[REPLAY] Pivot or Persevere? Being a Growth Company CEO w/ Jeff Maggioncalda, Former CEO of Coursera

Our guest today is none other than Jeff Maggioncalda, a visionary leader whose journey spans not just one but two groundbreaking fields. For 18 years, Jeff worked side by side with Nobel Prize winner and economist Bill Sharpe, as the founding CEO of Financial Engines, one of the earliest pioneers in the world of robo-advisors and algorithm-driven investment strategies that became the largest independent online retirement advice platform with more than $100 billion under management. sold for you know, a casual $3 billion.

Fast forward to today, Jeff is at the helm of another HIGH IMPACT endeavor. As the former CEO of Coursera, he had led the charge to redefine education for the digital age; since joining in June 2017 and had helped the company grow to over 120 million learners and 7,000+ institutions, served by high-quality learning content from 300+ of the world’s top universities and industry educators.

From what a good CEO is and how a game of Monopoly really started Jeff on this journey, our power-packed conversation is a CEO masterclass you need to buckle up for.

Timestamps / Key Takeaways

00:00 - Intro

01:55 - From a game of Monopoly to Monte Carlo simulations

09:26 - Pivoting is important, but knowing when is difficult

12:55 - Jeff's take on AI: another form of technology, impact, and social concerns

16:18 - Using GPT to predict business strategies

19:10 - Coursera; Digital platform business models in online learning: why massive online open courses (MOOCs)?

29:20 - Being a growth company CEO: challenges & lessons.

32:40 - Technology, globalization, and AI drive future change.

38:10 - Billion Dollar Questions

What is Coursera?

Coursera Inc. is a publicly listed U.S.-based massive open online course provider founded in 2012 by Stanford University computer science professors Andrew Ng and Daphne Koller. Coursera works with universities and other organizations to offer online courses, certifications, and degrees in a variety of subjects.

About Jeff Maggioncalda

Jeff Maggioncalda is an American business executive and was the chief executive officer of Coursera until January 29th, 2025. 

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