Richard Obiora

Washington University’s Olin Business School in St. Louis

“A well-rounded risk taker. A gritty visionary that equally loves reading and movie binging.”

Hometown: Atlanta, Georgia

Fun Fact About Yourself: When I was 11 years old, I was an extra in the Movie, The Fighting Temptations and I think I can very slightly be spotted in a scene with Beyonce.

Undergraduate School and Major: Emory University, Political Science

Most Recent Employer and Job Title:

 Logicworks – Sales Operations Support Associate

Sisense Business Intelligence – Sales Development Manager

Yext- Small & Medium Business Sales Associate

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far:  In my professional career I have worked for two promising tech startups, (Yext and Sisense). While working for pre-IPO companies, I’ve been involved in initiatives to increase brand awareness, introduced new products to businesses, and worked for a company that went public.

What quality best describes the MBA classmates you’ve met so far and why? The classmates I met so far have been smart and extremely helpful.

Aside from your classmates, what was the key factor that led you to choose this program for your full-time MBA and why was it so important to you? I chose Olin Business School because of its emphasis on small class sizes and commitment to diversity. At Olin, you can get to know your classmates, professors, and faculty on a deeper level. When I attended Admitted Student’s weekend, I was amazed at the presentation that Assistant Dean Ruthie Pyles Stiffler delivered. She took the time to learn every admitted student’s story, and from memory highlighted what makes us unique and why Olin is a great fit. At that moment I knew I would not only be getting a top MBA degree, but also gaining a family.

What club or activity are you looking most forward to in business school?  I am looking forward to working within our Center for Experiential Learning, where I’ll get a chance to work on consulting projects with real companies. The experience of leading a team in solving complex business problems is exactly what I want to get out of MBA.

What led you to pursue an MBA at this point in your career? At this point in my career, I felt I had gained some good professional experience and had an interesting background. I knew I needed to enhance my business knowledge and analytical skills to have a much larger impact in my post MBA career.

How did you decide if an MBA was worth the investment? I researched the benefits of going to business school, and reached out to colleagues that have received their MBA

What other MBA programs did you apply to? Georgetown, Emory, and UNC

How did you determine your fit at various schools?  I mainly read the popular MBA articles, forums, and website that focus on all the aspects in the MBA process. I also invested a lot of time in making multiple visits to each school I was interested in. I was looking for a top program with small class sizes, and a strong consulting platform.

What was your defining moment and how did it shape who you are?  When I traveled out of the country for the first time to do a study abroad at the University of Oxford in England, and when I graduated from Emory University. I thought of how lucky I was to have parents that worked extremely hard for me to have this opportunity. These experiences motivate me to continue improving myself, and remind me that, with the right amount of grit, and determination you can accomplish a lot of great things.

What do you plan to do after you graduate? I plan to pivot into management consulting.

Where do you see yourself in five years? I hope to have a leadership position with a large, innovative company, gaining global business experience in strategic management.