Daily Inspiration: Meet Robert Bergman

Today we’d like to introduce you to Robert Bergman.

Hi Robert, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
Born in 1947, my early life started on the lower east side of New York City. By the age of ten, I had already seen the Beat generation, health food stores, marijuana, and street poetry. My neighbors were artists, opera singers, professors, stockbrokers, and writers. My mother was the 5th woman accepted into Hunter College Law School in 1939 and my father was a general contractor in the city. At a relatively early age I was interested in International affairs and in High School was a member of the UN Club. After my University studies, I had a successful career for sixteen years in process control and then in the defense business designing flight simulators for fighter aircraft. This was followed by a 28-year career managing the decision science and strategic planning at Intel.  Over a 45 year career, I have worked on defense projects, JPL deep space probe, strategic planning, marketing, Intel’s early China Strategy, Product Planning, Futuring, and the early (circa 1998) access to the Internet using cable modems, wireless communication as well as satellite communications.

During my time at Intel Corporation, I single parented two children how now have successful careers in engineering/computer science and finance. During the last ten years at Intel, I had responsibility for efforts in International Standards in wireless communications and chaired several subgroups around the world. Chairing and participating in the efforts of international standards provided me with a strong interest in the mediation of cross-cultural disputes and the application of decision analytics to resolving disputes, I retired from Intel ins 2014 but promptly failed at retirement after meeting an aviation certified attorney on a flight back from Washington DC in 2017.

He explained the problems he was experiencing mediating a legal dispute. When I explained my experience utilizing decision science to help resolve international standards disputes we both decided to start NextLevel Mediation. NextLevel Mediation is a software as a service platform that helps mediators and attorneys resolve disputes by helping their clients transition from emotional thinking to critical thinking without calling it critical thinking. I was invited to speak about the effort in 2019, at the Global Legal Forum in the Hague, Netherlands across from the World court. Currently, we have just released our first product.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I would call it a smooth road with a number of potholes. The potholes of course refer to a number of learning experiences whether it was about raising children or understanding a new market requirements when you are in your 70s. Of course, self-funded startups are always difficult because there are no full-time employees and minimum financial resources. Everyone involved has another job and works on the effort in their spare time. One obstacle will be the legal market itself since it is slow at adopting new technology as a rule. Of course, it’s early and the real road is just beginning.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I think we can all agree that disputes are a growing industry (as unfortunate as that might be). Today, approximately 98% percent of civil lawsuits are settled by non-judicial methods—most being private negotiation between the parties, settlement conferences with the court, and various forms of alternative dispute resolution (ADR).   However, in too many cases, mediation is viewed as the last hope in resolving a conflict instead of the first step in a collaborative process. Our software platform is focused on helping mediators and attorneys resolve disputes more effectively and fairly.

How do you think about happiness?
Being somewhat of a Stoic, I define happiness as self-fulfillment in terms of accomplishments and helping others. You can’t change external events; you can only change your mind. I have spent time on charity boards but also as a Vista Volunteer in the 1960’s working to end poverty in various cities around the east coast. I suppose I could define my happiness in terms of making contributions while I am still able.  However, I am most proud and happy with my children, their growth, and their career development. Raising children by myself and worrying about global projects was certainly challenging.

Contact Info:

• Email: robert@nextlevelmediation.com
• Website: https://nextlevelmediation.com/

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