Cassie Deguzman

Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business

“Amateur adventurer, professional marketer. I love meeting people and see every glass as half full.”

Hometown: Ferndale, Washington

Fun Fact About Yourself: I learned how to ski a few years ago by joining Meetup groups and skiing with strangers almost every weekend for the entire season. I learned a lot about each person during the three-hour car rides and met people who challenged me to be a better skier each time I hit the slopes.

Undergraduate School and Major: Western Washington University, Business Administration – Marketing

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: Darigold, Assistant Marketing Manager – Cooking & Creamers

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: My biggest accomplishment has been the work I’ve done on the coffee creamer portfolio at Darigold. Creamers are extremely profitable for Darigold, but growth had stalled over the last couple of years. I established a plan to grow the business by $15.6MM by repositioning the line to compete directly with Nestle Natural Bliss, expanding distribution across the core flavors and increasing pricing to drive category dollars. To reposition the line, I worked with a design agency to update artwork to emphasize the all-natural formula and utilized a research agency to test the packaging with consumers to ensure that the changes resonated. I also worked with the product development team to reformulate the flavor that still used artificial ingredients. To expand distribution, I worked with our sales team to develop sales decks for category reviews at key retailers.

What quality best describes the MBA classmates you’ve met so far and why? The MBA classmates I’ve met so far have been incredibly supportive. They’ve answered every question honestly and have been quick to connect me with other Kelley students that they think would be a good resource. I’m looking forward to being part of such a strong community!

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 Consumer Marketing Academy was a really important factor in selecting the Kelley MBA program. I searched for a program that would help me continue to develop strategic marketing skills through hands-on experiences with projects that have a real impact. By working directly with a consumer goods company on a practicum project, I will have the opportunity to hone my skills and make a tangible contribution before I even graduate.

What club or activity are you looking most forward to in business school? The Association of Women MBAs. I’m looking forward to being part of a community of strong, intelligent and supportive women, delivering on the five pillars of community, mentorship, professional development, prospective outreach, and local engagement.

What led you to pursue an MBA at this point in your career? In my role as an assistant marketing manager, I worked on a team with five brand managers, all of whom have their MBAs from top programs across the country. I was consistently inspired by the experiences they shared with me, in both their MBA programs and post-business school careers. I also admired how well they were able to handle difficult business strategy challenges – which they would mention ‘is something I’d learn in business school.’

I realized that in order to continue to develop strong business and financial acumen, a supportive network and leadership skills, I needed to pursue my MBA.

What other MBA programs did you apply to? University of Wisconsin, University of Minnesota (Carlson) and University of Washington (Foster)

How did you determine your fit at various schools? To determine which school was the right fit for me, I attended each program’s preview weekend. It was important to me to get a feel for the city I might live in, meet the students I might be enrolled with, and get a better understanding of each program. Coming from out of state, I knew that I needed to pick a program where I felt comfortable. At both Kelley Preview Weekend and Experience Weekend, I felt welcomed by everyone I encountered. Current students went above-and-beyond to engage with prospective and admitted students outside of the structured events and demonstrated what it truly means to be a part of the Kelley family. I immediately knew that I could make this home for the next two years.

What was your defining moment and how did it shape who you are? When a new vice president of marketing and innovation joined our team about two years ago and asked me about my five-year plan during our first one on one, I realized I didn’t have a good answer. I left that meeting slightly stunned but determined to develop a plan. Over the next few months, I worked closely with my mentor at work and my manager to identify what I enjoyed doing to get a better understanding of potential career plans. I realized that I loved seeing products I worked on appear on the shelf. I realized that, as a brand manager, I could impact everything about the product from formulation, positioning, pricing, and packaging. This reflection fueled my passion for brand management and set me on a mission to pursue a career that I didn’t think was possible.

Where do you see yourself in ten years? My goal is to continue to work on exciting, innovative brands and in 10 years I want to be in a role where I’m leading a team of brand managers to drive business and initiative results.