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Jake Croman is an emerging entrepreneur and co-founder of The Eddie Croman Foundation, a nonprofit charity which financially assists the medical expenses of underserved families with ill or disabled dogs and pets. As a subsidiary of the larger nonprofit organization, Frankie’s Friends, The Eddie Croman Fund has raised thousands of dollars for animal health and well-being.
Croman also holds a unique business background, using his entrepreneurial prowess to become an independent agent in the music and entertainment industry in high school, connecting mid-range music artists with talent agencies and bookers at local NYC venues. Here he quickly developed the expertise that fostered crucial fundraising strategies, valuable negotiation skills and a network that helped him grow the Eddie Croman Foundation. As a student at the University of Michigan — Ann Arbor, Croman is a major in American History with a concentration on Jewish studies in WWII, offering him a unique perspective into our current media landscape. A primary entrepreneurial focus of Croman’s is to offer advice toward young, college entrepreneurs while promoting innovations that foster Millennial talent within today’s workforce.
Jake Croman’s principles drive his entrepreneurial efforts. He strongly believes that anyone can make a charitable difference in the world through hard work and dedication. Many of his thought leadership articles, geared towards Millennials and the workplace, provide expertise on how to leverage entrepreneurial skills. He has contributed his entrepreneurial insights to major online publications like Entrepreneur, VentureBeat and SCORE.org.
In his free time, Jake Croman enjoys spending time with his family and friends and giving back to the Jewish community.
City: New York City, NY
Favorite Quote: “Great things in business are never done by one person. They’re done by a team of people.” – Steve Jobs
Tell us about The Eddie Croman Foundation. How did you come up with the idea for The Eddie Croman Foundation?
We formed the idea for The Eddie Croman Foundation when our dog, Eddie, was diagnosed with an irregular heartbeat and passed away at 17 years old. It was incredibly hard to go through the process, but our pain was mirrored when we saw other families go through the same experiences with their pets at the vet. However, we saw these families frequently didn’t have the means to afford their pet bills which was heartbreaking. Our family wanted to help other families cherish those moments with their pets, so we decided to create a fund to help families afford their pet bills.
How have you been able to grow your charity? Please give specifics.
Fundraising and networking initiatives have helped us spread awareness for our charity’s cause. Since, I have some background in fundraising, our ability to reach out to others through engaging campaigns has helped our charity grow thus far.
What do you wish more people knew about the work that you do?
We’re truly in this business to help others and offer solutions to underserved families and pets within the animal healthcare. We hope that shows through our passion and fundraising via The Eddie Croman Foundation.
What do you think you do better than most people? How are you able to do it?
I think we’re able to utilize the empathy we have for others and genuinely leverage our relationship with underserved communities who need financial assistance with their vet bills. I think our compassion towards families and our animals helps our charity work stand out. Even with emerging technologies, it’s incredibly important to foster relationships with others. Reach out often.
What would you say was one of your biggest mistakes as an entrepreneur, and how did you learn from it?
I’ve learned you always have to be on the same page as any business partner. Some of my business failures, like within the music industry, occurred when me and my business partner had different visions and goals. It’s important to not get sucked into the hype or the superficiality of business. Make sure you do your due diligence and are in business to help others, not just to excel for yourself.
What is your favorite book?
I loved reading The Steve Jobs Autobiography; a truly motivating read.
Where do you hope to see The Eddie Croman Foundation or any of your other entrepreneurial goals resulting in a few years? What do you want for yourself?
In a few years I’d like to grow The Eddie Croman Foundation across the United States. It’s my dream to see if we can help spearhead the foundation by connecting with revolutionary pet health technology. In terms of my other entrepreneurial goals, I’d like to create a company that foster more ethical business standards and healthy workplace environments through emerging technologies, so we can become more innovative and productive.
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