In business, and in life, change is the only constant. It’s perpetual, universal, and more recently, happening at an exponential pace. At NYU Stern, students in the Executive MBA program are acquiring the skills they need — not just to manage change, but to drive it in new directions.
A Fork In The Road
In 2020, Christian Blanchet, who graduated in 2022, found himself at a crossroads. Having followed a multitude of career paths — from wholesale distribution to professional golf — he used his time during lockdowns to reassess again.
“I had the time to think; what do I want to do? How can I continue to grow? I love fashion, but I wanted to broaden my ability to speak to different industries, and obtain a different perspective on the world.”
For Christian, the time was right to pursue his MBA, and when researching universities, he found the NYU Stern Executive MBA program to be a natural fit.
“I had applied to several programs, but the Stern Executive MBA program had this strong entrepreneurial spirit around it. It just felt like it matched who I am. There’s a great entrepreneurship center at Stern, and there are students who are creating and building things there. I wanted to tap into that world.”
A Change Of Direction
The program would have a profound impact on which direction Christian would take next.
“At that time, I didn’t even know I wanted to start my own brand,” he says.
“But being surrounded by like-minded people also trying to build and create things inspired me.”
Christian and his business partner, whom he met in the Executive MBA program, have since launched Marèa Maréa — a men’s swimwear brand, and he attributes its early success to skills he acquired in the program:
“We did everything, from sourcing materials from Italy and Portugal, to setting up manufacturing right here in New York, to launching a huge e-commerce platform,” he recalls.
“It helps that when you start the Executive MBA program, you’re put into a dynamic team, with people outside of your industry. Some from tech, some from finance, marketing, fashion, sales… That diversity of mindset made everything better.”
Like Christian, Executive MBA graduate of 2020, Julie Dwyer, found the program after some soul searching. “I felt very stuck and very unhappy in my career at the time,” she explains.
“I had always thought about getting my MBA but didn’t want to go back to school full-time. The Executive MBA program at Stern really was the perfect balance for me as classes are only on Fridays and Saturdays, every other week.”
Having completed the Executive MBA program at Stern, Julie heads up her very own startup, Chainstarters — a no-code platform that empowers brands to implement web3 solutions.
“I went from being a number cruncher on a laptop to jumping headfirst into a world nobody knew about: blockchain. I never thought I’d be a founder of a VC-backed tech startup. With my previous experience and the skills I gained in the Stern Executive MBA program, I know how to run a business.’ It’s a new space, we’re all building the plane as we fly it and it’s exciting.”
A Meaningful Change
For Julie, change means a bold leap into the unknown: “It’s being forced to step out of your comfort zone. And with that comes a choice; you can either fight it or grow through it. It’s uncomfortable, but you learn that it’s more uncomfortable to resist it,” she says.
“I have the tools I learned in the classroom at NYU Stern with me to this day, and they help me navigate – and grow through – times of change, in business and in life.”
Are you ready to drive change in new directions? The highly-ranked NYU Stern Executive MBA program could be your next destination.
