What Executives Are Saying

As you enter the Tanner Building (the building the business school is located in), you see these beautiful gigantic blue banners that have several quotes of top executives describing the business students. We wanted to share some of those quotes with you:

"You will not find a better group of graduates than those educated and trained at the Marriott School of Management.... Their second-language capability and international experience are unequaled by any other business school."

— Nolan Archibald
Executive Chairman, Stanley Black & Decker

"BYU students are trailblazers. They approach problems with open minds and are eager to find creative solutions. I'm impressed with their dedication to innovation."

— Fraser Bullock
Founder/Managing Director, Sorenson Capital

"Graduates come away from the Marriott School with a very high ethical standard. You don't have to worry about what's underneath the résumé."

— Frank Crespo
Vice President and Chief Procurement Officer, Caterpillar Inc.

"One thing that differentiates the Marriott School is the experience of the student body.... Since business is conducted in a global framework, hiring people who have had real life experience in a variety of countries with a variety of languages allows for a more effective, deeper relationship with the clients."

— Linda Daines
Managing Director, Goldman Sachs

"The school offers mature individuals. Most graduates come out of school with an understanding of what it takes to work hard. They are very strong when it comes to figuring out and solving problems. They are ready to make a contribution."

— Reed Maughan
Partner, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP

"From my experience, communication and analytical skills are the strongest differentiators between students at BYU and those at other universities. Students take multiple classes that develop and hone these talents, which make BYU grads valuable employees."

— Eric Varvel
CEO, Credit Suisse Investment Bank

Source: https://marriottschool.byu.edu/recruiter/index/executivessay

Read more!

Interview with Jan Saumweber

Jan Saumweber, SVP of Sara Lee’s Global Walmart Team, gives advice on anticipating how your chosen role (e.g. sales vs marketing) will affect your family, recounts how showing strong ethics early in her career gained her credibility, and finally encourages women to join the business community. Enjoy!

Check out more interviews at the BYU MBA Morning Market Call.

Read more!

BYU MBA Stress Management

Word on the street is that the MBA program is stressful. So we set out Mythbuster-style to find out just how stressed people are these days. We found that the vast majority of BYU MBAs (70%) report having medium to high stress on average, with only 3% reporting very high stress and everyone else claiming low or very low stress levels.

It’s possible our data was skewed by the likelihood that MBAs with very high stress are less likely to take non-essential surveys. Then again, that same group is equally unlikely to be reading this, hence a mutual nose-thumbing is in order.

MBAs employ a variety of methods to manage stress. Aside from the usual suspects of exercise, sleep, socializing, and “couch-potato-ing” (actually recorded in our responses), 20% of respondents reported using food (both the good and the bad kinds) to lower stress and 26% claimed to use Jedi mind tricks to counter stress. Among our favorites in the ‘other’ category are: calling my mom, praying often, eliminating cause (we’re interested to know how), getting out of Provo, and hanging out with people more stressed to see how ridiculous they are.

-Merritt Aho, Marketing, Class of 2011

Read more!

The High-Performance Machine

When I wake up today, I’m a 31 year old MBA student-husband-father-friend-classmate with possibly overly divided attentions, a growing list of personal successes, an also growing list of mistakes and awkward ideas, and a rolling list of to-dos that just seems to exist no matter how much effort I put into eliminating it. I’m ambitious. I expect myself to make a difference. I want to contribute valuable insights and work. I want the next moment to be my best moment. I hope the last less-than-my-best moment will go away quietly.

I’m thrilled with this knowledge-building, friendship-gaining, connection-finding, experience-gathering opportunity. I’m also exhausted by it. I’m enjoying this experience, and I expect I’m going to get better at it, but, in the meantime, all of these roles and goals and activities are putting a lot of miles on me.

And that got me thinking again about what I’m doing to keep me going.

A while ago I found that I had to be a lot more careful about what I ate and how much I slept in order to be clear and engaged in my work. It wasn’t that I was suddenly motivated to turn myself into some superhuman gladiator capable of conquering anything I came in contact with. These changes were to just keep up.

I assumed I was getting old, and it was now my job to make sure I didn’t fall apart.

