A native of Houston who graduated from Dillard University, Crystal D. McDonald is the founder and CEO of Acrew, a pre-employment screening platform that connects employers and job seekers by using brief video interviews. “Our mission is to create a rich communication environment for employers and job seekers through accessible and innovative technology for all,” she says.
After moving to Chicago briefly to work in finance, she says that she became more comfortable in environments that allowed her to “imagine and build.” When she moved back to New Orleans, she found the hiring process could be time-consuming, burdensome and didn’t have a technology resource that allowed candidates to be vetted quickly. So she created one.
Acrew works with small, medium or large employers that prioritize skill, personality and fit early on the hiring the hiring process. “It solves a big problem that all employers have. We work hard to solve this problem every day.” McDonald credits her husband, Todd, and her children, parents, siblings, church family and colleagues in the tech world for serving as inspiration.
Ultimately, she says, her goal is to “fundamentally change the way people hire and get hired in the world of work. It’s also important for me to build a sustainable business that employs people who love their work and allow them to take the steps necessary to create generational wealth for their families.”
