Find Your Grind Raises $5M to Help Students Discover Unique Careers
▼ Summary
– Nick Gross, former drummer for Goldfinger, now runs Find Your Grind, a career exploration platform helping young people pursue passions like content creation and esports.
– The company secured $5 million in Series A funding led by Echo Investment Capital, bringing total funding to $8 million to expand U.S. career readiness programs.
– Gross founded the platform after his music career and seeing students struggle with career choices due to limited exposure in traditional education.
– Find Your Grind focuses on self-awareness, career paths, and lifestyle alignment, offering assessments, mentor advice from figures like Tony Hawk, and an AI coach.
– The platform has assisted 100,000 students and includes workforce initiatives like lifestyle fairs, with plans to expand programs to more cities.
For those who remember the early 2000s punk scene, Nick Gross might be a familiar face as the drummer for the band Goldfinger. Today, he’s channeling that same energy into guiding young people toward fulfilling careers through his innovative platform, Find Your Grind. This service shines a spotlight on unconventional career paths often overlooked by traditional education, from pop-punk musician and content creator to social media manager and professional esports player.
The company recently secured a $5 million Series A investment, boosting its total funding to $8 million. Echo Investment Capital spearheaded the round, with additional backing from Gross’s own firm, Gross Labs. These new resources will fuel the expansion of the platform’s career readiness initiatives across the United States.
Gross’s journey into this venture began at age 17 when his high school band, Open Air Stereo, gained national attention after appearing on MTV’s “Laguna Beach.” His own experiences inspired the creation of Find Your Grind, an idea that crystallized after he invited students into his recording studio and witnessed their struggles with career planning firsthand. He observed that many lacked exposure to the diverse opportunities available outside conventional roles.
“Today’s youth are stepping into a professional world that’s transforming at lightning speed,” Gross explained. “Too many students graduate without a clear sense of identity, purpose, or direction. Our platform provides them with the resources to explore not only what jobs exist but which pathways resonate with their personal strengths, passions, and life goals.”
Standard career advice frequently emphasizes salary and advancement, but this approach can feel out of touch with the dynamic, modern economy. Younger generations are increasingly drawn to roles beyond the traditional doctor, lawyer, or engineer tracks. In fact, forecasts from the World Economic Forum suggest that around 92 million current jobs may disappear by 2030, underscoring the need for adaptable career education.
Another shortcoming of conventional guidance is its neglect of the emotional and personal side of career choice. Find Your Grind addresses this gap by concentrating on four core areas: self-awareness, career awareness, social awareness, and action awareness. A unique Lifestyle Assessment helps students pinpoint one of three lifestyle archetypes, such as entertainer, creator, or humanitarian, that best matches their preferences. Based on the results, they receive a customized action plan for their post-graduation steps.
Students using the platform gain access to video content, interactive lessons, and a network of mentors who share real-world advice about launching and growing their careers. The mentor roster includes high-profile figures like skateboard legend Tony Hawk, former professional baseball player Tony Hoffman, and musician will.i.am.
An AI-driven feature called the Reflective Coach offers personalized feedback, prompting users to think more deeply about their responses for greater self-discovery.
Beyond digital tools, Find Your Grind organizes workforce development efforts like lifestyle fairs, providing hands-on experience for students. The company’s inaugural program is launching in Oklahoma City through collaborations with local schools and training centers, helping youth uncover hometown job opportunities that fit their desired lifestyles.
Plans are underway to introduce similar programs in other cities in the near future. To date, the platform has already supported 100,000 students. Gross expressed his ambition to welcome over a million users, helping them become better prepared for the future that awaits.
(Source: TechCrunch)