Real Talk, Real Impact: Business Leaders-in-Residence Inspire Leeds Students
Fourteen top professionals brought candid insights, career advice and networking opportunities to Leeds students during a dynamic day of connection.
On Oct. 8, 14 accomplished business leaders arrived at Leeds to share their expertise with students, offering insights into accounting, consulting, business analytics, marketing and finance. The Koelbel meeting rooms and classrooms provided an intimate setting for candid conversations, allowing sophomores to ask questions and engage in lively, open exchanges. The day concluded with a reception in the Olson Atrium, giving juniors, seniors and graduate students a chance to network with the visiting professionals and gain valuable advice and connections.
Students in the finance breakout session heard from , managing director of Bow River Capital, who distilled his career wisdom into two guiding principles: “Bet on yourself” and “Learn by doing.” He emphasized that these ideas propel a career forward. Held pointed to fellow presenter as a prime example—she built a 38-year career in the pet industry before transitioning into investment, still focused on pets. When a student introduced himself, Held responded, “Let’s talk about an internship for next year,” reinforcing presenter Clark Jones’ advice: “Networking drives careers and creates opportunities.”
, principal strategist and director of product marketing at JumpCloud, shared insights during the marketing session about the advantages of working at small companies. He emphasized the value of wearing multiple hats, which helps professionals discover not only what they enjoy—but also what they don’t. Another takeaway: “When you work with fast-growing companies, you grow by default.”
(Acct’91) (pictured left with Jeremy Held, right), CFO at Disney, brought humor to the session, joking that he’s stayed with the company for 30 years just to earn the Jiminy Cricket 30-year-service award, a bronze statuette of his favorite character. He reminded students that career paths are rarely linear, and he strongly advised them to take an analytics course. “I’ve been blessed to work with some of the smartest people in the world,” he said, highlighting the critical role of data scientists in decision making.
In the marketing breakout session, , founder of Allora, shared her journey of starting her own business after gaining experience working for large corporations. , founder of Anthem Branding, encouraged students to reflect on what they want in life—location, environment, and the people they work with. “I wanted to control my own destiny,” he said, recalling his early career hustle, describing cold calling his way into meetings in New York. His advice? Adopt a “fake-it-till-you-make-it” attitude and bring “tons of energy”—and then “just keep going.”
In the business analytics session, a student asked how to navigate situations where data might contradict someone's opinion. (pictured left), lead data scientist at Google, advised finding allies who support your conclusions: “You learn how and where to integrate your insights with people who are resistant,” he said. , systems administrator at Boulder Associates, added, “You shouldn’t be on an island. Data drives decisions, and buy-in from leadership and all stakeholders is essential.”
Katherine Riley (pictured second from left), a sophomore interested in talent management, attended the business analytics session and reflected on the experience: “I now have a much better grasp about business analytics and see it is as a much more integral part of a company than before. I'm very grateful to Leeds for providing opportunities to directly connect with business professionals that I wouldn't have otherwise crossed paths with. I believe that the connections I make during my four years at Leeds will be instrumental for my future career, so I greatly value the different networking opportunities Leeds provides to students.”
At the closing reception, Tandean Rustandy Endowed Dean Vijay Khatri and Associate Dean for Undergraduate Programs Jennifer Bone welcomed seniors and graduate students for an hour of networking. Khatri encouraged students to step outside their comfort zones, noting that “85% of jobs are filled through networking.”