For Dane Bendixen, startup enthusiast and father of three, the values he found while studying entrepreneurship at the BYU Marriott School of Business have carried him throughout his career. One such value is prioritizing his family and personal life. After moving seven times in as many years for work, the 2010 graduate has become a firm believer in working for companies that fit the schedule and lifestyle he wants for himself and his family.
Currently, Bendixen lives in Sandy, Utah, two miles from where he grew up. He recently started a new job as VP of product and 10th employee of a seed-stage startup called Fin3. The startup is a fintech company that aims to disrupt the payments industry and make blockchain technologies more accessible to financial institutions.
Having moved between several startups during his career, Bendixen says that one of the advantages of working with younger companies is that he is a lot closer to the decision-making process. “I look for unicorn opportunities where I can be a part of something bigger than myself,” he says.
Another advantage of entering a startup in its earlier stages, he points out, is the potential for tremendous financial gain. “If I can be successful monetarily, what can I do with that?” Bendixen asks, before answering his own question. “I’ll have more opportunities to serve and more time to spend with my family and friends.”
Bendixen’s foray into startups began at BYU Marriott. “Through different classes, I had opportunities to create business plans with various groups and actively pursue different business ventures,” he says. Bendixen explains that even the businesses that proved unsuccessful were instrumental in providing him with the entrepreneurial experiences he needed and wanted.
Bendixen also appreciates the chances he was given to make critical decisions during his time at BYU Marriott, which prepared him to thrive in the loose structure of a startup environment. “Within the entrepreneurship program, there was a lot of autonomy in the classes I took and the projects I pursued. This hands-off mindset within the program was helpful because it allowed me to make decisions and gain confidence in my personal entrepreneurial abilities,” he says.
Another key aspect of BYU Marriott that shaped Bendixen’s education was the professors he worked alongside. “Seeing my professors animated and excited about what they were teaching made me realize that entrepreneurship is what got them up in the morning. It was exciting for them to come and teach a bunch of 20-year-olds how to succeed in life,” he says.
Now that Bendixen has more than a decade of career experience, he has learned for himself how important it is to work at a job that will motivate him to wake up in the morning. For Bendixen, a healthy work-life balance has been central in his search for jobs. During job interviews, he is forward with his intentions about keeping his work and family life balanced because he knows he will enjoy the job more if the company culture is accepting of his boundaries.
“I’m transparent with the interviewers,” states Bendixen. “When I interview, I’m clear about my values, desires, and intents.” He knows that if the job doesn’t pan out, the company was not the right place for him. “I work for companies that will work for me and my family,” he adds. “I’ve been fortunate to have a lot of flexibility in my career and the different companies I’ve worked for.”
He has learned that the more transparent he is with companies about his values, the more respectful they have been about his boundaries. “My advice to everyone would be to not misrepresent yourself in an interview and to look for career opportunities that prioritize family,” he shares.
For Bendixen, family comes first.
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Writer: Liesel Allen
