Ryan Weathers

Yale School of Management

“Travel enthusiast and lifelong learner who is passionate about using technology to advance health equity.”

Hometown: Pine Bush, New York

Fun Fact About Yourself: I’m color blind, which meant I had to spend extra time ensuring that my PowerPoint slides didn’t contain mismatching color schemes.

Undergraduate School and Major: Binghamton University – Business Administration with concentrations in Finance and Management Information Systems

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: Manager, Consulting – KPMG LLP (New York City Office)

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? My long-term goal is to build digital health products that leverage technology to deliver quality and affordable healthcare to vulnerable populations, improving access to care and reducing health inequities. SOM’s mission to educate leaders for business and society attracts students who want to solve the world’s biggest problems – being surrounded by classmates who share and support a similar mission inspires me to achieve my own goals.

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? One of the many reasons I chose SOM was because of the flexible MBA curriculum and the business school’s integration with its parent university. The flexibility provided in the curriculum was important to me as I plan to explore new areas of interest and take advantage of elective courses offered by other schools (e.g., Yale Law School and Yale School of Public Health).

What course, club, or activity excites you the most at Yale SOM? I’m most excited about the Product Management class, which focuses on the design and marketing of technology-driven products in B2C settings. As an aspiring product manager, I’m looking forward to the course’s hands-on learning opportunities, which require students to apply what they’ve learned in class to real problems faced by leading technology firms.

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: My biggest accomplishment has been leading incredibly talented and diverse teams while working and living in eight countries across four continents. During my time abroad, I had the opportunity to explore new cities and cultures, broaden my perspectives, and take part in unique, once-in-a-lifetime experiences.

What led you to pursue an MBA at this point and what do you hope to do after graduation? After spending years working as a consultant, I reached an inflection point in my career. I had to decide between continuing my career as a consultant – which continued to become more specialized as the years progressed – or take a leap of faith and pursue a role and industry that really excited me. I chose the latter and haven’t looked back. Post-MBA, I hope to work as a product manager at a mission-driven technology company where I can solve difficult problems and make a meaningful impact in the world.

What is one thing you have recently read, watched, or listened to that you would highly recommend to prospective MBAs? Why? I recently read Atomic Habits by James Clear and highly recommend this book to prospective MBAs. Applying to business school is a daunting process, especially when you’re studying for the GMAT and writing essays while working a full-time job. Atomic Habits provides frameworks and evidence-based strategies to help you form good habits and break bad ones. The knowledge I gained from the book helped me build habits that were essential to my success and demonstrated the power of small habits and consistency.

What other MBA programs did you apply to?  Haas, Ross, Tuck, Wharton

What advice would you give to help potential applicants gain admission into Yale SOM’s MBA program? I would advise prospective applicants to start early and avoid rushing through the application process. Use the extra time to engage in self-reflection. It’s important to understand why you want an MBA and how SOM can help you achieve your goals. This exercise will help you craft compelling essays, prepare for interviews, and prioritize your time when you get to campus. There are an endless number of activities to get involved in, so being able to identify what is most important will allow you to get the most out of your two years at SOM.

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