Episode 85: David Chang - CEO at Gradifi

Welcome to Episode 85 of The VentureFizz Podcast, the flagship podcast from the leading authority for jobs & careers in the tech industry. For this episode of our podcast, I interviewed David Chang, CEO at Gradifi. If you’re a member of the Boston tech community, there’s a good chance you know who David Chang is. As an operator, he’s been part of some amazing teams at companies that have all scaled and exited like TripAdvisor, m-Qube, and WHERE. As an angel investor, he has invested in 40 companies. And, one could argue that the most important role that he’s played is one as a mentor and advisor to countless entrepreneurs. In his current position at Gradifi, David is leading a company that is trying to solve a $1.5 trillion problem: student loan debt. Gradifi gives employers the opportunity to make direct contributions to their employees’ student loans, allowing them to pay off their loans faster. No doubt, it’s a great benefit, for sure. In this episode of our podcast, we cover lots of topics, like: -David’s philosophy on paying it forward and what it is so important. -The details behind David’s background and a deep dive into his experience at TripAdvisor, m-Qube, and Where. -Advice on whether or not to attend business school. -The story of his own startup, which was like an early version of Instagram. -All the details on Gradifi in terms of its mission and how they are helping ease the burden of student loan debt. -Why he is bullish on the Boston tech ecosystem. -Plus, a lot more. Are you hiring? If the answer is yes, then you might want to consider adding a BIZZpage to VentureFizz. It’s the best way to engage with our targeted audience of professionals in the local tech scene. It includes an employment branding page, unlimited postings to our job board, content and more. If you are interested in the additional details, send an email to [email protected]. Lastly, if you like the show, please remember to subscribe to and review us on iTunes, or your podcast player of choice!