This CEO will take a seed-funded (but venture backed) startup, refine the business model, and grow the company with a significant equity stake in its success. Critical to this process are four skills (1) creating and implementing a marketing plan that targets, enrolls, and supports college students, (2) developing and leveraging close partnerships with state colleges and universities within each state in which Quottly operates, and (3) expanding the scope of services offered by the company to its student (and potentially its college) audience— (4) managing the creation of course data bases within each targeted state.
Does this sound like the opportunity for you? Read on...
Quottly aims to be the Expedia of College Classes. It offers a market exchange that allows students enrolled at one college to locate, compare, and enroll in courses from other colleges. Quottly creates no courses of their own, nor are they an indiscriminate aggregator of digital course catalogs (eg, American Academy, CollegeSource). Think Expedia (or Priceline) rather than Yellow Pages.
The company’s model is based on these premises--
The Team
Current Assets
The Investors
Arbor Ventures invests in entrepreneurs who have a deep understanding of their markets and the tenacity to build successful companies. Based in Hong Kong, and with a principal focus on financial software, the firm has developed an interest in higher education, how it is financed, and how students pay for it. Quottly is an outgrowth of this interest.
Reporting to the board and working closely with the technical and marketing teams, this CEO will be charged with the following—
For a talented executive ready to step into a first-time CEO role (or for an experienced CEO who recognizes Quottly’s potential position and is willing to take a step back in cash in order to secure an attractive equity package), this position offers the following career benefits—
The ideal candidate is currently (1) a CEO, President, COO, or GM of a consumer-focused company—but one who is in a position to trade cash for equity, or (2) a CMO or EVP/SVP of Marketing for a consumer-focused company—but one who is ready and able to step into a first-time CEO role. This individual has specific, ongoing experience launching and sustaining marketing campaigns directed at consumers. Experience in not-for-profit higher education marketing is a plus. In addition, experience in strategic partnering with key channel constituents (college or other) is a plus. This individual would preferably not come from, or be affiliated with or have a connection to, a for-profit school within the past five years.
Specifically, the new CEO will have--
The CEO will be working long hours to drive the success of the company. This involves a range of personal attributes: resilience - able to handle the ups and down of building an early stage company; integrity - someone the investors can trust; specific passion for Quottly and its mission to reduce student debt; high EQ - good peripheral vision as to what is coming and how to deal with people and they will have to raise money beyond the seed.
In addition, s/he will demonstrate flexibility and adaptability; a great work ethic; strong leadership skills; an ability to analyze and evaluate one’s own (and other’s) performance and to develop plans to improve performance; excellent presentation skills; willingness to take responsibility for both success and failure; a thick skin; self-confidence; a positive attitude about self, company, marketplace; and a strong desire for success.
Compensation will include salary, performance bonus, and significant (founder) equity commensurate with the individual’s experience.
Travel will be no more than 20%.
Resume should be sent as a Word document to Ralph Protsik and Barb Piercecchi, and also posted on the BSG website, www.bsgtv.com. No phone calls please.