What does real success look like when you’re trying to stay grounded as a Ben Torah?
In this episode of Shtark Tank, I sat down with Laizer Kornwasser — CEO of DrFirst, professor at Yeshiva University, and Chairman of NCSY — for a wide-ranging conversation about ambition, pressure, leadership, and the Torah ideas that shape how we show up at work and in life.
Laizer shares stories from investment banking and the C-suite, including how he learned to earn his “seat at the table” through facts, results, and humility. We talk about drawing clear lines when work clashes with Shabbos, why most people aren’t cut out for investment banking, and how to define success in a way that protects your priorities.
Then we shift into a deep dive on the Altar of Slabodka: Gadlus HaAdam, EQ vs IQ, gratitude, and the power of seeing each person as an individual with real potential.
And yes — we get into the now-famous practice: why Laizer handwrites 1,000 New Year’s cards and sends personal thank-you messages one-by-one, and what it teaches about hakaras hatov, relationships, and leadership.
In this episode, we cover:
Why investment banking is “not cut out for most people”
What “success” really means when you’re trying to grow in Yiddishkeit
The importance of knowing your line in the sand (and not crossing it)
A real story: a CEO tried to push Shabbos boundaries — and Laizer’s response
“Facts, not emotion”: how to communicate with different personalities
The Altar of Slabodka’s approach to building people, not just teaching Torah
EQ as a Jewish leadership skill, not just a business buzzword
Why Laizer sends personal thank-yous instead of mass messages
Chesed that actually changes you (not just “check-writing”)
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