Growth, Scaling, and Life Lessons from Jimmy John Liautaud, Founder, Owner & Chairman of Jimmy John’s

By Lauren Davis ’18

Every week at Kellogg there is an impressive schedule of lunch & learns, panels, and events with leaders from all industries and sizes of companies. These events are in addition to the business leaders who are brought in as guest lecturers in courses like New Venture Discovery, as clients for courses like Analytical Consulting Lab, or as judges in case competitions like the Kellogg Business Design Challenge. Since starting here in the Fall, I have heard from several accomplished entrepreneurs and professionals, including:

• Founder of OkCupid, Sam Yagan
• Co-Founder of Bucketfeet, Raaja Nemani
• President of Red Lobster, Salli Setta
• Founder & Managing Partner of TEN35, Sherman Wright
• Former VP Operations at eBay, John Courtney
• And so many others!

These events have quickly become one of my favorite parts of the Kellogg experience. I find myself looking at the calendar months in advance to be sure I get a seat at every speaker event that looks interesting. So, when I saw that the founder and Chairman of Jimmy Johns was coming to campus, I signed up immediately.

Facilitated by Professor Karin O’Connor, the scheduled 1-hour roundtable with Jimmy John Liautaud turned into almost 2 hours of engaging story telling. It felt like we circled the world with him and got a firsthand account of his journey, from the initial loan his dad gave him at age 18 to the upcoming plans he has for the franchise.

Many of his lessons complemented the tools taught in the core curriculum. From my Business Strategy and Operations Management classes, I saw the Assets and Activities framework coming to life as he explained his use of high quality ingredients and superior service, combined with a laser-focus on efficient operations, to achieve competitive advantage in the marketplace. As the small group of ~15 students went around the room asking questions, a few key growth & scaling lessons stood out in the stories he told:

Be Disciplined

• Find what you are good at and take time to perfect it.
• Avoid chasing passing fads to make a quick buck.
• Know your risk tolerance and resist the temptation to take on more debt than you need.
• Do not rush growth. Be meticulous and only grow in the right locations at the right time.

Recruit Good Leaders

• Hire eagles, not ducks. Eagles will hire other eagles, because they’re not afraid of being eaten, but a duck will never hire an eagle.

Play Where You Can Win

• Both in your business and charitable endeavors, choose organizations and opportunities where your expertise, skills, or contributions will result in a real and lasting impact.

As the discussion drew to a close, I was last around the table to ask a question. I had so many I wanted to ask, but when it was my turn only one thing came to mind. I asked if he had ever been afraid. It was a question with an obvious answer – of course he had. Everyone is afraid at some point in their career. But earlier that week I had gone to an event called Hear My Story, where a panel of students shared their experiences on a theme, which that week happened to be “Failure Stories.”  The openness and vulnerability of those classmates is likely what inspired my question of Mr. Liautaud, and the response he gave was unexpectedly moving.

Mr. Liautaud opened up about the mistakes he made in managing money early on, and the anguish he felt when he had to borrow money from a friend to make payroll. He talked about how this affected him as a leader and how he made it a priority from then on to do right by his employees. He then told us about a particularly painful time when he lost a partner and good friend on the eve of their second store opening, and the struggle it was to keep moving forward in the face of tragedy.

When you read about peoples’ staggering successes, it can be easy to forget the real emotion and daily struggle that comes with the journey. The raw honesty and open dialogue we had throughout the roundtable made for an incredibly powerful discussion. These moments where I can immerse myself in someone else’s story are what make my experience at Kellogg so much more than just the pursuit of a degree. The tactical skills I learn in the classroom will help me excel at my next job, but stories like these will help me get through challenges I cannot yet anticipate.

Lauren Davis ’18 is a 2Y student at Kellogg.

 

Harnessing the Real Magic by Marrying Your Passions and Skills for Impact

Two Social Impact alumni share key takeaways with Kellogg students in a fireside chat.  

