Josh Hamermesh Transformed Near-Tragedy Into Living His Best Life

I've been thinking a lot lately about how I want to spend the next 20 years of my life. How should I dedicate my time, which is more precious to me than it ever has been? My Amherst College classmate Josh Hamermesh has asked and answered this big question for himself, and the results he has achieved have me feeling more optimistic about my own future. After graduating from Amherst in 1994, Josh played professional basketball in Israel, went to work in consulting, and earned his MBA from Harvard. That eventually led him to the world of biotech and pharma, where he rose through the ranks and held some big jobs. But rather than experiencing any major exits or critical value creation, his experience included many “small company” challenges: downsizings, bankruptcies, and strategic changes in directions. These often caused him to change jobs every 3-4 years. Having grown fatigued with that pattern - and having nearly suffered a terrible loss in his family - Josh pivoted to teaching business for Milton High School (Massachusetts). To my ear, he has never sounded happier or more fulfilled, and he has helped me refine my own thinking and planning for my next 20 years. It's also obvious just how much Josh loves Amherst College, and how much his experience there continues to shape his life. In this episode, you'll learn: The near-tragedy that befell Josh's family - and the productive introspection it provoked Why preparing for class each day is similar to stand-up comedy The instructors and coaches who have informed Josh's approach to teaching Why beating Williams in basketball was one of the happiest, most memorable events in his life Whom from the Amherst Class of 1994 Josh wants me to interview next To reach Josh, email him at [email protected] or find him on LinkedIn. ***Correction*** Our classmate Adam Bonin surfaced to let Josh and me know that covered Josh and the rest of the men's basketball team in the '92-93 season, not '93-94, as Josh had remembered.