Taking risks in life and being a non-conformist does pay off in life, even though the path is not a bed of roses. While the step might seem dangerous at that instance, it often is a life-changing experience – a generous dose of grit and determination is the secret to growth. This is how David Zhao, an entrepreneur, investor, and activist has turned his dreams into reality.
Zhao, who hails from Shanghai, China, got admitted into the Jerome Fisher Program of The University of Pennsylvania for dual majors in Management and Computer Informational Sciences. Later, he moved to the Wharton School of Business in his sophomore year to focus on his ambitions. While at the University of Pennsylvania, Zhao co-founded the Ivy Capital Management, a student-managed fund that invested into public markets and local ventures.
He is the co-founder and managing partner of NXT Group, an American conglomerate headquartered in New York City. His diverse portfolio includes NXT Factor (full-service digital agency), NXT Local (Food & Dining Franchises such as Chubby Cattle, Xiang Hot Pot & Meet Fresh Desserts), NXT Estate (Real Estate Investment Portfolio in New York, Nevada, and Indiana), NXT VIP (Luxury Lifestyle Service Provider) and NXT Capital (Venture Ccapital Fund/MicroCap Private Equity Fund). In 2014, NXT Factor generated over $15 million in annual revenue for its clients and partners. In 2019, NXT Factor is managing marketing campaigns for clients with combined annual gross revenue of $250MM. In 2018, Zhao’s food and dining franchises such as Chubby Cattle, Meet Fresh Desserts, and Xiang Hotpot (Xiang Tian Xia) generated over $25MM annual revenue combined.
Zhao served as an independent digital marketing professional for several years prior to launching his eCommerce platform – MoreViews, Inc. in 2007. The company specializes in digital development, marketing, and management and was one of the first few to make a breakthrough in social media marketing. Zhao’s mission is to combine innovative and proven marketing solutions to build a comprehensive and cost-effective digital platform for the associated clients. In less than a decade, MoreViews, Inc. managed to build a strong and powerful web presence for its clients. It bagged the position among the top 10 Manhattan Online Marketing service providers in 2014. Later in the same year, it was acquired by NXT Factor.
In 2012, Zhao also co-founded End to Cyber Bullying (ETCB) to prevent people from using cyber technology to harass children and young adults. This includes child pornography, identity theft, and cyberstalking, among others. The organization partnered with Google and Miss New York Organization to spread awareness about such cybercrimes. That’s not all – ETCB also provides help to the victims.
David Zhao brims with ideas and firmly believes that you need to give that extra push to turn ideas into reality. After all, that’s what sets him apart from others.
