Indianapolis, IN— In response to the growing demand for skilled workers and the need to bridge Indiana’s labor gap, M2N proudly announces the launch of MPower, an innovative app that connects underestimated workers with high-value, family-sustaining jobs.

With the recent signing of Executive Order 25-15, Indiana’s Governor Mike Braun has removed unnecessary degree requirements for all state jobs and encouraged a move to a skills-based hiring approach across the public sector. This forward-thinking strategy prioritizes competency, experience, and relevant skills while eliminating unnecessary barriers for many candidates.

With the MPower app, Indiana companies can connect with skilled candidates, regardless of their educational background, and focus on real-world competencies, rather than relying on minimum years of experience or costly degrees. In a time where diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives face increasing scrutiny, MPower offers a practical, results-driven solution.

The Story Behind MPower

Eric Stanley, the Founder and CEO of M2N, grew up in Anderson, Indiana, where he witnessed how barriers to employment impacted his community's growth. His journey in corporate sales often left him as “the only one” in the room—a Black male navigating environments that lacked representation and equity. Eric observed that cost barriers to higher education and scarce local job prospects were keeping talented people from reaching their full potential.

“MPower is about opening the aperture,” Stanley emphasizes. “If we don’t expand who we consider for jobs, Indiana—and the nation—will face a talent shortage. This isn’t just a moral imperative; it’s a business one.”

Before building MPower, Stanley met with hundreds of industry leaders and business owners to try to better understand the challenges.
“Employers told me, ‘We want a more representative workforce, but we don’t know where to start.’ On the other side, job seekers were saying, ‘I’m skilled, but no one will give me a chance.’ MPower bridges that gap.”

Why Skills-Based Hiring?

A recent report by the Stand Together Foundation reveals that companies who adopt skills-based hiring practices experience better employee retention and improved job performance. This approach not only helps reduce the costs associated with hiring and training but also enables businesses to tap into a larger and more diverse talent pool. Studies have shown that hiring based on skills is 2.5 times more predictive of success than hiring based on work experience, and 5 times more effective than hiring based on educational qualifications.

The need for skills-based hiring has never been more urgent. According to the Education Data Initiative, the cost of a four-year degree has increased by 179.2% over the last 20 years. Nationally, it is estimated that 4 million job opportunities could be recredentialed to eliminate degree requirements, opening doors for workers without a four-year degree. In Indiana, only 37% of residents 25 and older hold a degree, meaning employers who cling to outdated hiring practices overlook a significant portion of the workforce.

As the price of education skyrockets, and many businesses are reexamining hiring practices, MPower is providing a solution to expand talent pools and promote fair hiring practices. By having an advanced AI tool identify the most important skills for a job and analyze hundreds of users to find the candidates most likely to succeed, MPower removes unnecessary barriers and bias.

Are you an HR professional, business leader, or job seeker ready to embrace a new approach to hiring? Here’s how to get started:

1. Visit the MPower website to explore the platform’s features and benefits.
2. Sign up as an employer or job seeker and start achieving results today.

Let’s build a future where talent and potential, not labels, define success.

###END###

For media inquiries, please contact:

Kristi Amendola
President
M2N
kamendola@m2n.us