Steven Couche

Emory University’s Goizueta Business School

“Open-minded and competitive team player who loves ice cream.”

Hometown: Sugar Land, TX

Fun Fact About Yourself: Pitched on TV for my twelve-year-old little league baseball team.

Undergraduate School and Major: Clemson University, Civil Engineering

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: Equity Research Associate at Robert W. Baird

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: Breaking into the world of equity research without a finance background or any relevant experience. While working as a field engineer for Schlumberger, I determined stocks were my passion and was able to land an unpaid internship in equity research which turned into a full-time offer. I’m extremely grateful for the people who took a chance on me.

What quality best describes the MBA classmates you’ve met so far and why? Humble. I am surprised at how receptive and enthusiastic my classmates have been throughout the onboarding process. I was expecting a group of high achievers to think certain intrapersonal exploration and team-building exercises were mundane, but everybody has remained engaged and is taking full advantage of the unique program.

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 needed to be in a major city so my better half could continue her career. I was also attracted to Emory’s strong consulting roots, the opportunities available in a major city like Atlanta, and the smaller class. It didn’t hurt that everybody I spoke with during my due diligence process seemed genuine and obtained jobs in areas where I would be interested.

What club or activity are you looking most forward to in business school? Goizueta Consulting Association

What was the most challenging question you were asked during the admissions process? To be honest, most of the questions I received were rather generic. There were a few changeups but no memorable curveballs.

What led you to pursue an MBA at this point in your career? I enjoyed the challenging and problem-solving nature of equity research but want the opportunity to be a part of a team and ultimately lead my own team. I also want to better understand the corporate decision-making process and gain experience.

What other MBA programs did you apply to? Columbia, NYU

How did you determine your fit at various schools? I visited all the schools I was interested in and read about the programs via well-known online resources. However, I found the best information usually came from current students or recent alumni. Most students and alumni were open about their experiences, what they enjoyed about the programs and what aspects might not have met expectations.

What was your defining moment and how did it shape who you are? Revisiting my transition to equity research, the night I decided to not take “no” for an answer and then realizing that a dream was a powerful experience. Although I am likely pivoting out of finance, committing myself to beating the odds then fulfilling that promise to myself was a transformative experience.

Where do you see yourself in ten years? I am planning on pursuing an internal consulting or strategic finance role, so possibly leading a business division or solving broader problems for a company whose mission I believe in.