The Information

Art by Clark Miller.

As a Kid, Samantha John Recoiled From Videogames. Now She’s Teaching Kids to Code Them

By Annie Goldsmith · June 25, 2022 7:00 AM PDT

This is “My Life’s Work,” a series about the unique life experiences that influenced the careers of tech founders and executives. Interviews have been edited and condensed for clarity. For the past decade, Samantha John, 35, and her co-founder, Jocelyn Leavitt, have been helping kids learn to code. Their app, Hopscotch, teaches... This is “My Life’s Work,” a series about the unique life experiences that...

Photo Sheridan Clayborne. Art by Mike Sullivan.

The Child Prodigy Turned Founder Who Wants to Loan You Some 401(k) Cash

By Margaux MacColl · May 28, 2022 7:00 AM PDT · 8 comments

Sheridan Clayborne is used to being the youngest person in the room. He was 15 when he got into Northwestern University, 17 when he made his first million, and 19 when he landed a job at Dropbox. Now, at 22, he’s raised $24 million for his startup, Lendtable, which helps people fulfill their employer’s 401(k) matches. Founded in... Sheridan Clayborne is used to being the youngest person in the room. He was 15 when he got into...

Photograph courtesy of Shashank Samala. Art by Haejin Park.

How a Founder’s Childhood in India Inspired His Fight Against Climate Change

By Annie Goldsmith · March 18, 2022 12:00 PM PDT · 5 comments

This is “My Life’s Work,” a series about the unique life experiences that influenced the careers of tech founders and executives. Interviews have been edited and condensed for clarity. After reading the 2018 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report, Shashank Samala saw a need to not only reduce carbon emissions,... This is “My Life’s Work,” a series about the unique life experiences that...

Art by Haejin Park.

How a Venture Founder’s Aesthetics Obsession Influences How She Picks Companies

By Malique Morris · March 4, 2022 2:00 PM PST · 1 comment

Art by Haejin Park.

Venture Capital

How a Venture Founder’s Aesthetics Obsession Influences How She Picks Companies

By Malique Morris · March 4, 2022 2:00 PM PST · 1 comment

This is My Life’s Work, a column about the unique life experiences that influenced the careers of tech founders and executives. Interviews have been edited and condensed for clarity. Sarah Kunst’s venture fund, Cleo Capital, which she founded in 2018, has invested in culture-shifting media companies like Cameo and... This is My Life’s Work, a column about the unique life experiences that...

Art by Haejin Park.

How a Founder’s Family of Surgeons Inspired ‘The Match.com of Hospitals and Nurses’

By Annie Goldsmith · Feb. 25, 2022 12:00 PM PST

In our new column, My Life’s Work, we ask tech founders and executives how their unique life experiences influenced their careers. Interviews have been edited and condensed for clarity. When Dr. Iman Abuzeid founded Incredible Health, a staffing engine for nurses, in 2017, she didn’t anticipate that a pandemic would soon make hiring... In our new column, My Life’s Work, we ask tech founders and executives how their unique...

Art by Haejin Park. Photo courtesy Hilary Coles.

Startups Culture

The Founder Who Went Up a Mountain in Nepal and Came Down a Better Leader

By Annie Goldsmith · Feb. 11, 2022 12:00 PM PST · 1 comment

In our new column, My Life’s Work, we ask tech founders and executives how their unique life experiences influenced their careers. Interviews have been edited and condensed for clarity. When Hilary Coles co-founded Hims in 2017, the company focused on two key areas: men’s hair loss and erectile dysfunction, offering telehealth... In our new column, My Life’s Work, we ask tech founders and executives how their unique...