Alumnus shares international experiences
Jonas McCracken '93, alumnus and international businessman, shares about his experiences abroad and how those experiences have impacted his current success.
Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School alumnus Jonas McCracken ‘93 came to campus on Friday, October 19, to speak to the Upper School students about how learning foreign languages has been key to his success as an international businessman. Mr. McCracken is the COO at good2grow, a company based out of Atlanta, GA with the mission of providing healthy drinks for kids. He and his family currently reside in Atlanta.
A Rabun County native, Mr. McCracken grew up very close to Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School and was a day student from 1991-1993. It was here at Rabun Gap that Mr. McCracken first developed a love for the Spanish language. He was part of the work program at the school.
After graduating, he went to Presbyterian College, where he received a Bachelor of Arts with a major in Spanish and minor in English. During his time in school, he had several opportunities to do study abroad programs in Spain and he fell in love with the country. As a study abroad student, he lived with families who took him in and made him part of the family. He is still very close with them.
“The people that you meet and the experiences that you share will stay with you forever,” said Mr. McCracken.
While in Spain, he was totally removed from the English language and shared about how he struggled with the Spanish language. Eventually, he learned to speak Spanish fluently with lots of practice and after many mistakes.
When he finished school in 1997, his desire to return to Spain was strong. With $2000 in his bank account, Mr. McCracken’s father bought him a one-way ticket, telling him that he would not pay for his return flight - a challenge to make a way for himself. Mr. McCracken left for Spain on his own without a job or even a place to stay when he arrived. He allowed himself to stay in a hotel room for only one night, giving himself less than a day to find a place to live.
“I don’t know where my courage came from,” reflected Mr. McCracken.
He was able to find an apartment with several other international young men and was able to make a meager living by teaching English, gaining clients by posting flyers around the town he lived in. He lived off of few provisions during this time but was happy. He had the opportunity to explore the country, immerse himself in the culture, and even learn Flamenco dancing.
“It wasn’t lavish, but I loved it,” shared Mr. McCracken.
A year after moving to Spain, he was beginning to run out of money and had to make the hard decision to return to the United States to start a career. He moved in with his aunt in Atlanta and began to look around for a job in international business.
“My Spanish skills caused a lot of interest,” said Mr. McCracken.
At the age of 24, he started as a receptionist with good2grow when it was a startup and has stayed there for 20 years. He has received several promotions since starting with the company; he was named COO in 2011 and is now a partner in the organization. Throughout his time at good2grow, he has had the opportunity to work and live in Mexico City and Hong Kong. He says that one of his greatest achievements has been moving production back from China to the United States.
Mr. McCracken encouraged the dozens of students in attendance to not overlook the possibility of working at a startup and urged them to pursue their passion in life. Mr. McCracken is one of many Rabun Gap’s successful alumni who have made an impact abroad.
Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School
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Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School is a private, coeducational day and boarding school for grades Pre-K through 12. Centrally located between Atlanta, GA, Greenville, SC, and Asheville, NC, we prepare young people for college, career, and a lifetime of leadership and service.
