Maryland Smith alum finds a niche and a career in perfect balance By 10 a.m., Lauren Filocco ’12 has already been in her barre studio for four hours. She weaves around the mats and exercise equipment, dances around patrons as they warm up and cheerfully shouts counts over upbeat pop music blaring through the speakers. She demonstrates each upcoming move, dipping gracefully into a low squat or effortlessly balancing with the eponymous bar in her hands. Neither her form or energy ever falter.

Göran Espelund, MBA ’87, had options as a Fulbright Scholar from Sweden. He received offers from five U.S. programs, but he chose the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business for its close-knit community and proximity to Washington, D.C.

At Hilti actively seeking out opportunities to leverage different cultures and geographies is an important part of being inclusive in the workplace, according to Julia Barge an undergrad alum of Smith. In order to take full advantage of these opportunities one must have a global mindset and be adaptable. “Adaptability is absolutely important and is key to success in today’s global market. It could be the more global your role is the more you need it [adaptability], but really its necessary for everyone.

Global mindset is a point of view that embraces diversity. For associate Brand Manager, Michael Marcus a global mindset can be defined using three different viewpoints: business, operations, and people. From a business point of view, Marcus says “it’s about understanding your mission, your products, and your campaign and how they are developed and positioned holistically and globally; and then how they’re adapted and applied regionally to be culturally relevant to the people there”.

Seble Alemayehu, PTMBA ’12, and Felekech “Fei” Biratu, PTMBA ’13, started as high school friends. After a similar journey through life, a move around the globe and MBA degrees from the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business, they now are proud cofounders of Yenaé, an online high-end fashion jewelry brand.  Alemayehu and Biratu grew up in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and moved to the United States on the same plane after completing high school.

What separates the top performers from everyone else? According to Googler and Maryland Smith graduate Arhaan Saksena, MS '15, it's a focus on the big picture. "Always ask yourself, what is the larger problem that you're trying to solve?" he says. "It's crucial to define the overarching goal first, and work smartly to resolve the issue." Otherwise, he says, you will end up spending time and resources on tasks that may not be aligned with the actual problem.

Deloitte tax consultant Ekaterina “Katya” Tour ’17, MS ’18, made the most of a four-year tennis scholarship at the University of Maryland. By the time she graduated, she not only collected 70 singles wins and led the Terrapins to their first-ever Big Ten Tournament victory, she also finished an undergraduate degree and tacked on a Master of Science in Accounting in the “Plus One” program at the Robert H. Smith School of Business. “I knew I had four years,” she says. “And I didn’t want to miss out.”

Creating a profitable news business is difficult. Roy Schwartz ’98, MBA ’01, and his partners have done it twice. Schwartz joined Politico in 2008 during the publication’s early days and helped the journalism company expand in Washington, D.C. Then in 2016, he and two associates left Politico and started Axios. Since then the startup has grown to prominence, grabbing attention with an HBO series and exclusive interviews with newsmakers like White House adviser Jared Kushner and Apple CEO Tim Cook.

LaKisha Greenwade, PTMBA '11, known by her clients followers, and peers as Coach L, is the founder and CEO of Lucki-Fit, a platform that empowers individuals to look and feel their best in all aspects of life to become lucky in life and business.

Business conditions change over time and across regions, but finance professional Dan Freiman '94, MBA '04, says one thing remains constant. "Building relationships is key, as is going in with understanding and respect," he says. "That goes a long way and is a constant process."