Natnicha Laodara (Nat)

Yale School of Management

“Food, fashion, and photography enthusiast from Thailand.”

Hometown: Bangkok, Thailand

Fun Fact About Yourself: I breed Pacific parrotlets as a hobby!

Undergraduate School and Major: Chulalongkorn University (Accounting Major)

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: Junior Category Manager at Shopee (Southeast Asia’s leading e-commerce platform)

The Yale School of Management is regarded as a purpose-driven program. What is your mission? How will your MBA at Yale SOM help you fulfill that mission? With my passion for food along with my experience in the Food & Beverages industry, my mission is to bring unique Thai food to the global stage while uplifting the underprivileged communities in the country.

Aside from your classmates, what was the key part of Yale SOM’s MBA curriculum or programming that led you to choose this business school and why was it so important to you? After getting accepted into several MBA programs, I reached out to alumni from the different schools to learn more about what it is really like to be a student at each school. The collaborative and inclusive culture at Yale SOM stood out to me, and I believe that I will be able to grow and strive in this environment. In addition, all the alumni I spoke to mentioned how Yale SOM truly focuses on “educating leaders for business and society” in its curriculum by integrating the societal impact into the core courses.

What course, club, or activity excites you the most at Yale SOM?

1. Technology Club: I want to learn more about job opportunities in the technology space for my short-term post-MBA goals
2. Food, Agribusiness, and Beverage Club: I want to get to know people working in this field and keep up with global food and agriculture trends for my long-term mission post-MBA

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: Led a team of 25+ people to achieve sales growth of 2x in only 1 year!

What led you to pursue an MBA at this point and what do you hope to do after graduation? The tech industry is relatively new and unstructured in Southeast Asia, so I wanted more know-how from a region where tech is more mature. I am currently progressing from Junior Manager to Senior Manager, and I believe that to succeed in a more senior role, it will be essential to gain more exposure to best practices in the industry through an MBA.

What is one thing you have recently read, watched, or listened to that you would highly recommend to prospective MBAs? Why? My Life in Full: Work, Family, and Our Future by Indra Nooyi (Yale SOM alumna) – I received this book as a gift for my acceptance to Yale SOM! It is a great book that gives you insights on the many challenges that will come in your post-MBA career and the process to navigate these issues. Highly recommended for all MBA students (not just Yale SOM students)!

What other MBA programs did you apply to? Kellogg, Columbia, Stanford

What advice would you give to help potential applicants gain admission into Yale SOM’s MBA program? Be authentic and personal in your essay. Do not focus about “what” you did, but also drill down to “why” you made certain decisions. This can help paint a clearer picture to the Admission Committee about the type of leader/person you are. Do not be afraid to write about the personal events that has shaped you as a person and led you to make the most important decisions in your life.

DON’T MISS: MEET YALE SOM’S MBA CLASS OF 2024