2018 MBAs To Watch: Charles Barrett, Stanford GSB - Poets&Quants

Charles Barrett

Stanford Graduate School of Business

 “Faith, son, brother, uncle, friend, humanitarian, private sector believer, traveler, outdoorsman, sports fan, thinker, diligent.”

Age: 30

Hometown: Keokuk, IA

Fun fact about yourself: Hiked two of the Seven Summits

Undergraduate School and Degree: Brigham Young University, Bachelor of Science in Management: Strategy Emphasis

Where did you work before enrolling in business school? Head of Product, SafeBoda (like Uber but for safe motorcycle taxis in Kampala, Uganda)

Where will you be working after graduation? Next year, I’ll be in Boston finishing up my MPA at Harvard Kennedy School.

Community Work and Leadership Roles in Business School:

Tutor for middle school children

Volunteer for skilled nursing facility

Siebel Scholar

Which academic or extracurricular achievement are you most proud of during business school? Hiked Pico de Orizaba (highest mountain in Mexico and third highest in North America) in December.

What achievement are you most proud of in your professional career? Helping create the Rural Finance Strategy for Ethiopia to, amongst other things, scale a new input credit system to help subsistence farmers get access to improved seed and fertilizer. I really feel like my work made a difference in helping to closing the massive opportunity gaps that exist in the world.

Who was your favorite MBA professor? Brian Lowery – At Stanford, our first week as students, we take just one class (Managing Groups and Teams). Brian Lowery taught this course for my section, and he was the best introduction I could have had to the GSB. Brian is radically honest and as engaging and thought provoking responding to unexpected questions as he is teaching prepared content. He’s the type of teacher who makes you walk away from class thinking.

What was your favorite MBA Course Creating High Potential Ventures in Developing Economies taught by Howard Rosen and Steve Ciesinski – Reinforced the importance of the enabling environment for start-ups in developing countries

Why did you choose this business school? I am interested in the intersection of social impact and entrepreneurship, and Stanford seems like the ideal place to pursue getting more skills in these areas and to have classmates who are also passionate about creating change in the world in these ways.

What is your best piece advice to an applicant hoping to get into your school’s MBA program? Be yourself. Stanford really values people who are authentic. Don’t show a cardboard cutout of yourself but show who you really are to the admissions committee.

What is the biggest myth about your school? That everyone is creating a start-up. While not literally accurate, there is a great entrepreneurial spirit here and many of my classmates are experimenting with ideas and ventures.

What was your biggest regret in business school? My class is full of amazing people. They are smart and driven and caring. I wish I had unlimited time to better know all my classmates.

Which MBA classmate do you most admire? Justin Larkin – I admire how Justin has such a full life and unending optimism. He is a man of faith, a family man, and incredibly driven and successful (also finishing medical school, co-founder in a start-up, internship with a prestigious biotech company). No matter what life throws at him or how busy he gets, Justin always greets me with upbeat optimism and happiness.

Who most influenced your decision to pursue business in college? My dad is my role model, and he’s an accountant. As an undergrad, I found that while accounting did not quite fit with me, I was fascinated by businesses, their strategies, and how they are run.

“If I hadn’t gone to business school, I would be…running a socially oriented start-up in East Africa.”

If you were a dean for a day, what one thing would you change about the MBA experience? Make all classes pass/fail. 

What are the top two items on your bucket list?

Exploring the Alaskan wilderness…and hopefully seeing the northern lights while there.

Climbing Mount Damavand (highest mountain in Iran and highest volcanic summit in Asia).

In one sentence, how would you like your peers to remember you? As someone they can reach out to anytime.

What is your favorite movie about business? Miracle on 34th Street – be open and honest with your customers, give them options and information, and they will be loyal to you.

What would your theme song be? “I Love This Life” by LOCASH.

Favorite vacation spot: Middle of nowhere in nature – mountains, forests, and lots of water.

Hobbies? Hiking, camping, climbing, road trips, travel, sports, card and board games, movies.

