We had the good fortune of connecting with Audrey Wisch and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Audrey, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?

At Stanford I was a pre-law history major with my 10 year life plan firmly in place and the end goal of being the next Ruth Bader Ginsburg!.

And then in March of 2020, Stanford sent us home due to the pandemic.
Itching to make an impact, I started tutoring kids.

I observed how disengaged and uninspired they were with what they were learning…absorbing and regurgitating what they read in a textbook but no clue why they were learning what they were learning.

In order to make their learning feel like it actually mattered, I started applying what they were learning in school to my passions, the world around them, and their interests.

Word spread quickly among parents.

What started as a pandemic passion project has blossomed into a global community of over 500 top college students mentoring kids across the globe.

k-12 education is broken.

We assumed someone was addressing this issue… but don’t assume someone else is on it. Go after the problem yourself, said my whisper

Parents have always been hesitant about their children learning drastically differently than they did, thinking, “Well, we turned out okay.” But when the pandemic gave them a front row seat to their children’s education, they began to question whether it was actually working.

In a pre digital age Einstein said “don’t memorize what you can look up.” Yet we still emphasize regurgitation over application, even in an age of Google and AI.
Staying curious led us to wonder: why not us? Why not dream big?

I haven’t had a day off since dropping out of college, but I have never been more motivated or curious!

What should our readers know about your business?
Getting to where we are today was far from easy. At the same time we recognize that the journey has only just begun. Our sheer passion for the work and belief in the mission has been our driving force in face of countless bumps in the road.

Last night I was at a dinner with our mentors. One of our mentors told a story that epitomized why we do what we do at Curious Cardinals. She reflected on her mentee, a low income student passionate about sustainability, from summer who she led through an ocean acidification sustainability passion project. Beyond learning all the science and how to do research and working towards a research paper deliverable, they also shared time getting to know one another. The student didn’t come to the session strictly to work on her project. She also came to her mentor to talk about her passions, her fears, and her dreams. To learn to self advocate. To fuel her inspiration.

This was through our summer scholarship program in partnership with College Match. Equity and access is a core value and our financial aid program has existed since day 1.

This student admitted she didn’t know anyone else who ever went to Princeton. Her mentor was the first person she met who went to Princeton.

The student went on to apply early to Princeton. She just got accepted early and will be Princeton class of 2028.

That’s one of hundreds of stories. Perhaps thousands.

How could you resist working 12-16 hour days? Working weekends? The heartache and hustle!? When you know stories like these are the product of your hard work…

That’s what fuels us. And it likely factors into what differentiates us.

What’s a lesson to take away from this? Have a north star. Know your why.

When you have a north star, you have someone to always turn back to when the times get tough or the days are long. It’s a reminder that you’re on a mission and it’s your purpose to keep going.

What sets us apart?
1. Our story: we experienced the problem and observed it firsthand. We addressed a problem we saw and had no idea it would evolve into our life’s work. The founding story says everything about our culture of lifelong learning and staying close to our community.
2. Our community: our main growth channel is WoM and community events, hosted by our most amazing super supporter parents. We don’t do any mentor recruiting either – it’s all WoM. Our community is the gift that keeps giving. It’s so inspiring who this community attracts.
3. Our approach: personalized learning through 1:1 mentor, powered by AI to ensure the best quality and personalization. We make the most personalized, best mentor matches. We meet students where they’re at on their journey. We aim to support them from 8 yrs old to 18 yrs old.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Assuming this is LA because I travel between LA/SF/NYC constantly… 🙂

I would start the day off with a Runyon Canyon or Paseo Miramar hike.

Let’s say there’s no traffic. We would then drive all the way to SQIRL for the best brunch ever. The ricotta french toast and Stella bowl never fail to deliver.

Then we’d go to Hauser & Wirth gallery. We’d check out the art and then sit in the garden reflecting on our favorites.

If it was a Sunday perhaps we’d check out the Fairfax Flea Market.

In the afternoon we’d pick up a juice at Erewhon and do some people watching too. It’s quite a crowd, but it’s perfectly LA!

Then we’d chill before getting ready for dinner. Dinner at Gjelina.

We’d arrive at Abbott Kinney around sunset to see the perfectly pinky peachy LA sunset and check out the fun stores before making our way to our dinner reservation at Gjelina.

I think that’d be a pretty fantastic LA day for a friend visiting from out of town!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
So many people come to mind. I run a mentorship company so I’m highly aware of the mentors that made all the difference for me in my own life.

I love reading and podcasts too. They make an invaluable difference in my life and my own startup education.

But I have to devote this one to my parents. They deserve the recognition. I’m unbelievably grateful for them and the role they’ve played in my life. They are my best friends and greatest champions. They have always pursued their passions, even if that means veering down nonlinear paths. Seeing them pursue what they love, no matter how unconventional, definitely shaped me to be bold enough to do the same.

Website: curiouscardinals.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/curiouscardinals/?hl=en

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/audrey-wisch

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