Why I Am Building Forte: A Father’s Perspective on Helping Young Job Seekers

As a father, there’s nothing quite like watching your child step out into the world, ready to find their place and make their mark. But I’d be lying if I said it’s been easy to watch my 20-year-old daughter navigate the choppy waters of today’s job market. In many ways, I’m witnessing a battle where young people are armed with passion and potential but lack the tools to succeed.

Let’s get one thing straight: people are more than a two-page resume filled with bullet points.

In a world where our experiences, skills, and ambitions are diverse and constantly evolving, why are we still trying to fit everything we are onto a static piece of white paper? The resume hasn’t evolved much since Leonardo da Vinci penned the first one back in 1482. Sure, we’ve upgraded from parchment to PDFs, but the essence hasn’t changed—we’re still distilling our professional lives into a list of dates, job titles, and bullet points.

The Struggle of Finding That First Job

Let me paint a picture: My daughter, like many of her peers, has joined countless job platforms, all promising to connect her with perfect opportunities. But the reality is far different. Each platform asks for the same basic information—a resume, a cover letter, and answers to repetitive questions—all formatted slightly differently. It’s exhausting, repetitive, and, frankly, frustrating.

And here’s the part that gets me: despite all this, she still receives WhatsApp blast messages about last-minute waiter gigs starting in four hours, with little to no information. It’s a race to see who can respond first rather than a meaningful match between her skills and the job. Is this really the best we can do?

A System Stuck in the Past

The job market has evolved, but not nearly fast enough for today’s generation. Young people like my daughter are expected to craft polished, two-page resumes and “optimized” cover letters filled with buzzwords to stand out. Not the current "AI" platforms that claim to optimize resumes for the #ATS for a small fee (really)! But let’s be honest: writing a resume is a skill not everyone possesses, and that doesn't mean they aren't damn good people to do their jobs. What’s worse, it often feels like an exercise in padding—a way to fit into an outdated format that no longer serves its purpose.

But let’s be honest: writing a resume is a skill not everyone possesses, and that doesn't mean they aren't damn good people to do their jobs.

This system is outdated and failing the very people it is supposed to help. Are we going to continue operating in this way and value the company's bottom line instead of the potential of a willing and eager workforce? Or should we be asking how we can solve the real problem – how can we make it easier for young people to showcase their skills and demonstrate their readiness to work at any time? The bottom line will improve significantly if we rationalize the system where it should be.

Why I Put All My Eggs in One Basket

I’ve made a choice—a risky one, perhaps—to put everything I have into solving this problem. I chose to build Forte because I believe we can do better. I want to create a platform where people don’t have to keep rewriting the same resume and where they can showcase their true potential without getting bogged down by outdated formats and arbitrary requirements. I want a place where their willingness to work isn’t buried under a mountain of filler words but shines through clearly, giving them the opportunities they deserve.

Certainly, this decision comes with its own set of challenges. Balancing development, cash flow, fundraising, and well-being isn’t easy. Even though Forte’s vision shines as bright as the North Star, we’ve faced skepticism.

We’ve been told we’re not “convincing enough” as founders because we didn’t come from Google, OpenAI, or Uber

We’ve been told we’re not “convincing enough” as founders because we didn’t come from #Google, #OpenAI, or #Uber. But that was a conscious choice. We didn’t want to follow the well-worn path of big tech. We’ve received offers from big companies, but I never saw myself as just another cog in a massive machine, especially if the work lacked a deeper purpose. I didn’t want to chase a high salary only to waste everyone’s time doing something that didn’t truly matter.

A Platform Built for the People

Forte isn’t here to reinforce the status quo but to challenge it. We aim to help people, regardless of their current situation, especially young individuals like my daughter, demonstrate their abilities without facing endless obstacles. What if job seekers didn’t need to write the perfect cover letter or craft the ideal resume? What if we focused on capturing their willingness to work, skills, and potential in a fluid, dynamic way?

We’re building Adaptive Profiles that evolve in real-time

Imagine a living, evolving profile that grows with them, continuously updated to reflect their most current skills and achievements. We’re building Adaptive Profiles that evolve in real-time, offering a holistic view of a person’s capabilities and tailoring the display to highlight what matters most—whether for a recruiter, a potential client, or a collaborator.

