eLearning Mind introduces Andrew Fayad, CEO (and runner of two marathons!)
Was there a particular “AHA!” moment when you knew you had to leave your career in financial technology to jump into the world of corporate learning?
Prior to eLearning Mind I was at Axial, an online network of buyers, sellers, and financiers of private companies. Working with quite a few investors in the education technology space (corporations like Kaplan as well as specialist private equity firms), I was introduced to this emerging and somewhat new industry. Most, if not all, investment strategies were particular to the K-12, Higher Ed, and professional services spaces. Investors were less interested in corporate learning, which peaked my curiosity, and led me to take a closer look at companies with enterprise clients.
Simon and I were introduced to Jack and the corporate client relationships he had built over the last several years. Immediately we developed a strong working relationship, and from our two largely differing entrepreneurial backgrounds, both recognized an opportunity to scale the business model. Jack could utilize his skills in the corporate learning space and we would power the business development and scaling aspects of our new company. This gave us a competitive advantage; pairing Jack’s established and reputable industry skill with our outside perspective and natural inclination to challenge the industry’s status quo.
Where do you see the ripest opportunities for innovation within the industry?
Reducing the length of learning experiences into incremental pieces, also known as “Microlearning”. The development of responsive eLearning design and mobile aligns well with this opportunity. Millennials make up an increasing percentage of the workforce, and we’re used to learning quickly and finding what we need in small segments (e.g., via Google search). We’re working with clients to provide more of these experiences for corporate learners.
What have you learned about the industry that’s most surprised you since taking the helm at ELM?
It’s easier to develop new relationships with Fortune 1000 companies than we originally anticipated. This is perhaps because of our established client list. We also find most training and development professionals within these large organizations are excited to work with a young and nimble team.