By Allison Weller Dale ’18 and Stephanie Lio ’18

—

With the generous sponsorship by the GM Foundation, Kellogg’s Net Impact Club recently hosted alumni Carmita Vaughan Semaan (MBA ‘04) and Camille Y. Lilly (EMBA ‘12) for an intimate “fireside chat” with students interested in careers in social impact and the public sector.

Vaughan Semaan is Founder and President of The Surge Institute. The Surge Fellowship, the Institute’s signature program, is transforming education by training, supporting, connecting and elevating emerging education leaders of color. Surge strengthens the pipeline of diverse talent and ensures a next wave of leaders that represent the populations that education reform and equity efforts seek to serve. Lilly is State Representative of the 78th Illinois House District. A lifelong Chicago resident, she is an active voice for improving health care, creating stronger schools, and creating jobs. As State Rep., Lilly works for the community’s needs by fighting for educational assistance, boosting job creation and business development, making healthcare affordable and accessible, and expanding mental health services.

Both alumna have a passion for the city and residents of Chicago. Vaughan Semaan noted that education was her pathway out of poverty.  Having access to a high quality education and a strong family gave her the opportunity to have the trajectory she has today. She feels strongly that she couldn’t live in Chicago and see what’s happening to young people here and not be part of the solution, so she made the transition from corporate America to Chicago Public Schools (CPS) in 2005.  While there, she noticed that the residents CPS served — the communities, families and students — were woefully underrepresented in places where decisions about their lives were being made.  Additionally, she noted that she was surrounded by people who had amazing content expertise, but who did not have the executive skill development to take what they’d done on a small scale to change real systems. She referenced an example of someone who was handling half a billion dollars who didn’t know the difference between a net income statement and a balance sheet, and that wasn’t their fault, they didn’t have access to development opportunities that would teach them. The combination of those factors is the impetus of Surge. Vaughan Semaan strongly believes we need people in places of influence who represent the communities that are being served. However,  it’s not just getting them in the room, it’s getting them the skills needed to make change.

Lilly similarly noted the importance of education to her career success.  She grew up on the west side of Chicago, both of her parents are graduates, and she emphasized how important her mom was in pushing her to pursue education and follow her passions. While in school, Lilly felt she understood the content, but scored poorly on tests. Only when she was in graduate school was she diagnosed with dyslexia. After being diagnosed, she found an academic  path that suited her passion and skillset: business. After finding her stride academically, and after graduating from Kellogg with an EMBA, Camille decided to return to the community where she was raised.  She noted that not many people have the opportunity to see the evolution of your community and explore where your talents can fit to help. Her experiences with dyslexia, and experiencing first-hand the realities of growing up on the west side of Chicago, prompted her to become a legislator who impacts regular people. “I have a swag like no other,” she says, and attributes that to her drive to enact real change as a legislator. “It really is an honor to represent and make policy that impacts people, regular people.”

 

The discussion focused on a few key takeaways for students seeking opportunities or influence in social impact endeavors:

• Self-reflection is key to identifying your passions. Vaughan Semaanconsiders herself “a reluctant entrepreneur,” but recognized early on that she was always “a problem solver and a builder–the engineer in me won’t die.” While she did not come to Kellogg with the intent of starting her own organization, she realized she was passionate about addressing issues of importance to her, especially increasing representation of people who reflect and represent the communities they serve. “It’s inextricably linked to my personal narrative,” she said.
• Bring your whole self to work. Lilly shared a personal experience in graduate school when, for the first time in her education, she discovered that she had dyslexia. Her experience working with the school’s administration to accommodate  students with dyslexia inspires her to fight for legislation that impacts “regular people.” She also described the prominent role that her faith, family, and church community plays in her ability to make courageous decisions as a state legislator. She encouraged students that “once you have a firm foundation, you feel you can do just about anything, even with the mistakes.”
• Avoid paralysis and burnout by focusing on personal impact. Both alumni commented on rising interest in civic engagement as a reason for hope. Vaughan Semaannoted that “whether people agree or not, the fact that they are learning more about how to turn their angst, anxiety, and anger into real action is powerful. That’s how a democracy is supposed to work.” For both leaders, the current political climate is also a call to action. For Vaughan Semaan , she focuses on “what happens in Springfield or on Clark Street–rather than getting stuck in a spiral of discontent and fear that I’ve seen among a lot of my peers.” Lilly added that she sees great opportunities to educate people on local politics and the need for civic education. Her advice: “When you see the littlest thing that you can do to help a person, it helps you push through the politics, the challenges, things you don’t even know are hurdles.”
• Surround yourself with people with same definition of excellence. Both alumni mentioned influential people in their lives who provided mentorship and support. For Lilly, it was often her mother or her pastor. For Vaughan Semaan, she described peers from her time at Kellogg who became accountability partners: “Surround yourself people who actually have the same bar for excellence and the same work ethic.”

