Awakening Lifelong Growth: An Exclusive Conversation with Eliran Bar, CEO and Co-Founder of JORNY

I had the chance to chat with Eliran Bar, who’s the CEO and co-founder of JORNY. Eliran is a visionary entrepreneur and adventurer who founded JORNY to awaken a movement of lifelong growth for mid-lifers.

With a deep commitment to personal development, Eliran has led global initiatives that nurture and expand the soul, spirit, body, and mind.

His journey spans roles as a Senior Executive and leader in various executive positions, including as VP of the Kabbalah Centre International, where community members were guided through programs that touched lives across the globe.

What motivated you to launch your startup?

Through JORNY, Eliran weaves together his passion for exploration and spiritual growth, creating a global community where mid-lifers can embark on transformative journeys of connection and self-discovery.

The JORNY concept really came from the personalities of me and my brother. Besides being brothers, we both have a strong foundation of self-improvement, lifelong learning, and pushing our limits.

I, for example, fly airplanes for fun, I’m a Divemaster with almost every scuba diving certification out there, and I’ve dived in pretty much every corner of the world. I’m also a big travel enthusiast — I’ve been to over 70 countries, a lot of them as a solo motorcyclist, facing all kinds of weather and challenges while riding across continents. On top of all that, I’ve been an athlete for a long time, competing in Ironman and Triathlon races.

I’m 51, and when I look at the upcoming second half of my life, I don’t see it as retirement like most people. I’m not going to ‘count down’ my years. To me, it’s going to be the best part of my life, a time to truly explore myself and the world, make new friends, share my passions with others, and keep working while doing it all. These experiences and this vision have inspired the concept and drive behind JORNY.

What is it that excites you about what you’re building?

The more we dug in, the more we understood the huge needs in the market. The world is changing, and so are the generations. It’s no secret that people today are living longer, healthier, and wealthier lives. We’ve got an extra 30 years of quality life, but many of us still have a mindset shaped by our parents’ and their parents’ generations.

Forty years ago, being 60 meant you were old. Today, 75-year-olds are still hitting the ski slopes!

That’s what’s exciting.

Knowing that we’re the first in the world to offer a solution for future generations, helping people expand their circle of friends, discover new growth opportunities, find new purpose in life, and broaden their horizons with new experiences and adventures — that’s the real excitement, not just for me, but for our entire team at JORNY.

We’re here to redefine retirement and turn it into a time that people are eager to start.

What has been your biggest challenge when growing your startup?

Starting a startup comes with a host of challenges from various angles. These range from recruiting the right team on a limited budget, without a track record to attract top talent, to navigating fundraising complexities, including legal structures and investor relations. Additionally, you need to shape your concept, understand the market and competitors, and refine your value proposition.

However, for me, the biggest challenge was balancing innovation with practicality.

We wanted to push boundaries and offer something truly unique, but we also needed to make sure that our business model was straightforward, easy to grasp, and could be effectively communicated on our website.

Finding this balance has been a key part of our daily operations and a big factor in what’s gotten us this far.

What are your future plans for your startup?

By the end of the year, after completing our online phase, we will wrap up negotiations with key community platforms and business partners currently in our pipeline.

This will allow us to take things to the next level by launching our concept on the ground. We will open our first locations and fully implement our concept, programs, and community-building initiatives, setting the stage for our significant growth.

If you had to share “words of wisdom” with a Founder who’s about to start their own startup, what would they be?

The startup world is tough, constantly changing, and unpredictable. If you’re not finding creative ways to tackle challenges, adapt to new situations, and reinvent yourself daily — sometimes a number of times a day — you might need to bring on a co-founder who can.

How can our readers follow you on social media?

www.linkedin.com/in/eliran-bar-99364294

This was very insightful. Thank you so much for joining us!

Thank you for having me. I hope the JORNY story was interesting for everyone, and I hope I was able to offer some useful insights for other founders and entrepreneurs.