S1 E12 | Affordable, Flexible, Outcome-based:  A New Approach to Student Loans – with Tess Michaels

Todd Zipper, EVP and GM of Wiley University Services and Talent Development, welcomes Tess Michaels, Founder and CEO of Stride Funding. As student debt rises, borrowers are looking for other ways to fund their higher education. Todd and Tess discuss the details of outcome-based funding options and what it means for borrowers.Topics Discussed:   • The benefits of outcome-based funding options and how they rely on future cash flows and the ability to repay once employed  • How Stride is offering more than funding options; including academic, career, and mental health support to drive retention and positive outcomes for students   • Why the cost and value of education requires alignment across learners, education providers, employers, and finance providers Guest Bio   Tess Michaels is the Founder and CEO of Stride Funding, an alternate way to pay for higher education through outcome-based funding options such as income-share agreements and deferred tuition. Stride Funding provides flexibility for student borrowers by offering personalized rates, a simple application, and shorter repayment plans.  Prior to Stride Funding, Tess worked at Vista Equity Partners as a Private Equity Associate and at Goldman Sachs as an Investment Banking Analyst. In 2020, she was included on Forbes’ 30 under 30 list for education. Tess received her Bachelor of Arts in Biology at the University of Pennsylvania, a Bachelor of Science in Operations Management at The Wharton School, and an MBA at Harvard Business School.