Taking Your Abilities—and Your Company—to the Next Level

What brought you to OPM?

I knew I was doing many things right, but I needed to know what I didn't know about business. There's no better place to do that than Harvard Business School. I wanted to gain a deeper understanding of best practices—in business frameworks, standards, and metrics—so I could run my business more effectively. I also wanted to deepen my knowledge in finance, leadership, strategy, and negotiation, as well as meet other CEOs who shared similar challenges.

How did OPM impact you as a leader?

OPM has been the most transformative experience in my career to date. It helped me view business challenges in a new light, gave me a new language for explaining and solving problems, and provided an environment in which I could cultivate strong friendships with world-class leaders.

Each day, I came away with great insights from other CEOs who had "been there and done that." My time on campus enabled me to clear my head, reflect on the business, have great conversations with faculty and experienced CEOs, and make some very important professional and personal decisions. I feel an enormous respect for the institution and for all that went into the program—from the faculty to the administration to the inspiring physical surroundings.

How did OPM affect your business?

I found new ways to think about my company's strategy. During one-on-one time with Professor David Yoffie, one of the faculty, a light bulb went on and I realized that our best strategy was to be acquired. As a result, I recently sold Steel Media to another company in our space. I'm now president of that company and we're working on integration. So, during my time in OPM, I grew my company, then led my people through acquisition, and became president of a publicly traded firm. These successes are due in large part to what I learned at HBS.

How did OPM help you execute the sale?

So many different kinds of work go into selling a company—from valuing the company to negotiating to drafting letters of intent, to identifying and addressing culture and organizational issues during integration. OPM helped me prepare for these activities in many ways, but two in particular stand out. First, it prepared me for the negotiations by giving me a better understanding of the options and helping me negotiate the best deal for my company. Second, I learned from other participants' experience. For example, one of my classmates had sold a company similar to mine a couple of years earlier. He sat with me for more than an hour, shared his experience, walked me through the process, and helped me understand what I could expect. That was extremely generous of him and very valuable to me.

Which aspects of the program stand out most for you?

The people make the program. I've formed deep bonds of friendship with other incredibly accomplished CEOs. We worked through the curriculum together, but we also shared deeply personal stories and concerns with each other and felt safe enough to discuss our failures. We've stayed in contact in many different ways, from meeting up on our travels to sharing reunion activities and connecting on Facebook. Between the people I met on campus and the broader HBS network, I know I can pick up and go anywhere in the world and be well taken care of.

The HBS network is phenomenal. It has been extremely valuable to me and to my business. I'd heard about the value of the HBS network, but did not really "get it" until I had experienced it first hand. I'm now a member of several Harvard Clubs in cities where I spend time. In addition, I'm a member of the HBS Association of Northern California and its HBS Community Partners organization. I go to events each month. This is not just networking for the sake of networking—but I can take advantage of business opportunities and connections and knowledge. In addition, I'm deeply involved in philanthropy and my HBS connections help me contribute more effectively to our community.

What surprised you most about the program?

I was surprised that everyone had the same challenges, whether it was a real estate mogul from Panama, a tech entrepreneur from Brazil, or a manufacturer from Europe. In discussing topics such as how to deal with difficult employees or difficult customers, gain access to capital, or address issues in family businesses, we learned how much we all had in common.

What surprised me about the curriculum was the importance of people issues. I had been expecting more of the math and economics aspects of business. We certainly covered those topics, but we also explored leadership, teamwork, and talent management quite a lot. I had not expected the human element to be so important and impactful.

Which parts of the curriculum stand out?

Many components of the curriculum were valuable, but I loved negotiation, leadership, and the finance courses. Finance can be dry stuff, but the faculty members, Josh Lerner and Felda Hardymon, made it fun. I was touched by their passion and what they were willing to give of themselves to keep us engaged and help us learn.

How has the program changed you as a leader?

Having filled gaps in my business knowledge, I am now much more confident. I find myself in conversations where I can draw on the knowledge I gained at HBS and provide an authoritative answer to a question or bring relevant factors into a discussion or decision-making process in ways that I could not have done before. One of the most important lessons I took away was "You have to be willing to disappoint others to achieve your dreams." I don't like disappointing people, but I feel empowered now to make decisions knowing that's inevitably going to happen.

After starting OPM, I went from leading a 20-person private company to leading a 100-person public company. Thanks to OPM, I am now better able to achieve clarity and alignment across a much larger organization. Before every meeting, someone has to recite our vision and priorities. It may sound silly, but it keeps us on track. We know where we are going.

What would you say a peer who was considering OPM?

Trying to describe the HBS OPM program is like trying to describe a color that has never been seen before. You will get out of the program not only what you put into it, but much, much more.

The value of the OPM program is exponential. To be with 160 other accomplished CEOs from all over the world is in itself an exhilarating prospect. Combine that with the inherent genius of Harvard Business School, the case method, the campus experience, and the tasks put before us—and you have the recipe for transformational learning and a new level of success.