Judge grad and Bumble CEO Whitney Wolfe Herd on high school and success

As the youngest woman ever to take a company public, Whitney Wolfe Herd is no doubt one of the most successful businesswomen in America. In this interview she talks about her time in high school and some of the things that shaped her outlook on life and business philosophy.

Interview by Lilly Lyon

“I really enjoyed my time at Judge,” Whitney Wolfe Herd said. “I think it was small enough that it felt like you could build quality relationships, but it was big enough and diverse enough that I felt I was exposed to a lot of walks of life, which I felt was really important. I think Judge offered more diversity in backgrounds and religions than the previous school’s I had attended. So that was really refreshing.”

“It's a diverse community, and that's something I was really grateful for because growing up in Salt Lake City, Utah – it just wasn’t very diverse. It was like a cookie cutter and everybody kind of had similar beliefs and they came from similar backgrounds. At Judge you're with kids from all walks of life, and I thought that was so important. So it was very informative to me and really taught me the power of treating everybody the same.

“Everyone was in a uniform, and so I think there was power to that as well. No one knew what outfit the other person could or couldn't have access to. It was an equalizer. I think that's so helpful in a world where kids are trained to gravitate towards certain people or to dress like somebody else. I think that the concept of showing up all in the same clothes really allows you to shine for your personality, for your talents, for who you are, not for what you wear.

Like a lot of high school students, some of her most memorable experiences at Judge were with her friends. “Abby Price, Libby Huntsman, Eden Mills, and Calle Perkins, those were my closest friends in high school. And they're still friends to this day.

“My father is Jewish and my mother is Catholic, so I was raised in a split-religion home. A lot of my friends felt like they fit in more at Judge even though it was technically a Catholic high school. I had a lot of Jewish friends, and they felt like they could exist at Judge. They didn't feel that same inclusivity at their public school in Salt Lake City, and I think that's really a testament to Judge.”

She still remembers the lessons she learned about discipline as a student at Judge.

“In contrast to the schools I attended in elementary and junior high, at Judge there was a real emphasis on showing up on time, starting the day with structure and a routine. I remember we would go to our Contact Period for the first 15 minutes of the day. You had to be there on time, there was a prayer over the intercom. I think that's a good way to say, okay, the day has begun, and you can't be late. I'm not the most on-time individual, but Judge really did get me to commit to being on time and to respect being on time.

“Now I’m on the other side of it as a working person taking meetings. Having people show up on time matters. That is why they do that in high school. It's not because they want to torture you or not let you sleep in. It's teaching you the skills that actually do matter in the long run. That's something I'm grateful for.”

Whitney remembers the liberal arts classes most at Judge.

“I thought Ms. Veltri was a wonderful teacher. I was kind of going through some stuff in high school. She took me under her wing and was very kind to me, so I really loved her. I liked English classes a lot. I loved Mr. Bettin’s AP Art class. I'm certainly not good at art. I wouldn't consider myself an artist, but I enjoy it. So that was a great class. Honestly the more artistic classes were my favorites.”

When asked about her choice for her senior quote in the yearbook, she didn’t hesitate. She asked, “Was mine, ‘It all started with a mouse and a dream’?

“That’s my favorite quote about Walt Disney, and it's exactly how I built Bumble. I loved that. When I heard that quote for the first time, it was so profound. Because if you actually reduce it down to its simplest form, Disneyland and the Disney company literally started with a mouse and a dream. And look what it turned into. That's literally printed in my high school yearbook? How funny is that?

Whitney’s senior quote in the yearbook is one that still guides her philosophy today.

“If you think about it, Bumble started with a bee and a dream. I mean we definitely haven't made our way to Disney’s level yet. But maybe one day, maybe one day.”

What follows is a Question and Answer between Lilly and Whitney.

Lilly: I just graduated high school. I'm going to be a freshman in college next year, and I plan to go into business. What advice would you give to young women like me who are following in your footsteps, hoping to find themselves on a similar career path?

Whitney: I would say a few things. Be kind to yourself along the way. Don't be too hard on yourself. You have to really believe in yourself. Only you know what you're passionate about. Only you know what your mouse and your dream is. That's something that your dad can't give to you, your mom can't give to you, your teacher can't give to you. It has to come from you. And it might not happen at the exact same time that it happens for your friends. So my advice is to be committed to your own “mouse and your dream.”

“Be patient and explore. Know that life is not a race. Use the next several years of your life to learn, to observe, to explore, to test all of those things that you are passionate about and see what sticks.

“My framework has always been to try to pinpoint what in the world feels unfair. What keeps you up at night? Be solution-oriented. There's always a way to build a solution and that can help shape your career. Also I think being at your age and where you are, relationships matter and networks matter. The people that you meet in the next four to six years are the people who will go on to have careers in almost every industry. Ten to fifteen years from now, those are the people who you're going to be calling, irrespective of what you choose to do. Nurture your network, and be good to the people around you. Treat people with respect and kindness and that karma really goes around.

Lilly: Thanks. I really appreciate your advice. Next question: What was one of the biggest obstacles you had to overcome as a woman starting a tech business?

Whitney: Oh my gosh, so many obstacles. I think it's all about how you frame them. You have obstacles right now. I have obstacles right now. We all have obstacles. The question is, do you stare at an obstacle and say, “Oh, the road is closed”? Or do you look at that obstacle and say, ‘Well, there's two inches to the left of it. I'm going to slide through there.’ It's all about how you face those obstacles, and what you do with them. My whole approach has always been when you see an obstacle, find another route. Just don't turn around and go home. Don't let obstacles kill your dreams. You just sometimes get redirected.

“If I hand not gone through those breakups, I would have never met my husband. I would have never had my baby. Life really does work out the way it’s supposed to.”

“Rejection is just redirection. Go into college with that framework. You're going to go through breakups. You're going to have friends fail you. You're going to be let down, you're going to fail tests. Things are going to suck. And it's not ‘How do I prevent these things from going wrong?’ – because they will go wrong. It's about what you do when that happens. Just find a new path, and accept it as redirection.

“When I was four years older than you, I went through all sorts of things: breakups and stuff. I was devastated at the time. But had I not gone through those breakups, I would have never met my husband. I would never have had my baby. Life really does work out the way it's supposed to, so don't fight it. Just find a new path.