 

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2018 MBAs To Watch: Jack Marzulli, Stanford GSB - Poets&Quants

Jack Marzulli

Stanford Graduate School of Business

“Passionate about education and public policy, with strategic and management skills as weapons of choice.”

Age: 27

Hometown: New York City, New York

Fun fact about yourself: I’ve lived in China three times – summer of 2005, summer of 2010, and 2012-2013.

Undergraduate School and Degree: Princeton University, A.B. in Public and International Affairs

Where did you work before enrolling in business school?

Bain & Company (New York), Consultant;

Coursera (San Francisco Bay Area), Business Strategy Analyst;

Natural Resources Defense Council (Beijing), Research Fellow

Where did you intern during the summer of 2017?

The Partnership for Public Service, Washington, D.C;

The Marine Megafauna Foundation, Mozambique

Where will you be working after graduation? Bain & Company, Consultant

Community Work and Leadership Roles in Business School:

• 2018 Siebel Scholar
• Chief Investment Officer, GSB Impact Fund
• Impact Labs Associate, Owl Ventures
• Arbuckle Leadership Fellow
• Global Study Trip Leader, New Zealand

Which academic or extracurricular achievement are you most proud of during business school? I’m proud of the work our team has done on the GSB Impact Fund this year. The Fund offers ~40 classmates the chance to write an investment thesis, then source, diligence, invest in, and support early stage ventures that we believe will be socially impactful and financially successful. Leading the Fund has been a leadership challenge and an opportunity to grapple with the role impact investing can play in bringing about social good.

What achievement are you most proud of in your professional career? In 2015, while working at edtech startup Coursera, I helped drive a six-month sprint to increase the amount of career-relevant content on our platform. I’m proud of the way we worked across the entire company – engineering, product, partnerships, business development teams – to orchestrate what amounted to a big change for the company. It was gratifying to see that change result in a spike in our revenue and user metrics, and knowing this meant we were meaningfully expanding access to education.

Who was your favorite MBA professor? Keith Hennessey, Lecturer in Economics. Keith teaches fascinating courses focused on policymaking in Washington, D.C. His courses cover fiscal and social areas, challenging students to “get smart” and develop their own opinions on the most relevant policy questions of the day. As a lecturer, Keith hits it out of the park – he constantly revises his curriculum to stay relevant (sometimes on a weekly basis to react to current events), he holds students accountable for backing up their opinions, and he facilitates the room expertly to explore differences in opinion.

What was your favorite MBA Course Stanford’s flagship Interpersonal Dynamics (“Touchy Feely”) course. The course is dedicated to helping students better understand how to deepen and strengthen relationships through intense hands-on experience. The course taught me how powerful being vulnerable and honest can be in building a more powerful connection to another person – in a professional or personal context.

Why did you choose this business school? I chose Stanford’s GSB for three reasons:

1. The school’s focus on personal growth. The Stanford experience is built to help students understand not just how to achieve our goals, but what our goals actually are. It’s as if the whole experience is an extension of the admissions essay question: “What matters most to you, and why?”
2. The unique joint degree program offered between the business and education schools. The program has allowed me to explore the two fields in conjunction – along with a cohort of ~20 like-minded peers.
3. The access to Silicon Valley and California. I’ve spent most of my life in the American northeast. I was curious to explore the outdoorsy culture and startup mindset of Stanford.

What is your best piece advice to an applicant hoping to get into your school’s MBA program? Don’t think of your application as a chance to sell yourself – think of it as a chance to reflect! Find recommenders who really know you well as a person, and use your essays to explore what motivates you. Don’t worry too much about your accomplishments. Those will shine through naturally.

What is the biggest myth about your school? There’s a general perception that at Stanford (… and in California, generally?) everyone is relaxed all the time. I’ve loved Stanford, but beneath the surface folks are definitely struggling with some of the same questions of balance and stress management that I know our east coast counterparts are!

What was your biggest regret in business school? I wish I had taken more advantage of resources outside of the business school. Stanford University has amazing people, classes and opportunities that I never fully explored.

