Ed Johnson, CEO and co-founder of PushFar

Ed Johnson is the CEO and co-founder of PushFar, the world’s leading mentoring platform.

Since its founding in 2018 PushFar has quickly become a widely used tech startup, providing mentoring technology to hundreds of customers and tens of thousands of individuals in more than 100 countries.

The platform allows mentors and mentees to find, form and manage effective mentoring relationships worldwide.

As an open mentoring platform, anyone can sign up for free to find a mentor, volunteer to mentor others, network, connect, and develop their career using a variety of career development tools and techniques.

Additionally, organizations can launch, run and scale mentoring programs for their employees and networks.

What is the most important problem you solve for your customers?

The main goal is to make mentoring more accessible, effective and impactful for everyone, so that everyone can benefit from the many benefits that mentoring has to offer. We help individuals find and form mentorships, whether they want to mentor or be mentored. We also help organizations run mentoring programs in an easy and effective way.

What made you start your business: did you want to change the status quo, or was it a gap in the market that you could fill?

I was originally looking for a mentor for myself and had trouble finding one. I quickly realized that many people were in the same position as me. Organizations also struggled to launch impactful mentoring programs, which involved many manual processes that were time-consuming and not entirely effective. It was clear that mentorship was not easily accessible for either individuals or organizations, and I wanted to change that.

What are your brand values?

Our brand values ​​form the basis of PushFar: Authentic, Accessible, Supportive and Innovative

Do your values ​​drive your decision-making process?

Yes – always. Our values ​​are the foundational principles by which PushFar is guided, and they all interact. We must remain innovative and continually adapt the services we offer to ensure we provide our customers with the best support on the market while remaining accessible to everyone. Working according to these values ​​ensures that we remain authentic to PushFar’s mission to provide effective mentoring to everyone.

Is team culture an integral part of your business?

Team culture is absolutely integral to us. Working closely with clients primarily in the HR and learning sectors, we know first-hand the value of a strong and supportive culture.

What do you do to go the extra mile and show your team that you appreciate them?

Our appreciation for our team is reflected in trust and empowerment across the board. We offer flexible hours and fully remote working, as well as flexible vacation days. This allows our team to feel respected while appreciating and recognizing the value they bring to PushFar.

Do you think your messages are speaking directly to your consumers in a clear way?

Yes! We ensure that our messages are concise and understandable for everyone. We are here to help both individuals and organizations and want to make the process as simple as possible from the start.

What is your opinion on inflation and interest rates? Will you pass that on to your customers or let your margins drop and reward customer loyalty in these more difficult times?

We have not increased prices in the last six years. We are focused on providing a great service that helps our business grow while continuing to add value.

How often do you review the data you bring in and focus on your KPIs, and why?

We continuously assess the data we collect, in real time. As a technology company, this is critical for both us and our customers. In an ever-evolving industry, the data we continually assess ensures we remain the leading mentoring platform and that our clients receive the most up-to-date and highest quality service.

Does technology play a much larger role in the daily management of your company?

Yes! As a technology company it is at the heart of everything we do; From our service offering to customers to our approach to remote working with colleagues and employees. Technology plays a major role in our growth, both in terms of our reach and the services we provide. The use of advanced technology helps us streamline processes without sacrificing quality, making the service customers receive as efficient as possible.

What is your attitude towards your competitors?

We have a very healthy attitude towards our competitors. It discourages complacency if we all play fair. Competition is important to ensure that the market continues to develop and that the services offered have no choice but to be innovative. Innovation and growth are of great importance to PushFar and that is why we are not afraid of our place in the market.

Do you have any advice for anyone starting out in business?

If you want to start a business, just do it. There will never be a good time, it’s all about the mindset you apply. Focus, dedication and hard work are what you need to stick to. There is no shortcut to any of this.

It can be a lonely and pressurized place as the company’s leading decision maker. What do you do to relax, recharge and sharpen your focus?

I switch off, participate in a digital detox, and immerse myself in books and the outdoors through running.

Do you believe in the 12-week working method, or do you make much longer planning strategies?

Personally, I believe that longer-term strategies are crucial. They are less restrictive and provide a greater sense of direction and vision of the bigger picture and long-term goals.

What is your company’s eco-strategy?

As a technology company, we try to do everything we can to reduce the impact on the planet. We actively encourage remote working and organize regular video calls where possible to reduce commuting. We also operate completely paperless and will continue our efforts to ensure we take environmental impacts into account.

What three things do you hope to achieve within the next twelve months?

Over the next twelve months our focus will be on growth; a bigger team, a bigger customer base and even more great features on offer.