The Muse (website)
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Employment services, Career development |
| Founded | September 6, 2011 in New York City, United States |
| Founder | Kathryn Minshew, Alexandra Cavoulacos, Melissa McCreery |
| Headquarters | New York City , United States |
Area served | Worldwide |
| Products | Company profiles, job listings, career coaching services (Coach Connect) |
| Website | themuse |
The Muse—initially launched as The Daily Muse—is a career-focused online platform headquartered in New York City. It was established in 2011 by Kathryn Minshew, Alexandra Cavoulacos, and Melissa McCreery.
History
The concept for the platform emerged following feedback from The Daily Muse readers who expressed dissatisfaction with conventional job hunting, particularly the experience of going through numerous interviews only to discover a poor cultural or role fit. Additionally, users frequently reported frustration over receiving little to no communication from potential employers. These insights motivated the founders to develop a distinctive job search website, which debuted as Company Muse in February 2012 and later became known simply as The Muse.
Initially introduced in Brooklyn on September 6, 2011, under the name The Daily Muse, the site launched with a team comprising eight editors and eleven columnists. Within three months, its user base expanded rapidly from 20,000 to 70,000 visitors.
In 2012, acting on a recommendation from advisor Rachel Sklar, the founders applied to Y Combinator, were accepted promptly, and spent eight months in Silicon Valley participating in the program and engaging in fundraising efforts. Ultimately, they selected New York City as their permanent base due to its vibrant and varied technology ecosystem.
Supported by seed investments from Y Combinator and 500 Startups, The Muse secured $1.2 million in funding in January 2013 to support its growth trajectory.
Following a rebranding effort in June 2013 that transitioned the company identity from The Daily Muse to The Muse, the organization was recognized as a finalist in the The Wall Street Journal Startup of the Year competition later that year. In February 2014, notable investors including Tyra Banks contributed $1 million. Subsequent financing rounds featured a $10 million Series A led by Theresia Gouw at Aspect Ventures in May 2015, followed by a $16 million Series B round spearheaded by Icon Ventures in June 2016.
Services
The Muse develops comprehensive company profiles designed to attract high-caliber candidates, incorporating exclusive office footage, employee testimonials, and current job openings. Founder Kathryn Minshew explained that their content creation involves dispatching team members directly to workplaces to gather genuine perspectives, fostering meaningful connections between organizations and prospective applicants before the application stage.
In November 2016, The Muse launched "Coach Connect," a platform featuring a curated network of professional career coaches who provide services such as resume critiques, career-related Q&A sessions, tailored job search guidance, and focused coaching in areas like interviewing, salary negotiation, and leadership development.
The organization was recognized as a finalist in The Wall Street Journal's 2013 "Startup of the Year" contest. Founders Kathryn Minshew, Alex Cavoulacos, and Melissa McCreery secured the 59th position on Business Insider’s 2012 Silicon Alley 100 list, with Minshew and Cavoulacos reappearing at rank 85 in 2015.
Fast Company included The Muse among its Top 50 Enterprise and 2018 World's Most Innovative Companies, emphasizing that employers hiring via The Muse experience a 95% employee retention rate for a minimum of three months.
In October 2018, co-founder Kathryn Minshew was honored on Inc. (magazine)'s Female Founders 100 List.
Acquisitions
The Muse completed its inaugural technology acquisition in June 2017 by acquiring Chicago-based Brand Amper, subsequently rebranding it as Brand Builder. Further expanding its portfolio in November 2018, the company acquired TalentShare, an HR technology firm headquartered in San Francisco.