Natasha Birnbaum, Chief Strategy Officer & Founding Member of Mogul

April 21, 2021

Interview

Member of the Transatlantic Forum

Q. You’re the Chief Strategy Officer and a founding member of Mogul, a company that provides tools for individuals & organizations to achieve optimal productivity & growth. Mogul was named one of the Most Exciting Startups of 2016 by Business Insider, one of the Top NYC Startups to Watch by Entrepreneur Magazine, one of the Best Websites for Finding Top Talent by Inc. Magazine, one of the Top Websites for Marketing Your Company Online by Forbes. Can you tell us more about Mogul and why you decided to create this company?  

We started Mogul so that diverse talent could share their stories with each other, act as a support system for one another, and learn from each other so all can achieve their full potential. Back when we started years ago, when you Googled the word “Mogul,” the first 6 pages of search results listed “Warren Buffett,” “Donald Trump”, “Rupert Murdoch.” But now, when you Google “Mogul,” we are the number one search result. We’ve redefined the word “Mogul” forever after to be attributable to all. For anyone to know that they can be a Mogul too.

Q. While at the Luxury Education Foundation, you worked with all major luxury houses such as Cartier, Chanel, Dior, Hermes, etc., to foster connections with top talent. Can you describe how those professional experiences helped you to create your company? 

While working at the Luxury Education Foundation, I was networking and meeting someone new almost every day for breakfast before work, lunch, and after work for a drink. My goal was to learn from as many people as possible and create connections in the hopes of figuring out my next step for my career and how to further progress. During this time, I was introduced to Tiffany Pham, the Founder & CEO of Mogul. We met for a tea soon after she had just launched Mogul and as she described her vision, I was so compelled by it that I asked her if there was anything at all I could do to help. She wound up offering me a consulting position and I started consulting with her part-time at first as a side gig. This quickly turned into a full-time opportunity and I wound up joining the team full-time shortly thereafter. It was a truly pivotal moment in my career which was preceded by a lot of meetings, networking, and hard work.

Q. As an entrepreneur, what are the challenges you have faced since the pandemic started? 

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted critical issues with civil rights, human rights, and racial injustice. Companies are focusing their efforts more than ever before on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and we’ve therefore been very busy helping companies tap into our ecosystem of top diverse talent. Our business has accelerated immensely and therefore our main challenge has been being able to keep up with demand.

Q. You’re part of the Young Leadership Committee of Seeds of Peace, a non-profit that aims to cultivate new generations of global leaders in communities divided by conflict. What’s your involvement in this organization?  

I’ve recently been more involved with UJA’s Third Generation Holocaust Survivors Committee so would rather focus on that!
As a member of UJA Young Leaders Third Gen, the Committee aims to bring third-generation Holocaust survivors and those committed to preserving Holocaust memory together to engage the greater community in UJA’s work with Holocaust survivors. Each event hosted by the Committee highlights UJA’s work with their Community Initiative for Holocaust Survivors (CIHS) and beyond, as we bring content, speakers, experiential education, and volunteering to the community through a variety of opportunities.
Two of my grandparents are Holocaust Survivors. Sharing their stories with others has always been at the forefront of my mind. My Grandfather had recorded his story through the Yad Vashem Holocaust Society and I recorded my Grandmother as she shared her story and transcribed it as well.

Q. You are a member of the French-American Foundation’s Transatlantic Forum. What made you decide to join this program?  

I was introduced to the organization by a dear friend, Lexi Komisar, and having grown up in Paris with an American Mother and French Father, the organization of course very much spoke to me. In addition, the monthly dinners were extremely interesting and highlighted current events and how they related to Franco-American affairs and relationships. I very much look forward to being able to gather around a dinner table in person to discuss important topics again soon!

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