How academia prepared me to be a CEO

We don’t see a ton of professors becoming CEOs. I wish we did. I think in many ways, coming from academia has been my secret weapon. Before Duolingo, I was a professor at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU), which I happened to be quite good at – I won the award for Teaching Excellence in Computer Science. I learned a few things there that I apply every day at Duolingo. > Be hard on the ideas, easy on the people.  In academia, we would rigorously debate concepts while respecting our colleagues. At Duolingo, we’ve created a culture where the best ideas win, but people never feel attacked for taking risks. > Communicate clearly.  Teaching in front of students forced me to distill complex ideas into simple, actionable concepts. Of course, I use this every day working with my team at Duolingo. > Seek deep understanding. As a professor, I had to master material deeply enough to answer tough questions. As CEO, I do the same thing, but it’s to make a better decision. Sometimes I’ll spend a full 30-minute meeting unpacking what was meant to be a 1-minute idea. > Value fresh perspectives.  At CMU, the most interesting ideas often came from my students. That's why at Duolingo, early-in-career employees present product ideas directly to me. Some of our best ideas come from people just starting their careers. My academic background means I’ll forever be both a teacher AND a student. That is, sharing my opinions confidently but also being humble enough to learn from everyone around me, regardless of title or tenure. This balance has become part of Duolingo - we're not just building an app where users learn, but a company where everyone also teaches and everyone grows.