Jack Rasmussen is an accomplished American author, actor, and entrepreneur with a diverse academic and professional background. A Warren Bennis Scholar, Discovery Scholar, and Renaissance Scholar, Jack graduated from the University of Southern California (USC) in May 2022 with a B.S. in Business Administration, complemented by studies in Cinematic Arts and Sports Media Industries. His passions span business marketing and strategy, interpersonal communication, and the arts, driving him to continually seek new experiences and opportunities within the entertainment and sports industries.
During his time at USC, Jack was an active member of the student government as a senator and pursued studies in cinematic arts and journalism. His lifelong love for storytelling found an outlet in creative writing, where he excelled in crafting short stories and poetry rich with vivid imagery and imagination. After graduating, Jack traveled to Taiwan to teach English, merging his love for teaching with his passion for the English language. This period also provided him the time and inspiration to write his first two nonfiction books. “Fine Dining: The Secrets Behind the Restaurant Industry” reflects his enthusiasm for food and entrepreneurship, while “Yin Yang: The Elusive Symbol That Explains the World” explores his interest in religion, scripture, and the yin-yang symbol.
In 2020, Jack was admitted to the Silicon Valley Innovation Academy for his research on puzzles’ potential to combat dementia and other mental health issues. Although the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted this project, he pivoted to take classes from renowned entrepreneur professors like Steve Blank. This experience taught him the principles of the lean startup method, which he applied to various business ventures. Notably, he co-founded Screen360.tv with Catherine Kavanaugh, incorporating it as an S-Corp. The company pilots a curriculum-focused program in high schools, aiming to enhance cultural literacy through global storytelling. The program is being tested in schools in Louisiana, Oregon, Dubai, and Poland, demonstrating the powerful impact of co-viewing on student learning.
Jack’s professional experience also includes sales roles at Aflac, Northwestern Mutual, and Wells Fargo. These positions honed his understanding of the critical role of sales in business and the importance of aligning company values with effective communication to potential customers. Jack believes that successful salespeople must connect with customers on a human level, emphasizing empathy and shared experiences over traditional sales tactics.
Throughout his multifaceted career, Jack Rasmussen has demonstrated a commitment to growth, innovation, and cultural understanding, continually expanding his horizons both personally and professionally.
Inspiring Team Discussions
Jack develops intriguing Socratic Seeds for the Screen360.tv team, which inspire team discussions and foster cohesion. These seeds are sometimes shared via social media or other channels to spark intrigue and challenge the team’s thinking. Jack also acts as a researcher and moderator, performing customer discovery, assisting with accounting, curating the curriculum, and reaching out to potential collaborators.
Meeting someone new almost every day is a real blessing for Jack, and he is thankful for this opportunity, recognizing that not everyone has it. Jack writes daily, whether it’s a note, an article, an outline, or a thought, ensuring that he always captures something in writing each day. He enjoys the unpredictability of his days, which vary widely. Some days he acts as a salesman, while on others he acts as a researcher. There are times when he is training or learning; for instance, he is currently learning Mandarin on Duolingo.
Jack’s multifaceted role keeps his days dynamic and diverse, providing constant opportunities for growth and learning.
Redefining Media and Entertainment
Jack aspires to work on improving mental health treatments, education and justice systems, and redefining gender roles. He believes that media and entertainment often paint a dehumanizing portrait of people, overlooking the fundamental truth that everyone is human, regardless of where they live. Jack emphasizes that we are all made from the same stardust with the same chi running through us, and thus, we need to humanize each other.
Jack is also passionate about addressing climate change and reducing food waste. He aims to vividly capture the significance of these issues so people can understand their global impact. He believes that taking care of ourselves and the Earth is crucial for taking care of each other. Jack’s philosophy starts with the planet and the self, advocating for a holistic approach to well-being and sustainability.
Additionally, Jack is interested in exploring space discovery within his lifetime. He is driven by a desire to push the boundaries of human knowledge and contribute to advancements that benefit humanity and the planet.
Staying Informed
Jack loves to read and stay up to date on current events. He enjoys watching the stock market to see how it is performing, which companies are excelling, and the markets they are in. Drawing inspiration from other companies in the education industry, such as TIFF and SIMA Academy, has helped Jack understand where to focus his energy and time. A key concept is bringing directors and actors to students to teach them about the film’s subject and the filmmaking process. Jack also enjoys watching interviews and working out to refresh his brain and gain inspiration.
Jack believes that gratitude and challenging oneself are often lost in today’s society, as people tend to prefer complacency or comfort over discomfort. He emphasizes that emerging leaders need to operate from a purpose-filled place. Rather than focusing solely on the end goal, leaders should emphasize the process. Jack feels he is growing by being able to move faster on his feet with more confidence. He recognizes that in business, acting quickly yet carefully is essential, as the quickest actor often gets rewarded faster.
Exploring New Ways to Capture Narratives
Jack wants to continue growing in his faith and writing exciting stories. He aspires to discover and invent new ways to capture stories through words and images. This ambition includes releasing more books and audio recordings and venturing into film production for Screen360.TV. Jack envisions establishing hubs on each continent where students can join and participate with peers from other countries while learning about the cultures represented in the films.
The core research at Screen360.TV focuses on how cornerstone memories can profoundly change a person’s life or at least significantly inform it. Jack’s dedication to this research and his creative pursuits aims to inspire and educate, leveraging the power of storytelling to create lasting, meaningful impacts across the globe.
Encouraging Innovation in Pursuit of Goals
For Jack, the most important traits when hiring a new team member are individuality, honesty, spontaneity, proactivity, and openness. He values diversity of thought and appreciates team members who bring their unique perspectives to the table. Jack believes that honesty and openness create a foundation of trust within the team, fostering effective communication and collaboration.
Jack also values spontaneity and proactivity, recognizing the importance of adaptability and initiative in a dynamic work environment. He appreciates team members who are proactive in identifying and addressing challenges, as well as those who are willing to take creative risks in pursuit of the team’s goals.
Jack prefers to be part of teams that are united by a singular mission and vision, where each member is committed to working towards a common purpose. He believes that a cohesive team with a shared sense of purpose is essential for achieving success and making a meaningful impact.
Vision for Screen360.TV and Education
Jack has taken many risks, both personally and professionally. One of the most significant professional risks he has taken is betting on himself, investing countless hours into writing books and reaching out to potential contributors for Screen360.TV. Being an entrepreneur or an artist requires a great deal of courage and sacrifice, as Jack knows firsthand. Life is rarely simple, and pursuing one’s passions often means sacrificing free time and comfort to bring a vision to life and convince others to believe in it.
Looking ahead, Jack has ambitious goals for the next five years. He hopes to expand Screen360.TV into more schools across the United States and hire moderators to facilitate multiple courses simultaneously. The plan includes developing unique feedback systems for each film, allowing classrooms worldwide to engage with and learn from each other’s experiences. Early adopter schools will be recognized with badges and stickers, setting an example for others to follow in their pursuit of personal and educational growth.
Jack dreams of opening his own school one day. Here, he envisions teaching students how to become writers while watching foreign films. Through this innovative approach to education, Jack aims to cultivate global leaders who are empathetic, culturally aware, and creative. By connecting curriculum lenses and themes to cinematic storytelling, Jack believes that this type of learning can empower students to become changemakers and positively impact the world around them.
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