From Start-Up to Grown-Up

#78: Jake Schwartz, Co-Founder and former CEO of General Assembly—Navigating startup chaos, what a startup and the Beatles have in common, and the wisdom of looking back on the journey

• Alisa Cohn

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Jake Schwartz is a serial entrepreneur, investor and advisor. Until 2020, Jake Schwartz served at CEO of General Assembly (GA), the global leader in education and career transformation, which he co-founded in 2011. He grew GA to over 1,000 employees on five continents. In 2018, GA was acquired by The Adecco Group. Jake Schwartz co-founded and serves as Chair of Brave Health, a mission-driven company focused on expanding access to high-quality, affordable care for mental health and addiction. Jake Schwartz was named E&Y Entrepreneur of the Year in 2014 and one of Crain’s “40 under 40” in 2015. Jake holds a BA from Yale and an MBA from The Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania. He is a former CFA Charterholder.

When you hear the founding story of any startup, it can often feel like it was destined.

That the end was clear at the beginning and the founders held an unwavering gaze.

We often think launching a successful company requires:

  • Defining roles from day one
  • Holding to an unchanging vision
  • Work through a clear path to get there.

That's one way to do it!

But what if there's another approach?

What if building a successful startup isn't about following a strict formula, but about embracing serendipity and intuition?

Jake Schwartz, Co-Founder and former CEO of General Assembly, didn't have a conventional playbook. 

Looking back a decade later, he felt like they were forming a band.

Just get together, start creating, figuring things out as you go.

What I took away from this discussion:

Passion > perfect plan. 

Flexibility > rigidity early on. 

Evolution > clear vision.

By following their intuition and leaning into serendipity, Jake and his co-founders discovered a unique formula for success.

Learn more about Jake and Brave Health | Website
https://bebravehealth.com/

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