Which MBA classmate do you most admire? Hansae Catlett’s public service orientation inspires me. He backs up his passion for making the world a better place with action, and simultaneously knows how to be the life of any party.

Who most influenced your decision to pursue business in college? My parents taught me that learning to manage and lead others effectively might be the most valuable skill I could ever acquire.

“If I hadn’t gone to business school, I would be…working full time in education technology – trying to make K-12 or college education more affordable, accessible and effective.”

If you were a dean for a day, what one thing would you change about the MBA experience?I worry that we live in too much of a bubble. I’d try to increase professional, socioeconomic and demographic diversity in the class. I’d develop programs to push students to interact more with non-MBA students. I’d find ways to have students spend time working with people who are not interested in management or business administration.

What are the top two items on your bucket list?

1. Hike to Everest base camp (or maybe beyond?)
2. Read every book ever written

In one sentence, how would you like your peers to remember you? Committed to self-improvement and making the world a better place, but knows how to (occasionally) have fun.

What is your favorite movie about business? Office Space – office culture matters!

What would your theme song be? 1612 (Vulfpeck)

Favorite vacation spot: Avalon, New Jersey. To me, this quiet beach town symbolizes relaxation and quality time with friends/family.

Hobbies? I’m running my first triathlon this spring! Playing in a band and acting in the annual GSB musical have been two of the most fun things I’ve done at school.

 

 

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2018 Best MBAs: Sarah Anne Hinkfuss, Stanford GSB - Poets&Quants

Sarah Anne Hinkfuss

Stanford Graduate School of Business

“Lifelong, horizon-bound sailor. Passionate Wisconsinite. Bridge Builder. Community investor. Partner. Sister. Friend. Stranger. Supporter.”

Age: 30

Hometown: Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Fun fact about yourself: President Obama kissed me on the cheek!

(I introduced him at a campaign event at George Washington University in 2010 and he kissed my cheek after he walked on stage.)

Undergraduate School and Degree: Harvard College, AB Economics, Environmental Science & Public Policy

Where did you work before enrolling in business school? Applied Predictive Technologies (APT), Senior Vice President Client Services

Where did you intern during the summer of 2017? KKR’s Next Generation Technology Growth Fund in Menlo Park, and China Growth Capital in Beijing

Where will you be working after graduation? Investor at KKR’s Next Generation Technology Growth Fund

Community Work and Leadership Roles in Business School: Siebel Scholarship; Co-President Venture Capital Club; CFO / COO Women in Management; Student Alumni Committee Member; Global Study Trip Leader to Finland & Denmark; Trainer with Project ReMADE

Which academic or extracurricular achievement are you most proud of during business school? I spearheaded a powerful campus event, #gsbUsToo, focused on confronting workplace sexual harassment and discrimination. The first part created the space for our classmates who have experienced sexual harassment at work to anonymously share their stories to close the distance between the stories we see on the news to the felt and lived experience. The second part turned to action, as we discussed and role played scenarios covering the spectrum of gender interactions from mansplaining and double standards to groping. I was proud that almost half of the students who came were men, and we created a safe space to engage in ways to respond to black and white, as well as gray, scenarios. We are now more equipped to be advocates for and creators of gender-safe workplace environments. As someone who’s previously experienced workplace harassment, this was a big step forward for me as well.

What achievement are you most proud of in your professional career? I launched and led the public sector practice of delivering software to state and local governments, as well as the pro bono social sector practice of providing data dives to non-profits. Both programs continue to successfully make real impact for the world, while also driving growth and profile for APT.

Who was your favorite MBA professor? Becky Lester, my Accounting professor during my first quarter at GSB and the faculty advisor on my Global Study Trip to Finland and Denmark. She made my first “real” business skills class accessible and so much fun. What makes her different is her path to academia: she worked as a professional accountant for many years before taking a trip around the world and realizing that her calling is to teach. Becky’s passion and real-world perspective shines through in every lesson and interaction with her.

