Lynx CEO and co-founder Sylvie Milverton shares her founder’s story with insights on leadership, innovation, and the unexpected joys of building a business step-by-step.
Can you please introduce yourself?
I was born in Canada and moved with my family to Philadelphia when I was eight years old. I have an international background: my father is a French pied-noir from Algeria, my mother is from Philadelphia, and my husband is Australian—we met in DC. My son was born while we were living in Mexico, and after Mexico, we moved to Miami. For the past seven and a half years, we’ve been living in France.
These days, my passions include tackling complex baking projects, cultivating my large vegetable garden, and enjoying word puzzles with my family.
What inspired you to transition from roles in finance and operations to co-founding Lynx?
A little by accident and a little by design! For years, I admired the U.S. business model of offering education as an employee benefit—how companies use high-quality education to tackle challenges like employee turnover, talent attraction, and skills gaps. I became deeply passionate about this concept and connected with investors and others pursuing similar ideas. During the pandemic, while contemplating my next move, I realized it would be a life dream to build a company that addressed these issues to benefit workers, education providers, and employers. It felt like a “now or never” moment!
What have been some of the most unexpected lessons you’ve learned from the experience of leading Lynx?
One of the most unexpected lessons has been understanding just how iterative building a company truly is—it’s never an all-or-nothing process. I used to picture a moment when everything would feel like smooth sailing after reaching a key milestone. But once we got there, we were already focused on the next challenge. One day there’s nothing, then there’s a product, then one customer, then more—and suddenly, it’s all happening, step by step. I now fully understand what people mean when they say building a business is a marathon, not a sprint.
As a CEO, what core values drive your leadership? How do you foster a culture of innovation at Lynx?
Transparency and excellence are the core values that drive my leadership. I believe in doing things in a straightforward way, with all the facts on the table, so everyone understands the goals and feels empowered to contribute. At the same time, fostering a culture of high standards ensures we achieve meaningful results. By combining transparency with a space where people can test, fail, and try again, we create an environment that encourages innovation and continuous improvement.
Are there any personal habits or routines that have been instrumental to your success as a leader?
To be an effective leader, I need to stay calm—and for me, calm comes from feeling organized. This has been especially important in the early stages of building Lynx, where I need to balance high-level strategic thinking with completing the many tasks required to deliver results. Establishing a simple routine has been key: I track company tasks in Notion and sync my personal tasks and calendar using a tool like Sunsama, which helps me structure my day.
Another unexpected discovery has been the power of peer support groups, like those organized by YPO. I meet with my group (“cube”) once a month, and it’s been transformative. These meetings offer a space to receive support, share experiences, and give back to others—something that’s made a huge difference in my leadership journey.
If you could wake up tomorrow having gained one new skill, what would it be — and why?
I’d love to wake up as a skilled dancer! Watching people move gracefully and spin in perfect coordination seems like such a joyful and relaxing way to disconnect. Unfortunately, my brain just isn’t wired for that—but in my imagination, coordinated dancing would be the perfect way to disconnect and let go.
