Steven Goudy

Emory University, Goizueta Business School

“A passionate scientist devoted to improving the delivery of healthcare to children through innovation and disruption.”

Age: 48

Hometown: Atlanta, GA (Born in Louisville, KY)

Family Members: Wife (Angie), Son (Benjamin), Daughters (Ava, Trudy)

Fun fact about yourself: I was intent on trying to play professional soccer until my dad talked some sense into me.

Undergraduate School and Degree: Centre College, Danville, KY BS. University of Louisville, MD.

Where are you currently working? Emory University / Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta: Director of Pediatric Otolaryngology

Extracurricular Activities, Community Work and Leadership Roles: Section editor for Cleft Palate Journal; Section editor for Annals of Otology, Rhinology, Laryngology; PAGES Medical Mission-provide surgery for patients with cleft lip and palate in the Philippines.

Which academic or extracurricular achievement are you most proud of during business school? Starting a company focused on providing innovative solutions for nasal hygiene in babies has been the most rewarding achievement. Each part of my MBA has contributed to my approach and perspective on how to build this business. Most importantly, I have received tremendous support and encouragement from my fellow students and professors during its development.

What achievement are you most proud of in your professional career? Development of a research laboratory dedicated to developing novel regenerative solutions for children that leverages that great minds at Emory and Georgia Institute of Technology. My hope is that through collaboration we will succeed in driving innovation in pediatric craniofacial regeneration that allows faster healing with less morbidity.

Who was your favorite MBA professor? This is like asking to choose whether I love my mother or father better! I love all of my teachers the same. However, Professor Shezad Mian’s class spoke to me in ways that transported me out of the classroom and into the movies. It was as if we were in the Dead Poet’s Society, the teaching style and time spent on preparation was appreciated and helped me learn so much more. Similarly, Professor Charlie Goetz’s no-nonsense, straight-shooting approach to entrepreneurship has been instrumental in developing my company.

What was your favorite MBA course and what was the biggest insight you gained about business from it? The operations management class we had taught by Professor Walton was intense and very personal. It asks you to completely disrupt what you know, open up your eyes to creative/disruptive ways of thinking, and apply rigor to the abstract. There were multiple insights I gained during this class and what I think will be most impactful is how to approach problems in a deliberate and iterative way that encourages creativity and rigor.

Why did you choose this executive MBA program? I believe that Emory is one of the best universities in the US. The culture here creates an environment of nurture, support, and excellence. The Emory Executive MBA provides a format, style and content that allows professional flexibility and development of a personal road map for growth.

What did you enjoy most about business school in general? The best thing is getting to know classmates from all walks of life (and countries) and developing personal relationships with the professors.

What is the biggest lesson you gained during your MBA and how did you apply it at work? Design thinking is something I had not ever considered prior to my MBA and now I implement this approach in many of my work and research projects.

Give us a story during your time as an executive MBA on how you were able to juggle work, family, and education? In the first semester of my MBA, I was working on statistics homework, and I noted that my son, who is a junior in high school, was also studying statistics that night. I asked him for help on my homework and he politely told me that he was farther along than I was that I would just have to figure it out. Sitting down at night at the table with my kids to do homework brought us all closer together and also demonstrated that hard work is necessary when you are passionate about your field of study.

What advice would you give to a student looking to enter an executive MBA program? I only considered pursuing my MBA after I was certain that my family, my wife in particular, was on board. It is a considerable ask of your whole family to have you focused on other things, while also trying to do your job. There is not going to be a perfect time, but make sure that all the stakeholders (home and work) are aligned. Also make time for some fun outside of work and school, so that they don’t lose touch with you.

What is the biggest myth about going back to school? That it is like riding a bike. Sure you remember riding a bike, but bikes have changed and getting back into school habits of doing homework and writing papers takes a bit of adjustment.

What was your biggest regret in business school? I have no regrets. This is something that I thought about for a long time and was glad to have the opportunity to do it. The Emory Executive MBA program allows me to continue to take classes and learn, so i will fill in the gaps that I find down the road.

Which MBA classmate do you most admire? Shenar Woods. Shenar served in the military and contemplated entering into the medical field when he got out but he decided to pivot. Shenar’s pivot was to enter into the electric power industry. Through bootstrapping, Shenar was able to grow his company to be a significant player in the delivery of electrical power lines throughout North Carolina.  More importantly, Shenar now employs other veterans through training programs and gives them high- paying jobs. Shenar’s commitment to developing a business model that is successful and also gives back to the community is an important example of corporate responsibility and how this creates a competitive advantage for them.

“I knew I wanted to go to business school when…I was sitting at a meeting in the hospital surrounded by numbers I didn’t understand. Going to business school for me was like learning to read, gaining a critical skill that will allow me to learn so much more.”

What is your ultimate long-term professional goal? I want to play increasing roles in the delivery of healthcare services and bringing disruption to healthcare delivery. These roles may occur within large hospital systems, entities commercializing regenerative solutions for children, or starting new ventures to develop child health solutions.

In one sentence, how would you like your peers to remember you? My peers may remember many anecdotes about me, but i hope that they remember my dedication to improving the health of children through business and medical innovation.

What are the top two items on your bucket list? 1: Develop a regenerative therapy for children that reduces morbidity in their care 2: Visit India and develop medical and business collaborations in a rapidly transforming health ecosystem.

What made Steven such an invaluable addition to the class of 2019?

“Steven Goudy is the Director of Pediatric Otolaryngology at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta and is a Professor at Emory University. Steven is committed to children’s health and has utilized his knowledge learned from his MBA program to launch a medical technology company Bee Clear, committed to improving the ability of parents to help their children breath better. Steven is also committed to helping others succeed by sharing his experience and knowledge for launching a MedTech company.”

Wendy Tsung

Associate Dean, Working Professionals MBA Programs

Emory University, Goizueta Business School

DON’T MISS: THE ENTIRE LIST OF THE BEST & BRIGHTEST EXECUTIVE MBAs OF 2019 or RANKING THE BEST EMBA PROGRAMS IN THE U.S.