Erika Mahterian

I’m Erika, a Cofounder of Leland, a seed-stage marketplace startup that connects ambitious people with coaches who can help them reach educational and career goals. Leland launched in July 2021 and has raised $5M+ from top investors, helped thousands of customers get into top schools or career paths, and built a network of 350+ expert coaches.

What matters most to me is helping others reach their full potential and advocating for the underrepresented. In 2016, I started a nonprofit to provide resources, scholarships, and coaching to disadvantaged youth across Utah, Idaho, DC, New York, and Boston. Building this organization opened my eyes to the power of mentorship in making education more equitable.

After undergrad, I started my career in organizational behavior consulting. While advising large educational institutions, I developed programs and systems to address opportunity gaps. In one specific engagement, I worked directly with the administration at a major private university to reduce biases in the admissions process. These projects helped me realize the need to champion for the underdog and build something that creates systemic change. A

s a result, I’m now cofounding Leland to level the playing field and make higher education and prestigious career paths more accessible. Many underrepresented students and job seekers are not able to afford coaching and resources, thus leading to a massive disadvantage. Leland is changing that by matching people with expert coaches who fit their budget, background, and goals, while also offering free content, community, and events. We are creating a product to help connect individuals with the mentoring and knowledge they need to reach their potential.

Outside of Leland, I love working on the scholarship fund I co-founded for minority students going to school in Utah. I also enjoy hiking, making charcuterie boards, and helping with events to build female tech leaders.