little did I know that I’d end up leading the global talent team that not only supported early-to-growth-stage CEOs with hiring, but also developed proprietary talent software tools.

Later on, when Sequoia India & Southeast Asia became Peak XV, I once again jumped at the opportunity to support founders with hiring in the US market. Venture talent is a wonderful platform because there are so many ways to connect with and benefit the network. I’m excited to keep paying it forward!