4 Hult entrepreneurs changing the world Hult Blog

Last month, Bloomberg Businessweek released its rankings report on alumni insights from their Best B-Schools MBA ranking.   Hult placed . 2. Fabio Prestijacopo, CEO Co-Founder, Blind Experiences Chief Revenue Officer HolidayMe, Executive MBA Class of 2020 After 11 years as VP for Emirates, Fabio decided it was time for a change. Now part-way through his EMBA, he has rediscovered his creative brain and unleashed his inner entrepreneur. Q: Was there a moment that changed everything  for you? Fabio: Leaving my VP role at Emirates after 11 years opened up a huge part of my brain that hadn’t been  engaged in the corporate world. It was the perfect  time to invest in myself, build my skills, and update  my technical knowledge. This triggered me to follow  my passion for entrepreneurship and is what  brought me to Hult. Q: How have you built a career on your passion? I’ve launched my own travel startup: a niche, highly personalized, holiday-of-your-lifetime experience  called Blind Experiences. And I’m currently Chief  Revenue Officer at HolidayMe, an online travel  agent specializing in Umrah pilgrimage. We raised  $16M in our last round of funding and have around  350 employees. Q: Any surprises on the Executive MBA? I assumed I had a good understanding of accounting  and finance. But I now realize that I was mistaken!  Being here has made me really reassess how we  look at that part of the business and attract investors.   You can’t hide behind the finance department when  you’re an entrepreneur. It’s crucial to understand  every part of your company. Q: What’s been your biggest challenge? Two startups, twin boys, an EMBA †¦ I knew it would test me but I’d highly recommend it. The classroom experience is so enriched by the different cultures  and industries; it sparks incredible conversations  and is a very stimulating and engaging place to be. Monica Muriel, Founder of Zurita a high end, ethical fashion label headquartered in Shanghai from the Executive MBA Class of 2016. Read more here. 3.  Johannes Solzbach, CEO, Clustermarket, Masters in Finance Class of 2015 Johannes met fellow entrepreneurs Tobias and Niklas  in class at Hult, and the three went on to co-found Clustermarket, an online marketplace for sharing  scientific equipment. Q: Why did you decide to go into business with your classmates? Johannes: We all came to Hult with corporate experience under our belts. Individually we were very ambitious and  looking to take our careers further. Together we bring  very different backgrounds and skillsets to the table.  From finance to supply chain, our range of  experiences showed us how we could leverage the  sharing economy in a sector so critical to society:  science. Q: How did your Hult network help? Our entire founding team is from Hult we wouldn’t  have met otherwise. Through Hult, we’ve also been  connected to investors and customers, which really  highlights the importance of the school’s network. One of our very first investors was Giovanni Rizzo,  a Hult Executive MBA alum and angel investor, who  now sits on the companys board. Q: Tell us about your journey with Clustermarket Launching the business was no easy process but our  hard work is paying off. We secured  £250,000 investment and set up within the U.K.’s Golden  Triangle. We also opened our first head office in  central London and are growing our team. The Clustermarket team in action. 4. Gazi Korkmaz,  Founder, TEC Avenue, BBA Class of 2016 Q: Whats happened for you since graduation? Gazi: My first venture, TEC Avenue, aimed to develop a new technology that wirelessly charged any kind  of electronics. While this was an RD product,  our market-ready product was the first portable wireless charger that was compatible with new model smartphones using Qi-Technology. We sold this throughout Europe and spent more than two years working on the business model. My new business, Von Hohenstaufen Holding, offers consulting and financial services to companies, startups, HNWI, and private people. We offer services in a variety of fields including investment, asset management, and consulting—I’m excited to see what the future holds. Q: What support did you get at Hult? Having ideas is one thing; having the right support is something else completely. Professor Daniel Rukare was a great support and has given me amazing advice. He helped me to join the Hult Founders Lab, which led to me having the founder of Shazam as my mentor. Q: What’s your advice to future students? Show courage and just do it. You don’t want to look back at your time at Hult and wonder what could have been. Failures and mistakes will happen, but that’s where you get the best experience. The professor perspective Hult Entrepreneurship Product Development professor, Hap Klopp, Founder former CEO of