As a college student, Jordan Gonen pursued growth through challenging environments and making an impact with interesting problems. He started working in the real world by building relationships with former strangers outside his school and community, reaching out to people he thought could provide value to while having an interesting conversation. He applied for internships and networking opportunities, sending thousands of emails and talking to over 100 people via phone about advice for students and how he could be of value to them. Despite the lack of immediate responses, Jordan continued his outreach efforts and eventually received opportunities that led to growth, including a full-time internship at a fast-growing tech company in San Francisco. Through these experiences, Jordan learned the importance of taking initiative, asking for what he wanted, and seeking out opportunities to learn and grow. He also recognized the value of kindness and giving from others who took chances on him.