Maggie Yun

University of Toronto, Rotman School of Management

“I always do the opposite of what others tell me to do!”

Hometown: Changhua, Taiwan

Fun Fact About Yourself: I travel a lot in developing countries, but I only collect travel information when I arrive in the country. I prefer travel by land and read old lectures about the country.

Undergraduate School and Major: Fu-Jen University Taiwan, International Business and Finance.

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: Director, Micro Empire Myanmar

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: With very limited resources, I was able to set up an accelerator with a sustainable business model in only eight months’ time in Myanmar, one of the least developed countries in the world.

What quality best describes the MBA classmates you’ve met so far and why?  My classmates are very collaborative and open-minded. The class is so diverse in nationality and academic and professional backgrounds. I am excited to learn different, valid viewpoints through class discussions. By the fact that so many business decisions are situational and there is not always one right answer, I know that we will all respect one another’s opinions and work together to further navigate the best solutions.

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 am a free spirit. I look for a place where I can be myself rather than being shaped and influenced to pursue a traditional successful career. I have been working in economic development in emerging markets for so long and I am set to continuing doing so. It’s just a unique career that I don’t find many MBA graduates doing. However, from the first conversation I had with the recruitment and admissions team, I knew Rotman was willing to look beyond test scores and spend time getting to know my career aspiration.  What I appreciate the most is that instead of following traditional MBA recruitment indicators, Rotman found out the key traits that lead to success of their students (and it did not match with traditional indicators).

The moment I found that the school didn’t get swayed by the mainstream opinion, but instead does what is right after rationally analyzing the case, this is when I decided I wanted to be with them because I like Rotman’s attitude. Rotman is like me.

What club or activity are you looking most forward to in business school? Join clubs! The Venture capital club and Net Impact club are at the top of my list, along with the Self-Development Lab modules and Creative destruction lab course.

What led you to pursue an MBA at this point in your career? An MBA allows me to access the markets and resources that I need. I spent time talking to early stage entrepreneurs in emerging markets and I realized that in order to be more helpful for them, an MBA would be the best next step.

How did you decide if an MBA was worth the investment? For me, it’s not the immediate salary that I receive post-MBA that will determine this. Network is a better indicator. It’s invaluable to meet someone that gives me advice when facing difficult choices or an opportunity that changes my life. The MBA is about exposure to those opportunities.

What other MBA programs did you apply to? Schulich, UBC

How did you determine your fit at various schools?

• Working visa requirements for post-graduate students
• Career center resources
• School alumni network
• Soft skill development

I build my own spreadsheets to evaluate schools. I read many articles online about schools and compared notes with school websites and the conversations with recruiters.

What was your defining moment and how did it shape who you are? It’s a hard question. Humans develop through various events in their life. My childhood background, first leadership role in AIESEC, first job in Uganda, and second job in Myanmar all gave me many lessons. These all add up and led me to my recent encounter with a group of angel investors from Calgary who forced me to reflect on my experience and made me decide to be an entrepreneur and an early stage investor. The best way to help a person is bringing them opportunity and the network they need. This is particularly true in least developing countries.

What do you plan to do after you graduate? Join a VC focused on investment in emerging market and run a business.

Where do you see yourself in five years?  Become an Angel Investor who delivers entrepreneurship training sessions in Africa, South East Asia or Latin America.