Itzik Elyahou

MIT, Sloan School of Management

“Ambitious and hard-working with a big heart. I believe every mistake is a learning opportunity.”

Hometown: Tel Aviv, Israel

Fun Fact About Yourself: Every day when I wake up, I do a 10-minute gratitude meditation. During the meditation, I focus on one of the many things in life that I am thankful for – be it my loving wife, family members, my health or even more ‘obvious’ things such as having a roof over my head. This ritual helps me to start my day with a clear head and positive mindset.

Undergraduate School and Major:Ben Gurion University, Industrial Engineering and Management

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: Fiverr, Business strategy pre-MBA intern

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: My biggest business accomplishment actually occurred before my career even started, in 2013 – when I was an unemployed undergraduate student. Just before new tax regulations came into effect, I heard of a huge real-estate deal that was about to fall through. The potential buyers couldn’t raise the funds to buy the dusty, old property that was situated in one of the most prime locations in Tel-Aviv. I had five days to overcome numerous obstacles and close the deal before the new regulations were enacted, significantly increasing the cost and therefore heavily impacting the profitability. Over the course of five intensive days, I brought in architects to measure and plan the layout of the building. I consulted contractors for construction costs, I raised money from private investors and obtained extra financing from a bank. I negotiated with the owners and ultimately succeeded in transferring the property rights only hours before the ‘tax deadline’. The project is now almost complete and is projected to give a 200% ROI!

I am extremely proud of this accomplishment – not because of the revenue it generated – but because I was audacious enough to recognize and seize the opportunity, and resourceful enough to execute the venture in an incredibly short time frame, in a field that I had no previous experience whatsoever.

What quality best describes the MBA classmates you’ve met so far and why? Undoubtedly, the qualities that spring to mind are solidarity and collaboration. I first observed this during the application process, when I reached out to dozens of students to learn about the program. I was amazed by their willingness to help, even though they did not know me. The effort they made to engage with me and answer all of my questions was illustrative of a network that works together, sharing knowledge and providing other fellows with support, motivation and inspiration.

Additionally, during my last visit to Cambridge on an adMIT weekend, I was sitting with a first year MBA student and he told me that he had an interview scheduled for the next day. A few minutes later, his classmate called and told him everything about her experience from the interview she just had for the same position in the same company he was interviewing for, giving him tips about how to prepare for the interview – even though they were likely competing for the same position. This minor exchange between the two students was particularly significant for me – it confirmed my aspirations to join this vibrant and welcoming community. After speaking with many students, I am certain that by becoming a member of the MIT network, I will develop mutually supportive relationships which will enable me to help other fellows achieve their goals, whilst simultaneously maximizing my own potential.

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? For many months, I submerged myself in this application process – researching the academic program and reading recommended materials. This motivated me to reflect upon my career goals and recognize areas where I need to improve. A key factor that influenced my decision is the unique action learning approach at Sloan. Assuming that most MBA programs all have great faculty and impressive curriculum, I believe that the big differentiator when it comes to learning is the ‘how’ and not the ‘what’. The prospect of gaining hands-on experience through lab activities, study trips and Innovation Period, as well as the possibility to work on collaborative projects with faculty and students from one of the most prestigious engineering school in the world, made the choice straightforward. Beyond the academic opportunities that this program offers, joining a diverse community of some of the world’s leading entrepreneurs and professionals will enable me to learn first-hand from global models. I am eager to become part of a dynamic and passionate community that will keep me inspired and motivated. I believe this ecosystem will broaden my perspective, unleash my creativity, and provide a strong foundation for ongoing professional development. Moreover, I look forward to being able to reciprocate by contributing my knowledge and experience, supporting other fellows, and collaborating to spur greater innovation.

What club or activity are you looking most forward to in business school? I am particularly excited to participate in the E-Lab and Enterprise management Hack-a-Thon, as part of the Enterprise Management track, where I will learn to transform theory into practice. I am looking forward to working with companies to identify real business challenges they contend with and collaborating to develop an actionable strategy that will enable them to overcome these challenges and thrive.

What led you to pursue an MBA at this point in your career? After graduating with my bachelor’s degree, I entered into my family’s diamond business. I climbed the corporate ladder relatively quickly, becoming the lead decision-maker in the company within a couple of years. I believe that I directed the business in the right direction, but I was always aware that I could optimize my decision-making skills and build upon my expertise by developing my professional capabilities. I felt that an MBA would allow me to strengthen my leadership and management skills, provide me with the opportunity to increase my knowledge and exchange best practices, and equip me with practical and effective tools to overcome challenges and maximize impact. The MBA will enable me to gain invaluable experience in the US, which will improve my business acumen, supply me with deeper knowledge and enhance skills that I will be able to put into action in my future endeavors.

How did you decide if an MBA was worth the investment? When deciding whether or not to pursue an MBA, I weighed the monetary expense against what I considered to be the short term and long-term benefits. I reached the conclusion that the time and resources I would spend during the program would be returned by building my capacity in a holistic manner. Specifically, I recognized that the MBA will enhance my professional and personal development, broadening my network, skillset and leadership capabilities. In this respect, I believe the experience will yield benefits far beyond the financial cost of the program, thereby making it worthwhile and strategic investment.

What other MBA programs did you apply to? Chicago Booth and Columbia Business School

What do you plan to do after you graduate? Currently I am maintaining an open mind in terms of the direction I will take following graduation. I believe that the courses I take during the MBA, together with the summer internship, will certainly influence my plans, and also yield opportunities that I have not yet considered. I look forward to exploring these new possibilities and finding the path that will both challenge and fulfill me.

Where do you see yourself in five years? In the next 5 years, I envision myself applying all of skills and experience I have gained in order to launch my own start-up company that will focused on providing consumer solutions. I believe that the MBA program, followed by employment in a company with an innovative mindset, will build my capacity to do this. It will provide the knowledge and practical tools that are required in order to implement a powerful business strategy and effectively manage operations in a way that promotes corporate social responsibility and generates sustainable impact.