Brad Schiller

Look, here’s the real scoop on Brad Schiller. This guy’s the real deal in the startup world, especially when it comes to education tech and crushing it with his own companies. So, he’s a YC alum from the W13 batch, that’s a badge of honor right there, and he’s got this crazy background that’s all about communication, literacy, and making education better.

He kicked things off at McKinsey, climbing the ranks from Business Analyst to Involvement Manager, basically showing he’s got the brains and hustle. That gig probably gave him a in-depth analysis into how big biz works, what problems matter, and how to solve them fast. After McKinsey, he jumped into the startup scene, joining the founding team at Airware, a drone company, where he was VP of Ops and Business Dev. That’s some serious startup cred, building something from scratch, managing growth, and figuring out how to scale.

But here’s where it gets interesting. Brad didn’t just stop there. He founded Beacon Ventures, an independent consulting firm. That shows he’s got the guts to build his own thing, plus the planned mind to help others grow. But the main thing that put him on the map is Prompt, the company he’s now running as CEO. That’s a college admissions essay coaching biz, but no cap, they’re the biggest in the world at it. They raked in around $4 million last year alone and help over 15,000 students each year. That’s a massive impact, making students’ lives easier and boosting their chances with top schools.

What’s wild is, Brad’s all about improving how we communicate and think critically, probably inspired by his time at McKinsey, where those skills are everything. He’s super passionate about that, and it shows in what Prompt is doing. He saw a problem, college essays are stressful, complicated, and honestly kinda bullshit to get right, and he built a solution that actually works and scales.

You can tell this guy’s process is driven by a genuine desire to make education more accessible, understandable, and less bullshit. He’s not just about building startups for the sake of it; he’s about real impact, helping students succeed, and pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in edtech.

Long story short? Brad’s the kind of founder who’s been grinding through the trenches, learning from the best, and then taking all that hustle to build something that really matters. He’s got that mix of tech smarts, business savvy, and a heart for education. That’s why he’s not just another founder, he’s a big change in the space.