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Jack, Co-Founder, Principal Educator/Chief Education Officer, CMO at Lost Abroad (lostabroadgame.com): Advize Career Interview

A career journey starting in biomedical science unexpectedly led to co-founding Lost Abroad, a language learning game.

This individual's path highlights the value of adaptability and a passion for education, transforming a master's in qualitative genetics into a multifaceted role encompassing principal educator, chief marketing officer, and co-founder.

The day-to-day involves data analysis, content creation, and constant problem-solving within a dynamic startup environment. Success hinges on problem-solving skills, learning agility, and persuasion, alongside a high risk tolerance.

The most rewarding aspects include the rapid creation of tangible products and the potential of technology to revolutionize education.

For aspiring professionals, a track record of internships and a growth mindset are key, emphasizing the importance of lifelong learning over specific undergraduate knowledge.

This exciting career trajectory demonstrates that a willingness to explore diverse opportunities and embrace challenges can lead to significant personal and professional fulfillment.

Advizer Information

Name

Job Title

Company

Undergrad

Grad Programs

Jack (Xinkang) Du

Co-Founder, Principal Educator/Chief Education Officer, CMO

Lost Abroad (lostabroadgame.com)

Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand. 2009

Bachelor of Science with Honors (Master's equivalent in commonwealth countries): marine biology and quantitative genetics/marine biology, 2012; Graduate Diploma of Teaching, 2015, both are from Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand. MBA from UCLA Anderson School of Management, 2022

Majors

Industries

Job Functions

Traits

Business Management & Admin

Education

Entrepreneurship and Business Owner

International Student, Honors Student, Scholarship Recipient, Took Out Loans, Immigrant

Watch all of this Advizer's videos below

Career Path of a Co Founder at Lost Abroad

Jack's career path is "a bit of a convoluted one," starting with biomedical science and a master's in qualitative genetics, but ultimately shifting towards education after realizing their passion lay in "being a little bit more people facing." This led to a series of roles—from a medical device company to a high school teacher—culminating in the creation of Lost Abroad, a language learning game born from a desire to "meet learners where they are" and gamify education.

Main Responsibilities of a Co-Founder at Lost Abroad

As a co-founder of Lost Abroad, Jack wears many hats, including "principal educator," leveraging teaching experience to design game mechanics, particularly those focused on language learning. This blends seamlessly with Jack's role as chief marketing officer, focusing on promoting the game to the "right audience" through appropriate channels.

A Day In The Life Of A Chief Marketing Officer At Lost Abroad

Jack's day-to-day role at Lost Abroad involves constantly analyzing marketing data—for example, "dropping the cost [per click] was a result of" A/B testing Instagram ads—and solving problems to improve conversion rates. This includes creating content like TikTok videos and blog posts, highlighting a dynamic and problem-solving-oriented career requiring constant adaptation and responsibility.

Most Important Skills For A Co-Founder At Lost Abroad

Jack, a co-founder navigating the challenges of a startup, highlights problem-solving, learning agility, and persuasion as crucial skills. The ability to "discover problems and find really creative solutions," such as pivoting towards creating learning content instead of game mechanics based on user feedback, is essential, as is the ongoing need to acquire new skills quickly ("jumping off a cliff while trying to manufacture an airplane on the way down") and persuasively advocating for decisions with stakeholders and investors.

Favorite Parts Of Being A Co-Founder At Lost Abroad

Jack, Co-Founder and Chief Education Officer at Lost Abroad, most enjoys the "sense of self-causation" in their role, finding immense satisfaction in quickly turning ideas—"from zero to one"—into reality within the dynamic startup environment. This rapid turnaround and instant feedback loop, unlike larger corporate settings, creates an "addictive" experience of creating something tangible.

Biggest Challenges Faced By A Co-Founder At Lost Abroad

Jack's biggest challenge as a co-founder of a startup is the initial financial struggle, describing it as a "chicken and egg situation" where securing funding to create a tangible product is difficult, forcing long hours and side hustles to make ends meet. This high-risk, high-reward scenario requires significant risk tolerance, as "more than 90% of startups don't survive the first year," yet success could lead to long-term financial and personal rewards.

Favorite Parts of Working in the Education Industry as a Principal Educator

Jack, Co-Founder and Chief Education Officer of Lost Abroad, finds the education industry's potential for positive change through emerging technologies most rewarding. The "profound impact" on society, coupled with the potential of gamification and AI to create a "humanistic" and "addictive" learning experience, excites Jack and fuels their vision for a revolution in teaching and learning.

College Experiences That Helped a Co-Founder at Lost Abroad Succeed

Jack, a co-founder and Chief Education Officer at a technology-based startup, recommends undergraduates aiming for entry-level positions showcase "a track record of doing internships or time jobs" to demonstrate "work ethics and a sense of responsibility." The competitive rate and skill sets undergraduates offer are appealing to startups, but proving reliability is key to overcoming hiring concerns.

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