College Experiences That Helped A Global Strategic Marketing Manager At Johnson And Johnson Medtech Succeed
To prepare for a successful career, working hard in undergrad and developing comfort with failure in a graduate program were key. In grad school, "intellectual vulnerability" and learning from collective mistakes alongside having "grit" and "resilience" were essential for long-term goals.
Grit, Resilience, Failure Tolerance, Goal Setting, Intellectual Vulnerability
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Nick Schleiger
Global Strategic Marketing Manager
Johnson & Johnson Medtech
Georgia Institute of Technology
UCLA Anderson MBA
Engineering - Biomedical
Healthcare, Medical & Wellness
Communication and Marketing
Honors Student, Scholarship Recipient, Took Out Loans, Worked 20+ Hours in School
Video Highlights
1. Undergrad Work Ethic: Hard work in undergraduate studies laid a strong foundation.
2. Graduate School Grit: Enduring a grueling graduate program at Georgia Tech fostered grit and resilience, essential for long-term goal pursuit.
3. Comfort with Failure: Embracing intellectual vulnerability and learning from mistakes in a diverse graduate environment (UCLA Anderson) was crucial for growth and eventual success.
Transcript
What did you do in college to set you up for success in your career?
In college, I focused on two main things: working hard in undergrad and becoming comfortable with failure in my graduate program at Georgia Tech. The curriculum was absolutely grueling.
There, I learned what it meant to have grit and resilience over long periods. I learned to keep my long-term goals in sight, no matter the challenge.
This has carried forward into my jobs, personal life, and my goals. Having that grit and resilience is important. Being comfortable with failure is also key.
After eight years in the healthcare industry, where I became an expert in product design, I went to graduate school at UCLA Anderson. There, I learned new skills with a diverse group of industry experts.
We all came together, willing to be intellectually vulnerable and learn new skills. We were ready to learn from collective mistakes and failure. Without trying, you won't learn and you can't succeed.
So, grit – knowing your long-term goals and sticking with them – and being okay with failure are two things from my academic life that became truly important.