Closing the discussion, Vaughan Semaan reminded students that the most important thing they can do is to remember why they came to Kellogg: “The real magic is finding out how to use the latent genius within you. There’s a real magic to be able to marry what you love, what you can’t stop thinking about, with the things you do better than most other people. When you do that, you operate in excellence, and excellence pays for itself. Don’t start from a deficit mentality of what you can’t do. Do the introspective and reflective work around the things that bring you joy, and find your genius.  I promise when you marry that genius with what brings you joy, it’ll start illuminate a path for you.  And that path may not be like everyone else’s path.”

Allison Dale ’18 joined Kellogg to pursue her MBA after working as an Implementation Manager of mobile apps at McMaster-Carr Supply Company, and previously was a corps member with Teach for America in the Mississippi Delta.  

Stephanie Lio ’18, joined Kellogg to pursue her MBA after working in Deloitte Consulting’s Public Sector practice in Washington D.C. An alumna of Georgetown University, she is interested in the intersection of tech, design, and public service.

 

Exploring Brexit from the Perspective of Echo Chambers

Faculty and students engage in a discussion on the economic history and policy that led to Brexit, and its expected global impact. 

By Charity Hemphill-Frierson ’17 and Luke Murphy ‘17

—

Last fall, over 50 Kellogg students attended an insightful analysis of the U.K.’s vote to leave the European Union and the significant impact that “Brexit” would have on the future of the geopolitical climate of the E.U. and the Western world. Coincidentally, the event occurred on the same day as the U.S. presidential election, which parallels “Brexit” in terms of voter priorities and demographics. The discussion, led by Professors Sergio Rebello and David Austen-Smith and hosted by the Public Policy Club, European Business Club, and Kellogg Public-Private Interface (KPPI) was designed to help students make sense of the economic history and the communication tactics that those for and against the “leave” vote used to push their vision of the United Kingdom.

Exploring the European economic pie prior to the Industrial Revolution

Professor Rebello grounded the discussion in background on the 14^th through 17th centuries, explaining how prior to the Industrial Revolution, the economic pie was a “constant, with war serving as the main industry” as the British built an empire where the ‘sun never set.’ One of the key features of the British economy before the 19^th century included ongoing conflicts with France. Things began to change, however, with both the Industrial Revolution and Pax Britannica, a 100-year period of relative peace in Europe after the defeat of Napoleon in 1815. These developments gave way to the emergence of a prosperous middle class and an economy that transitioned from industrial to knowledge-based. During this time, the significant growth in the U.K. economy was mostly attributed to the growth in London.

This flattening of the GDP per capita outside of London later coincided with the country’s participation in the European Union, which, among other things, made it easier for individuals from other parts of Europe to come to the U.K. and work. Though the British Empire had long included people from around the world, the timing left many feeling as if their economic stability was compromised by the ability of those from across the E.U. and the world to obtain employment. These factors all converged to create an environment that was primed for Brexit.