Recently, it occurred to me that needing to eat and sleep better might have less to do with being “old” than I had thought. While looking over a sports car, it dawned on me that the high-performance vehicle required special motor oils, the highest quality fuel, and special tuning in order to function properly. If the car didn’t get those necessities, then it would actually function worse than its less than sporty commuter-class counterparts.

The light went on, and I suddenly realized (rationalized) that I wasn’t getting old, instead, after growing up as a commuter-class “me” that could deal with irregular maintenance and lower quality fuels, I had somewhere transformed into a high-performance “me” that would accept nothing less than the best to manage this high-performance lifestyle I was living.

I know I’m not the only one balancing the student, family, friend, job-hunter, success, failure, feeling-found, feeling-lost lifestyle, and I believe I’m not the only one who’s suffering from “high-performance” maintenance requirements. So, I hope all of you are also enjoying this MBA experience, and I encourage you to keep diving in where you see fit, and, if you’re feeling like this experience is making you age quickly, I suggest to you that you see it instead as refining you into a high-performance machine that needs special maintenance and care, and then continue maintaining yourself accordingly.

Christian Mealey, Marketing, Class of 2012

Read more!

Leveraging Stress for Success

So there I was - in the middle of the cubicle farm on the 2nd floor of the Tanner, a smile on my face as I explored the wild Canadian Rocky Mountains. I was doing a Google-Earth flyover of a remote section, trying to find a way to access a new river that appeared to be full of massive trout. Just then a classmate passed by and asked, “I take it you’ve finished the HR Mid-term?” “Unfortunately not!” I replied, “I’m just looking for one more good idea and then I’m basically done.” With a hint of suspicion in his eyes, he wished me luck and moved on. The take-home midterm was due in an hour, and contrary to my friend’s skepticism, I was right on schedule. Just then an idea came to me, and I pulled everything together and turned in the test.

Stress is an inevitable piece of the MBA experience. It is considered an intrinsic part of life and a critical element of success. Without stress in our life we would likely never perform to our fullest. However, the risks of burnout are real. In a recent study performed by The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) it was discovered that 40% of all workers today feel overworked, pressured, and exerted to the point of anxiety, depression, and even disease. The American Institute of stress reports that 60% of doctor visits stem from stress-related issues. American businesses lose over $300 Billion annually to absenteeism and lowered productivity that is a direct result of bad stress.

When is stress good, and when is it bad? When we experience stress or pressure to perform, our productivity begins to increase. If we are exposed to the stress for extended periods of time, the brain releases chemicals epinephrine, norepinephrine and cortisol. These chemicals cause rises in blood pressure, heart rate, and brain activity that are injurious over time. If we continue our exposure to the stress or pressure, we experience a productivity crash (see illustration of Yerkes-Dodson curve). There is a scientifically proven technique that leverages the benefits of a complex physiological dance between stress and relaxation. Completely letting go of a stressful problem or situation for a time allows the brain to rearrange itself, so that the hemispheres can communicate better. You essentially pull the rug out from under the stressful process and allow the brain to recalibrate, thus maintaining your productivity in the optimal range and preventing it from spiraling out of control. The brain is then significantly more effective at thinking strategically and identifying creative solutions to the problem at hand.

I learned this technique back in 2005 and I have noticed a significant difference in my ability to maintain sound analytical and creativity skills when pressure is high and the work is rigorous. I’ve applied this method in various settings such as high stakes meetings with executives striving for critical answers for the direction of the company, or even simply studying for the GMAT. BYU football coach Bronco Mendenhall also incorporates this technique into strategy meetings with his staff. Whenever the stakes are high and the task is laborious, we must understand the physiological effects of stress upon our brain and our ability to think creatively and holistically. The next time you feel your productivity starting to suffer, take a mental break that allows your mind to completely shift to a relaxation state, whatever that may be for you. If you feel your study group hitting the same plateau, suggest a 10-minute break that allows everyone’s minds to re-group. You will return with the benefits of more creative and clear thoughts that will consistently facilitate better decisions.

-Mike McInelly, OB/HR, Class of 2012

Read more!

Using the "Force" of the OBSA

Not so long ago, and not so far away there was a techie gone HR, a.k.a. me. I was a career-changing madman trying to land an internship then, and now, a full-time career in the vast and broad field of Human Resources. I began the MBA experience knowing that the ambiguous, the challenging and dare I say mystic world of HR and Organizational Behavior was for me, but I had no clue as to HOW to turn that into reality. The answer came in the form of a student organization, the Organizational Behavior Student Association (OBSA).

