How This Nasdaq Leader Went From Intern To CEOAnd How You Could, Too

How This Nasdaq Leader Went From Intern To CEOAnd How You Could, TooHow This Nasdaq Leader Went From Intern To CEOAnd How You Could, TooAdena Friedman is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Nasdaq. Chances are, youve probably heard of the company, which started out managing the worlds first electronic stock market.Friedman began zu sich career at Nasdaq after graduating from Vanderbilts MBA program. Looking for her way into both finance and the product management side of the tech world, she landed an internship at Nasdaq. Shes since seen (and overseen) the companys evolution from stock exchange to global technology leader.WayUp Co-founder and CEO Liz Wessel sat down with Friedman to learn mora about Nasdaq, her story, and how you could be the next intern-turned-CEO (with her advice).What Is Nasdaq?Nasdaq originally stood for the National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations. It welches an electronic quotation system (providing potential buyers with stock pr ices) and the worlds first electronic stock market.Being the more technologically adept stock exchange, Nasdaq also manages the Nasdaq Composite, whichlike other industrial averagestracks the combined stock prices of major technology companies. Traders and economists use the Nasdaq composite as a bellwether for the health of what is arguably Americas most important industry tech.But Nasdaq has evolved a lot over the years. Theyre a leader in technology in financial services, working on integrating everything from artificial intelligence to the blockchain technology behind digital currencies into exchanges.It really is a technology product company in the financial space, Friedman explains to Liz.Essentially, Nasdaq works on everything that changes the way financial markets work. If theres a new technology that affects trading, pricing, or transactions, you can safely bet that Nasdaq already offers it (or its in the works).Thats what excites Friedman so much about being its leader She grew up alongside the company, and theyve both come a long way since her first day at Nasdaq.How Adena Friedman Went From Intern To CEOFriedman credits her success to not only seizing every opportunity but also adding something more to them.As Friedman sees it, you cant just do whats asked of you. You have to understand the business and go above and beyond in yur work to make sure youre genuinely adding something to the companys value. That kind of holistic business curiosity is something Friedman says she values in all her employeesno matter what their roles are.Something that we look for in all our candidates is intellectual curiosity We look for people who want to understand more about the world around them. We look for people who want to understand more about the capital markets and how they shape the economy, Friedman says.Friedman and Nasdaq hope that this viewpoint will influence the way potential employees do their jobs. That sort of forward-looking thinking is how she mana ged to advance her career (plus Nasdaqs entire profile and service portfolio).Friedmans climb up the corporate ladder took her to the CFO role at the exchange, followed by a stint at a private equity firm. When she returned to Nasdaq, she did so as their President and Chief Operating Officer (COO). In January 2017, Friedman was promoted to the role of Chief Executive Officer.And you could be next.One of the great things about Nasdaq is that you can find your way into the organization through one group, and move to other parts of the company, Friedman says. However, those moves and promotions wont come for free.You have to have your own sense of self-reliance, self-starting, she says.Interested in following Friedmans philosophy of holistic business thinking and taking the entrepreneurial initiative for a company thats always growing? Check out fun facts, videos, and amazing opportunities from Nasdaq on WayUp right now