Understanding Brexit voter demographics

In hindsight, it’s easy to segment those who voted for and against Brexit: the majority of those who live in London as well as upper income, younger, and foreign-born voted to remain in the European Union. While 52% of British voted to leave, only 40% of Londoners voted to leave. London, the historical financial center of Europe, had the most to lose from the uncertainty around Brexit. The effects are already palpable – in December, the 328-year-old Lloyd’s of London insurance giant became one of the first major U.K.-businesses to announce that it will move part of its operations to the European continent in 2017.

On the other hand, those living in rural areas, the working class, and those over 65 felt that the policies of the E.U. had been most detrimental to them. Another large group of proponents included older males who had fought in the war against Germany and saw the U.K. as taking orders from the E.U. (and by extension Germany) as a form of weakness. Still, it remains unclear if the vote to leave the E.U. will provide those who supported the leave campaign with the results they seek.

Avoiding ‘echo chambers’

The talk left us in deep thought about the importance of avoiding echo chambers – networks of people who share similar backgrounds and experiences and thus share similar, self-reinforcing perspectives. As MBAs, many of us would have related to the London educated class who were content with employment opportunities and free trade with the continent. In London, as in Evanston, it can be difficult to understand the personal impact of immigration policies and a shift from manufacturing to services economy. While debating the merits of each position does not always lead to constructive or tangible outcomes, it is important for us as leaders to acknowledge the perspectives of others. It is critical that we understand how these sometimes competing perspectives impact the way in which decisions are made, how our own perspectives affect the setup of organizational structures, and how a healthy dose of conflict can make ourselves, companies, and countries stronger.

Charity Hemphill-Frierson is a second-year student in the 2Y program. Prior to Kellogg, Charity was a financial performance analyst for the Mayor of Indianapolis’ Office of Education Innovation.

Luke Murphy is a second-year student in the 2Y program. Prior to Kellogg, Luke was a Sales Director at Nasdaq covering public and private companies on the West Coast.

Three Key Lessons to Understanding the Healthcare Tech Industry

 

Professor Pete McNerney led a lecture series in November 2016 called Health “Tech” and Startups – the sixth and final installment of the Healthcare 101 lunch and learn series sponsored by the Healthcare Club and professors who align with the Health Enterprise Management pathway. The objective of the Healthcare 101 series is to give students exposure to a variety of healthcare topics, ranging from Biopharma to Payers. Professors David Dranove and Craig Garthwaite were among the presenters during Fall Quarter. In the Health Tech and Startups session, Professor McNerney walked nearly 60 first- and second-year Kellogg students through several key lessons on the health tech industry, including:

1. Know the environment – What’s the scale of the U.S. healthcare industry? How is it changing? Where do startups fit into the landscape?
2. Know the market – Where is the need for new technology innovations? What’s “hot”? What’s likely to fail?
3. Follow the money – What health tech business models have been successful? Where’s venture capital most active?

Know the environment.

Healthcare is big business in the United States, and constantly growing in size and complexity. The U.S. has the highest per capita healthcare cost of Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) nations, with five percent of patients comprising more than half of the total expenditures. The government is still a major player in terms of regulating and paying for care (e.g., Medicare, Medicaid). Many of us attending the workshop were already familiar with the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and its efforts to reduce the number of uninsured Americans through legislation. Even with the ACA rules in place, there are tens of millions still uninsured. Care providers like hospitals and clinics are consolidating, pushing for fewer beds and shorter stays in an effort to reduce the cost of caring for patient populations.

In the midst of this context, much is changing. insurers are shifting from fee-for-service care to value-based care, which compensates healthcare providers based on a positive outcome, rather than accumulating a total bill based on the number of types of procedures in a visit. Additionally, providers’ focus is shifting from expensive acute care and to chronic care, which supports those with chronic conditions continually and not just when they require hospitalization. All of these factors point to opportunities for health tech to meet some of these needs in the healthcare space.

Know the market.

