Michael D. Freudenthal 

Emory University, Goizueta Business School

“Foodie and enthusiastic about tennis and entrepreneurship. I love the Maple Leafs and Raptors.” 

Hometown: Toronto, ON

Fun Fact About Yourself: Won a 50-metre dash track and field city-wide competition when I was 11 years old.

Undergraduate School and Major: Dalhousie University, Halifax Bachelor of Science (Concentration: Neuroscience)

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: Broadcast, Media & Entertainment (IATSE) Production Lead 

What makes Atlanta such a great place to earn an MBA? There is a special energy about Atlanta. I love the positivity that permeates the Emory campus and the greater Atlanta area: it is a beautiful place with great weather and culture. Atlanta is a city where people will open doors with warm smiles wherever you go. Atlanta is also hub for Fortune 500 headquarters, a financial capital of the US, akin to cities such as New York, San Francisco, and Chicago. I could not ask for a better place to complete my MBA.

Aside from your classmates and location, what was the key part of Emory Goizueta’s MBA programming that led you to choose this business school and why was it so important to you? I particularly liked the small class sizes of Goizueta Business School. The student-to-faculty ratio, one of the lowest in the country, allows for great discussions. Emory University is an intellectual bastion, where one can build close relationships with professors and develop lifelong friendships. Also, the people at Goizueta are what set it apart. Students are so willing to lend a hand to other students as there is a strong sense of camaraderie and a culture of paying it forward to fellow members of the community, especially as alumni of the program.

What course, club or activity excites you the most at Emory Goizueta? The Goizueta’s Advanced Leadership Academy is a program that excites me. I am looking forward to learning from world renowned academic and industry leaders, while sailing in the British Virgin Islands. The Goizueta Leadership Academy brings exceptional individuals together to build high caliber, performing teams. I believe this experience will be a once-in-a- lifetime opportunity and will provide a wealth practical knowledge for becoming a successful leader in the business world.

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: I contributed to Amazon’s Prime Video, The Boys, a tv-series production. I was working with a tight deadline and budget, as well as working through the limitations of the pandemic. It was a high-pressure venture that brought lots of satisfaction once completed. The fact that my team was aiming for collective results was what made it most memorable. The production was nominated for six Emmy’s.

What is one thing you have recently read, watched, or listened to that you would highly recommend to prospective MBAs? Why? I recently read the book The Five Dysfunctions of a Team by Patrick Lencioni. Lencioni’s book emphasizes different techniques and skills to embody as leaders when working in teams. Lencioni talks about the importance of appropriate communication, strong emotional intelligence, and great listening skills when working with teammates. It focuses on a pyramid-like framework to drive institutions forward, building on strong foundations of leadership building. The goal is to improve the organization’s productivity and ensure the talent of every individual comes to light. The MBA program is heavily focused on teamwork, so reading that book will give you a leg up when working with others effectively.

What advice would you give to help potential applicants gain admission into Emory Goizueta’s MBA program?  I would encourage you to engage in self-reflection to think about why you want to pursue an MBA. Why now? Why Goizueta?  How can you contribute to the great, flourishing community that we have here at Goizueta?

As an Emory student, and then as an alum, you will serve as an ambassador for the school. As a Goizueta member, you represent the school everywhere you lead in life.

Think about what you can bring to the table and the impact that your presence can have during your MBA experience, on campus and in your post-MBA career; it is not only about what Goizueta gives you, but what you contribute to the school. I would also recommend that you consider the alumni network that you want to have post-MBA and where you want to be in the future. Best of luck!