the North Face. Hap Klopp,  Founder former CEO,  The North Face,  Entrepreneurship   Product Development professor Hap is an acclaimed businessman, consultant,  author, speaker, and adventurer. He founded  and led The North Face for over 20 years,  having received his BA and MBA from Stanford  University. The company won multiple awards  for its management and products. Hap now  runs HK Consulting and works with numerous entrepreneurial ventures. Q: How do you bring your experience into  the classroom? I bring in people I’ve worked with, do real-world projects with companies I know, and use  stories from my own life. Q: Would you describe yourself as a mentor? Eleven of the people who worked for me at  The North Face ended up running major  outdoor businesses of their own—without  business backgrounds. I mentor a lot of students  in the development of their startups. It keeps  me in touch with the latest technologies and  presents live examples for me to draw on. Q: What makes Hult different? It’s global, and about the future of business as much as the past. Q: Please complete this sentence: To me, Hult is ? The right school for our times. More like this From Hult to Apple: an entrepreneurial journey Watch professor Hap Klopps career mapping webinar See yourself at Hult?  Get the latest brochure Mel Cloney Mel is a staff blogger working in London, and is passionate about the Hult journey. Her writing focuses on faculty, academics, and student and alumni experiences. She’s a food, scuba, and running junkie with a penchant for all things French. Related posts News Building success: Dual Degree students win at USASBE Community How going beyond business at Hult helped me launch my company Admissions Accepted Students Weekend: A weekend to remember Careers Career mapping: How to become an executive in the next 5 years 0 Thought leadership How to prepare for an uncertain future in a world of AI News Is mail a dying form for businesses and marketing? Instagram Hult Rotation offers you a chance to study in a truly global way. Our rotation program allows you to study and be immersed in some of the finest cities in the world. 📠¸: @jasminmanzano . Hult Rotation offers you a chance to study in a truly global way. Our rotation program allows you to study and be immersed in some of the finest cities in the world. 📠¸: @jasminmanzano . Each year, Hult seeks to enroll a talented and ambitious incoming class from all over the world. We look for diverse students with a wide range of experiences, perspectives, and interests—students who will thrive in our unique educational atmosphere. Are you ready for a truly global experience? 📠¸: @iambrunadiniz . Each year, Hult seeks to enroll a talented and ambitious incoming class from all over the world. We look for diverse students with a wide range of experiences, perspectives, and interests—students who will thrive in our unique educational atmosphere. Are you ready for a truly global experience? 📠¸: @iambrunadiniz . We’re excited to start 2020 on a ranking high! Hult is proud to have been placed #28 in Poets Quants 2020 rankings for Best Undergraduate Business Schools in the US. Taking a huge leap of 32 places from our 2019 position, we’re also very happy to have secured top positions in key categories like: life-changing experience, practicality of the degree, and global immersion. . With five global campuses, a student body of over 130 nationalities, and a learn-by-doing approach—Hult offers a student experience like no other. . We’re excited to start 2020 on a ranking high! Hult is proud to have been placed #28 in Poets Quants 2020 rankings for Best Undergraduate Business Schools in the US. Taking a huge leap of 32 places from our 2019 position, we’re also very happy to have secured top positions in key categories like: life-changing experience, practicality of the degree, and global immersion. . With five global campuses, a student body of over 130 nationalities, and a learn-by-doing approach—Hult offers a student experience like no other. . â€Å"I’m from an engineering background and needed a whole new skill set for the industry I wanted to switch to. I learned a lot about myself and how I deal with being out of my comfort zone. I learned both soft and hard skills, from how to work in very diverse teams to key accounting metrics and strategy. I was surprised by how weak I was at certain tasks in English or how strong I actually was in other areas. Hult gave me opportunities to try new things and meet people from places I never thought I would have friends. . My internship experiences gave me the chance to broaden my view of different cultures and different companies. I had the opportunity to work and live with people whose values differed from people in my home country. I thought that this would be difficult, but it gave me the chance to