Entrepreneur-in-Residence, Optimism Global

ABOUT OPTIMISM

Optimism is a media company working to build a brighter web. We conceive, launch, and operate high-quality digital brands that spark curiosity, spread positivity, and improve the lives of our readers. With an inbox-first approach, we aim to transform email into a healthy alternative to social media feeds, a place where you can curate the news, entertainment, and information you truly want and enjoy.

Our brands populate a variety of lifestyle categories: including travel, learning, home, health & wellness, finance and more. Our universal approach helps us reach 15 million subscribers across our network and serve more than 30 million web sessions each month. And we’re growing with each new brand and newsletter launched.

ABOUT THE ROLE

We are launching a new EIR program to engage talented creators in building inbox-first brands. As an EIR at Optimism, you will work directly with our Founder Nicholas Pardon, and have access to our world-class talent in brand design and development, as well as distribution to our audience of millions of Americans.

ACCOUNTABILITIES

The EIR program allows us to make investments that are adjacent to our core business operations, or beyond the capacity of our existing operating teams. For us, this program is about exploring new ideas and building with speed and quality to delight new audiences, while leveraging the creative and technical resources that we have developed over the last decade.

As EIR, you will be accountable for …

CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT

• Partner with our founder and leadership team to brainstorm and ultimately select 1-2 brands or ventures that center on the inbox to build.
• While our resources will be at your disposal, you must take the lead in developing conviction and determining what you would like to build.
• Among our many resources is a list of 1,400+ high quality domains that we own, across many industry/brand segments, which you may select from to use for your project(s).
• Partner with our brand team to develop a high quality brand for your concept.
• Develop a robust growth strategy, which can include proprietary audience cross pollination using Optimism’s large set of audience records & subscribers.

CONCEPT LAUNCH

• Work hand in hand with our creative and technical teams to select or develop templates and all other required assets for the first six months of your project operations.
• Own the accountability for a successful launch. This will require engaging with Optimism’s resources; it will require intrapreneurial skills and a clear vision for your project.

GROWTH

• Work to grow your brand/project, with the support of Optimism’s resources and executive team.
• If and when your concept is a contender for additional funding, Optimism will work with you to secure the right type of capital to continue growth.
• If and when appropriate, Optimism will work with you to design an exit for your brand.

ACTING as an OPTIMISM AMBASSADOR

• As an EIR operating under the Optimism brand, we expect you to act as an “ brand ambassador” to your professional networks and communities.
• Especially if you live in a place where there are no other Optimism team members, we expect you to act as a scout and bring us relevant opportunities for event sponsorship and other forms of community engagement that may be relevant to our mission.

QUALIFICATIONS

• You have experience building in the inbox, especially experience creating newsletters.
• You have experience with intrapreneurship or entrepreneurship, and are hungry to build something of your own.
• You have a natural ability to build rapport and manage projects across a set of stakeholders. Optimism has many moving pieces, and effective EIRs must use intrapreneurial skills to get the resources and support they need to make their brands soar.

EIR compensation packages are bespoke, depending on the ambition of the concept you are working on and your background. While some packages include a stipend or modest salary, all packages include upside in the brands and/or venture(s) that you are building.

As an EIR you can be based anywhere in North America, but must be able to travel to Orange County, CA frequently for in-person collaboration and concept development sessions, especially in the early stages of the role.

Our Commitment

We aim to provide equal opportunity for all. We are firm believers in the strength of diversity and aim to build teams of individuals that offer unique perspectives, come from different backgrounds, and challenge each other to be better every day!