Alumni

John Wang SOM/YLS ’09, founder of the Queens Night Market, describes transforming the community camaraderie and diverse food that made the market a draw into a project to feed first responders.

Crises require creative solutions born of rational and imaginative tools. Amy Whitaker ’01 sees the artist’s capacity to navigate uncertainty as a valuable model.

The childcare provider Bright Horizons, founded by Linda Mason ’80, has pivoted to open centers for the children of first responders. Mason says that however devastating the impacts of the pandemic, there are reasons for hope and pride in this crucible moment.

Seán O’Dowd ’03 of Silvercrest Asset Management, who works with family firms, says that while conservatively managed businesses are well positioned to handle an ordinary crisis, even well-run small-and medium-sized firms need help from the government right now.

Seth Goldman ’95, the co-founder of Honest Tea and chair of Beyond Meat, was opening PLNT Burger, a new chain of plant-based restaurants, as the global pandemic struck.

Even when the economy was roaring along, far too many Americans lacked the savings and support to respond to an unexpected loss of income. The COVID-19 crisis has thrown that fragility into stark relief.

Scott Wharton ’95, who leads Logitech’s video collaboration group, sees far-reaching and sustained changes from the remote work explosion forced on us by the pandemic.

Venture capitalist Eddie Thai ’12 says that the pandemic is doing economic damage to Vietnam’s globalization-driven tech sector, even as some companies in his portfolio see their valuations grow.

Laszlo Bock ’99, CEO of Humu, says that right now, checking in on how your team members are doing is is the most important thing you can to keep your organization productive.

In a Fortune commentary, Dr. Michael Apkon ’02, president and CEO of Tufts Medical Center, and Yale SOM’s Dr. Howard Forman and Jeffrey Sonnenfeld write that such an approach would be dangerous and ineffective.