Career Path of a Director of Business Intelligence at Houston Rockets
Career began with a mechanical engineering background at Northeastern University, focusing on "building and manufacturing products" through co-ops in medical device and product design, then transitioned to a product design engineer role at a food and beverage startup; seeking a broader understanding of business growth, pursuit of an MBA at MIT Sloan led to involvement in the Sloan Sports Analytics Conference and projects in sports strategy, culminating in a business analytics role with the Rockets, eventually progressing to Director of Business Intelligence.
Business Intelligence, Sports Analytics, Career Transition, MBA, Product Design
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Michael Wing
Director of Business Intelligence
Houston Rockets
Northeastern University
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, MBA
Engineering - Mechanical
Consulting & Related Professional Services, Sports & Fitness
Data and Analytics
None Applicable
Video Highlights
1. Undergraduate in Mechanical Engineering with Co-ops: Michael's undergraduate education was in mechanical engineering at Northeastern University, which included three co-ops or six-month-long internships focused on medical device and product design. This hands-on experience in building and manufacturing products provided a strong foundation for his future career.
2. Transition from Engineering to Business via MBA: After working as a product design engineer at a startup in the food and beverage space and witnessing its growth, Michael pursued an MBA at MIT Sloan to gain a better understanding of business. This transition reflects a desire to broaden his skillset and contribute to business strategy.
3. Exposure to Sports Analytics through Sloan and Internship: During his MBA, Michael became involved in the Sloan Sports Analytics Conference and completed a strategy project on eSports for a collegiate sports conference. These experiences provided his initial exposure to the sports industry, ultimately leading to his role at the Houston Rockets.
Transcript
Could you walk me through your career path, starting with your experiences in college? Did you have any internships or jobs before your current role?
My undergraduate education was in mechanical engineering at Northeastern University in Boston. The program involved three co-ops, or six-month internships, alternating with six months of school. I focused heavily on medical device and product design within mechanical engineering.
During college, I was really focused on building and manufacturing products. After graduating, I worked at a startup in Boston in the food and beverage space as a product design engineer for about five to six years. I saw the startup grow from pre-product and pre-revenue through Series C funding, reaching about $25 million in revenue.
That process made me want to learn more about business. I felt I was so focused on product design and manufacturing that I didn't understand how the business was actually growing. So, I decided to get my MBA full-time at MIT Sloan.
There, I became a student organizer for the Sloan Sports Analytics Conference. That gave me my first exposure to the sports industry, leading to my current role. During my time at Sloan, I also did an internship in product management.
Additionally, I worked on a small strategy project for a local collegiate sports conference, the America East conference, focusing on eSports. After graduating, I applied for business analytics roles in sports and got my position at the Rockets, starting as an analyst and now working as Director of Business Intelligence.