What was your favorite MBA Course In the autumn quarter, I took “Leading with Mindfulness and Compassion” with lecturer Leah Weiss. The class emphasized the foundational importance of self-care as a precursor to personal and professional leadership, and taught the skills of this life-long practice, including daily meditation, self-compassion, and leaning into vulnerability.

Why did you choose this business school? From the beginning, I was attracted to the GSB’s focus on educating the complete person: hard skills and “soft skills.” GSB cultivates admiration and respect among an intentionally-diverse group of classmates. I knew this was a place where I could continue to develop both professionally and personally.

What is your best piece advice to an applicant hoping to get into your school’s MBA program? Make the application process meaningful for you regardless of the outcome. A countless number of my classmates have spoken to the legitimate introspective process that the application provides. Take the time to step back from your work and life and consider what gives you energy and what takes it away, what conditions help you be your best self, and what the purpose of your work actually is. If you can do this, chances are your best self will shine through, too!

Which MBA classmate do you most admire? I most admire Kenny Diekroeger because he brings a diverse and blended perspective as a former professional baseball player, private equity investor, and dedicated yogi, all against a backdrop of California cool. He leads mindfulness and meditation work at GSB, and is committed to expanding the accessibility of these disciplines after GSB.

Who most influenced your decision to pursue business in college? I didn’t pursue business in college, and actually didn’t work in business until after I graduated from college! In undergrad, I studied economics and environmental science & public policy. I focused on water pricing in the Middle East. This was an incredibly complex and critically important area that could only be understood and resolved by integrating multiple disciplines.

“If I hadn’t gone to business school, I would be…working in city government on economic development issues with plans to run for public office to serve my community on a broader stage.”

If you were a dean for a day, what one thing would you change about the MBA experience? I would make tuition free for all students.

What are the top two items on your bucket list?

1. Write a book on the economics of cheese (why are cheddar and mozzarella the most popular varieties in the U.S.?)
2. Raise and run my own fund with a focus on urban resilience and community development

In one sentence, how would you like your peers to remember you? I’d like to be remembered as a caring, thoughtful, and trustworthy friend and classmate who carried myself with grace.

What would your theme song be? (Include song name and artist) ***Flawless by Beyonce – I love her empowering and take-no-prisoners message, the sampled voice and words of the feminist writer, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, and the intense, deep beat.

Favorite vacation spot: My favorite place to vacation is sailing with my family – it doesn’t matter the harbor or the waters, it’s all about the people and the activity!

Hobbies? Sailing, baking, cooking to bring community together, skiing, running, reading the news, exploring cities, engaging politically, listening to music, and anything that involves a challenge.

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2018 Best MBAs: Samanthe Tiver Belanger, Stanford GSB - Poets&Quants

Samanthe Tiver Belanger

Stanford Graduate School of Business

“New Jersey native, first-generation college graduate, happiest by an ocean.”

Age: 28

Hometown: Lumberton, NJ

Fun fact about yourself: For our honeymoon, my husband and I drove to 26 states.

Undergraduate School and Degree:

The College of William and Mary, BA in Economics

Stanford University, MS in Environment & Resources

Where did you work before enrolling in business school? I started my career at Danville Regional Foundation before completing a year of service with Americorps. Right before coming to the GSB, I worked at Goodwill Industries of South Central Virginia completing special projects for their mission services.

Where did you intern during the summer of 2017? The Chesapeake Bay Foundation, Annapolis, MD

Where will you be working after graduation? Associate at McKinsey, Washington DC

Community Work and Leadership Roles in Business School: 

2018 Siebel Scholar

Arbuckle Leadership Fellow

Impact Labs Associate & Student Leader — Impact investing associate at The CAPROCK Group

Sustainable Business Club leader

Which academic or extracurricular achievement are you most proud of during business school? I am most proud of the research I produced about the impact of nuisance flooding on businesses. While earning my MBA, I also earned a Master of Science in Environment and Resources. I had the privilege of working alongside a PhD candidate, Miyuki Hino, to conduct a case study of the impact of minor flood events for businesses. This work continues to challenge me academically and has enabled me to apply my business and science training to the pressing problem of sea level rise on our coasts.

