At the 2016 Code Conference, I noticed my passion had begun to shift beyond media to other industries impacted by technology. I found myself engaged by the lobby conversations on transportation, real estate, commerce, financial services, and health care.
The wave of digital innovation, which had dramatically transformed media over the past 10 years, was starting to meaningfully impact other centenarian industries. Consumer-focused startups were emerging, more efficient business models were being created, and product offering and value chains were being redesigned using technology. Regulation was being challenged and distribution aspirations were global, rather than local.
This realization, coupled with my desire to follow the next wave of disruption, seeded the belief that I should consider my next career move after Spotify to be outside of media.
Needless to say, when Daniel approached me about joining the team, I was receptive. Lemonade’s co-founders were offering me the opportunity to help transform an industry essential to people’s lives: insurance.
While disrupting the insurance industry might seem like a big departure from reinventing music, the similarities in context are striking. I believe the digital principles that transformed the music industry are very similar to those that will dramatically alter the insurance industry going forward: a maniacal focus on the consumer, disruptive application of technology in core operations, ubiquitous distribution, and a desire to impact society.
The more I learned about Lemonade, the stronger I felt about my belief. The Lemonade team has already applied many of these principles in the last two years to quickly emerge as the transformational leader in an industry that is ripe for disruption. Lemonade is hyper-focused on providing an experience that delights consumers above all. Lemonade rethought the business model to better align with consumer needs, wants, and behaviors. Finally, Lemonade’s foundational values are principles I personally share — transparency, social responsibility, and inclusion.
Ultimately, Lemonade offered me a unique and compelling opportunity to have a front-row seat to the reinvention of a critical industry. This made my decision to leave the exciting music business (which I loved and will continue to watch) much easier.
Over the past 5-plus years, I worked to build Spotify’s strategic partnerships and distribution network, which contributed to the global ubiquity of a beloved product. I was privileged (and I am grateful) to count as our partners some of the most impactful companies, products, applications, and platforms from all over the world. It is this experience that I will bring to help drive Lemonade’s next phase of growth. We are committed to making Lemonade an ever more seamless and enjoyable experience for consumers, highly valuable to our partners, and an iconic brand of our century.
I am eternally grateful to Spotify’s founder, Daniel Ek, for the privilege of letting me be part of his great mission of bringing music to the world. Now, I am excited to join another Daniel (Schreiber), Shai, and the Lemonade team to make Lemonade into one of the most beloved companies worldwide.