The reader needs to know a little bit about the author to fully appreciate the magnitude of the change. I worked for over 8 years in technology, and at the end of that career was exposed to some advanced org design issues that transitioned my interest from the binary to the strategic. I quit work and began the school year full of optimism and hope, sure that despite the drastic shift in career fields I would quickly find success (this is where the evil Sith Lord laughs).

The OBSA provided support on all fronts: networking, resumes, interviewing, and more (for only $19.99 plus shipping and handling – payable to George Lucas). Armed with positive criticisms and feedback, I took to the job search like a techie at a Star Wars convention. Informational interviews, networking, resume submissions, but in the case of this wayward “Jedi,” the chance to interview never materialized.

As I watched my fellow classmates interview and enjoy fly backs, I felt as if I had not only failed to “use the force,” but had been encased in an “occupational carbonite block,” eat your heart out Han Solo. So I put on a brave face and tried to commiserate with my peers as they shared stories about how hard their interviews were, or how frustrating their fly backs had been, and rejoice in their individual successes. As December began, and I felt like I didn’t even have an Obi-Wan Kanobi for an only hope, the OBSA stepped in a had a few second years speak to us at a ProSem. These particular second years had found their internships late the year before. Their words of encouragement, sympathy and faith were exactly what this “Padawan learner” needed.

Because they took the time to share their emotional, difficult and sometime miraculous stories, I found the courage to keep searching for any chance I could find. My family made it a matter of much fasting and prayer and in the end I found my internship through a connection in the OBSA. As the school year rapidly neared its end, a member of the OBSA presidency reached out to me about an opportunity a connection of hers had in her organization. This company (in the fortune 50) was looking for an HR intern with a technical background, you don’t need to hear the voice say, “Use the force!” to realize that this was the perfect opportunity.

To summarize this epic story, the OBSA is focused on training and preparing the students in the HR track to be successful in the job hunt and in their future careers. This it does extremely well, however, the most valuable asset that this organization has provided me is a network of dependable, successful, and supportive friends. It has helped me build lasting relationships that will be a treasure to me both professionally and personally.

Josh Kruse, OB/HR, Class of 2011
Interned at: Northrop Grumman

Read more!

My BYU Family

Here I am, less than 6 months away from graduation, and I can proudly say that choosing BYU MBA program was the best decision I could have made 15 months ago. My decision to attend BYU raised many questions among my family and friends. Their concerns were multifaceted, but they all revolved around one question: Why would you attend BYU when you are not LDS? There were concerns about the religious and cultural differences, my ability to fit in, to form friendships and ultimately to integrate into the BYU family.

While I did not have an answer to this question 15 months ago, I had faith. Today, in looking back at what has been one of the most challenging, yet the most successful years of my life, I can say that the BYU family is behind my success story.

1. I had help. I was given all the tools necessary to succeed. The staff, professors and classmates cared about my success and provided me with the support to perform at my best. In countless occasions, students offered, unsolicited, to help me with my resumes, interviews, assignments, etc.

2. I had inspiration. I was surrounded by hard-working men and women, who were both my competition and my daily inspiration. I was inspired by the drive and determination of my classmates, who, for the most part, not only juggled schoolwork and internship search but also family responsibilities.

3. I had faith. While BYU is an LDS institution, it is an institution where anyone can freely live his or her faith. I have been able to live my religion and share my culture with very accepting colleagues. Religion has not been a differentiator but rather a way of bridging differences, learning from each other and growing as an individual.

The fact of the matter is that while the religious and cultural differences were initially a concern of mine, those differences fueled deep conversations and dialogues, which drove my integration into the BYU family.

-Thamina Sbai, Marketing, Class of 2011

Interned at: L'Oreal USA

Read more!

Squeezing 29 Hours Out of Your Day

They say that the first thing Peter Drucker told executives to do was record how they spent their time throughout each day and evaluate their priorities. Of course, they also say that Peter Drucker is dead. Regardless, I decided to take on the “Drucker Challenge” for myself. I recently spent seven days carrying a little notebook around to record how I spent every minute of each day. I even recorded trivial things such as: “Watched teammates play Worms while waiting to start our meeting – 20 minutes,” or “Talked to Mac about why Supply Chain is better than OB/HR – 5 minutes.” You get the idea.