What achievement are you most proud of in your professional career? In 2013, I worked with nonprofit leaders from across southside Virginia to found the Dan River Nonprofit Network. The Network helps the region’s social impact organizations better share resources, access training for staff, and coordinate with local funders. For the next two-and-a- half years, I had the privilege of facilitating this group and helping it grow into an independent organization. I’m most proud of this work because the Network’s services don’t just benefit the staff and funders—our work also yielded improved results for the clients and customers of these impactful member organizations.

Why did you choose this business school? I wanted to be challenged and pushed out of my comfort zone during business school and for me, Stanford did just that. I moved across the country and surrounded myself with people from dramatically different backgrounds and experiences. I am constantly amazed by how much I learn about others and how they see the world differently than me. I think it’s made me a kinder, more empathic person.

What is your best piece advice to an applicant hoping to get into your school’s MBA program? Spend more time reflecting on your motivations for business school and life. My classmates at the GSB overwhelmingly had a clear sense of the fire in their bellies. They may not know what job they want next, but they do know who they are and what their values are. This internal work will help provide clarity on “what matters most to you and why” as well as help you make the most of your time at the GSB after you’re accepted.

What is the biggest myth about your school? The biggest myth about the GSB may be that we’re all focused on tech. We’re lucky, being in Silicon Valley, to have great relationships with local tech giants, but I think everyone would be surprised to know how few of us actually land in tech, particularly with the big five.

Which MBA classmate do you most admire? The GSB is incredible because of its students. If I have to pick just one, the MBA classmate I most admire is Valerie Rivera (GSB ‘17). First, Val is not a traditional MBA. She served in the Air Force for 15 years as an enlisted service member, finished her bachelor’s in her thirties, and is the mother of amazing twin boys. Val knew the stiff hierarchy of the military didn’t always benefit its members or its goal, so she used design thinking to promote creative workforce development within one of our most entrenched systems. Today, Val is living her dream by starting her own consulting practice helping organizations develop workplace cultures where people thrive. I am constantly learning from Valerie’s ability to know what drives her, break out of the mold of what others expect, and take courageous leaps toward her goals.

 Who most influenced your decision to pursue business in college? My undergraduate mentor, Dr. Anne Charity-Hudley. At the time, I was only considering environmental master’s programs but she encouraged me to broaden my search and look at joint programs. She helped me consider not where I wanted to be when I graduated but where I wanted to be in twenty years and that’s when an MBA made perfect sense.

“If I hadn’t gone to business school, I would be…helping nonprofit organizations in Virginia build better, more impactful programs (I loved what I did!).”

If you were a dean for a day, what one thing would you change about the MBA experience? I’d play something other than smooth jazz in Town Square. Can I get some bluegrass?

What are the top two items on your bucket list? Visit all 50 states (only 6 remaining!) and go hiking in New Zealand

In one sentence, how would you like your peers to remember you? I hope they remember me as kind but willing to challenge the norm.

What is your favorite movie about business? The Big Short. Business decisions are human decisions. They are susceptible to the same biases as the human mind — making it difficult to reverse our commitments and to disagree with the overwhelming majority.

What would your theme song be? “Talkin’ bout a Revolution” by Tracy Chapman

Favorite vacation spot: Anywhere by an ocean

Hobbies? Hiking, kayaking, tidepooling

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2018 Best MBAs: Animesh Agrawal, Stanford GSB - Poets&Quants

Animesh Agrawal

Stanford Graduate School of Business

“A small-town boy from India, I believe in the power of determination and capital in changing lives.”

Age: 27

Hometown: Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India

Fun fact about yourself: It took me six years to convince my girlfriend to start dating me!

Undergraduate School and Degree: B.Tech in Mechanical Engineering from Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi

Where did you work before enrolling in business school?

Company: McKinsey and Company, Role: Business Analyst

Company: The Blackstone Group (private equity team), Investment Analyst

Where did you intern during the summer of 2017?

