Brian Rapp
Ohio State University, Fisher College of Business
Age: 44
“Authentic leader who blends IQ and EQ to forge impactful strategies and data-driven solutions.”
Hometown: Minneapolis, MN
Family Members: Michelle Rapp (Wife) and Lincoln Rapp (our house horse, a.k.a. Great Dane)
Fun fact about yourself: Many moons ago, I could throw a 90+ MPH fastball.
Undergraduate School and Degree: University of Minnesota, Bachelor of Business Administration (2001)
Where are you currently working?
- Confidential Fintech Start-Up, Chief Operating Officer (Fractional)
- Independent Management Consultant, Managing Partner
Extracurricular Activities, Community Work, and Leadership Roles:
* Valedictorian – I was deeply honored to receive this recognition, but I acknowledge that my achievement is not solely mine. My cohort peers’ collective brilliance and support were essential in making this honor possible during the grueling long hours and late nights of the program (ending with a 4.0 GPA). I am incredibly grateful for their inspiration and assistance throughout our shared B-school journey, which united us as a family.
* YMCA Board Member – I was elected to serve on the board of my local YMCA and am also a member of the YMCA finance subcommittee. This board role requires me to demonstrate leadership and stewardship while creating a positive social impact. It allows me to use my business skills strategically to enrich lives, promote diversity and inclusivity, and help those in need. I am proud to have the opportunity to contribute to the well-being of my community and its people.
* Philanthropic Ventures – Autoimmune Disease Research Donor (Multiple Sclerosis); American Heart Association Donor; Shedd Aquarium Donor (Chicago); United Way Donor; Human Society Donor; and Crawford County Foundation Donor (Ohio).
* Pickleball Club and Coach – I founded a free community pickleball club in North Central Ohio, personally creating and funding the website and pickleball equipment. I am dedicated to making the sport accessible to anyone. On Thursday nights, I provide free coaching to new players to foster skills and community spirit. Everyone is welcome to join and experience the joy of pickleball, the fastest-growing sport in the U.S., according to the Sports and Fitness Industry Association (SFIA).
Which academic or extracurricular achievement are you most proud of during business school? Being elected to the YMCA board was a huge responsibility, especially as two major locations were on the verge of financial ruin. Our YMCA locations were in significant debt, amounting to millions of dollars, and faced serious issues with creditors. Memberships declined by 15-20% annually due to ongoing operational and financial challenges, further exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.
In response to this challenging situation, we embarked on a strategic overhaul over the last two years. We launched aggressive fundraising initiatives that increased donations by 30% and introduced new sponsorship programs that attracted significant local business support. These initiatives have enhanced our financial stability and directly benefited our community, restoring trust and raising our public profile.
Operationally, we streamlined costs by around 25% without compromising service quality, which improved the financial structure. This bolstered employee morale and reduced turnover. Moreover, our renewed focus on operational excellence and financial stewardship allowed us to intelligently invest in modernizing facilities and equipment, which drove membership value. As a result, we have seen a significant increase of approximately 40% in membership over the last two years.
Through these concerted efforts, we were able to pull back from the brink of selling one of our facilities and rejuvenate both locations into thriving community hubs. This journey, marked by collaborative success and strategic transformation, has been one of the most fulfilling experiences of my professional life. I could use what I had learned from my MBA directly in real time to revitalize a vital community center.
What achievement are you most proud of in your professional career? My proudest professional achievement was co-creating the Magnolia Home Theater (MHT) “store-in-a-store” concept for Best Buy at the age of 24 (20 years ago). With board and C-level sponsorship, I was responsible for comprehensively designing and implementing a new supply chain for MHT. This involved architecting advanced demand planning processes to align product availability and predict market, store, and customer demand signals. I also established warehousing fundamentals that optimized space, packaging, and labor usage and coordinated international logistics to streamline global shipping operations.
Additionally, I played a pivotal role in supplier development, instituting quarterly business reviews that fostered stronger partnerships and enhanced supply chain reliability and resiliency. Furthermore, I led strategic product planning and assortment integration, meticulously curating the product mix to align with market trends and consumer preferences. This initiative ensured that MHT locations featured the most relevant and appealing products and played a crucial role in broadening our customer base and boosting sales.
