Is This Something My Rebbe Would Be Proud of?
Start-Up Innovator Jon Burg Found Direction and Inspiration at Lander College for Men
Jon Burg has always been a visionary. As a strategic marketer, he has helped scale several startups, such as AppsFlyer and Bringg, across unicorn valuations. Currently serving as VP of Strategy at TechSee, he attributes much of his professional success to the foundations he built at Lander College for Men. But for Burg, the lessons he learned weren’t just about success in the business world. They were about values, community, and balance.
“Lander taught us to ask, ‘Is this something my Rebbe would be proud of?’” Burg reflected. This question has served as a guiding principle throughout his career, shaping how he navigates both challenges and opportunities in the workplace. “Lander allowed me to make decisions that aligned with my values and, I hope, contribute to a Kiddush Hashem,” he said.
After spending two years in yeshiva in Israel, Burg sought a college that would allow him to continue the growth he had experienced abroad. “I wanted to be in a place where you could stay in for Shabbos and feel connected to the community,” he said. “We had a great chevra. Shabbos was a lot of fun—the Av Bayit always had cholent and a tish,” he recalled. “I wanted the warmth of yeshiva life as I transitioned into the next phase of my life.”
Lander gave Burg the perfect platform to balance his goals. “The values we adopted in Israel didn’t have to be compromised,” he explained. “You could get your degree and prepare for the professional world without sacrificing your religious growth.” At Lander, spiritual and professional development worked hand in hand. “There was mishmar on Thursday nights, shiur on Sundays, and the weekly mussar shmooze on Fridays. The mashgiach knew your name,” Burg said. Professors knew students personally, offering mentorship not just academically, but for life. “We talked about what careers we were thinking about and they asked, ‘Are you going to find fulfillment—not just religiously, but for the next forty years?’ That kind of guidance was invaluable.”
Burg’s natural entrepreneurial talents thrived in Lander’s environment. He and his friends started clubs, organized events, and even competed in a Battle of the Bands. “We came in second place with our hastily created punk rock Uncle Moishy cover band,” he laughed. But he gained more than just fun experiences. Career-focused events, like alumni speaker nights, provided practical tools for navigating the workplace while maintaining religious observance.
Burg recalled one particular moment from a speaker who shared a creative solution to workplace challenges. “He mentioned that he felt left out at work since he couldn’t eat at non-kosher restaurants with his co-workers. So, he brought an M&M dispenser to his desk, which encouraged his colleagues to stop by. It made him part of the social fabric without compromising his values. That kind of practical advice was incredibly helpful.”
Lander also prepared Burg for the professional demands of the business world. “Because it was a smaller school, professors were the heads of their departments, and you couldn’t coast through any classes,” Burg explained. “When I took economics, I had to really understand what the professor was talking about. That multidisciplinary approach helped me a lot later on. The head of finance taught finance, the head of marketing taught marketing—it was like having an all-star staff. Even if you didn’t major in a subject, you walked away with more than just the principles.”
That mindset of synthesizing information carried him far. Burg became a key voice in the tech industry, first in the US and then by helping multiple companies scale to billion-dollar valuations. He served as Head of Product Marketing at AppsFlyer, leading strategic initiatives that shaped the company’s positioning in the market. At Bringg, he played a pivotal role in crafting global product marketing strategies, customer advocacy programs, and sales enablement processes that drove significant revenue growth.
Prior to his Aliyah, Burg founded and grew Digitas and Publicis Groupe/VivaKi’s social marketing business practice, where he advised Fortune 500 brands on emerging channels and their impact on communications and business operations. In recognition of his efforts, he received the 30 Under 30 award from PR News Magazine for his work on major brands like American Express, Delta Air Lines, Kraft Foods, IBM, and General Motors. “It’s not every day you get to create a brand persona and then see it come to life in celebrity-voiced commercials, or build an industry-first social service center,” he said proudly.
Berg is grateful for the vibrant Lander alumni network, which boasts formal get-togethers, shiurim, and WhatsApp groups, as well as for the close friendships he formed while in school. Even as his career reached new heights, Burg’s connections to Lander remained strong. “We made Aliyah ten years ago, and my Lander chevra is still my chevra,” he said. “The impact of Lander’s unique approach to education continues to resonate. It gave me the freedom to figure out who I wanted to be—not just professionally, but as a Jew. For that, I owe a debt of gratitude.”
Today, as VP of Strategy at TechSee, Burg remains at the forefront of AI-driven customer engagement. His work focuses on integrating AI solutions that enhance user experiences, bridging technology and human interaction in ways that redefine customer service. His expertise in product marketing and strategy continues to shape some of the most innovative advancements in AI-driven business solutions.
Lander College did more than just prepare Jon Burg for a successful career. It gave him the tools to live a life of meaning, rooted in faith and integrity, and to build a career that anyone—rebbe or not—would be proud of.
