Growing AI Company, Paradox, Plans To Double Staff

The founder, owner and former CEO of Jobing.com is at the helm of a fast-growing artificial intelligence company that has a new Scottsdale office, a new COO who is well-known in the Valley's tech sector and plans to double its staff in the next year.

Aaron Matos, founder and CEO of Scottsdale-based Paradox LLC, has big plans for his AI company that focuses on the candidate and recruiter experience.

“We want to build the Valley’s next great software company,” said Matos, who grew up in the Valley and started Scottsdale-based Jobing.com in 1999. “We have new product launches soon, and just released our Paradox mobile app in January on iOS and Android. The potential and opportunity for growth in the space is incredible.”

Paradox offers its flagship product, the Olivia AI recruiting assistant, modeled after Matos’ wife Olivia, which has conversations with candidates online, available 24/7, to answer questions, help with employee referrals, apply for jobs and handle interview scheduling.

“We want to make it easier for candidates to communicate and engage with companies through AI, and vice versa,” said Matos. “We offer a shorter, easier and more natural way to apply for jobs through any type of messaging.”

Paradox has more than 100 mid-market to enterprise customers, including Sprint Corp. (NYSE: S), Delta Airlines, the Walt Disney Co. (NYSE: DIS), Staples, the Procter & Gamble Co. (NYSE: PG) and Tempe and Mesa school districts.

Paradox hired Valley tech veteran Marc Chesley in August as its COO. Chesley is the former president of OfferPad, the former CEO of Albuquerque-based restaurant industry software startup Lavu Inc. and a former longtime Infusionsoft chief technology officer.

“I really wanted to get more into technology. OfferPad was more about houses,” said Chesley, who also grew up in the Valley and lives in Gilbert. “I was drawn to Paradox because of Aaron, his thought leadership and his success at Jobing.com. I wanted to work for somebody cool and focus on emerging technology. AI is the perfect fit.”

Matos said Chesley’s background in automation is what the company is trying to do with AI.

Paradox moved to the Quad business complex off 64th Street and Thomas Road in December. Jobing.com also moved to the Quad at the same time, both moving from ASU SkySong Innovation Center in Scottsdale.

Paradox is celebrating its grand opening of the new office from 4 to 7 p.m. March 23. Click through the slideshow to see the new office.

The 40-employee company plans to double its staff at the headquarters, their Atlanta office and off-shore contractors in Asia.

Paradox is hiring for software engineering, AI, product design, sales and business development.

The company is privately funded by Matos. It also was one of six $250,000 winners of the fall 2017 round of the Arizona Commerce Authority’s Arizona Innovation Challenge.

Paradox started as Recruiting.ai in 2016, after Matos founded and lead Recruiting.com in 2012 for four years. Matos also is the managing partner of Scottsdale-based Recruiting Ventures, which invests in talent-acquisition software.

The name change to Paradox is meant “to be more broad” within the talent field and “focus on the paradox that AI should make people better at their jobs,” Matos said.

‍

This article was originally published on Phoenix Business Journal.

‍