Joshua Solomon West

University of Rochester, Simon Business School

“Quiet but charismatic life advice giving guru who’s ambitious but loyal, and will never lead you astray.”

Hometown: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Fun Fact About Yourself: Believe it or not, had I not already committed to going to business school, it’s quite possible that I could have been “Married at First Sight.” In mid-May of 2018, a casting agent for the Lifetime network reality TV docu-series called me to see if I would consider filling out an application to be screened as a possible contestant for the upcoming “Married At First Sight: Philly” series. After some consideration, I politely declined. Business school was a better investment than reality TV.

Undergraduate School and Major: Northwestern University, Political Science and International Studies

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: Coca-Cola, District Sales Manager

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: 40 years. That’s how long a major university in Philadelphia, PA exclusively sold beverages from my former company’s top competitor. Through developing a new value proposition, we won the right to a new contract. It was my job to lead the implementation of that contract. I led a cross functional team that ranged from finance, equipment services, marketing, national retail sales, distribution, and category management, to successfully implement the new contract and on-board a new key account into the Coca-Cola system.

What quality best describes the MBA classmates you’ve met so far and why? My classmates are supportive, genuine, and fascinating individuals with varied and diverse backgrounds. They are unique and driven, but also understanding of each other’s’ opinions and differences. I love learning about their stories and backgrounds, and feel incredibly fortunate to be able to learn and interact with them on a daily basis.

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? The analytical aspect that applies to every class led me to choose this program. The heaviest quant classes I took in college were a few econ classes, so I wanted to ensure that my quantitative skills coming out of my MBA program would allow me to succeed post-graduation. Simon had a strong focusing on applying analytics to every class, so I knew this program would sure up some quantitative deficiencies and help me achieve my long-term goal.

What club or activity are you looking most forward to in business school? I’m looking forward to joining the VISION Consulting Club and helping local small businesses with a business issue that they’re facing. I’m also looking forward to joining the Simon Marketing Association to further my professional goal of becoming a general leader with an expertise in marketing strategy.

What led you to pursue an MBA at this point in your career? I wanted to do more with my career and continue to advance. I also wanted to move out of sales, and into a different function. It was becoming increasingly harder to do so. When The Coca-Cola Company announced that it was selling my operating unit to a private company, I knew that opportunities for growth into other functions would all but disappear. I decided that this was my moment to continue my education to pursue a different background that would give me opportunities to explore additional career paths.

How did you decide if an MBA was worth the investment? For me, the decision was easy. I wanted to advance in my career, and continue to position myself as someone who could take on greater responsibility, leading more complex teams, and eventually, organizations. I knew an MBA was the investment that would serve as the catalyst to get me to that point. I also knew it would expose me to a network of other brilliant like-minded individuals who would also one day become leaders in their field or profession. This was part of my decision making process that led me to believe this was the right investment for me.

What other MBA programs did you apply to? Michigan Ross, Indiana Kelley, Emory Goizueta, Texas McCombs, Northwestern Kellogg

How did you determine your fit at various schools? I determined fit for business school by prioritizing factors such as people, program strengths, conversations with current students, and visits to various programs. In evaluating schools, I focused on Consortium information sessions, webinars, conversations with admissions committee members, current students and websites. Culture was determined by interactions that I had with people at the schools I visited. For me, it was important that a school culture feels like family. When someone greets me with a hug, and already knows something about me, I feel like they’ve done the work to get to know me, and that they’re recruiting me to be part of not only a school community but a family. I also paid attention to interactions students had when I visited. Did they smile at each other? Did they greet each other when they walked by? What was their body language toward each other on the various panels they sat through? I knew a school would fit my career goal if I knew that I could fit in at the school and make an immediate impact. I also knew it would fit if there emerged a common positive theme that I was looking for in the conversations I had with everyone I met.

What was your defining moment and how did it shape who you are? The defining moment for me was the end of 2015, when my father passed away from cancer. It had been a great year until he suddenly fell ill in August. Four months later he passed. I used to have a picture in my mind about what my life would be like 10-15 years from now, with my dad teaching my children how to fish down the road. Suddenly, that was taken from me. I took some time to think about what I wanted in life and become more focused on getting there, but with a greater appreciation for each moment I can have for myself, friends, and family.

What do you plan to do after you graduate? Following graduation, I want to focus on marketing strategy, helping my organization develop campaigns that help drive profitable growth.

Where do you see yourself in five years? I see myself leading a global team that is focused on building strategy and capabilities focused on how our organization will continue to grow well into the future.