My purpose was three fold:

1. I was feeling pretty spread thin with all my commitments and I wanted to see where I could eliminate waste (or “Mudah” as us GSCMA’ers affectionately refer to it) in my schedule.
2. I was curious how my actions during each day matched a written list of priorities that I had.
3. I wanted to have tangible proof of how weird I am.

I’m happy to say that this was a fruitful exercise in achieving each of my purposes.

I divided my schedule into four compartments: School, Spiritual, Career Development, and Personal (non-sleeping). Then I plugged each daily activity into one of those compartments. After the week was over I put all my data into an Excel spreadsheet and analyzed the results.

Here’s what I found:

• All school related activities for the week only took 45 hours. I really thought this number would be closer to 70!

• I’m really good at thinking about getting a job. I mean, I can spend hours and hours just thinking. Unfortunately, I only spent 1 hour during the week actually doing something about it (i.e. working on my resume, networking, or applying for jobs).

• I had 40 hours of personal time to spend during the week. My funniest time log? “Legal Obligations – 1 hr 40 mins,” (good old traffic school).

• My “Playing-Halo-with-roommates-to-going-on-dates” ratio was a solid two hours and thirty-five minutes to zero. My ecclesiastical leader may cringe at this statistic, but I’m okay with it.

• I found multitasking to be a great way to achieve a couple priorities in my schedule at the same time (and I’m not just talking about applying for jobs while sitting in class). For example, following the news is important to me but I’ll neglect it when I’m really busy, so I make it a priority to listen to some good podcasts while I’m getting ready in the morning, commuting, cleaning, or performing any other essential task that doesn’t require a lot of thought.

• I need to use the Internet with a purpose. Part of my study time involved going through my web browser’s viewing history and recording where I spent my online time. It was amazing how often I started out with a simple check up on my Facebook account and that somehow led to browsing Jon Hamm’s filmography on IMDB, any national articles praising Austin Collie’s brilliance, or Jim Gaffigan YouTube clips.

I have to admit that logging all my time day after day made me feel somewhat like a robot, and at times really sucked the life out of life. Having said that, I’m glad I did it and I suppose it’s an exercise I’ll repeat in the future. We all will die someday. Peter Drucker has already died. But, while we’re alive, it’s useful to periodically check how the time we spend matches the supposed priorities that we have. And, who knows? Maybe after your own careful time management review you just might realize that you can squeeze 29 hours out of your day.

-Luke Terry, Supply Chain, 2011

Interned at: SearchSino in Xi'an, China

Read more!

My OB/HR Baptism

One moment I was sitting blissfully on my orange raft, and the next, I was submerged in shark-infested (probably) white water rapids. It is difficult to describe the experience of being dislodged while white water rafting. The effects are sudden, wet, shocking, and yet, somehow satisfying (at least in the retelling). The OB/HR raft trip represented a form of baptism for me, not just in the Payette River, but also into the world of OB/HR at BYU. In fact, I would like to rechristen this event: Scout Camp meets Gourmet Road Show meets OB/HR. Certainly there were moments of pressure, and perhaps shock (Re: portapotty? Anyone???). A first-year student summed up our first evening with the recruiters: “I feel like I’m on the Bachelorette, vying for face-time.” At first, meeting the recruiters encouraged a small frenzy, but after the first night, the pressure dissipated and we had FUN. We hung out. And, frankly, the most useful information was not facts about the companies, but rather the more subtle and personal details about the individuals.

