A Winding Path to an MBA
The thought of getting an MBA didn’t strike while I was to baking a Bavarian pretzel from scratch nor did a moment of clarity fall from the sky while perfecting my barbacoa recipe. My path to getting an MBA percolated over time.
Whether I was in client meetings in Nashville, attending Product summits in Tokyo, or leading Customer Experience workshops in New York City I found myself most enthralled when given the opportunity to ask questions to audiences far outside the traditional marketing remit.
I love asking dumb questions to smart people and insightful questions to folks that I’ve never worked with before. Earning an MBA is all about being a cross-pollination expert, blending the world of design, creativity, technology, and business is my sweet spot.
The Download
I was born and raised in Greater Boston. After high school, I decided to venture to the tundra-like confines of Syracuse University. While there was a dual major in Advertising and Marketing, enrolled in both the Communication and Business schools. While many colleagues aspired to have a commercial debut during the Super Bowl I was enthralled by a different goal, crafting immersive and magnetic brand experiences.
I’ve spent the last 5+ years in New York City working on Madison Ave. As a brand strategist, I’ve played a role in launching products and campaigns for brands like L’Oréal, Nissan, TD Bank GoDaddy, and McDonald’s. It’s always exciting seeing Tim Tebow, Brie Larson or Rey from Star Wars bring to life a project you were tirelessly laboring over.
I recently traded the Madison Ave swagger for a life on the brand side. I started at Wayfair the day after my first Access Weekend… talk about drinking through the firehose! As a Senior Brand Manager, I’m tasked with both sparking growth and developing a creative north star for Birch Lane. Birch Lane is a specialty retailer upstart within Wayfair. As a part-time MBA student at Tepper, I know my classroom experiences will directly ladder to the challenges I’ll face in my full-time role.
When I’m not Staring at a Screen
I am an avid at-home chef especially since my current kitchen arrangement is now human-sized in
Boston vs action-figure proportioned like it was in NYC. I’m a lover and crier of spicy foods and thoroughly enjoy trying new fusion restaurants around the city. I am an (unverified) early adopter of at-home artisan bread baking. In addition, I enjoy waking up exceptionally early to play golf or run on weekends.
Off into the Horizon
My goal is to be a chief marketer/experience officer for a culturally exciting national brand. I would value the challenge of reimagining a traditional marketing role and conjuring up new ways to ignite growth and leverage customer insights. I want to be a catalyst for new products, offerings, and experiences to invigorate a brand.
A Tepper MBA will be a valuable instrument to help broaden my strategic and quantitative aperture. I’ll be learning how to tap the right individuals, ask provocative questions, compile ideal teams and inspire others. I’ll be more equipped to launch exciting brands that permeate culture.
- A Winding Path to an MBA - November 15, 2021
Great article.