This episode of Pour Over spotlights Jessica Chang, CEO and Co-founder of Upwards, a B2B2C child care marketplace. In our conversation with Jessica, we examine her journey to building Upwards and the challenges she faced from various stakeholders including employers, government, families, and childcare providers. We also explore the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the company’s growth, and the childcare industry broadly, and Jessica’s personal motivations and experiences that shaped her leadership style and led her to being the visionary founder she is today. In emphasizing the need to find inspiration in real-life role models and instilling the importance of passion in maintaining motivation, this episode provides a rich tapestry of experiences, challenges, and lessons, appealing to both childcare industry enthusiasts and emerging business leaders.
Jessica’s Journey into Childcare: Her transition from a personal struggle with childcare to becoming a preschool owner and co-founder of Upwards.
Entrepreneurial Challenges: Challenges and insights in establishing Upwards, offering a comprehensive view of childcare entrepreneurship.
COVID-19 Impact: The profound impact of the pandemic on Upwards and the industry, highlighting the shared responsibility for childcare issues among employers, government, families, and providers.
Leadership Evolution: Jessica's shift from a hands-on approach to focusing on vision creation and building a skilled execution team.
Distinctive Leadership Style: Jessica's unique leadership style influenced by past experiences, along with the culture and qualities sought in Upwards' team members.
Entrepreneurial Success Factors: The importance of personal experience, passion, risk-taking, and breaking norms for successful entrepreneurship.
Working Smart: Applies the 80-20 rule for optimizing efforts, adding a practical dimension to her leadership philosophy.
Role Model and Motivation: Jessica's grandmother is her greatest role model, inspiring innovation and breaking norms.
Views on Leadership and Success: Insightful views on leadership and practical advice for aspiring entrepreneurs.
QUOTES
"A good leader also wants to constantly learn. They want to be surrounded by people that are better than them.”
“I think it would be the worst situation for me if I am the smartest person in the room. I never want to be the smartest person in the room.”
"When I decided to start a family, I was put in a position that it really wasn't up to me when it should be the happiest moment in my life. That choice was taken from me. And that led me to becoming a preschool owner and operator,"
"It's not how you score yourself, but how others will score you."
"To be an entrepreneur, you really need to be passionate about what you do. What's going to get you to the next day? What's going to get you out of bed and say, this is what I want to work on."
LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE
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