Ten Questions with Expert in Residence Jason Feifer

How did you get started in entrepreneurship?

I became editor-in-chief of Entrepreneur magazine! My background is in media, so I came in thinking of myself as a magazine editor. Then I started talking with entrepreneurs — their way of thinking is transformative. I started to view myself and my work differently and to spot opportunities I never had before. Soon I’d opened my own media company (while still happily leading Entrepreneur), and now think of myself as an entrepreneur who helps entrepreneurs.

What makes you tick?

People. I draw my energy from talking with people. I’m inspired to work knowing that other people will consume it. Business is fundamentally a human pursuit, and I love connecting with those humans.

What does an average day in your entrepreneurial life look like?

Every day (and sometimes every hour!) is different, and that’s what I love about my work. I hate routine.

What are your areas of expertise?

Communications, storytelling, media — but above all, I’ve spent years developing what I call “personal change management.” It’s a way of honing your own unique relationship with change, to find new opportunities in times of disruption.

What are you looking forward to most in your residence with the SPI Pro community? How specifically do you want to help entrepreneurs?

Are you navigating a change? Trying to tell your story? Refining an idea? Just need smart, honest feedback, informed by what I’ve learned by studying the smartest entrepreneurs in the world? These are the things I love helping with.

Why did you join the Expert in Residence program? What is it about Pro that makes it a special place/community for entrepreneurs?

I love Pro’s clarity of purpose. Everyone’s here to grow together, and the SPI team is devoted to making that happen. That’s exciting.

What is your biggest professional challenge to date, and how did you overcome it?

I had to completely redefine myself, transitioning from a magazine editor to an entrepreneur. That required a lot of rethinking and soul searching, and the solution came not by thinking about the differences between the two — but by realizing how, above all, they were the same pursuit. I tell stories that help others. There’s never just one way to do that.

What is your biggest professional win to date and what did you do to make it happen?

My speaking career feels like my biggest win. That’s something I built from scratch: I needed to learn an entirely new skillset, figure out my place in the market, find clients, and refine my ideas until they’d resonate in rooms with 10 or 1,000 people. It’s been a thrill.