Emmy Armintrout

University of Washington’s Foster School of Business

“Software engineer by day, board gamer by night, dog and sports lover 24/7.”

Hometown: Seattle, WA

Fun Fact About Yourself: I (poorly) run two dog Instagram accounts, one for my mom’s dogs and one for mine. Fans would say I am abysmal at this because I post so infrequently. Sorry fans.

Undergraduate School and Major: Stanford University, B.A. in Science, Technology & Society

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: Co-founder/CTO, Rivall

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: I co-founded a company called Rivall, a software platform combining management software with a marketplace for sports leagues. We grew the company to over 100k users in under two years, helping each of them play everything from competitive soccer to brewery cornhole. In June, my cofounder and I exited upon selling the company.

What quality best describes the MBA classmates you’ve met so far and why? Uniqueness. The people I’ve met so far have intelligence and ambition in common, but also an incredible diversity of goals and experiences.

What makes Seattle such a great place to earn an MBA? Ultimately, I’d like to start another company. It works out that I grew up in and love Seattle and that it’s become one of the best cities to start a business. San Francisco has a lot of entrepreneurial energy, but it’s more entrenched. In Seattle, there are established companies that have attracted a ton of talent and energy, but also room to carve a unique path.

Aside from your classmates and location, 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? Picking one is hard! A huge draw was UW itself. Growing up, the UW played a huge role in my life and the idea of finally being a student there is incredibly meaningful. That said, Foster’s reputation and entrepreneurship electives, as well as its resources for entrepreneurs and founders, confirmed my desire to apply. Later, realizing the resources and people I’d get to be around and learn from – people with far more diverse backgrounds than what I’m used to in the San Francisco tech scene – clinched the decision for me.

What club or activity are you looking most forward to in business school? I heard about a project where you get to collaborate with someone in an entirely different department – which sounds so cool! I’d love to work with someone in a non-software engineering field. I’m also excited to find volunteer opportunities through the school’s network.

What was the most challenging question you were asked during the admissions process? Honestly, I was so frazzled during the online video interview that I can’t even remember the questions. Those were the most challenging – whatever they were!

What led you to pursue an MBA at this point in your career? My experience thus far has shown me how much I enjoy working at early-stage companies, and mostly how much I want to start another company again. I feel ok about my ability to code and build products, but far less confident in the business side of things – both in terms of building teams and making strategic business choices. My last go at starting a company ended up working out, but I think I got pretty lucky. I’d like to do it again, but this time do it better, with more savvy and confidence (and in Seattle!).

What other MBA programs did you apply to? It was UW or bust.

How did you determine your fit at various schools? N/A

What was your defining moment and how did it shape who you are? Deciding to start Rivall. I’d just left a job and ended up meeting my cofounder and getting excited about something. We had absolutely no idea what we were doing. Fast forward three years later, a lot has happened, all of which I’ve learned so much from – it’s crazy to think about it. The experience shaped who I am and also who I’ll be, because my goals shifted and solidified.

Where do you see yourself in ten years? I’m a founder and head of product at an awesome company, living in Seattle, coaching sports on the side, hanging out with my family and dogs.