After starting her career as a mechanical engineer, Louise Hardman (W. P. Carey, ‘20) chose to pursue an MBA to expand her business knowledge and round out her skills. After enrolling at ASU, she immersed herself in various classes and activities which exposed her to new functions and careers, such as her Business Development internship at a battery startup. During her interview, Hardman spoke about how she immersed herself in the MBA experience at ASU and how that is informing her future career post MBA.
MBASchooled: What did you do prior to business school, and why did you choose to attend business school?
Prior to business school I was a mechanical engineer working in the aerospace industry. I started in a highly technical role but took on project management and business development opportunities over time. As I grew in my role, I realized my strengths and passions were more aligned with the business decisions I was making rather than the technical tasks. I saw the MBA as an opportunity to expand my skill set and pivot into strategic roles that would benefit from both technical and business perspectives.
MBASchooled: During your first year, what were some of the highs and lows?
The best part of the first year of business school was the learning environment. Coming from an engineering background with no formal business education, every class was new and exciting. Professors inspired me to expand my boundaries and I had never been around classmates that were as motivated or ambitious. It was a culture that prized continuous learning and improvement and I was glad I chose a full-time MBA program to immerse myself in the learning environment.
One of the lows, though, was getting lost in the recruiting process. When I started the program, I had no idea what a business consultant was, and yet I was interviewing with a top consulting firm before school had even started! Even though I had done my own research before school started and tried to narrow down my targets, the options for MBA internships were endless and I often found myself in pushed in directions that weren’t really in line with my goals. Learning to be more confident in my own strengths and passions helped me find a role that was a good fit for me instead of competing with classmates for more coveted positions.
MBASchooled: Thinking back to when you started versus where you are now, what are some examples of skills you’ve acquired, or strengthened?
The first year of the MBA really laid the foundation for understanding how different aspects of a business fit together. The best example of my growth comes from the marketing classes I have taken. As an engineer, I designed custom equipment and manufacturing processes for customers. Marketing didn’t play a big role in our design process – it seemed more like advertising.
But in class, marketing was presented as a way to give voice to the customer and ensure that the product meets their needs. Even in a technical industry like aerospace, changing my perspective on the role of the customer would have been instrumental in designing equipment that was functional and efficient.
MBASchooled: What did you decide to pursue for your summer internship, and why did you choose that?
For my internship, I chose a business development role with EnPower, a startup company in Phoenix, AZ. EnPower designs Lithium-ion batteries and brought in MBA students for the summer to analyze market opportunities and develop a business plan.
The internship delivered on my top two priorities:
1 – It was in Phoenix, giving me an opportunity to connect with the local business community
2 – It was a role that leveraged my engineering background while at the same time helping me clearly pivot my resume to a business function.
I identified and prioritized ten different verticals for the company to target, then did a deep-dive analysis into two of those in order to develop a five-year go-to-market strategy and financial model.
MBASchooled: What was the biggest surprise of your internship experience?
The biggest surprise of my internship experience was my blossoming interest in startup companies and the entrepreneurial community in Phoenix. Most MBA programs don’t particularly advocate for small businesses, but they have a lot to offer for students looking to get first-hand experience operating a business. The fast-paced environment and the need for “jack-of-all-trades” employees gives you a lot of learning in a short amount of time.
MBASchooled: Were there any courses, programs, experiences from your first year that were helpful in your summer internship?
I was happy to find myself pulling out class notes and textbooks during my internship. I used the frameworks from Strategy to evaluate market opportunities, including Porter’s Five Forces, the PESTLE framework for external market influences, and the VRIO model for competitive advantage. I also used the 3Cs and 4Ps of marketing to develop go-to-market strategies.
The class that surprised me the most, however, was Creating Digital Experiences, a marketing class focused on digital channels. While my internship was not in the digital space, concepts like customer segmentation, targeting, and positioning and minimum viable products taught in the context of digital products were readily adaptable to a fast moving startup like EnPower.
MBASchooled: Currently, you serve as the Co-President of the Strategic Marketing Club. What resources or programs do you put on for students to help them with their career planning?
One of the things that was difficult for me in the first year was learning about all of the opportunities available to MBA grads. I was concentrating in marketing, but without work experience in that field I really didn’t know what I was qualified for or how the roles differed.
The mission of the Strategic Marketing Association is to provide resources that support the academic, social, and professional goals of MBA students. As Co-President, I help identify areas for the club to focus on, plan events, and bring members together. One initiative this year is to host a series of Marketing in Action workshops that teach tactical marketing skills such as pricing strategies or managing a P&L.
We work with faculty and Career Management to identify topics that are critical in today’s workplace and invite industry experts to host a micro-lesson over lunch. We also hosted a Phoenix Company Trek this Fall to bring more exposure to local opportunities for our students.
MBASchooled: What advice or guidance do you have for students who are interested in careers in marketing after business school?
My biggest advice for incoming students is to be open to new and different possibilities. The marketing field is a great example of how many different combinations of functions and industries you can choose from. Not every job will be labeled as an MBA job, but that doesn’t mean it won’t be a good learning opportunity. If you understand yourself and the learning milestones you hope to achieve you can judge a job opportunity much better than just going off the title.
For marketers, brand management at a CPG firm may seem like the gold standard, but I was pleasantly surprised to find interesting opportunities in tech, healthcare, engineering, and consulting. Sometimes having too many options is overwhelming, but when you find the right fit, don’t hesitate to go for it – even if it isn’t on your classmates’ lists!
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