This project revolutionized the retail experience for high-end consumer electronics and significantly improved operational excellence and customer satisfaction at Best Buy by focusing on “customer centricity.” It underscored the significance of innovative solutions in supply chain management and what is possible through determination and creative problem-solving. This achievement is a testament to the impact of strong leaders who believe in their people and visionary business models, inspiring me to continue pushing the boundaries in my career.
Who was your favorite MBA professor? My favorite MBA professor was Professor Angus Fletcher, who taught an elective course on “Creative Leadership.” The course profoundly impacted me and offered invaluable insights into the neuroscience of enhancing one’s leadership skills. Professor Fletcher helped us understand why humans will always be better than computers and artificial intelligence in areas such as imagination, future vision, decision-making, empathy, and other critical mental tasks essential for effective leadership and organizational growth. Professor Fletcher delved into the neural origins of creativity and leadership and distilled complex concepts into actionable insights. He emphasized the crucial role of curiosity and introspection in fostering creative problem-solving and inspirational management.
According to Professor Fletcher, the neural origins of creative leadership are rooted in two brain processes: active curiosity and introspective honesty. These processes lead to a range of skills that are invaluable in the business world, such as creative problem-solving, inspirational management, dynamic empathy, organizational/team trust, honing intuition, transformational growth, and courage in crisis. The science behind this is clear and straightforward, offering a solid foundation for future leadership success.
Lastly, Professor Fletcher fostered a culture of psychological self-examination and personal growth. Students are empowered to confront their fears, embrace uncertainty, and cultivate resilience through engaging coursework and practical exercises. These are the foundational elements of effective creative leadership. It is inspiring to learn from someone who has earned accolades from esteemed figures like Malcolm Gladwell and Brené Brown, with his work lauded as “mind-blowing” and “life-changing”. Professor Fletcher won the U.S. Army’s Public Service Commendation Medal for training special forces (true American heroes) in leadership and decision-making.
Why did you choose this school’s executive MBA program? I visited and evaluated multiple business schools, but the Fisher culture, administration, professors, and students made it feel like “home”. This program distinguishes itself through a rigorous curriculum that perfectly balances theoretical and conceptual business foundations with practical application. It cultivates an environment encouraging students to transcend their limits while fostering purpose-driven leadership and growth.
What truly sets the Fisher Executive MBA apart is its emphasis on peer-to-peer and experiential learning through simulations and casework. This, combined with instruction from award-winning faculty, ensures a rich educational experience. The program’s structure allows for the immediate application of classroom insights to real-world business challenges, enhancing the practical learning experience to prepare their students to become robust and well-rounded executive leaders.
What is the biggest lesson you gained during your MBA, and how did you apply it at work? My biggest lesson came from my Entrepreneurship and Venture Capital Finance course with Professor Oglevee. This course taught me the intricacies of venture capital and its importance in entrepreneurship. In particular, I harnessed knowledge about capitalization tables (also known as “cap tables”) and various funding models, which have been incredibly valuable. By mastering cap tables, I learned how to effectively illustrate ownership, equity dilution, and investor and entrepreneur rights allocation, essential factors influencing negotiations and financial decisions in virtually all startups.
In the 14th month of my MBA journey, I consulted an early-stage startup on structuring its financials and investment strategies to optimize equity distribution and attract the right investors. This involved creating detailed cap tables that provided clear visibility into the implications (e.g., equity dilution, voting rights, etc.) of each funding round, guiding the three founders to make informed decisions regarding the long-term vision for the company. Ultimately, these efforts helped my client secure the necessary angel round funding, thus establishing a solid foundation for future growth and scalability.
Give us a story during your time as an executive MBA on how you were able to juggle work, family and education? Embarking on my Executive MBA journey was timed (maybe poorly) with a significant life transition that tested my limits like never before. My wife and I had moved from the vibrant hustle of Chicago to a quiet rural town in Ohio, driven by the need to care for her ailing parents. We were also battling another heart-wrenching challenge when my wife’s eldest sister passed away unexpectedly. Suddenly, we found ourselves as the primary caregivers and support system for her three young nephews who live with my wife’s ailing parents. This forced us to navigate our new roles as pseudo-parents while grappling with our grief and new personal responsibilities.
Amidst this whirlwind of personal upheaval, my professional life demanded undivided attention. As an independent consultant, I had just landed a significant project with a Fortune 500 global insurance client. I was responsible for leading a pivotal digital transformation engagement across multiple countries. This role often required me to stay at client locations for weeks at a time, juggling time zones and critical deliverables that made traveling back home unfeasible.
