Meet the MBA Class of 2023: Kendall Brown, UCLA (Anderson)

Kendall Brown

UCLA, Anderson School of Management

“Energetic learner who wants to use his platform to make the world a better place for all.”

Hometown: Los Angeles, CA

Fun Fact About Yourself: As a child, I was an actor and appeared on The Young and the Restless and in McDonald’s commercials.

Undergraduate School and Major: Cornell University – Industrial and Labor Relations (ILR School)

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: Accenture – Management Consultant

UCLA Anderson is founded on the Three Pillars: Share Success, Think Fearlessly, and Drive Change. Which pillar resonates most with you and why? As a former athlete and consultant, “Share Success” resonates the most with me. I value the power of teams and collaboration to achieve a common goal. At Anderson, students, faculty, and administration go out of their way to achieve a collective victory. While the program is challenging, the culture of generosity within the Anderson family has created a community where students can be their best selves.

What makes Los Angeles such a great place to earn an MBA? As a first-tier city that revolves around entertainment and is home to world-renowned sports franchises, LA is the perfect place for me to earn my MBA. Going to the beach after class on a Wednesday afternoon in October isn’t so bad either!

Aside from your classmates and location, what was the key part of UCLA Anderson’s MBA programming that led you to choose this business school and why was it so important to you? Anderson is special because the curriculum is designed with an understanding of the business of sports; by specializing in entertainment management, I can learn about best-in-class marketing practices and the tech innovations that will change the industry. With the unparalleled resources of The Center for Management of Enterprise in Media, Entertainment & Sports (MEMES), I can solve real business problems while learning from industry leaders. As a leader in the Black Business Students Association, I can champion underrepresented minority representation within the program. Anderson will provide the foundation for me and my classmates to become change-agents across all industries.

What course, club or activity excites you the most at UCLA Anderson?  The annual Pulse Conference hosted by the MEMES Center is the activity that excites me the most at UCLA Anderson. Pulse brings together leading executives, such as Ice Cube and Andy Campion, to share insights and perspective on the current landscape of the entertainment, sports, and technology industries. Truly a great opportunity to engage with leaders who have changed the game!

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far:  After the tragic events involving Breonna Taylor and George Floyd, I was moved to drive real, lasting change within my workplace community by bringing awareness to social injustice. While at Accenture, I helped create and led the first Inclusion & Diversity (I&D) Education team. Here, we developed curriculum for I&D training opportunities and secured funding from senior leadership to utilize a web-based, e-learning platform to deploy to 300+ practitioners across the South region.

How did COVID-19 change your perspective on your career and your life in general?  COVID-19 taught me to take a step back and reflect on what truly brings me joy in life. I found myself working towards something that wasn’t fulfilling my passions. Seeing how quickly life can change and that tomorrow isn’t guaranteed inspired me to pursue my dreams and pivot careers.

What led you to pursue an MBA at this point and what do you hope to do after graduation?  While I am positioned to leverage my experiences, I needed the training of an MBA program to help me fine-tune the skills and build the network needed to drive transformational change as a leader in today’s increasingly complex business landscape.

My long-term career goal is to work in executive management for a major league sports franchise. As a former human capital consultant, I see an opportunity to redefine the consumer experience through improved practices that put people at the center of change. By enabling a people-centric approach, we can transform the role professional sports play in the global community. To better position myself to make this impact within a sports franchise, post-MBA, I plan to work in corporate strategy at a major sports league to learn more about the business of sports from a broader perspective.

What other MBA programs did you apply to? Duke Fuqua, NYU Stern, USC Marshall

What advice would you give to help potential applicants gain admission into UCLA Anderson’s MBA program? Do your research, be yourself (remember that numbers don’t define who you are), and trust the process!

DON’T MISS: MEET UCLA ANDERSON’S MBA CLASS OF 2023