Janet Emerson Bashen

While working in an insurance company investigating Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) complaints, Janet Emerson Bashen noticed the pitfalls of the paper-based systems — particularly for lost or misplaced files — and recognized the need for a better method for companies to effectively and efficiently handle client claims.

She had an idea for a web-based platform solution to efficiently handle files, which launched her on her entrepreneurial journey. With a loan from her mother, she started an EEO complaints management consulting business, Bashen Corporation, in 1994. She brought on a lean team composed of EEO lawyers and engineers, and hired a computer scientist to help bring her software vision to life.

In 2001, she submitted the patent for LinkLine, now known as Nalikah, a software application that centralizes data and simplifies case management processes. The patent was approved in 2006, making her the first Black woman in U.S. history with a software patent.

Through the Bashen Corporation, she has continued to focus on developing innovations to build better equal opportunity practices within organizations.