It’s here! 🎉

After years of conversation, consulting, coaching, late-night writing, and real-life breakthroughs, The Equity Edge—the debut book from our founder and CEO, Jenn Tardy—is officially out in the world.

And here’s why you need to read this book right now.

We’re in a moment of tension. DEI programs are being cut. Leaders are being told to “cool it.” People who care about equity are being made to feel like the problem—when in fact, they’ve always been part of the solution.

The Equity Edge is a response to this moment.

It’s not a book about theory. It’s a blueprint for action.

It’s for recruiters who want to increase representation without increasing harm.
For hiring managers who are tired of unclear systems and outdated standards.
For DEI and HR professionals who are exhausted by the performative.
And for job seekers who are navigating the system with excellence and still being overlooked.

If any of that sounds like you—this book is your next step.

And to celebrate launch day, we’re breaking down three of the book’s biggest lessons—one from each section—to show you why The Equity Edge is exactly what this moment calls for.

Part 1: The Framework Is the Foundation

Diversity recruiting doesn’t fail because people don’t care. It fails because people don’t understand the hiring system they’re trying to fix.

In Part 1, Jenn introduces the Obstacle Course—a framework that explains how hiring and retention systems reward similarity and punish difference. It’s a shift away from the myth of the “level playing field” and toward an honest assessment of how workplace structures were built—and who they were built for.

This section breaks down how we got here. It shows how policies and practices, often framed as neutral, have created real barriers—especially for those who are ambitious and perceived as different.

One key takeaway:
If you want to build equity, you have to start by admitting the field isn’t level.

Part 2: Hiring Isn’t Broken, It’s Biased by Design

This is where the gloves come off.

Hiring doesn’t need a tune-up. It needs a redesign.

Jenn walks you through every stage of the process, from sourcing to selection, and shows where bias shows up, how it gets disguised, and why it persists.

Job descriptions written for pedigree, not potential.
Interview feedback that penalizes difference.
Selection criteria that equate “qualified” with “comfortable.”

And perhaps the most gut-punching insight of all:
“Ambitious and similar” candidates are seen as a safe bet.
But “ambitious and ‘perceive as different’” candidates? They’re often labeled a risk.

This section introduces the concept of Lived Experience Intelligence—the value that comes from navigating barriers, not just checking boxes. And it dares you to stop overlooking it.

Part 3: Retention Isn’t About Perks. It’s About Power.

Here’s a truth you won’t hear in many HR trainings:
You can’t increase diversity if you can’t retain it.

Retention is where equity either takes root—or quietly dies.

Jenn explains how exclusion is often baked into who gets promoted, who gets mentored, and who’s left to figure it out alone.

This section covers:

Why performance reviews reflect bias more than skill
How unwritten workplace rules shape advancement
And how companies try to “engage” their way out of a toxic culture with perks instead of power-sharing

If people are leaving your workplace as quickly as they enter it, this is where you need to read first.

The Equity Edge Is Yours Now

This book is more than a guide.
It’s a mirror.
It’s a toolkit.
And it’s a call to arms.

It’s for the people who are ready to do this work more clearly, more confidently, and without causing harm along the way.
It’s for leaders who are done waiting for permission.
It’s for every job seeker who’s tired of being told to work harder in a system that wasn’t designed with them in mind.

Every chapter also includes a special section just for job seekers—packed with recruiter-level insight to help you navigate bias in real time.

But ultimately, The Equity Edge is a message to all of us:

We can do better.
We must do better.
And we don’t have to guess how.

📘 The Equity Edge is here. Let it guide you.
Let it challenge you.
Let it change what you believe is possible.

👇🏾 Ready to answer the call?