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RUBY RECEPTIONISTS:
DISRUPTING WITH DIVERSITY
“There is no Portland
business too weird or
unique to succeed...This
accepting environment
helps attract entrepreneurs,
creative thinkers and
all sorts of talented
individuals to our city.”
Katharine Nester,
CPO of Ruby Receptionists
As the voice of thousands of small businesses
across the country, Ruby Receptionists knows
the importance of continuous evolution.
In 2003, Jill Nelson, founder and CEO of
Ruby, began envisioning a subscription
service that offered C-suite-level services
to small companies. That idea evolved
into virtual assistant offerings, and Ruby
Receptionists was born. Today, Ruby has
more than 425 employees, with 80 percent of
its management positions currently held by
former receptionists.
Ruby’s mission is to “preserve and
perpetuate real, meaningful connections in
an increasingly technology-focused, virtual
world.” It believes that positive employee
engagement creates positive customer
experiences, and the company continues to
invest in smart technology to improve and
refine its services. Ruby has been recognized
for its workplace culture, and was named
one of Inc. Magazine’s Best Workplaces of
2017. Katharine Nester, Ruby’s chief product
and technology officer, connected with
Techlandia to talk about fostering talent
internally and diversifying the tech industry.