Ed Johnson is CEO and co-founder of PushFar, the world’s leading mentoring platform.
Since its founding in 2018, Push away has quickly grown into a widely used technology startup, providing mentoring technology to hundreds of customers and tens of thousands of individuals in over 100 countries.
The platform enables mentors and mentees to find, form and manage effective mentoring relationships globally.
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 range of career advancement tools and techniques.
Additionally, organizations can launch, run and scale mentoring programs for their employees and networks.
What is the main problem you solve for your customers?
The main goal is to make mentoring more accessible, effective and impactful for everyone, so that everyone can reap the many benefits that mentoring has to offer. We help people find and train mentors, whether they want to provide mentorship or be mentored. We also help organizations run mentoring programs simply and effectively.
What inspired you to start your business: did you want to disrupt the status quo or was it a gap in the market that you could fill?
I was initially looking for a mentor for myself and struggled to find one and soon realized that many people were in the same position as me. Organizations also struggled to launch impactful mentoring programs, with many manual processes involved, which were time-consuming and not entirely effective. It was clear that mentoring was not easily accessible to either individuals or organizations and I wanted to change that.
What are your brand values?
Our brand values are what form the foundation of PushFar: authentic, accessible, supportive and innovative
Do your values define your decision making?
Yes, always. Our values are the core principles by which PushFar is guided, and they are all in play with each other. We must remain innovative, constantly adapting the services we offer to ensure our customers have the best support on the market while remaining accessible to all. Working according to these values ensures we remain authentic to PushFar’s founding mission of providing effective mentorship to all.
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 training industries, we know first-hand the value of a powerful, supportive culture.
What do you do to go the extra mile to show your team that you appreciate them?
Our appreciation for our team is demonstrated through trust and empowerment at all levels. We provide flexible hours and fully remote working, as well as flexible holidays. This allows our team to feel respected in the same way that we appreciate and recognize the value they bring to PushFar.
In terms of messaging, do you think you are speaking directly to your consumers in a clear way?
YES! We make sure our messages are concise and understandable for everyone. We are here to help both individuals and organizations and we like to make the process as simple as possible from the start.
What is your opinion on inflation and interest rates? Will you pass this on to your customers or will you let your margins take a hit and reward customer loyalty in these more challenging times?
We have not increased prices in the last 6 years. Our goal is to provide a great service that helps our business grow while continuing to add value.
How often do you evaluate the data you input and address your KPIs and why?
We constantly evaluate the data we enter, in real time. As a technology company, this is critical to both us and our customers. In an ever-changing industry, the data we continually evaluate ensures that 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 bigger role in the day-to-day running of your business?
YES! As a technology company, it is at the heart of everything we do; From our service offering to clients, to our remote working approach with colleagues and employees. Technology plays an important role in our growth, both in terms of reach and the services we provide. The use of advanced technology helps us streamline processes without decreasing quality, ensuring that the service customers receive is as efficient as possible.
What is your attitude towards your competitors?
We have a very healthy attitude towards our competitors. It discourages complacency when we all play fairly. Competition is important to ensure that the market continues to evolve and that the services offered have no choice but to be innovative. Innovation and growth are of great importance to PushFar, so we do not fear our place in the market.
Do you have any advice for someone starting a business?
If you want to start a business, just do it. There will never be the right time, it all depends on the mentality you apply. Concentration, dedication and hard work are what you have to respect. There is no shortcut to any of this.
It can be a lonely and high-pressure place to be in as the company’s primary decision maker. What do you do to relax, recharge and sharpen your focus?
I switch off, take part in a digital detox, and immerse myself in books and the outdoors through activities like running.
Do you believe in the 12 week working method, or do you have much longer planning strategies?
Personally I believe that long-term strategies are fundamental. They are less restrictive and allow for a greater sense of direction and a view of the bigger picture and long-term goals.
What is your company’s ecological strategy?
As a technology company, we try to do everything we can to reduce our impact on the planet. We actively encourage remote working and host regular video calls where possible to reduce travel. Additionally, we are completely paperless and will continue to strive to ensure that ecological impacts are taken into account.
What are three things you hope to implement in the next 12 months?
Over the next 12 months our focus will be on growth; a larger team, a larger customer base and more awesome features on offer.