From PhD to CEO
George Philip “GP” LeBourdais, Founder & CEO of Didametic, shares how he went from a PhD in Art History and Digital Humanities to building a business that blends education, strategy, and flexibility.
👔 The Job 👔
GP is the Founder & CEO of Didametic, a San Francisco-based educational consulting firm that helps students, schools, and organizations to shape their own future.
He focuses on the marketing, educational consulting, user research, and growth strategy.
Best part of the job:
Flexibility: As founder, he wears many hats, but what he values most is flexibility: the ability to shape his work, collaborate with diverse clients, and set his own direction.
🛣️ The Path 🛣️
GP didn’t just find this role—he created it. After navigating both academic and business environments, he identified a gap and built a company to fill it.
Key steps in his career journey:
PhD ➡️ Postdoc ➡️ Head of Partnerships ➡️ Head of Strategic Initiatives ➡️ Founder & CEO
🧠 The Decision 🧠
Leaving academia wasn’t just a professional pivot—it was a personal and practical choice.
GP made the shift for three key reasons:
Family priorities and the instability of the academic job market
Higher earning potential outside the university system
Desire for broader impact beyond the academy
💡 The Advice 💡
Follow adjacent organizations: Identify companies doing work near your research area. Keeping tabs on them early will help you spot opportunities—and imagine your own future outside academia.
Map your transferable skills: Hiring managers often value project management, communication, and strategic thinking—skills many PhDs already have. Learn how to speak the language of industry.
Reach out to people doing cool things: Networking doesn’t have to feel transactional. Think of it as curiosity with intent—ask people how they got where they are, and learn from their path.
Some people call this networking, but I like to think of it as just reaching out to people who do cool work and telling them that you’re interested in their path and would love to learn more about how they got there.
GP and other super cool PhDs are happy to network with you when you’re ready!
🔑 The Takeaway 🔑
GP’s journey shows that you don’t have to wait for the perfect job—you can build it.
With clarity about your strengths, a pulse on adjacent industries, and a proactive mindset, your PhD can be the launchpad for something entirely your own.
the title suggest a pretty interesting career path : )