Business-Minded Essay
When I was 17, the work my father did on a pro bono legal project changed the trajectory of my own life. He was representing the plaintiff, an environmental NGO, suing a cruise ship line for polluting an ecologically sensitive coral bay. He won a large victory for ecologically sensitive tourism, including a commitment from the cruise line to underwrite repairs to the coral reefs. When I saw the satisfaction this victory gave my father, I made it my life’s goal to pursue a career where I could have a similar impact on the world, particularly in the area of tourism and sustainability.
I chose to start my career in the field of consumer finance products that serve the bottom of the economic pyramid; I gained hands-on product creation experience from the ground up through CPG-Giant’s rotation program, working across several business disciplines, to a newly established product development team. My success in managing the intricacies of products catering to the firm’s diverse client segments showed me the impact that my work could have on our customers, employees, and investors.
Today, my journey shifts to making vital changes toward sustainability: post-MBA, I aspire to launch a sustainable tourism business, which educates people on the importance of sustainability while promoting sustainable economic development. The venture will harness product strategies that can inform customers of their impact on the world while they enjoy unforgettable experiences, such as Mdumbi, an eco-tourist backpacker destination in Southern Africa, or “Voluntouring” in Belize. This venture will also serve our employees and investors by appealing to their sense of service and offering impact as a return metric. Most importantly, I hope to embody the “triple bottom line” of people, profits, and prosperity cycling profits back into from local education and healthcare clinics to sustainable planting and fishing.