December 2, 2024
Joseph Lee
SVP of Marketing | Paradigm
In this edition of the HR Connect series, we are excited to feature Joseph Lee, SVP of Marketing at Paradigm, a startup that enables high-performance organizations to build healthy, inclusive cultures where everyone can do their best work. With a wealth of experience in the HR tech industry, Joseph has been instrumental in driving Paradigm’s marketing strategy.
Joseph talks about his journey, the evolving landscape of marketing to HR decision-makers, and his take on building a workplace culture rooted in inclusivity.
Can you share a little about your marketing journey and how it has shaped your approach to leading marketing efforts in the HR tech space?
My path into marketing wasn’t a straight line at all. I actually started as a college pastor, working in ministry, which is worlds away from where I am today. While putting myself through theology school, I took on a role in marketing at a nonprofit microlending organization. Our marketing strategy mostly involved community outreach, and we were doing things the traditional way—working events, handing out paper applications—until fintech companies like Lending Club and Kabbage came on the scene and completely changed the game.
At the time, my boss looked at me and said, “Hey, you’re young—figure out how to get us online.” That was my cue to dive in and start learning on the fly. Within six months, I had overhauled our website, launched Salesforce, set up HubSpot, and gained full access to customer data to understand our audience. It was a fast and intense learning curve. I didn’t know everything but kept going, figuring things out one step at a time. That experience taught me the importance of adaptability, which has been a guiding principle in my marketing career.
Since then, I’ve worked across various tech sectors, moving from fitness tech to legal, then to sales tech, and now HR. Each industry brings its unique audience with its own motivators and behaviors. Every time I enter a new space, I start by immersing myself in understanding what drives the people within it—because that’s where impactful marketing begins. It’s about understanding the real needs of each audience and finding ways to genuinely connect with them.
What are the top marketing strategies that have been most effective in reaching HR decision-makers at B2B organizations?
The more senior I get, the more I see that what works for one audience doesn’t necessarily work for another. With HR leaders, it’s all about being hands-on and personal. They’re not like lawyers, who are often skeptical—they’re open to engagement when you approach them thoughtfully. What I’ve found works best is tactile, experience-based marketing. For example, at Checkr, we’d sent cupcakes to CHROs. They’d leave them in the lounge for the whole department to enjoy, and that simple gesture created a memorable connection. Then we’d follow up with a week of outreach, and people would respond with, “Oh, Checkr! We got those cupcakes.”
This approach works well because HR is centered on people and relationships, so marketing that speaks to that tends to resonate. HR professionals also love swag—at events like SHRM or HR Tech, they’re the ones really engaging with booths and taking part in hands-on experiences. It’s their nature to connect, so as marketers, it’s our job to create those opportunities. I actually find HR leaders really fun to market to because they’re receptive to genuine, well-thought-out engagement.
What has been the most rewarding part of leading marketing efforts for an HR tech company, and how do you stay motivated in such a rapidly evolving industry?
HR tech sits at a unique spot between business productivity and human flourishing, and that resonates with me deeply. When people teams get it right, they’re helping the company succeed, but they’re also making sure employees love being there and feel like they’re growing. For me, that hits home because I started out in ministry, where it was all about helping people flourish in life. Now, it’s about building companies, and HR tech brings those two worlds together.
At Paradigm, we’re helping companies create cultures where everyone feels they belong and can bring their whole selves to work. That’s something I find incredibly rewarding. And it’s becoming more and more important as younger generations join the workforce and prioritize inclusive workplaces. HR tech lets me be part of something meaningful, helping create environments that people want to be part of—that’s what keeps me going.
How does Paradigm approach workplace culture, and from your perspective, what are the key elements of building a strong and inclusive workplace culture?
Creating an inclusive culture can’t be one program or a single initiative—it has to impact every level of the organization and every stage of an employee’s journey. Many companies think hiring a Chief Diversity Officer is the answer, but if that role doesn’t have authority to influence the entire employee experience from recruiting and onboarding to progression and offboarding, their impact is limited. True inclusivity needs commitment across the entire employee lifecycle and every level of the company.
Inclusivity is about mindset. It shows up in everyday interactions and in how people feel valued and safe. It’s not just the job of one person or one team; it needs to be something everyone is working toward. When inclusivity becomes a core part of every employee’s experience, from day one to their last day, it makes a real, lasting difference.
How does collaboration with other teams, such as sales and product, influence your marketing strategy, and what steps do you take to maintain alignment across the organization?
Collaboration starts with writing down and sharing the strategy. Every year, I spend around 10 to 20 hours just drafting our marketing plan. Then, I share it as a Google Doc and invite feedback from other teams. It’s a lot of work but essential because it keeps us grounded.
I also believe in keeping everyone on the same dashboards and data, so we’re all working from the same metrics. Even though we’re remote, we prioritize meeting in person at least twice a year. It makes a huge difference in building trust and connection across teams. When everyone’s aligned on the same goals and can actually connect face-to-face, collaboration becomes a lot more seamless.
What are some of the challenges you’ve encountered in fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) within your organization or the organizations you’ve worked with, and how have you addressed them?
DEI programs have had its ups and downs in recent years—from peak interest to some real skepticism. It’s become a polarizing topic, and some companies aren’t sure where they stand, especially as the acronym becomes politicized. For clients who are committed to this work, we focus on helping them stay anchored in their values and navigate any shifting public perceptions. For those on the fence, we connect the value of cultivating diverse workforces to things like innovation, retention, and hiring success to show the business value.
Then there are what I call “bandwagon companies”—those that may have jumped into diversity, equity, and inclusion work because of public pressure but are now pulling back as sentiment shifts. With them, we qualify them out quickly so we can focus on the clients who genuinely value this work. It’s important to invest time with companies that share the same commitment, where there’s alignment on the values we’re working toward.
How do you see the role of technology, particularly AI, evolving within marketing for HR tech, and what opportunities do you see in the future?
AI isn’t as new as people think—we’ve been using it in marketing for years. It’s great for automating repetitive tasks and analyzing data to produce insights. Ten years ago, ad managers were manually adjusting keyword bids; now, algorithms do it better. At Paradigm, we’re using AI to process employee data and match it with our content library, producing insights that diversity leaders can use right away.
For these often under-resourced leaders, our goal is to make it as simple as a few clicks to get the analyses and presentations they need, so they can focus on high-impact work. The potential for AI in HR tech is huge, and we’re only just scratching the surface in terms of what it can do to enhance decision-making and simplify processes for HR leaders.
We want to extend our thanks to Joseph for sharing his insights and experiences with us. His thoughtful approach to marketing, combined with a strong commitment to collaboration and inclusion, highlights the critical role that strategic marketing plays in connecting with HR leaders and shaping the future of workplace culture.
Joseph’s perspective reminds us that successful marketing is not just about tactics—it’s about understanding people and fostering meaningful connections.
If you would like to share your story and be part of our HR Connect interview series, please reach out to us at info@focusimagepro.com.
Dilara Cossette
Founder
Dilara Cossette is the founder of Focus Image Pro, a boutique demand generation agency specializing in helping HR tech companies accelerate growth. With extensive experience in the industry, she partners with marketing leaders to craft strategies that drive demand, boost pipeline, and elevate brand presence. Dilara is passionate about fostering meaningful connections and sharing insights from HR tech innovators through the HR Connect interview series.
