College Experiences That Helped A CEO And Managing Broker At Buckingham Investments Succeed
Anthony's undergraduate studies in East Asian languages and cultures were unrelated to their current career in real estate, yet this experience taught them "how to learn," a crucial skill. The CEO/Managing Broker found their graduate business school education, particularly courses in accounting, finance, and law, invaluable to their daily work at Buckingham Investments, proving that a winding career path is possible and even beneficial.
Career Exploration, Overcoming Challenges, Executive/Leadership, Achieving Goals, Motivational Stories
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Anthony Walker
CEO/Managing Broker
Buckingham Investments
University of Southern California
Loyola Marymount University - MBA
Spanish & Other Languages, International Relations & Affairs
Real Estate
Real Estate
Honors Student
Video Highlights
1. It's okay to not have a clear career path in undergrad; focus on learning how to learn and explore different interests.
2. Relevant graduate programs (like an MBA) can provide crucial business skills applicable to careers like real estate investment.
3. Work experience, even outside the specific field, can offer valuable skills and insights; consider a part-time job or internship to complement your studies
Transcript
What did you do in undergrad to set you up for success in your career?
Frankly, it was a whole lot of nothing. In undergrad, I wanted to be a musician or do something in international business. I wasn't focused on real estate investing or anything related to my career today.
My message for people is that you're young and have time to figure things out. I spent undergrad playing music, having fun, and making friends. My coursework was related to international relations and East Asian languages and cultures – a totally unrelated degree.
I think that was fine. I learned how to learn, which is probably the most important thing about undergrad. When I ended up in the workplace afterwards, I was able to identify that it wasn't my ideal place to be, even though it was a good experience.
That's why I went back to grad school: to really figure this stuff out. Once I was in grad school, many of the classes were super relevant to what I was doing. I never had a business undergrad background, but I wouldn't say that hurt me; it probably helped me think in different ways.
In business school, I used what I learned in accounting and finance every day. I also used operations, strategy, entrepreneurship, and law. There are tons of legal things we use daily regarding contract and real estate law. Those were really interesting classes for me.
Once I got into business school, I used that stuff all the time. I never had an internship in undergrad; it just wasn't something I focused on. I had work experience when I was in grad school because I was working full-time and going to school at night. I learned a lot in my corporate job that's very relatable to what we do now. It's been a long, meandering road.