Bringing About A World That Ought To Be | Ross Mechanic ’13

What is the first thing that comes to mind when you think of Friends Seminary?

The people. I spent thirteen years at Friends, and what stays with me most are the teachers who left a real mark on how I think, and the friendships that have lasted well beyond graduation.

What is a key lesson from Friends that you’ve taken into adulthood?

To take a beat. Life moves quickly, and it's easy to feel like everything on your plate is the most important thing. That was true in high school too, between SATs, AP classes, and everything that came with them. Meeting for Worship was a weekly reminder that sitting in silence is not wasted time. Running a company, it's easy to stay in motion, and Friends taught me that stepping back to reflect is part of the work, not a break from it.

Which one of the Quaker testimonies resonates most with you?

Integrity. I got married last year, and in the lead-up to the wedding, my wife and I met with our rabbi a few times. One of the questions he asked was what values we wanted our kids to have. We both answered authenticity right away. At Friends, the word we were taught was integrity, but I think it's pointing at the same thing. Being the same person on the inside and the outside, and living in a way that lines up with what you actually believe. That's the value I come back to most.

What have you been up to since graduating from Friends?

After Friends, I studied computer science and entrepreneurship at Penn, worked as a software engineer at a couple of startups, and then started my own company, Maybern, with a close friend and coworker. We build software and AI solutions for private markets, and our office is actually in the neighborhood on Astor Place. On the personal side, I met my wife, got married last year, and after years of fostering dogs, we "foster failed" and adopted our beautiful dog Shadow. I also have two adorable little nephews, Hudson and Elliot. It's wild that it's been 13 years. When I went back for my 10-year reunion, I saw people I hadn't seen in a decade, and it felt like we'd just been in class together a couple months prior.

Have you attended any events on campus?

Yes. My 10-year reunion, and a handful of career panels since. It's always great to see a lot of the same faces from when I went there.

Is there a particular teacher or teachers who inspired your career path?

I'm not sure any one teacher inspired my career path directly, but looking back, several teachers at Friends had a huge impact on who I am and what I value. Larry Carter, Sue Beyersdorf, and Kate Olson are still on the short list of the best teachers I've ever had. Kate Olson in particular stands out. I was never someone who enjoyed English class until I took hers. She is incredibly bright, direct, and authentic, and looking back, she showed me something about how I want to operate in the world. It ties right back to the integrity value I mentioned earlier.

How do you define success for yourself?

When I look back in 40 years, will I be proud to tell my grandkids what I did? For me, a lot of the answer is tied to the people who've bet on me. Maybern has 88 employees who forewent other great opportunities or left steady career paths to join us, and a group of investors who have put $76M behind something unproven. My family sees me a lot less than they otherwise would. My wife absorbs the full emotional rollercoaster of this journey, which makes her a saint. Success, for me, is proving all of them right for believing in me and in what I think we're capable of building.

How do you understand the work you do now as bringing about a world that ought to be?

There's an episode of the HBO show Silicon Valley where they cut together a montage of founders getting on stage claiming their database protocols are making the world a better place. Making markets more efficient isn't the same as making the world morally better. I try to find time to help the world in other ways, by fostering dogs and mentoring students.

Do you have any advice for upper school students, who may be interested in pursuing a similar career path?

Nos are free. I wish I'd been better at this in high school and college. I got better as an adult, but it took too long. Go explore. Figure out what you want to do. Get comfortable taking risks. You live in the most incredible city in the world, surrounded by intelligent, interesting, successful people at every turn. People to learn from, people who will mentor you, people with whom you can build real relationships. If you ask for help, if you ask for an introduction, if you ask for an opportunity, the worst thing that happens is someone says no. That's it.