Professional and Personal Growth Merge at OPM
Reflecting on their time in the Owner/President Management (OPM) program at Harvard Business School Executive Education, Web Smith and Aundrea Young share the personal and professional growth they achieved during the program. Smith leads a team at 2PM, an investment vehicle company that provides insights to Fortune 500 companies, and focuses on philanthropic projects that enact positive change for Haitians. Young is the founder and president of Competitive Choice, a diverse B2B distributor of maintenance, repair, and operating supplies and equipment. In her spare time, Young mentors students seeking sales careers at the University of Houston's Sales Excellence Institute. Keep reading to learn about their transformational experience at OPM.
Why did you apply to the Owner/President Management program?
Web Smith: I recognized that I was deficient in a number of areas, and I looked for the most dynamic way to address those shortcomings. OPM was the answer by a long shot. In the process, I gained countless friends who think like me about problems and opportunities.
Aundrea Young: It was always my desire to become an alumna of OPM after attending a previous HBS Executive Education program in 2015. However, when COVID-19 arrived in 2020, my company was hit with all kinds of challenges and opportunities. I remembered the feeling I had when I went to HBS in 2015 and knew that I needed to surround myself with information and other business leaders to survive.
In what ways has OPM changed the way you lead at work?
WS: I never thought about my leadership gaps, but OPM helped me address my weaknesses as well as my strengths. Now, that's all I think about. My future rests where capital management meets philanthropy, but not in the traditional sense. I will put my money and my physical efforts where my mouth is. Impact has become far more important to me, as is making the Harvard Business School alumni community proud.
AY: Confidence! My family and employees continue to be in awe of the way I've changed. I didn't realize how much I had changed until I found myself being approached by industry leaders. I was so caught up in building and expanding my organization that I didn't understand the buzz I was creating from my experience in OPM.
Thinking about personal growth, how did OPM affect your mindset and presence at home?
WS: OPM transformed me. It took place at an interesting time in my life; couple that with interesting people and places, and anyone will change from the inside out. At OPM, I was focused on my physical, spiritual, and emotional health as much as my academic rigor.
AY: My professional growth spilled over to my personal growth. My husband and family immediately complimented me on how differently I was carrying myself in terms of leadership and confidence. I didn't quite understand at first what they meant, but I began to realize that I had changed. For example, I always had a hard time telling my family "no." But because of the confidence I gained, saying no was no longer an issue and I was able to prioritize what I wanted over what others wanted.
Can you speak about the network and friendships you made? Do you still stay in touch with your classmates?
WS: I don’t go a day without talking to my classmates. OPM creates a bond unlike any other.
AY: I began Unit 1 of OPM during the COVID-19 pandemic, and I believe it created a tighter network for us because we were all experiencing something we had never experienced in our lifetime. We were truly vulnerable in our businesses and personal lives. Yet we were able to gain knowledge and confidence, and we shared and celebrated the triumphs of others who were able to thrive in the uncertainty of the pandemic. We continue to communicate on WhatsApp and through more personal relationships. I have visited and done business with others in the OPM network.
What advice would you give to others who are considering applying to OPM? What makes it the "right time"?
WS: Commit to giving as much as you take. Commit to improving yourself as a leader. Commit to humility and respect for your peers and professors. It's a special program at a special place. It's the people that make it so, although the campus doesn’t hurt. There is never a "right time." You just decide to commit.
AY: My advice is simple—just do it! You won't regret it. You'll interact with business leaders from around the world, build friendships with some of the smartest and funniest people, and become a part of the HBS alumni network. The right time is now!