How Creating A Diverse Culture Can Help Your Company Thrive

I had the pleasure of interviewing Jonathan Sposato, cofounder of PicMonkey- an online photo editor, and GeekWire- a tech news website.

Thank you so much for doing this with us! What is your “backstory”?

I’m honored to participate! My background is all over the place. I was a Chinese Korean kid born in London to a single mom. I spent my early years growing up in Hong Kong with my grandparents attending an English school taught by Spanish nuns. When I reunited with my mom and her new husband in the U.S. and began life in America, I also legally picked up his Italian last name. Are you confused yet? I think my unconventional childhood, and being in many situations where I was the odd man out, really helped form some of my fundamental values both inside and outside of the workplace. For example, understanding the need for diverse perspectives, inclusivity and giving voice to the underrepresented, “listening louder” to find ways to build bridges, and being a champion for women are all personal ideals that stem from my upbringing.

Can you share the funniest or most interesting story that happened to you since you began leading your company?

GeekWire, the technology news site I co-founded in 2009, hosts a bunch of signature events in Seattle, which bring out thousands of…