reflect on my own values and assess if they were a result of my home country environment or if they were intrinsically mine. . Diederick ter Kulve (@diederick.terkulve) Netherlands Masters in International Business . â€Å"I’m from an engineering background and needed a whole new skill set for the industry I wanted to switch to. I learned a lot about myself and how I deal with being out of my comfort zone. I learned both soft and hard skills, from how to work in very diverse teams to key accounting metrics and strategy. I was surprised by how weak I was at certain tasks in English or how strong I actually was in other areas. Hult gave me opportunities to try new things and meet people from places I never thought I would have friends. . My internship experiences gave me the chance to broaden my view of different cultures and different companies. I had the opportunity to work and live with people whose values differed from people in my home country. I thought that this would be difficult, but it gave me the chance to reflect on my own values and assess if they were a result of my home country environment or if they were intrinsically mine. . Diederick ter Kulve (@diederick.terkulve) Netherlands Masters in International Business . Say a big hello to our Bachelor of Business Administration program cover star, Elisa Orus Plana âÅ" ¨ . â€Å"I’m excited for the future—especially that I cant predict whats going to happen. Maybe Ill end up in Mexico working for a trading company or maybe in Africa, developing my own business. Everything is possible, and the options are constantly changing. I love the idea that Im never going to be stuck doing the same job until the end of my life if I dont want it to be like this. . Hult really supports me and my ambitions and truly believes that we deserve to be considered as professionals as well as students. Here, I get to express not just my opinions but all elements of myself. From my creative side with the Fashion Society to my finance and business sides in Trading Club and the Management Consulting Club. We get a different type of learning here. Not just essential knowledge and theory, but practical skills and mindset. The school is always evolving. We’re encouraged to innovate and to always look for new ways of doing traditional things. We learn how to be more confident and become aware of how we can impact our environment. The school aims to help you become a better version of yourself and to stand out from the crowd.â€Å" . Elisa Orus Plana French Bachelor of Business Administration Class of 2021 Say a big hello to our Bachelor of Business Administration program cover star, Elisa Orus Plana âÅ" ¨ . â€Å"I’m excited for the future—especially that I cant predict whats going to happen. Maybe Ill end up in Mexico working for a trading company or maybe in Africa, developing my own business. Everything is possible, and the options are constantly changing. I love the idea that Im never going to be stuck doing the same job until the end of my life if I dont want it to be like this. . Hult really supports me and my ambitions and truly believes that we deserve to be considered as professionals as well as students. Here, I get to express not just my opinions but all elements of myself. From my creative side with the Fashion Society to my finance and business sides in Trading Club and the Management Consulting Club. We get a different type of learning here. Not just essential knowledge and theory, but practical skills and mindset. The school is always evolving. We’re encouraged to innovate and to always look for new ways of doing traditional things. We learn how to be more confident and become aware of how we can impact our environment. The school aims to help you become a better version of yourself and to stand out from the crowd.â€Å" . Elisa Orus Plana French Bachelor of Business Administration Class of 2021"> During the final days of 2019, you probably reflected on what you’ve accomplished this year—and even this decade—and what you’d like to achieve in 2020. Let us know in the comments below. During the final days of 2019, you probably reflected on what you’ve accomplished this year—and even this decade—and what you’d like to achieve in 2020. Let us know in the comments below. â€Å"The first time we did group work on the program, I went head-to-head with a colleague. It taught me a lot about how I see people, how people see me, and how conflict can be resolved in a kind and productive way. The best feedback you get, when delivered constructively, is the most critical because it really feeds into how you lead. I’ve completely reversed my leadership style—the result is so much richer and more powerful when you lead from behind and lead with strength. . Studying in tandem with working, whilst challenging, gave me the perfect platform to directly apply