In Episode 0, Part 2 of the Abre Podcast, host Ben Wiggins continues the conversation with Zach Vander Veen, Co-Founder and Chief Innovation Officer of Abre, and James Stoffer, CEO of Abre. Zach and James share the story behind Abre’s origin and reflect on their initial impressions of one another as colleagues, highlighting the shared values that shaped their working relationship!
They also discuss the early challenges of building a startup in the education sector, emphasizing the importance of aligning product, people, and purpose to create a lasting impact. Zach reveals the risks and rewards of entrepreneurship, while James explains how client feedback and a clear vision solidified his decision to join the Abre team. Tune in for more insights on Abre’s journey, culture, and commitment to transforming education.
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To learn more about Abre, visit www.abre.com
Episode Details
Host: Ben Wiggins
Guests: Zach Vander Veen, Co-Founder and Chief Innovation Officer of Abre
James Stoffer, CEO of Abre
Quotes (3):
“Product, people, purpose is what we’ve all embraced. You want to have a phenomenal culture at your company no matter what, and that means your leadership team really needs to get along well.” – Zach Vander Veen, 10:59
“We’re in the business, and we have dedicated our careers in a field that isn’t as crazy lucrative as maybe some other industries. Because of that, you run into a lot of phenomenal education companies that are really grounded in a great vision and a great purpose, but ultimately, kind of where the seams start tearing a little is at the product level… It was the story, combined with the phenomenal product, combined with phenomenal usage and client testimonials that solidified it for me.” – James Stoffer, 11:41
“Forming a startup and being an entrepreneur, there is insane amounts of risk and stress… Even though it’s hard, it doesn’t feel existential. In the back of my head that means, ‘We did something good here, and it’s there. It’s not going to disappear.’” – Zach Vander Veen, 15:59
Time Stamps & Show Notes
(00:00 – 00:37) Introduction
(00:38 – 08:37) The Origin of Abre
(08:38 – 15:22) Zach and James First Impressions
(15:23 – 26:40) Early Challenges
(26:41 – 26:58) Closing