Meet Tim den Hoed, Founder @ Major Talent 

How would you describe the startup culture in Nebraska?

Having retired from the military where it is one big family working towards a common mission, this startup culture has multiple commonalities. This community is very supportive and willing to help others! Founders and investors both, are all trying to help others to achieve their goals.

How do you balance taking risks and making calculated decisions in pursuit of innovation?

Because of the nature of Major Talent, I have two customer pools—candidates and employers. The recruiting industry, especially when it comes to helping veterans, has had minimal change. This has left my fellow vets continuously asking for a solution to help. I am willing to accept the risk of trying something different in order to help. This is what drives my approach to innovation.

How do you define success and what metrics do you pay the most attention to?

Success for me is how many veterans, interns and military spouses I can help get into meaningful careers. Everything I do is production driven. If things are not productive, they become former processes.

What are the top one or two challenges / opportunities Nebraska startups face?

I have not experienced challenges to date that are worth mentioning as a concern. The positive culture itself is a great opportunity as it is a network of professionals all shooting for our own successes. Another opportunity is the access to capital. The “American Dream” is not just available on the coasts, but is in Nebraska, as well. 

What is one emerging industry or technology that you believe will have a significant impact on the Nebraska startup ecosystem in the next few years?

I think the defense industry could be one of the industries that could make the biggest impact on our ecosystem. The military’s need for innovation and growing willingness to tap into this creative approach should provide opportunities.