Philadelphia Lawyer Finds His True Passion In Technology
Jonathan Frankel is the CEO and chairman of Nucleus, which offers a WiFi intercom system that makes communicating in your home a lot easier. He has also earned his Rabbinic Ordination from the Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary and holds a Bachelor of Arts in computer science from Yeshiva University, where he graduated magna cum laude and received the Gertrude Nissenbaum Memorial Award for Excellence in Computer Science. He also attended Harvard Law School, graduating with a Juris Doctorate.
What sort of education is needed to successfully do your job?
"Having a well-rounded education is a key factor in getting your company off to a great start, but it is by no means the critical factor. I was fortunate enough to receive degrees in computer science, law and rabbinic ordination, and both the knowledge and rigorous logical analysis gained during those pursuits are something I use every day. However, an even more critical success factor is your willingness and desire to constantly learn more; I have a stack of business, design and management books on my bedside that I read voraciously and find that incorporating those lessons as I learn them helps me grow along with the company."
What is the most relevant aspect of your education that applies to your day-to-day job?
"That's a great question, and one that's difficult to answer given the fast-paced nature of a startup; I will literally have three calls in a row with a VC negotiating a term sheet, our manufacturer discussing a risk to the schedule and our CTO to check in on the development team. I would have to say that the most relevant aspect is not any specific knowledge, but the background skill of being able to face any challenge, pick it apart to discover its essence, rigorously analyze your options and then decide accordingly"
What is the most fun aspect of your job?
"For one, the fact that I can wake up every day thankful that I narrowly escaped a career of being a corporate lawyer. But more seriously, I love the variety; it is simply exhilarating to be pitching senior executives at a company in the morning, leading a UX/UI brainstorm session with our team in the afternoon and then thinking about long-term business strategy at night."
What advice would you give someone just starting out in the field of technology?
"Be insatiably curious. Read everything you can get your hands on, pick the brains of anyone interesting that you meet and try to understand the underlying rationale whenever you're faced with a curious situation (Why is the 100-count Advil only 25% more than the 50-count?)."
Christina Thompson is a freelance writer living in Philadelphia. She reports on various topics such as: Social Media, Local Events, Entertainment, Food and Drink and more. Her work can be found at http://firstsendmedia.com/