21 Jul Why I Chose to Build Again
What Leaving Magnus Health Taught Me About Leadership, Partnerships, and Finding What’s Next
Published July 2026 • 7 minute read
@call_me_bbk
“Sometimes the biggest career move isn’t taking the next job—it’s finding the next opportunity to build.”
What’s Next?
After spending more than fifteen years helping build Careflow and later Magnus Health, I found myself asking a question that many founders and operators eventually face:
What’s next?
When Magnus was acquired, I had already made peace with two very different outcomes—staying or leaving.
Looking back, I think that’s one of the most important decisions an executive can make long before an acquisition ever happens.
Anyone who has helped build a company knows that acquisitions are bittersweet. You’re proud of what you’ve accomplished because you’ve spent years working toward that moment, but you’re also saying goodbye to a chapter of your life. Magnus wasn’t just where I worked—it was a team, a mission, and years of relationships that helped shape who I became as a leader.
If you’re helping build a company with the goal of eventually raising capital or being acquired, don’t wait until the deal closes to decide what success looks like afterward.
I had already decided that I would be okay either way.
That gave me clarity.
Leaving Magnus wasn’t about walking away from education or technology.
It wasn’t about chasing another title.
It was about finding another opportunity to build.
I’ve always loved taking an idea, creating a strategy, building a team, and turning potential into something meaningful.
That passion didn’t end when Magnus was acquired.
It simply needed a new place to grow.
“I’ve never been motivated by the next job. I’ve always been motivated by the next challenge.”
Finding SchoolSims
That search eventually brought me to Pennovation Works at the University of Pennsylvania.
Pennovation is exactly what great innovation ecosystems should be—a place where entrepreneurs, educators, investors, and builders collide.
It’s also where I met Ken Spero.
From our very first conversation, I recognized something special.
Ken had spent decades becoming one of the leading experts in simulation-based learning.
He understood something many people overlook—that people learn best by doing, reflecting, and practicing, not simply by listening.
What also stood out was his frustration.
SchoolSims had exceptional customer feedback.
The product was solving real problems.
Educators loved it.
Yet it hadn’t reached the scale he believed it deserved.
As we talked, I realized something.
This wasn’t a product problem.
It was a growth opportunity.
“Great products don’t always fail because of the product. Sometimes they simply need the right operating system.”
Why It Worked
My background wasn’t simulation design.
It was building companies.
Over the years I had learned how to create repeatable systems around sales, marketing, customer success, product management, and operations.
Working with Turn/River Capital also taught me how to evaluate businesses quickly—where they were strong, where they were stuck, and what operational changes could unlock the next stage of growth.
The more Ken and I talked, the more obvious our partnership became.
Ken understood what educators needed.
I understood how to build a company capable of delivering it at scale.
Neither one of us could have built today’s SchoolSims alone.
Together, however, our strengths complemented each other.
“Great partnerships aren’t built because two people think alike. They’re built because each brings something the other doesn’t.”
Building Again
Joining SchoolSims wasn’t about repeating what I had done before.
In many ways, it meant becoming a builder all over again.
Every growing company eventually reaches the same point.
Vision has to become execution.
Product has to connect with the market.
Customer feedback has to shape the roadmap.
Ideas have to become systems.
Those are the problems I enjoy solving.
Over the past several years we’ve worked to transform SchoolSims from an innovative simulation platform into a scalable SaaS business focused on experiential learning.
Today, SchoolSims partners with institutions across the country to help educators develop confidence through authentic practice and AI-powered coaching.
Lessons Along the Way
This chapter of my career reinforced three ideas that continue to shape how I lead.
Great partnerships outperform individual brilliance.
The best companies aren’t built by superheroes.
They’re built by teams whose strengths complement each other.
Visionaries.
Operators.
Subject matter experts.
Builders.
Everyone has a role.
Respect expertise.
One of the greatest leadership lessons I’ve learned is knowing when not to be the expert.
I didn’t need to become the world’s authority on educator preparation.
Ken already was.
My responsibility was helping amplify his expertise—not replace it.
AI should make people better.
Artificial intelligence is transforming nearly every industry.
But I don’t believe education’s future is replacing educators.
I believe it’s helping educators become better.
The most exciting applications of AI help people practice, reflect, receive coaching, and improve.
That’s the future we’re building toward.
“Technology should amplify human potential—not replace it.”
Life Beyond SchoolSims
While SchoolSims remains my primary professional focus, some of the experiences that have shaped me the most happen outside the office.
One of the greatest privileges at this stage of my career is giving back to the next generation of leaders.
Executive-in-Residence | York College of Pennsylvania
As an Executive-in-Residence at York College, I work with students and faculty to bridge the gap between the classroom and the real world. I enjoy sharing lessons from building and scaling companies, discussing leadership, entrepreneurship, and technology, and helping students better understand what life looks like after graduation.
Student Mentor
I’m also passionate about mentoring students one-on-one. My goal is simple: help students achieve their goals.
Whether that’s landing an internship, preparing for their first job, building a professional network, navigating career decisions, or simply having someone they can call for advice, I enjoy helping students gain the confidence and connections they need to succeed. Some of the most rewarding moments come years later, when I see former mentees thriving in their careers and know I played a small role in helping them get there.
Weinstock Venture Investment Fund
I also work with the Weinstock Venture Investment Fund, where I help students evaluate startup opportunities and think like entrepreneurs and investors. It’s exciting to watch students learn how to analyze businesses, ask better questions, and understand what it really takes to build a successful company.
In addition to my work with York College, I serve on the Marketing Advisory Board at West Chester University and on the Board of Directors for Family Service of Chester County. I also enjoy supporting Good Samaritan Services whenever I can—an organization dedicated to helping individuals and families move from housing insecurity and homelessness to long-term stability through housing, case management, counseling, financial education, and personalized support.
These opportunities allow me to stay connected to education, give back to my local community, and work alongside organizations that are making a meaningful difference in people’s lives. They’ve also reinforced something I’ve come to believe deeply: leadership isn’t just about building successful companies—it’s about creating opportunities, serving others, and helping people reach their full potential.
Outside of work and volunteering, you’ll usually find me on a tennis court.
For most of my life, soccer was my passion. Eventually, my body reminded me it was time for something new, and learning tennis has been a humbling experience. It reminded me what it feels like to be a beginner again—to embrace mistakes, enjoy the process of improving, and trust that consistent effort pays off.
Those lessons apply just as much to leadership and entrepreneurship as they do to sports.
Some of my best ideas don’t come from sitting behind a desk. They come from conversations with students, mentoring founders, playing tennis, or simply taking the time to connect with people.
I’ve learned that while building companies is incredibly rewarding, helping other people build their futures may be even more meaningful.
Looking Ahead
One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is that careers rarely unfold exactly as we plan.
The opportunities that define us usually don’t arrive with perfect timing or a detailed roadmap.
They begin with a conversation.
A relationship.
A shared vision.
And the willingness to say yes before you know exactly where the journey will lead.
Looking back, that’s exactly what happened when I met Ken.
I’m grateful I said yes.
Because I have a feeling the best chapters are still ahead.
“The best opportunities rarely arrive with a roadmap. They begin with a conversation, a shared vision, and the courage to say yes.”
You can reach me at brianbk1974@gmail.com with any questions or to schedule a conversation.