Why I'm Building Forte (And Why I’m Not Backing Down)

The answer is simple: I’m building Forte to give people a fighting chance. I want to make it easier for them to find jobs or projects, present their skills meaningfully, and be seen for who they truly are—not just what they can fit onto a resume. I want a future where job offers aren’t races to the fastest response but thoughtful matches between a person’s abilities and the opportunities available.

A resume can't tell the whole story. It can't capture career's nuances, passions, or the unique value they bring.

Resumes are like old yearbooks—they capture a snapshot of who we were at a single moment but say nothing about how we've grown since. They reduce our complex, multifaceted lives into a rigid format that's hard to update and even harder for hiring managers to interpret. And, if we are sincere, they are pretty much outdated as soon as it has been sent. We've been conditioned to believe that listing job titles, responsibilities, and dates neatly is the best way to showcase our skills. But let's face it: a resume can't tell the full story. It can't capture your career's nuances, passions, or the unique value you bring.

So, when people ask why we didn’t go work at a big company, my answer is clear: because we didn’t want to. We wanted to build something different that helps people most need it. And if that means taking a risk, then so be it. I’m willing to bet everything on this because I believe in it wholeheartedly.

Contextual Visibility: Showing What Matters

We aim to build a more intelligent, intuitive system than any other current solution. It understands context and adapts to show what’s relevant, depending on who’s looking. If a recruiter needs to see industry-specific skills, that’s what they’ll see first. Those aspects will be highlighted if a hiring manager focuses on leadership qualities and project results. This contextual visibility ensures that the story is told in the best light without overwhelming the viewer with unnecessary details.

Think of it as your life’s book, where each chapter is a part of your journey, and the reader sees what they need to see based on the context. It’s a fluid, adaptable way to present your professional self, free from the constraints of outdated resume formats.

This isn’t about hiding parts of the story but tailoring the view to showcase what matters most. We know people skim resumes and often miss vital points. With an Adaptive Profile, we hope people never have to worry about important information being overlooked—it’s front and center when it needs to be. Think of it as your life’s book, where each chapter is a part of your journey, and the reader sees what they need to see based on the context. It’s a fluid, adaptable way to present your professional self, free from the constraints of outdated resume formats.

Challenging the Status Quo

At ForteAI , we’re not just trying to tweak the current system—we’re trying to address the whole root cause. We know what it’s like to hear the same feedback that millions of job seekers get when they apply: “Not selected,” often without any explanation. Meanwhile, there’s talk of a talent shortage, insufficiently trained workers, and fears that AI will replace jobs, all while political decisions make the landscape even more challenging. But I can’t control politics, nor do I want to; what I can do is solve a problem right in front of me.

Why I’m Doing This (And Why I Believe in People)

So why am I doing this? Seriously, sometimes I ask myself the same question! Just yesterday morning, I wondered why the hell I was fighting this battle. Why don’t the pieces ever just snap into place on their own, even once in a while? Why has it taken us almost four months to get the GPUs we need to release the platform, and we’re still on hold—with no background music playing?

But then I remember why I started this journey in the first place: because of my daughter, my fast charger and driving force. I’m also incredibly proud of the entire Forte team that’s been on this journey with me. Without them, there would be no Forte—it would still be just a madman’s idea.

At the End of the Day

Forte's journey might be my last act as an entrepreneur, so failure is not an option. There is too much at stake here—and I don't mean money!

As I have always said, you can lose money and gain more, but there is no way to gain more time if you lose time. And, as much as I'd like to develop a time machine, I don't have the energy for it.

I understand the challenge investors face—time is limited, and everyone is vying for your attention and money with promises of a rocket to the moon. As an entrepreneur, you often have just 30 minutes to tell a story compelling enough to earn another 30-minute meeting. In many ways, it’s just like a job search. What if we could sit down and simply share who we are, what we’re building, and the journey that’s brought us here—without being boxed into the most familiar category in the listener’s mind?

Personally, I'd put my money on people who rise to the occasion when the shit hits the fan, who don't crumble, cry, run away, or roll around in it but instead step up and put things back in order.

It’s easier to bet on someone with big-name logos from their past than on someone who hasn’t. Personally, I'd put my money on people who rise to the occasion when the hit hits the fan, who don't crumble, cry, run away, or roll around in it but instead step up and put things back in order. Actually, I’ve invested everything—my money, time, and faith—into this team. I trust them completely because we stick together, whether the sun is shining or it’s pouring down like a storm of cats and dogs.

And that’s why I building Forte. I’m not complaining; I’m just saying.