b'Franklins night program was perfect for meFor instance, he vividly remembers competing because it allowed me to work a salary job duringwith industry giants like Accenture to secure a the day while pursuing my education in the evenings,multimillion-dollar contract for Vodafone. It was Josh recalls. Balancing a demanding work schedulea bold move to represent a small team against and academic commitments was no easy feat,massive multinationals, but it was thrilling to win but the structure Franklin offered helped himon merit and innovation, he says.thrive. He credits his leadership theory minor, taught by professors actively working in high-levelBut after several years of rapid growth and global corporate roles, as particularly impactful. Hearinginfluence, Josh realized he wanted more. The desire their day-to-day experiences and how theyto stay closer to home and to deepen the impact managed teams gave me insight and inspirationof his work led him to found Toovio in 2010. as I was kickstarting my career, he shares. Unlike NeoFusion, which is a professional service business, Toovios focus has been on creating Joshs first major career leap was securing a rolea sophisticated, long-term software-as-a-service at Alliance Data,(SaaS) solution that where he gaineduses customer data invaluable hands-onto drive smarter experience. At justbusiness decisions. 20 years old, heWe designed it worked a hybridto be a recursive role blendinglearning system technical one that programmingI LOVEcontinuously gets with consultativebetter over time, business strategy,Josh explains.providing insightsENVISIONING into marketingThe drive to solve dynamics forA PROBLEM,pressing issues is major brands likea recurring theme Victorias Secret andin Joshs career. Bath & Body Works.DESIGNING THEWhether its identifying trends Finding earlywithin customer success in theSOLUTION, ANDdata, implementing corporate world,seamless real-time however, ignitedTAKING IT FROManalytics, or, more a desire in Josh torecently, helping break new ground.zero to one. clients harness A mentor at Alliancelarge language once told me,models, Josh You wont be happythrives on decoding until youre workingcomplex systems. for yourself, heI love envisioning reveals. This advicea problem, nudged Josh to take bold risks, leading himdesigning the solution, and taking it from to ultimately co-found NeoFusion, his firstzero to one, he says.entrepreneurial venture, at age 27. Specializing in optimizing corporate strategy for major clientsWhile Toovios success continues to grow, like Vodafone, Josh and his business partnerJosh remains focused on fostering innovation. revolutionized how companies implemented real- His long-term plan includes expanding Toovios time decision engines into customer interactions. reach, building strategic partnerships, and ultimately positioning it for acquisition or public NeoFusions success wasnt without challenges.offering. But beyond his business pursuits, I worked harder than I thought possible,Josh reflects on the deeper rewards of his Josh admits, recounting the whirlwindentrepreneurial path. The freedom to tryof high-stakes projects and transcontinentalnew things and take bold bets has been thenegotiations during his time living in Europe.most pleasant surprise, he says.Clocktower | Franklin Features 15'