Managing this intricate balance of work, family, and education was an immense challenge. There were months when my daily routine was relentless: dedicating 15 hours to professional commitments, stealing moments to connect with my family, and diving into my MBA studies late into the night. Sleep was squeezed into roughly three hours—if that. Despite the exhaustion, this period was rich with lessons.
This grueling schedule taught me the profound resilience within me. It showed me that prioritizing effectively under pressure and focusing on what’s truly important – like family, career, and personal growth – can guide you through the chaos and catalyze profound personal and professional development. These experiences, though incredibly challenging, have enriched my life, providing clarity on my capabilities and limits. I am sure I am a better husband, leader, and person because of it.
I share this story to recount trials and offer a glimpse into the transformative power of an Executive MBA, which can forge resilience and leadership in the fiercest of fires. Anyone considering this path knows that it is demanding but also genuinely gratifying. The lessons learned and the growth achieved are invaluable, making every sacrifice worthwhile. This journey has been one of the most defining periods of my life, reminding me that with determination and support, we can navigate any storm and emerge stronger.
What advice would you give to a student looking to enter an executive MBA program? Embark on the Executive MBA journey with an open and receptive mindset; it is designed to challenge your limits and expand your capabilities. This transformative experience will help you identify and leverage your strengths and broaden your domestic and global perspective, shaping you into an exemplary leader. The Executive MBA goes beyond traditional learning; it involves engaging with a cohort of distinguished peers, each bringing unique insights and experiences. This rich diversity enhances the learning environment, providing invaluable perspectives and lessons from fellow professionals. Embrace this opportunity to learn from distinguished professors in their fields and grow alongside your peers to become a leader equipped for tomorrow’s digital and analog challenges.
What was your biggest regret in business school? Reflecting on my time in business school, my biggest regret is not dedicating more time to coaching and mentoring younger students, from undergraduates to those in their MBA journeys with 15 years of work experience or less. I have amassed a wealth of knowledge in my 20+ year career and held several leadership roles, so I missed a valuable opportunity to impart critical learnings and insights that could have significantly shaped their academic and professional paths. Engaging more deeply with these students would have enriched their educational experience and allowed me to give back to the community that was instrumental in my development, fostering a cycle of growth and continuous improvement.
Which MBA classmate do you most admire? If I had to single out one classmate for admiration amidst our impressive cohort (C23), it would be Dr. Robert Merritt. His ability to navigate the rigorous MBA program and excel in his multifaceted professional and personal roles is remarkable.
As an Ivy League-educated MD and the director of Thoracic Surgery at the James Cancer Medical Center, Dr. Merritt’s commitment to advancing medical science and improving patient outcomes is evident and inspiring. His pioneering work in robotic-assisted surgery, including being among the first in the U.S. to utilize the Da Vinci 5 robotic system, underscores his dedication to innovation and excellence in healthcare, and his impact on patient care is truly transformative.
Beyond his professional achievements, Dr. Merritt’s role as a busy husband and father of two children is a testament to his exceptional time management and balancing skills. Despite his demanding schedule, he remains actively involved in teaching and leading doctors while contributing to medical research—a testament to his unwavering passion for his work and commitment to making a meaningful difference in the lives of others. His relentless pursuit of innovation and commitment to advancing patient care make him a genuinely admirable MBA classmate and a shining example of continuous learning, leadership, and dedication. He is on his way to someday leading a major health system as CEO – I am honored to call him a peer and a friend.
What was the main reason you chose an executive MBA program over part-time or online alternatives? Selecting an executive MBA program over part-time or online options was a strategic decision grounded in my substantial 20+ years of professional experience and executive leadership positions in prominent blue-chip corporations. This choice gave me invaluable access to diversify my network of seasoned industry leaders and experts, fostering unparalleled learning and skill enrichment.
What is your ultimate long-term professional goal? I would be happy if I could fulfill any of the following long-term professional goals in the next 10-15 years:
* CEO or COO of a Russell 3000 company, where I can drive significant operational improvements and strategic growth.
* Managing Partner at a leading management consulting firm, shaping its strategic direction, enhancing its global market presence, and delivering impactful client outcomes.
* CEO or COO of an early-stage startup, ideally at Series A or B funding, and lead it to either an initial public offering or major acquisition.
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