Josh Cohen of Fuqua Shares His Perspective on Startup Recruiting and Risk

Recently, I connected with Josh Cohen, Director of MBA Entrepreneurship Programs and Startup Recruiting from Fuqua. We talked about his journey from b-school, his startup career, and his current role collaborating with and advising Fuqua MBAs.

Josh shared several timely and relevant insights related to risk, career planning, and growth, which we'll get into here. But first, I think it's helpful to learn from Josh's own career.

Optimizing for impact

Josh talked about what he wrote about in his Fuqua apps versus where he ended up. He initially thought he'd join a big company in sports marketing. Instead, a friend asked Josh to come in as CEO of his real estate startup.

Josh took the plunge based on the true opportunity: "What I knew intuitively was that I wanted to work in an environment that allowed for impact and allowed for autonomy, and startups certainly do that."  

No plan is perfect, but this was a real way to contribute on another level – which is not often the case for immediate post-MBA roles.

Learning from failure

The startup failed after six months, facing headwinds from the real estate industry and 2008 financial crisis. Josh had to shut the whole thing down and lay everyone off – including himself.

However, his career was far from over. This was just a springboard to a different startup, which Josh joined as a very early employee and saw all the way through to an acquisition – 14 years later.

I think Josh's experience illustrates the important role of mindset in the face of failure, and what to do with it. While failure is pretty common in the startup world, it's hardly ever carer-ending. Instead, it's an opportunity to learn from mistakes, problem-solve, and do things better the next time.

For MBAs and others worried about making mistakes, embracing failure as an opportunity to learn can be liberating.

Leveraging the "Upside Down Job Search" philosophy

Josh is currently supporting Fuqua students who either want to build and scale their own companies or who want to join startups. He's developed a framework to help MBAs navigate the market and create opportunities called the "Upside Down Job Search."

Josh argues that "you have to do the job in order to get the job." This approach recognizes that startup hiring operates very differently from traditional big companies.

Instead of competing with hundreds of applicants for posted job opportunities, successful startup job seekers build relationships with decision-makers and demonstrate their value... long before formal roles exist.

Josh says, "That’s the big mindset shift. It’s less about resumes and more about creating advocates inside organizations."

I'll be the first to acknowledge that this is NOT easy. Also, it takes time. However, it's what makes candidates successful in the search and, eventually, indispensable to startups. It's also what I've experienced firsthand in my own startup career.

Redefining risk in today's market

I think that Josh's points regarding risk are key. He challenges the assumption that all startups are risky and that all large companies are much safer.

Have you seen the headlines? Large companies are also laying companies off (yes, even the "successful" companies), while delaying start dates and restructuring their operations. Those companies also carry their own risks.

Josh says that if risk exists in both paths (corporate versus startup), the question becomes: "Where do you want to take that risk?" At a startup, you're developing a broad skillset and having a direct impact. At a large corporation, you may have more predictable compensation, but less autonomy and influence.

I think this reframing is crucial for all MBAs. Rather than entirely avoiding risk, the goal should be taking calculated risks and making choices that align with your values and goals – professional AND personal.

Networking is everything

This isn't exactly an "aha" moment, but it's a common theme I hear across all successful career stories.

Josh underscores the importance of building a network and how relationships play an essential role throughout careers, creating opportunities where none existed previously. This was true for Josh's career and also how he's supporting Fuqua students and alums today.

Building a network isn't just about collecting contact info and adding people on LinkedIn, though. It's about creating genuine relationships that might eventually lead to opportunities, mentorship, and guidance throughout your career.

Supporting others in their journeys

I think that Josh represents exactly the type of professional that MBAs should seek out, connect with, and learn from. He has real business experience (many profs don't!) and he combines it with a practical framework for building a career – especially one that isn't so traditional.

There are people like Josh at every top MBA program, and learning from them can really pay off – not just in the initial job search, but also down the line.

Learn more from Josh Cohen's perspective and experiences on the Upside Down Job Search Substack and LinkedIn.