It’s not difficult to identify areas for improvement in healthcare, but it is much harder to pinpoint: a) which of these needs presents the greatest opportunity, b) if that part of the market is growing and  c) whether there’s enough potential value to make the endeavor a successful business model. Traditionally, healthcare players have been hesitant to change, so for a new technology or innovation to truly “stick,” it must add significant value. Not surprisingly, there are several hot trends in medical technology (which includes both medical devices and healthcare IT), like wearable devices, implantable monitors, as well as other solutions that address “trunk of the tree”  (direct problems stemming from chronic illnesses) issues like obesity or hypertension.

The hottest trends in digital health are looking at many pressing needs, including: understanding and reducing cost, identifying efficient and high-quality providers, improving clinical practices, managing and minimizing risk, and ensuring compliance from patients. Patient-driven healthcare is an extension on this theme: patients can take greater ownership over their health status and decisions around care if given visibility to the right information. Consumers of healthcare value price transparency – this goes for patients receiving care as well those paying the final bills, such as an employer. Conversely, medical technology for a higher-cost therapy or in an over-invested category (e.g., a “me-too” option, or a niche solution that may be redundant with other available therapies) would be more likely to fall short in the current environment.

Follow the money.

A startup’s success depends on the ability to manage two major risk factors: the business model – how it makes money and scales – and marketing – how to reach customers. As the healthcare environment changes, the transactions around healthcare innovation shift as well. . Because of the increased focus on cost, hospital systems are more involved with medical device investment decisions that were previously left to their clinicians. Additionally, healthcare IT is leveraged by healthcare administrators – both those providing care and those paying for care – in order to better forecast and manage costs.

Venture capital (VC) and non-VC capital are flowing into healthcare, and increasingly, transactions occur at earlier stages, such as more activity in software development and less in healthcare services. According to Rock Health, a major healthcare-focused VC fund and startup incubator, some of the hottest areas of investment include consumer engagement, wearables and biometrics. “Big data” is also becoming a major priority: payers generate a huge amount of data and all healthcare stakeholders are looking to use data more effectively. Reviewing exits from healthcare investments give us insight to profitability of this industry, and merger & acquisition (M&A) activity is growing, as are initial public offerings (IPOs), or money coming in through public markets.

How Kellogg students are pursuing healthcare tech startup opportunities

During the last portion of the session, two second-year (2Y) students discussed how they found their summer internships in health tech by leveraging the student and alumni network, staying in touch with connections, and participating in the Kellogg Healthcare Trek.  Read more about a recent healthcare trek.

Interested in learning more about healthcare at Kellogg?

Check out the Healthcare Club and Health Enterprise Management pathway sites. Health and Wellness Week, the Business of Healthcare Conference, and the Kellogg Biotech & Healthcare Case Competition will be held January 21, 2017. Events will be held on the Evanston Campus and will feature speakers and panels from various sectors of healthcare. Tickets to the Business of Healthcare Conference are available for purchase online.

Natalie Marks is a first-year student in the 2Y program. Prior to Kellogg, Natalie was a management consultant and recently completed an internship with a healthcare startup in the Bay Area. 

Round 2 Application Deadline Reminder

Are you looking to start your MBA journey in 2017?

This is a friendly reminder that our deadline for Round 2 applications is quickly approaching. To be considered for Round 2, please submit all application materials by 5 p.m. (CT) on Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2017.

If you submit your application for Round 2, you will receive your admissions decision on March 22, 2017.

Before you submit your application, you may want to take a look at these admissions resources:

• Starting Your MBA Application (Video)
• Tips for applying to Kellogg (Podcast)
• How to answer Kellogg’s essay questions
• How Kellogg applicants are assessed

If you have any questions about Kellogg’s deadlines or the application process, please contact us at mbaadmissions@kellogg.northwestern.edu or 847.491.3308.

Learn more about Kellogg’s Full-Time program.

Kellogg on Growth: Student Leadership Q&A (Part II)

Kellogg on Growth panel, “Scaling Operations”, held November 16, 2016. Photo Credit: Jonathan Gibby

In Part II of our Kellogg on Growth Student Leadership Q&A, Max Meyers ’17 shares his experience as the student lead for “Scaling Operations: Tools and Tactics”, working with Professor Michael Mazzeo to provide attendees with a tactical view of how leading companies are executing against growth targets in their markets.

