Julie Irvin Hartman, CF APMP

Mays Business School, Texas A&M University

Age: 47

“Certified proposal manager, entrepreneur, speaker. Passionate about doing meaningful work that has social and economic impact.”

Hometown: Lockhart, Texas

Family Members: Husband, Matt; Bonus Sons (Cody, Dylan, and Tyler); two brothers; nieces and nephews

Fun fact about yourself: Former radio DJ, avid snow skier, and completed the Texas MS 150 (bicycle ride from Houston to Austin) four times to raise money for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.

Undergraduate School and Degree:

BACHELOR OF FINE ARTS, Radio/TV/Film (Magna Cum Laude)
Sam Houston State University, 1997

BACHELOR OF SCIENCE, Agbusiness (Magna Cum Laude)
Sam Houston State University, 1996

Tuck-WBENC Executive Program 2011
Dartmouth

Where are you currently working? Co-Founder, B2G Victory (launched January 2022)

Extracurricular Activities, Community Work and Leadership Roles:

Entrepreneur Focused Volunteer Presentations

Reynolds and Reynolds – Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for Veterans (Summer 2022)

Reynolds and Reynolds – Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for Veterans (December 2021)

Small Business Administration -Houston District – 3 Seminars (2022)

COMMUNITY & LEADERSHIP

FCCLA Business Advisory Council Member (2017 – present)

Founders Institute Mentor (2017-present)

EMBA 2022 – Class Council & Class Agent (2022 – present)

Assistant Girl Scout Troop Leader (2013 – 2019)

Advisory Board Member – Small Business Today Magazine (2015-2017)

Board Member – Women’s Business Enterprise Alliance (WBEA) (2011 – 2014)

Board Member – Best & Brightest (2015 – 2017)

Product Service Council – Houston Apartment Association (2014-2015)

Technology Committee Chair – Houston Apartment Association   (2013 – 2015)

HONORS & AWARDS/ACCOLADES

Texas A&M- Mays Business School

Texas A&M University – Mays Business School, Jay Wendell ’08 Spirit Award, 2022

Texas A&M University – Mays Business School, Capstone Excellence Award ,2022

Texas A&M University –McFerrin Center for Entrepreneurship, Aggie Pitch Competition – Elevator Pitch Finalist, 2022

Texas A&M University – McFerrin Center for Entrepreneurship, Raymond Idea Challenge – Honorable Mention – 2021

Professional

Fast 100 – Houston Business Journal, 2015, 2014

Fastest Woman Owned Business – Houston Business Journal, 2014

Best Company To Work For, Houston Business Journal, 2016

Top Advertising Agencies, Houston Business Journal, 2015, 2014, 2013

Best & Brightest Companies To Work For, Best & Brightest, 2014, 2013, 2012

Advocate of the Year, WBEA, 2011

WBE Supplier of Year, WBEA, 2011

Top 40 under 40, Houston Apartment Association, 2014

LEADERSHIP LYCEUM, Houston Apartment Association, 2015

Which academic or extracurricular achievement are you most proud of during business school? My Co-Founder, Susan Repka, and I were asked to teach the Government Contracting during The Reynolds & Reynolds Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for Veterans (EBV) in December 2021. It was an honor to volunteer with TAMU Faculty and fellow Aggie entrepreneurs. Our session not only empowered but inspired veteran entrepreneurs to grow their businesses through government contracting. We are scheduled to present again during the Summer 2022 Session and look forward to being a contributor to this program for years to come.

What achievement are you most proud of in your professional career? Successfully selling my marketing agency after 17 years is one of the proudest achievements in my professional career. This exit allowed me to take a multi-year sabbatical, complete my EMBA and launch my next company B2G Victory.

Who was your favorite MBA professor? It is a tie between Dr. Mary Lea McAnally and Dr. Ken McFarland. Dr. McAnally inspires fellow executive women, and her passion for accounting is contagious. This was one of the most useful courses in my program for me personally and applicable to so many things as a business executive.

Dr. Ken McFarlan’s tangible and practical way of teaching leadership was so refreshing. During each class preparation assignments, discussions, group projects, and reflections, I was constantly growing as a student and a leader simultaneously.

Why did you choose this school’s executive MBA program? The Aggie Core Values and the Aggie Network were the two biggest reasons I chose Texas A&M. From the minute I attended the information session to the follow-up and conversations with Jordan Sass, completing my application to my final interview. In my heart…I know Texas A&M is where I belonged.

What is the biggest lesson you gained during your MBA and how did you apply it at work? Everyone can win in a negotiation. It takes patience, active listening, and most of all, understanding each other’s objectives. Everyone needs and wants something, it’s not always money, and if you ask with compassion and care, most people will let you know what they need

Give us a story during your time as an executive MBA on how you were able to juggle work, family, and education? The pandemic presented opportunities for flexibility over the last two years and allowed me to become quite a juggler! A few examples include:

• Having our classes recorded allowed me to replay/relisten to the content during the 2.5-hour drive to see my family and return to content that I wanted to implement into my company immediately.
• Audiobooks were a massive part of the juggling act. Listening to books while I exercised, walked the dog with my husband, and rode in the ski shuttle during vacation allowed me to complete my EMBA assignments in bite-size chunks.

What advice would you give to a student looking to enter an executive MBA program? Manage expectations and communicate these clearly to yourself and your support network. What can you reasonably expect from yourself in terms of time and energy? What your friends and family can expect from you? What your work team can expect from you, and what can you expect from them?

What is the biggest myth about going back to school? Going back to school 25 years later was very different than what I expected. How I learn is very different, how you are taught is different, and life demands/priorities are different.

What was your biggest regret in business school? I don’t have any regrets, but if I could do something a little different. I would have asked the hard/difficult questions earlier in the program.

Which MBA classmate do you most admire? This is a tough one. There are many classmates that I admire. The one that I admire most is Nikki Morgan, Executive Vice President of TDI Industries. She is leading the way for fellow women in the construction industry with passion, determination, and constant professionalism. With a demanding corporate job and an ERP conversion, she was always prepared, contributed to the conversations, and was fully present during a pandemic.

What was the main reason you chose an executive MBA program over part-time or online alternatives? I wanted the full EMBA experience, and Texas A&M’s program was the best fit for me. It was important to me for the peer collaboration, academic and practical experience from all industries and perspectives, coupled with the Alumni engagement.

What is your ultimate long-term professional goal? My ultimate long-term professional goal is underway. Launching B2G Victory, which is focused on increasing the number of contracts awarded to women, minority, or veteran-owned businesses, builds their capacity, increases their access to capital, and drives innovation. These are the businesses that play a vital role in economic growth. These are the businesses that do the following:

• Create jobs and opportunities
• Empower& build communities
• Inspiring future entrepreneurs and idea makers

What made Julie such an invaluable addition to the class of 2022?

“Julie Hartman was the epitome of an Executive MBA student. Her prior experience gave her insight into what she needed and wanted to learn and that motivated her. Her desire to learn was evident in her questions, her classroom participation, and in the interactions with her peers. She was a fearless learner. But what truly distinguished Julie was the leadership she exhibited. On several occasions, it was Julie who stepped up to initiate a needed class discussion and to take action to resolve class challenges. I was inspired by her take charge attitude and her willingness to go above and beyond. We are proud to call Julie Hartman an Aggie.”

Dr. Mary Lea McAnally
PwC Professor of Accounting
James Benjamin Department of Accounting

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