Company: The Capital Group Location: Singapore

Where will you be working after graduation?

Company: The Blackstone Group, Role: Investment Associate

Community Work and Leadership Roles in Business School:

• Awarded Siebel Scholarship (class of 2018) for academic excellence and demonstrated leadership at business school
• Chair of the Academic Committee at the GSB
• President of the Business in India club, GSB
• Only student member of Future of Management Education Committee at the GSB. Committee comprised of the Dean and 14 other senior faculty members.

Which academic or extracurricular achievement are you most proud of during business school? I am most proud of being nominated by the Dean as the only student member of the Future of Management Education Committee. The Committee consists of the Dean and 14 other senior faculty members. This committee gives me an opportunity to give back to Stanford and impact the lives of generations of future MBA students.

What achievement are you most proud of in your professional career? During my tenure at McKinsey, I was leading the sales transformation initiative for a large insurance company in India. The new tools I designed for the client’s sales team were initially considered too complex to implement in 90 branches across 15 states. My most significant accomplishment involved spending four months visiting branches across the country to convince and help employees adopt these tools, which led to a 50% jump in sales.

Who was your favorite MBA professor? My favorite MBA professor is J.D. Schramm who teaches a number of communication courses at the GSB. He transformed the small town me who was afraid to speak up in English, into a confident business leader.

What was your favorite MBA Course My favorite class at the GSB was Managing Growing Enterprises. The biggest insight for me was the importance of raising the discussion to a higher level in case of disagreement, be it with employees or board members. If there is disagreement on Strategy, raise the discussion to Objective and if there is disagreement on Objective, raise the discussion to Values.

Why did you choose this business school? My mentor once told me that as you grow in the organization, the only thing that will matter are people skills. Stanford GSB is a school that focuses on leadership development and people skills in every aspect of the business school life. That was the biggest attraction for me. Starting from first quarter, we are asked a simple question: Why should anyone follow you? Experiences like Leadership Fellows and Touchy Feely help us get feedback and see the impact of our actions on different people.

What is your best piece advice to an applicant hoping to get into your school’s MBA program? GSB is a place that celebrates people, optimism and authenticity. Make sure this philosophy resonates with you, and reflect that in your application materials.

What is the biggest myth about your school? The biggest myth about GSB is that it is a school for entrepreneurs or technology freaks. I was positively surprised by the quality of courses and professors GSB has in general management (Professors like Joel Peterson and Iv Grousbeck) as well as finance and investing (Professors like Charles Lee and Steve Grenadier).

What was your biggest regret in business school? I would have loved to go on more trips with classmates. Group trips are a great way to get to know your classmates and spend quality time with them.

Which MBA classmate do you most admire? I admire Laura Chau (class of 2018) the most. As a daughter of immigrant parents from Vietnam, she is a trail-blazer in an industry that is still white male dominated – VC investing. She would be the first female investing professional in New York office of her firm, Canaan Partners, after school.

Who most influenced your decision to pursue business in college? I was most influenced by my ex-boss at Blackstone, Amit Dixit. He told me a simple thing – what has got me here, will not take me where I want to go next in life. He encouraged me to take a plunge to get to know people and businesses around the world and do an MBA in the US.

“If I hadn’t gone to business school, I would be…a lesser person than I am today. Business school has transformed my thinking, my confidence and my outlook towards the world.”

If you were a dean for a day, what one thing would you change about the MBA experience? I would make the academic experience more flexible for students to take more courses outside of management curriculum (e.g. arts, philosophy) or practical experience (e.g. independent studies). 

What are the top two items on your bucket list? One, I want to visit Mars some day and second, I want to be a loving and supporting partner for my future wife.

In one sentence, how would you like your peers to remember you?  I would want to be remembered as someone who made them smile and got the best out of them.

What would your theme song be? “The Climb” – Miley Cyrus

Favorite vacation spot: Maldives

Hobbies? Running, playing cricket, trekking, organizing events for friends

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