My favorite conversations were the casual, inane, and downright ridiculous. I would like to record some of those here. (Names have been deleted to protect the innocent):

1. “Our group last year was all the jocks.” Ten minutes later. “I’m a dancer. And I love flower gardening.”
2. “I heart HR [insert 5 minutes of new and strange HR jargon] I heart HR”
3. “People always call me Ryan when they forget my name. Then I found out that my mother was planning to name me Ryan all along! But my aunt used it for her kid right before I was born and my mom couldn’t use it, so actually my name SHOULD be Ryan. Isn’t that weird?”
4. “I love my Harley. Maybe not the best investment...but my Harley makes me so happy.”
5. “Guys, we totally have to have a strategy for attacking that other raft.”
6. “In Russia you can’t throw the garbage away until your guest is safely home, or it’s bad luck.”
7. “My wife is such a good mom. I just got lucky” What a softy. Later: “I am going to attack you tomorrow.” (FYI: he is a man of his word.)
8. (upon viewing natural Idaho scenery): “You guys have really done a great job with the landscaping here. I mean, it must have taken forever to haul in all these trees.”
9. “I have never [fill in blank with whatever you want]”
10. (Singing Aboard Raft à la Titanic): “Sempre libera degg´io folleggiare di gioia in gioia!!!!!”
11. “I have never rooted for BYU...I have never rooted for BYU...define root”

Other significant moments: I showed up without proper gear, but was speedily provided with a sleeping bag, sleeping mat, and flashlight! I am now a firm supporter of Boy Scouts of America, even if they plan vacations without washrooms. Another was a classmate saving me a coveted seat by the fire, knowing how important it was to my survival. These conversation snippets and anecdotes may seem silly and meaningless. But, to me, these are the crucial conversations. There is everything to be learned from small talk. With each exchange, I form my perception of the other person, reflect it back on myself, and begin to shape my professional identity. Unarticulated questions are a running backdrop: Am I like you? Do I like being with you? Could I become like you? Do I want to? Every conversation was a window into OB/HR, and into my future.

While I would like to say that I came out of the OB/HR Rafting Trip with a clear sense of direction (track, company, position, salary, location) - I didn’t. I emerged drenched in questions. What I did come out with was a tangible knowledge that I really like these people. In fact, I like them a lot. And since a church can be judged by its members, I must say that my recent baptism into OB/HR may shortly become a conversion.

Elizabeth Keeler, OB/HR, Class of 2012

Read more!

An Ordinary MBA Summer

My summer started pretty early. On April 22nd I was on a plane directed south. After 30 hours (I was lucky to find 3 open seats in a row and I actually slept on a flight for the first time in my life), and after seeing Dallas and Santiago, Chile, from the clouds, we landed in Asuncion, Paraguay. And by us I mean Jeff Baxter, soon to be nicknamed Compañero Jeff, and me.

After a couple of days in the capital we were “abducted” and found refuge in a wonderful little house in the middle of the jungle. We spent 4 weeks there: it was an incredible experience!

a sight of the main square of the school from the main office

We had been blessed with a great education during our first year in the MBA; but even a greater blessing was to be able to apply these concepts and provide very useful suggestions for Fundacion Paraguaya. Fundacion Paraguaya is a non-profit organization whose ultimate purpose is to free people from poverty through work and business. In particular we consulted for their Agricultural School in Cerrito. They teach agricultural principles to teenagers and sell the outcomes of their work (vegetables, milk, cheese). They are struggling. We ran a deep analysis of their business and realized that their main and most pressing problem was the sales method. They weren’t reaching enough people because they didn’t have the right materials. They needed carts to help them carry their products and it was our desire to help them make the carts.

me, Alison (MPA) and a bunch of local kids (indigenous local population)

Jeff is an amazing engineer: do you think that for the team leader of the BYU racing car team (182 MpH!) it is too hard to build 3 carts? Well, without the right material and tools it was a challenge. But we made it! The 3 carts allowed them to touch between 200% and 300% of their customers in the same amount of time!

Jeff working and me zoolandering

Time to say goodbye came soon and I flew back to Utah. But just for 2 days! Then a lone drive to Palo Alto, CA, where I started working for Apple, in its Applecare group—Global Commodity Management to be precise. It was challenging but fun. Apple is not how they describe it. It is better. They are super lean, fast, entrepreneurial, innovative and love their customers.

Of course if I talked about what I did I’d have a Job’s SWAT team blasting my door in 5-10 minutes... So all I will tell you is that they had an amazing cafeteria! Great food.

And Palo Alto weather? Are you kidding me? Constant 80 degrees? Made the swimming pool and the Jacuzzi in the complex so much more valuable.