Why did you decide to join the Kellogg on Growth student leadership team?

Max: To echo Dean Blount, I think there’s a lot that’s changing, and that we need leaders – “thought leaders” specifically – to help thoughtfully navigate this new reality. I’ve been a part of several conferences (from SxSW to summits for government execs) and feel like Kellogg has the potential to really offer a strong platform that brings together multiple perspective in this conversation – and wanted to be a part of that.

 As a student leader, what speakers and/or aspects were important for you to incorporate into this year’s forum?

Max: I really wanted to bring the kind of speakers to campus that students wanted to connect with – who brought credibility and whose experience resonated with our future interests. That meant looking for recognized companies and leaders with different industry perspectives – we had a healthcare company named to INC 500’s fastest-growing, financial services, and CPG. And then trying to find a format brings the stories to life – we experimented with several in the session.

 Which panel resonated most with you and why?

Max: Well, I got to hand-pick the speakers for the Scaling Operations session – so of course I love their stories and Professor Mazzeo’s insights! But more broadly, I really enjoyed the Wednesday morning (Day 2) plenary. What Leigh Morgan said really resonated – to solve tough societal problems, we need cognitive diversity (diverse perspectives and experiences) and to work across traditional sector or organizational boundaries. Coupling her impact focus with Brian Lee’s challenge was especially powerful: “If you believe in something, go do it. Don’t wait for funding, get as much data as you can, but do it.”

 What was the most challenging part of helping plan for Kellogg on Growth? How did you learn from this experience?

Max: Students are a pretty unique audience – and a really important one – which has made this a really different experience than other conferences I’ve been a part of. It’s hard to make an interactive format when you can’t anticipate the perspectives that audience members bring (especially for session with 200+ attendees). Navigating this challenge helped me continue to learn both the importance of pushing for what you think is critical (format), while reminding me how helpful institutional perspectives are – faculty and staff leads had some great intuitions about what worked based on last year’s experience!

What’s been the most rewarding part of being on the Kellogg on Growth student leadership team? What opportunities have been the most impactful?

Max: Getting to help shape the evolution of Kellogg on Growth has been pretty rewarding. It’s only the second year for the forum, and it’s fun to both be asked for inputs and ideas – and for them to be used and come to life!

What advice would you offer to 1Y students interested in joining the student leadership team for KOG next year?

Max: I think it’s important to think about what impact you can make in one year – and in that sense, Kellogg on Growth is a great leadership opportunity since it’s something you can absolutely shape in the course of your year. In fact, 1Y’s have a particular advantage and opportunity for leadership and influence over the summer as everyone else focuses on internships.

What industry are you thinking of working in after graduation? If you already have been hired, where are you working?

Max: I’ll be heading back to Deloitte Consulting in Washington, D.C., where I work in our public sector practice.

Did you miss Part I in the series? Read the Q&A featuring Tiffany Smith ’17 here.

Kellogg on Growth: Student Leadership Q&A (Part I)

Kellogg on Growth panel, “Pockets of Potential” held November 16, 2016. Photo Credit: Tiffany Smith ’17

As the most prestigious conference of the year, Kellogg on Growth provided the opportunity for students and faculty to connect with Fortune 500 executives, industry game-changers, bestselling authors and other thought leaders shaping the face of business today.

From working closely with faculty to develop specially tailored programming to identifying influential growth leaders to share their stories, the student leadership team was instrumental in helping shape and develop this year’s forum.

As part of the content team, both Tiffany Smith ’17 and Max Meyers ’17 worked with Kellogg faculty to bring influential business leaders and professionals to the forefront of their panel’s discussions.

In Part I of our Kellogg on Growth Student Leadership Q&A, Tiffany shares her experience as the student lead for “Pockets of Potential: Investing for Change”, where she worked with Professor Megan Kashner to bring a collection of senior leaders to the Kellogg stage to discuss investing in women and minority leaders and their ventures.

