Alexandra Fung ’08, Co-founder and CEO, Upparent
Alexandra Fung ’08, Co-founder and CEO, Upparent
Alexandra Fung ’08, co-founder of Upparent, took an unconventional path from public interest law to entrepreneurship—one shaped as much by professional purpose as by personal experience. After beginning her career representing unaccompanied immigrant children, Alexandra found herself searching for greater flexibility as a parent, ultimately leading her to build Upparent, a platform designed to help families share trusted recommendations with one another. In this interview, she reflects on how her time at NYU Law prepared her for start-up life, the challenges of navigating risk as a lawyer-turned-founder, and the lessons she’s learned in building a mission-driven company from the ground up.
What made you decide to pursue a career in entrepreneurship/venture capital/start-ups after NYU Law?
Though I’d never have guessed it at the time, having my daughter during my second year of law school is what ultimately set me on an unexpected path toward entrepreneurship. I went to NYU Law committed to doing public interest work, and landed my dream job representing unaccompanied immigrant children at a legal services nonprofit just after graduation. I loved my work, but over the years, I increasingly found that I needed more flexibility than my traditional work schedule allowed. I was parenting two young children, and wanted to be present for them in a way that was not possible at the job I held then.
That was when a fortuitous opportunity presented itself: joining a friend in an entrepreneurial venture to create a platform where parents could share tips and recommendations for kids’ activities and family life. Though I had never considered starting my own business, I was drawn to the idea of doing something totally new, and creating a valuable resource for myself and other parents—not to mention the inherent flexibility of being my own boss. And that’s how Upparent.com was born!
How did NYU Law prepare you for this career?
I am so grateful for the many opportunities I had at NYU Law to explore the different ways a lawyer can serve the public interest, from direct services to research policy, litigation, and more. Access to various experiential learning opportunities, such as clinics, internships, and student groups—all supported by excellent professors and experienced attorneys—allowed me to develop my skills as a lawyer thoughtfully and intentionally. And since these lawyering skills are naturally transferable to any number of career and life experiences, I have called on them countless times as I’ve worked to develop, launch, and market Upparent. The ability to think creatively, plan methodically, and communicate effectively are all skills I rely on regularly as I navigate the unknowns and unexpected turns of running my own business, and NYU Law gave me the space and expert support to flex and hone those essential skills.
Why do you think lawyers find success in this career path?
Lawyers are excellent problem solvers. By training, and often by nature, we excel at issue-spotting, and approach problems analytically to develop effective, creative solutions. Being an entrepreneur means facing many unknowns, and the ability to approach these unknowns with a clear, analytical mind is crucial to success in any new venture.
What was the biggest challenge you faced as a lawyer in this career path?
My biggest challenge as a lawyer-turned-entrepreneur has been finding a way to become more comfortable with risk. I am risk-averse by nature, and while I think it generally makes me a better lawyer to proceed with the care, caution, and attention to detail that come naturally to me, risk is inherent in entrepreneurship and is often necessary to advance innovative ideas. Becoming more comfortable with taking risks has been challenging, but the process has made me more flexible in my thinking and approach to challenges and opportunities, helping me grow both personally and as a business owner.
What is the most important thing students should do while they are still in law school to prepare themselves for a career in entrepreneurship, in venture capital or at a start-up?
I am a big believer in the value of learning by doing, and that’s especially true when you have the opportunity to learn by doing, along with the privilege of time, space, and support to be thoughtful and intentional about what you are learning. NYU Law offers some incredible clinical and experiential learning opportunities for law students, and I highly recommend everyone take advantage of these as much as possible.
There is truly no better time to develop excellent habits—and to dig into the why of what you are doing—than during your time in school. This is true in law as much as in business, and I would urge students to look for opportunities to gain practical experience wherever they can while they have professors and experts in the field to guide them along the way.
What was the most important lesson you learned in your career thus far?
The most important lesson I’ve learned from my delightfully unexpected career path is to always keep an open mind, and not be afraid to try something new or totally different than you might have envisioned. And that’s true at any stage in your career! When a majority of my classmates had their firm jobs lined up well before graduation, I was scrambling to apply to any fellowships I could find while keeping an eye out for the random, rare openings at various public interest organizations—one of which actually came through just before graduation! And when I felt I needed to make a change to accommodate other priorities in life, I was able to step away from a career I loved to do something completely new and unexpected, which has brought me great joy, new skills, and confidence in my ability to strike out on my own to build something that matters to me. Know what matters to you, and don’t be afraid to veer away from your expected path to make it happen.
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