Meet Nate Johnson: Chief Experience Officer, Storyteller, and Missouri Startup Weekend Mentor

From growing Apple’s market share among college students to leading LinkedIn’s consumer marketing pre- and post-IPO, Nate Johnson has spent the last two decades helping some of the world’s most influential tech companies grow—and keep—millions of users. Today, as Chief Experience Officer at Veterans United, Nate focuses on helping veterans build lasting relationships with the company that helps them achieve homeownership.

But behind the titles and milestones is someone who was drawn to the “why” behind human behavior long before joining the tech world. “I’ve always been curious about what makes people tick—what grabs their attention, builds trust, and gets them to take action,” Nate says.

Originally from Silicon Valley, Nate earned his history degree with honors from Middlebury College, where he got his first taste of leadership as an assistant dean of student affairs. He later pursued his MBA at the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business, sharpening his skills in marketing and entrepreneurship. Those years in Vermont and Ann Arbor–learning how institutions make decisions and how to influence change—served him well when transitioning to high-stakes roles at Apple and Google.

But it was during his tenure at LinkedIn where Nate says a light bulb went off.

“At LinkedIn, we realized that growth wasn’t just about adding users—it was about creating real, lasting value that kept people coming back.”

His time at LinkedIn helped the company grow through one of its most formative periods, scaling engagement across 100+ million members and spearheading marketing campaigns that became cornerstones of LinkedIn’s brand story.

Nate later moved to Path, where he helped scale one of the most popular mobile-only social networks of its time, growing daily active users from 500K to over 5 million. As CMO at Realtor.com, he led the company’s post-acquisition turnaround under News Corp, nearly tripling user growth and elevating brand awareness to record highs.

“I like to say that 90% of the decisions in my department shouldn’t be made by me,” Nate reflects. “The best ideas come from unlocking the potential of the team, not from a top-down approach.”

Now in Missouri at Veterans United, Nate blends two decades of Silicon Valley experience with a mission-driven mindset—helping build not just products, but trust. Under his leadership, Veterans United has helped over half a million veterans achieve homeownership while continuing to innovate the mortgage space. We’re excited to bring Nate to Missouri Startup Weekend this year as a mentor.

“Missouri has an underrated startup scene with some really exciting ideas coming out of it, and I wanted to be part of that momentum. Startup Weekend is a unique opportunity because it’s a pressure cooker for innovation—teams go from idea to pitch in a matter of days. That kind of fast-paced problem-solving is where I thrive, and I love helping founders refine their thinking, avoid common pitfalls, and gain confidence in their vision.”

Q&A With Nate Johnson

What’s your approach to mentoring? When teams come to you for advice, how do you guide them? My approach is a mix of listening, challenging, and simplifying. First, I listen—really listen—to what they’re trying to build and where they’re stuck. Then, I challenge their assumptions. Founders are often too close to their idea, so I help them zoom out and see blind spots. Finally, I focus on simplifying. The best startups solve one clear problem really well, so I guide them toward clarity—whether that’s refining their pitch, focusing on the right metrics, or making their value proposition undeniable.

Any recent Veterans United milestones you’d like to share? Absolutely! One thing I’m especially proud of is how we continue to innovate in the homebuying experience. We recently hit a major milestone in helping more than a half million Veterans achieve homeownership, which is at the heart of what we do. Beyond that, we’re always looking for ways to make the process even more seamless—whether through technology, customer support, or better education. It’s exciting to be part of a team that’s constantly raising the bar for what’s possible in the mortgage space.

What’s a common mistake startups make when trying to grow? One of the biggest mistakes is chasing growth before product-market fit. Too often, startups try to scale through paid acquisition or aggressive marketing before truly nailing their core value proposition. If users don’t stick around, it’s not a marketing problem—it’s a product problem. The best growth strategies amplify something people already love, so the focus should be on retention first. If you can’t get organic traction, no amount of paid growth will fix it.

What’s a piece of outdated technology you miss? I miss the original iPod. There was something magical about a device that only played music—no notifications, no distractions, just your perfectly curated library. It was the world’s most sophisticated mixtape. And that click wheel! It was like the fidget spinner of the early 2000s, oddly satisfying and deeply comforting.

What’s a startup idea you wish someone would build? I’m hyper focused on customer retention and loyalty. So a single app that consolidates all your loyalty points, airline miles, and cashback rewards across brands, letting you track and redeem them more easily. It could also suggest optimal ways to use your points for maximum value.

If you could switch careers for a day, what would you do? I’d be a golf course architect. The idea of designing a course that’s both beautiful and strategically challenging is fascinating. Blending landscape, history, and playability to create something that golfers will love for generations—that would be an amazing way to spend a career.

What’s your ideal Saturday morning? Cooking a creative breakfast for my three girls, then heading to the farmer’s market to soak up the community vibe and get my knives sharpened! After that, it’s all about tailgating before a Mizzou football game—great food, good company, and the perfect way to spend a fall weekend.

What are you most excited about for Missouri Startup Weekend? "Meeting new entrepreneurs and seeing how I can bring two decades of Silicon Valley product and marketing experience to the growing scene in the Midwest."