Reimagining education? Chegg CEO Dan Rosensweig believes it’s possible

Education can set the course for our lives with limitless potential — if accessible and affordable. While I am fortunate to have had a top-notch education, I’m also mindful that for many students, higher education comes with serious tradeoffs.

So, when I had the opportunity to sit down with Chegg’s Dan Rosensweig for my #OnPurpose series, I was ecstatic. As President and CEO of a leading education technology platform, Dan believes in enabling students to learn more in less time and at lower costs.

Dan’s journey to Chegg was fascinating, from his days as a door-to-door salesman to CEO of Guitar Hero. But it wasn’t until he joined Chegg 12 years ago that he found great purpose in his work. In our conversation, Dan shares the winding path to Chegg, risks along the way, and advice on how to lead with authenticity and compassion.

“I spent a lot of my career finding brilliant ways to say no to things. And all of the success that I’ve ever had, has been a result of finding the one way to say yes to an opportunity – to get over my fear, the reasons not to do it, and just embrace it. If you’re going to make a bet on somebody, make it on yourself.”

This mindset became even more relevant for Dan when he was grappling with the decision to leave Guitar Hero and join Chegg.

“You start asking yourself what really matters. At the end of the day, if you’re going to put time and energy in, you’re going to have a chance to succeed or fail. But if you’re going to succeed in something, wouldn’t it be great if it was something that mattered? Even if I didn’t succeed personally, but if the company impacted the industry, it would be worth it.”

Dan is determined to make education more accessible to everyone. What’s more, Chegg’s student loan repayment program for its employees inspired Zoetis to launch a similar initiative for our own colleagues.

In case you missed the video, check it out below. Thanks again, Dan, for standing up for students, for education and for reminding us of the power of purpose. ?