It’s not like Mike Hanson was looking for a new job. He had already spent 23 years working at Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory and “could easily have worked there for another 20 years.” But then a chance meeting with one of the founders of Elysium Industries—a young company dedicated to building nuclear power plants that are smaller, safer, and less expensive than traditional ones—led to a surprise job offer. The 59-year-old researcher suddenly had a choice: stick with his secure position, or opt for a riskier job at a startup where he could “do something positive for the world.”
I’m really amazed at how people respond when you’re willing to give them advice and teach them something.
Hanson couldn’t be happier that he chose the latter. The WeWork South Station member loves working in an office filled with “people excited to be working on something together.” And the company is attracting others in his field, who are sending in resumes despite the fact that no job listings have been posted. “The fish are jumping into the boat,” Hanson says. “We don’t have to recruit them at all.” The best part, he says, is learning from the people he hires, many of them just out of college. “They are graduating with way more in their heads than when I graduated,” says Hanson. “The point is I’m learning a lot from the people I’m mentoring. It’s the best feeling.”