|
 Sarah
MBA 2005, Marketing/Brand Management
University previously attended:
Degree obtained: MBA
Country of origin: United States
Career History
Sarah started her professional career in communications, but made the shift to business to follow her developing interests in that area. She now works as an assistant brand manager in the Clairol Division of Procter & Gamble.
Personal History: Turning Good Luck into Good Fortune
As a child, I learned from my parents that good luck comes to many people, but turning it into good fortune requires two things: identifying it and acting on it.
That lesson led me to start my own babysitting, house sitting, and pet sitting service as a young teen (complete with brochures), and helped propel me into a summer internship in the White House Press Office (by capitalizing on a chance encounter with a U.S. ambassador during a college junior year abroad program). It also enabled me to demonstrate to top executives at International Data Group, a multi-billion-dollar international technology media company, that I could serve as director of corporate communications and oversee a $2.5 million budget while still in my twenties.
Moving into Business
Riding the technology boom in the media industry for nearly five years was intense and exciting, but over time I realized that I enjoyed the marketing aspects more than the communication responsibilities of my demanding 24-hour-on-call job. Reviewing my options, I first decided to explore the possibility of a career in brand management and product development in a consumer goods company. Second, I decided to acquire stronger financial skills, which are critical to gaining profit and loss management responsibilities for a long-term business career. An MBA was clearly the best way to achieve both goals.
After a year at Simon, I secured a summer internship with Procter & Gamble's Clairol Division in Stamford, Connecticut. At Clairol, I developed a credential claim program with cross-functional teams for a new product launch within Clairol's largest brand, Nice 'n Easy. I also analyzed national trends to gauge the success of a product re-launch and evaluated the impact of a price change in the market. My hard work resulted in management implementing my recommendations and credential plan, and by summer's end, I was offered a full-time job in brand management at P&G.
MBA Takeaway
The most important thing that I took away from my graduate school experience was the knowledge that I will never be an expert in every aspect of business, as there are so many things to learn--but I now have the skills to identify and conquer the challenges in order to succeed in any capacity.
|