The last week of my summer was a road trip back from California. I still don’t understand how we could drive (with two friends from Italy) for 2,500 miles in 8 days! Bay Area, Santa Cruz, San Francisco, Muir Woods, Yosemite, Sequoia, Vegas (in bed at 9.30), Lake Powell, Antelope Canyon, Monument Valley, Mesa Verde, Moab, Arches, Monticello (ok we only slept there) and Provo. Awesome!

Antelope Canyon, AZ

In the end... a great ordinary MBA summer! You’ll hear many like mine. :)

Andrea Cordani, Supply Chain, Class of 2011

Interned at: Apple

Read more!

Procrastination? Not at BYU!

If there were one word to avoid when describing the MBA program at Brigham Young University, it would be “procrastination”. From the moment students get accepted into the program, months prior to the start of classes, they are kept busy with a wide variety of tasks—everything from surveys and pre-requisite classes to personal essays and personality tests. In addition, each new student is assigned a second year MBA “Sherpa” to help prepare the new student for the difficulties that he/she may find in starting the program. The Sherpas also provide mentoring and motivation to new students so that they begin to prepare their resumes, elevator pitch and interviewing skills before starting school. And as if this weren’t enough, BYU provides two orientations for many first year students: one for internationals, and then one for the entire incoming class.

All of the preparation provided by BYU prior to the start of the school year allows students to focus exclusively on their classes and their job search rather than spend half of the semester figuring out what is an optimal resume, how long an elevator pitch should be, or where to find the Symplicity website (Y Business Careers).

The program forces students to stretch in different directions to achieve results. These may come in the form of good grades, better family life or church callings, not to mention a robust personal/professional network and great career prospects.

My first impressions of BYU are related to hard work, discipline, anticipation and great attitude. Already, the program has helped me become a better person, and a better professional. Not only does BYU provide excellent faculty, but it also excels in selecting talented MBA candidates. And one first impression that still rings true is that the word 'procrastination' has nothing to do with this program.

Nacor Tortosa, Supply Chain, Class of 2012

Read more!

Earl Stice

We have asked a few of our professors why they teach at BYU, what they hope students gain from their classes, and what advice they would give the incoming students. Today we will hear from Earl Stice, our PricewaterhouseCoopers Professor of Accounting. Enjoy!

-The Blog Team

What makes you different?

1. My love of accounting is a genetic endowment.

• My brother and I both teach accounting in the Marriott School.
• My older son is getting a PhD in accounting.
• My younger son (a BYU accounting major) hopes to start a PhD in accounting next year.
• My second daughter (a BYU economics major) is also considering getting a PhD in accounting.

2. I have connections with China.

• I teach at business schools in China two or three times each year. This stems from a three-year stay (1995-1998) on the accounting faculty at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology.
• One of my daughters is from China.
• My two youngest daughters (both from Kazakhstan) are in a Chinese-language immersion program here in Provo. They are second graders at Wasatch Elementary (across the street from BYU’s Law School).
• I have written three cases on Chinese industries (oil, air travel, and telecommunications) that are used in the Financial Statement Analysis course.

Why do you choose to teach in the BYU MBA program?

Teaching accounting to accounting students is primarily about accounting. Teaching accounting to MBA students is about accounting and finance and valuation and regulatory policy and international intrigue and much more. So, teaching accounting in the MBA program allows me to cover accounting as well as the interesting business implications of accounting.

What do you hope students will gain from your course, aside from its content?

Excitement about learning new things.

What advice would you give students in their first year of the MBA program?

• Don’t get behind in your coursework. Put in a full day of work every day (except for Sunday). Keep regular hours; late night work is a bad idea.
• From Day 1, remember that every interaction -- with fellow students, with faculty, and with Marriott School staff -- will impact your business reputation, for good or ill.

-Earl K. Stice, Ph.D.

Accounting Professor, School of Accountancy

Read more!

My First Impression

I embarked upon my MBA experience at BYU with much trepidation and anticipation. After all, this would be my first time in a graduate program, and I wasn’t sure what to expect. However, as I spent the first two weeks in orientation, and the subsequent weekend on the OB/HR rafting trip, there are several things that have stood out to me.

First and foremost, I have been amazed at how much time and effort the 2nd year MBA students put into making my experience as painless as possible. My Sherpa (second year mentor) has been especially helpful in assisting me as I make decisions that will influence the rest of my life. The alumni network at BYU has also been an outstanding resource. As I have reached out to former graduates I have been very grateful for the advice and information that they have given to help me through this journey.