learning concepts into my business environment, the competitive landscape, and the real-estate industry as a whole. When I started the program, I was very happy in my corporate role. But my courage and aspirations grew to the point that I took on a whole new direction. Having my career coach, Joanna, as a sounding board allowed me to really be strategic and get to know myself. She coached me thro ugh all the interviews, the research, and the questions. It went in parallel with what I was doing academically and after six months everything just clicked. . I went into the EMBA knowing I had nothing to lose and I’ve come out with everything. Great strength, global friends, amazing learning, mentors from professors, a job I love, and the knowledge that I can set my mind to achieve anything and with the right support and resources I’ll get there.† . Kashani Wijetunga British, New Zealand Sri Lankan Associate Director Senior Strategy Consultant CBRE EMBA Class of 2019 . â€Å"The first time we did group work on the program, I went head-to-head with a colleague. It taught me a lot about how I see people, how people see me, and how conflict can be resolved in a kind and productive way. The best feedback you get, when delivered constructively, is the most critical because it really feeds into how you lead. I’ve completely reversed my leadership style—the result is so much richer and more powerful when you lead from behind and lead with strength. . Studying in tandem with working, whilst challenging, gave me the perfect platform to directly apply learning concepts into my business environment, the competitive landscape, and the real-estate industry as a whole. When I started the program, I was very happy in my corporate role. But my courage and aspirations grew to the point that I took on a whole new direction. Having my career coach, Joanna, as a sounding board allowed me to really be strategic and get to know myself. She coached me thro ugh all the interviews, the research, and the questions. It went in parallel with what I was doing academically and after six months everything just clicked. . I went into the EMBA knowing I had nothing to lose and I’ve come out with everything. Great strength, global friends, amazing learning, mentors from professors, a job I love, and the knowledge that I can set my mind to achieve anything and with the right support and resources I’ll get there.† . Kashani Wijetunga British, New Zealand Sri Lankan Associate Director Senior Strategy Consultant CBRE EMBA Class of 2019 . â€Å"It was now or never. I knew that I’d have likely stayed in my neighborhood for years to come if I didn’t take this opportunity. I’d not lived or studied outside of the U.S. before. So I left my job as a global strategist at an advertising agency and moved halfway around the world. I’ve come back a more culturally aware, well-versed person. I’ve realized that everything is a learning experience and an opportunity for growth. Ill definitely carry this mindset with me into the future. Technology and social media allow us to be different people in several places at once. Im excited to see how I can establish myself in whatever city Ill be lucky enough to call home and still maintain deep connections with people all over the world. I’m inspired by my classmates every day. Hearing some of their life stories and how getting this degree fits into their greater mission has been very humbling. My biggest challenge has been finding the ‘right’ path for me. There have been rooms Ive felt like I shouldnt be in, but now Im proud to feel as though I truly belong, wherever I am.† . Dwayne Logan, Jnr. American MBA Class of 2019 . â€Å"It was now or never. I knew that I’d have likely stayed in my neighborhood for years to come if I didn’t take this opportunity. I’d not lived or studied outside of the U.S. before. So I left my job as a global strategist at an advertising agency and moved halfway around the world. I’ve come back a more culturally aware, well-versed person. I’ve realized that everything is a learning experience and an opportunity for growth. Ill definitely carry this mindset with me into the future. Technology and social media allow us to be different people in several places at once. Im excited to see how I can establish myself in whatever city Ill be lucky enough to call home and still maintain deep connections with people all over the world. I’m inspired by my classmates every day. Hearing some of their life stories and how getting this degree fits into their greater mission has been very humbling. My biggest challenge has been finding the ‘right’ path for me. There have been rooms Ive felt like I shouldnt be in, but now Im proud to feel as though I truly belong, wherever I am.† . Dwayne Logan, Jnr. American MBA Class of 2019 . Happy New Year, Hultians! . Happy New Year, Hultians! .