Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Jaye Goldstein, Founder, and CEO of Founder to Leader, located in Boston, MA, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
Founder to Leader provides leadership, management, and communication coaching to early-stage bio + climate tech startups. We support founders with all of the non-technical parts of running a technology company.
Tell us about yourself
I have spent the last 20+ years working at the intersection of education and innovation. Some highlights of my career involve launching and scaling the MIT Communication Lab, in which I developed a new model for training engineers on how to communicate effectively and scaled it across MIT's School of Engineering. I spent some time at Harvard, where I oversaw education innovation across the University and was on the founding team at Petri, a venture capital firm that invests in early-stage companies at the intersection of biology and engineering. I'm an educator by training and a serial entrepreneur.
I love coaching emerging leaders with solutions that impact human health and our climate. It feels like the perfect mixture of my skills and experiences. I'm driven by impact and am proud that I'm helping founders scale meaningful solutions for society.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
I've had a lot of small wins with my clients so far - helping them untangle challenges that are preventing progress or finding ways to accelerate building or improve the company. I feel really fortunate that I have a full roster of diverse and impressive founders that I'm coaching - and I launched only six months ago.
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
One of the hardest things that come with being a business owner is balancing being busy and thinking strategically. I haven't yet found the perfect balance of reading, investing in my own learning, and supporting clients. I expect this will settle in time!
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Have a strategic launch pad - how you emerge is really important.
- Love what you do - it's not an easy route to go out on your own, so you have to be passionate.
- Connect regularly with peers - I often talk with other entrepreneurs with similar businesses.
Is there anything else you'd like to share?
I'm the happiest I've ever been as the CEO + Founder of Founder to Leader. I love the work I'm doing, I love being my own boss, and I finally feel I have the work/life balance I've been seeking as a mom. Going out on my own was a giant leap full of risk - and I'm so happy I went for it.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.founderleadercoach.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/jayebgoldstein
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaimebgoldstein/
If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.
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