John Austin
University of Chicago, Booth School of Business
Age: 36
“Father, Husband, People Leader and Analytic Go-To-Market Executive with Entrepreneurial Aspirations.”
Hometown: Chicago, Illinois
Family Members: Wife and son, plus our two dogs
Fun fact about yourself: I was a javelin thrower at Duke where I held the school record, won the ACC conference championship, and was a two-time All-American.
Undergraduate School and Degree:
Duke University — Bachelor of Science in Economics
Fuqua School of Business — Master of Management Studies
Where are you currently working? I am the Senior Vice President of Marketing for Paro, a B2B marketplace for finance and accounting services.
Extracurricular Activities, Community Work and Leadership Roles: I have been the executive sponsor of Paro’s DEI efforts for the last few years. Within the community, my involvement has historically focused on entrepreneurship coaching and mentoring of high school students as well as pro-bono consulting for non-profits in Chicago.
Which academic or extracurricular achievement are you most proud of during business school? I am thrilled to have achieved Honors while simultaneously navigating the amazing life change of the arrival of our first child as well as professionally supporting my organization through its Series C fundraise last year and getting promoted to SVP.
What achievement are you most proud of in your professional career? I am most proud of the leader I have become. My career is very non-linear, ranging from business analytics to corporate development to market expansion to more holistic go-to-market strategies. Though diverse experiences, each as provided key learnings that have helped me develop significantly as both a business leader and a people leader.
Who was your favorite MBA professor? It is Haresh Sapra, one of my first professors in the program. Haresh brought an unrivaled energy and passion for not only the subject matter, but also the teaching itself. He was invested in every student’s success and set an amazing tone for the program.
Why did you choose this school’s executive MBA program? When exploring programs, I was looking to balance the best possible academics and school reputation along with international experience. The Booth EMBA program enabled me to spend months studying abroad in London and develop a truly global network with classmates across the Chicago/London/Hong Kong campuses – all while learning from the faculty for which the school is so well known.
What is the biggest lesson you gained during your MBA and how did you apply it at work? There were plenty of tactical learnings that were able to be directly applied at work, particularly from the Entrepreneurial Selling, Marketing Management and Competitive Strategy classes. That said, I think the greatest lessons I learned will be applied in future roles and companies as I look to shape new organizations.
Give us a story during your time as an executive MBA on how you were able to juggle work, family and education? The final quarter of the program overlapped with my wife’s third trimester of pregnancy with our first child. The added complexity of traveling to London to study meant that I was abroad for my penultimate week of class days before her due date and again a mere ten days after our son was born.
Seeing through the program in London was made possible first and foremost by my wife’s understanding, strength, and support. Additionally, I was fortunate to have amazing classmates and teammates at work who were understanding at every turn and willing to help however they could. I ultimately had a community behind me that I am incredibly grateful for.
What advice would you give to a student looking to enter an executive MBA program? Be ready to commit. School will be difficult on its own, compounded by unforeseen life and work challenges that will come about over the duration of the program. The program is going to require a significant amount from you as well as those close to you (family, friends, colleagues). Truly committing to the experience in order to make the most of the opportunity is incredibly important.
What was your biggest regret in business school? My greatest regret was not creating better separation between school and work. There are not specific events or programs that I recall missing. However, I know there were times that I was not fully present due to work distractions that I wish I could have avoided for both my own and my classmates’ experiences.
Which MBA classmate do you most admire? Nikolay Yukovich — sparing the details, I saw incredible courage from him as he navigated moving his family across borders twice during the program due to international conflicts. At the end of the day, his priorities were clear, and despite the stresses, he always found a way to smile.
What was the main reason you chose an executive MBA program over part-time or online alternatives? The executive program fostered a tremendous sense of community that I did not see replicated in other programs. We spent a full week together each 1-1.5 months for nearly two years. The depth of relationships and the ability to learn from each other was dramatically enhanced by this structure paired with the caliber of my classmates.
What is your ultimate long-term professional goal? I would love to start, run and scale my own business.
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