Why did you decide to join the Kellogg on Growth student leadership team?

Tiffany: I saw a need to bring topics to the forefront that highlight issues that are often hidden in the shadows of our economy. Within the financial inclusion and VC/entrepreneurship space, I saw an opportunity to bring premier thought leaders to campus to have a candid discussion around the current state of investment in underrepresented populations in this country. By 2040, it is projected that the U.S. will be majority populated with what is now deemed the “minority” population. When we talk about growth and what it means to be a business leader in this country, I felt I would be remiss to not focus on the implications of not investing in those populations now with the resources we have available. Less than 1% of minority entrepreneurs receive venture capital, yet 40% of pitches to VCs are done by minority entrepreneurs. Where is the disconnect?  It was also particularly important to me to lend a voice to historically disenfranchised populations to ensure there is a voice in the room to vocalize some of the challenges minority and women entrepreneurs face in the current landscape. On top of this, I saw an opportunity to network with some amazing classmates and administrators who put on the conference. I enjoy working with teams to bring a bigger vision to life.

As a student leader, what speakers and/or aspects were important for you to incorporate into this year’s forum?  

Tiffany: Creativity was especially important especially around the panel titles. Megan Kashner is an amazingly creative person, and we worked together to come up with the title “Pockets of Potential: Investing for Change”. It was also important for us to bring in both the investor and entrepreneurial/operator lens into the conversation to ensure it wasn’t an echo chamber discussion. People often shy away from listening to topics like this because they feel like it “doesn’t apply to them.” We were faced with the challenge of not only providing thought provoking content that would engage students and alums, but we also needed tangible and thoughtful suggestions on how best to affect change in venture capital and enlist the support of those in the room who wanted to shift the narrative.

Which panel resonated most with you and why?

Tiffany: I only ended up attending my assigned panel due to schedule conflicts, but I did get a chance to speak with Jean Case before her keynote and our conversation was very insightful as she is intimately aware of the staggering statistics around investment in underrepresented minorities and women.

What was the most challenging part of helping plan for Kellogg on Growth? How did you learn from this experience?

Tiffany: Balancing my obligations, including a summer internship, to ensure the panel was of the right caliber to meet the expectations of attendees was particularly challenging. I learned the necessity of transparency when dealing with team members and administration, especially around deadlines and goal targets. I learned that it’s sometimes better to be realistic than idealistic when coming up with content as there is always a fine line between what may be considered interesting versus out of touch. I also learned the importance of messaging clarity and perception. It is so important to understand your target audience and be thoughtful around how best to place your message in the broader atmosphere.

What’s been the most rewarding part of being on the Kellogg on Growth student leadership team? What opportunities have been the most impactful?

Tiffany: What inspired me most was working with my classmates, who inspire and motivate me to do better and be better in every aspect of my experience. I witnessed several of my peers lead conversations that would happen in front of hundreds of audience members, including a mix of working Kellogg alums and students. Having the ability to facilitate these conversations was highly impactful for me.

What advice would you offer to 1Y students interested in joining the student leadership team for KOG next year?

Tiffany: Make sure to get involved early and reach out to the team to get engaged as soon as you get on campus.

How will you apply the information gained from KOG to your current studies and/or future career plans?

Tiffany: As a leader, it’s crucial to be aware of the most pressing issues going on in society. It’s particularly important to understand how those issues can affect your team, staff and colleagues during trying times. Some of the topics discussed during Kellogg on Growth were extremely relevant and important for all Kellogg students to digest, but I think what is most important is that we recognize the need to be stewards of information and constantly sharing our thoughts on what is relevant.

What industry are you thinking of working in after graduation? If you already have been hired, where are you working?

Tiffany: I’m focused on the technology/social impact industry, particularly around workforce development, education and empowerment. I believe an MBA is a key tool to affecting real change in communities that need help the most. We are provided with such a toolkit that can be leveraged in environments that need our expertise. I believe those environments are where I am best suited to have the most impact and look forward to being an innovator and change maker post-MBA.