My fellow classmates have also proved to be amazing people. It is already apparent to me that my peers are among the brightest MBA students in the country. I feel that the relationships I am establishing now will endure for life.

Lastly, I have been very impressed with the faculty in the program. The professors are world class, and it is readily apparent that they really do care for the students. After only two weeks in the BYU MBA program, it is not hard to see why it is among the top business schools in the nation.

Michael Eaton, OB/HR, Class of 2012

Read more!

Fulfilling My Purpose as an MBA in Ghana

One year ago I came into the MBA program with no idea of what I wanted to do when I leave. To be honest, when listening to speakers and professors, I would often find myself questioning the purpose of getting an MBA. Yeah, you can make more money, be smarter, and have a really schnazzy resume. But seriously, what does that really get you? An MBA is only a ticket to a higher salary and more hours in the office if you aren’t able to make the connection of where it fits with your greater purpose. The key is to find that purpose. Simple task, right? But it’s something that needs to be explored at an individual level.

My greater purpose is to explore the world and use the experiences I’ve had through travelling and education to benefit those in less fortunate nations. The Marriott School has what I consider to be a best-kept secret – the Ballard Center for Economic Self-Reliance. (It’s not really a secret; we are all just too busy to look up and see the sign.) The Ballard Center provides students with many opportunities to get involved in social ventures, many of which exist in underdeveloped nations.

Last semester, I applied for a marketing/HR consulting project in Koforidua, Ghana with a rechargeable batteries company called Burro (burrobrand.biz). Burro has an innovative business model designed to help develop economic self-reliance in Ghana by providing more power to more consumers at a much more affordable price. Media and politicians tell us we should serve others by donating goods to those who are less fortunate, and in a time of crisis I can’t think of any better way. But this doesn’t do anything for those in need long term. Economic development is what many impoverished nations need, and companies like Burro help with that development. And BYU MBA students help those companies.

Burro has gained traction over the past two years and now wants to position itself for investors to push for expansive growth. So, four of us MBAs headed down to Koforidua after finals in April to see what we could do. Jennia Parkin and I developed research strategies to help us analyze the company’s branding, product line, hiring, and training efforts. We then made recommendations to the owner regarding marketing and HR strategies that would better serve the company as it positions itself for growth.

We experienced first-hand the challenges of working in a foreign country. It doesn’t matter if you both speak “English;” you will never really speak the same language. Culture, values, and experiences develop dramatic differences in perceptions and you must be acutely aware (and open to) these differences to avoid spinning your wheels. Transportation, processes, communication, sales, and training all happen at a much slower rate in Ghana, as well. It’s not due to a lack of capability or education, but to a lack of infrastructure. Hopefully, if Burro and more companies like it are able to take off in Ghana, the economy will grow, tax revenue will grow, and infrastructure will develop. And the cycle will begin. This takes time, but we must start somewhere. And giving away free products and services to these countries only hinders that economic development.

Let’s not get into that debate, though. This post is about finding the connection between your purpose and your MBA. My experiences in Ghana tie to what I hope will be the future of my career. I ended up doing my summer internship with Procter & Gamble. P&G’s purpose is to touch and improve the lives of more consumers in the world more completely. Burro’s mission is to deliver “high-quality, affordable goods and services to low-income families in the developing world.” If Burro were to write out its purpose, I would imagine it would be very similar to P&G’s, just more targeted to Africa.

These two companies allowed me to discover how my MBA relates to my purpose. My purpose is to explore the world and use the experiences I’ve had through travelling to benefit those in less fortunate nations. It doesn’t matter if I work for a social venture or big corporation.

Business can be one of the greatest aids we can offer any underdeveloped nations. But I wouldn’t have realized this without learning the lessons I did in Ghana. If it weren’t for seeing first-hand how products, like batteries, can develop and improve the quality of life for those in underdeveloped parts of the world, I may have looked at P&G’s purpose as a PR tool to aid in its greedy capitalist strategy. But now I don’t feel that way at all. Having my MBA can only give me more opportunities to explore the world and use business acumen to benefit those less fortunate – social venture or big corporation.

Tara Hair, OB/HR, Class of 2011

Interned at: Procter & Gamble

Read more!