Marcus Bailey

Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College

“Team builder, lover of the outdoors, that enjoys getting into the weeds to build businesses.”

Hometown: New York City, NY

Fun Fact About Yourself: When I was in the fourth grade, I presented the New York City weather forecast live on the local news. I told everyone it was going to be a nice day and luckily, I was right!

Undergraduate School and Major: Davidson College, Political Science

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: Broadridge Financial Solutions, Director—Product Management

What has been your first impression of the Tuck MBA students and alumni you’ve met so far. Tell us your best Tuck story so far. At orientation, Dean Slaughter told us about the co-investment we make in each other at Tuck. The experience is not just the between the program and the students, but amongst the entire community—students, partners, faculty, staff, and even the visitors on campus. Everyone at Tuck is friendly, authentic, and made an intentional choice to be here.

One of the most memorable examples of this occurred shortly after I was admitted. I received a call from a Tuck alum from the early 1990s and we spent a long time talking about how important Tuck, his classmates, and the community remains to him after nearly 30 years. The fact that an alum from so long ago, who also happened to be a senior leader at a global bank, took time out of his day to talk to me about the Tuck experience underscored that this isn’t a community I belong to for a few years, but one I will belong to for life.

Aside from your classmates, what was the key part of Dartmouth Tuck’s MBA programming that led you to choose this business school and why was it so important to you? I chose Tuck because all the programming centers on its mission to develop wise, decisive leaders. While the hard skills that come with an MBA are important, the focus at Tuck on developing leadership and applying what we learn drove me to the program.

What course, club or activity excites you the most at Dartmouth Tuck? I am very excited for the First-Year Project this spring. Tuck provides us with the opportunity to apply the concepts we learn from the core curriculum to real-world challenges faced by real businesses with a project team of my classmates. We already had a taste of that in the CEO Challenge (the capstone project to Tuck Launch, where study groups work with alumni CEOs and faculty on a real-world business issue the CEOs are facing), and I can’t wait to start the real thing.

What excites you the most about coming to live in Hanover? What is the one activity you can’t wait to do? Hanover and the Upper Valley is such a beautiful place, and I’m excited to take advantage of the outdoor opportunities in my daily life. Hobbies that used to take a lot of effort, like hiking, skiing, and fly-fishing, can be fit into a couple of free hours I have in the mornings or afternoons. When it comes time for homework, I even try to do as much as I can on the Raether deck or by the firepit at home. I expect to spend most of my life in a city, so I want to make the most of this while I can.

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: Prior to Tuck, I spent three years working at a startup called LiquidX. We built technology platforms to help our customers, whether multinational corporations or solo entrepreneurs, get financing to grow their business. I’m most proud of being part of the team that launched and grew that business. As a product manager, I was the day-to-day face of the business to many members of our global software engineering team. When the team had questions about our strategy or the context behind a decision, I helped them understand why we made those decisions and listened to their feedback and suggestions so we could improve. During the COVID pandemic, I found myself going out of my way to help build connections amongst the newly virtual workforce. And of course, in the stress and excitement of our product launch, I found myself mediating the interpersonal tensions that inevitably occurred so that everyone remained excited and passionate. While I could talk about the unique platform we built and the success we had in the market, I was most proud of being a part of the team that built it.

What is one thing you have recently read, watched, or listened to that you would highly recommend to prospective MBAs? Why? After I applied to MBA programs last fall, I decided to read more fiction. I read Stephen King and Agatha Christie, and I also went back and re-read some of the American classics.  Reading about something besides history and business refreshed and re-energized me in a way those books never could.

What led you to pursue an MBA at this point and what do you hope to do after graduation? I first considered an MBA a few years ago, and when I discussed it with a mentor of mine, he convinced me to join a startup with him and postpone my MBA journey. That was the right decision because I learned so much about business by being on a team that launched one. I also learned how important it is, as a leader of an organization, to have a broad foundational knowledge of all aspects of the firm. I aspire to be a leader of a business one day, and an MBA will provide me with the leadership, team building skills, and knowledge I need to do so.

What other MBA programs did you apply to? Harvard Business School, MIT Sloan, Columbia Business School

What advice would you give to help potential applicants gain admission into Dartmouth Tuck’s MBA program? I would suggest speaking to students and alumni to understand what makes Tuck so special. As you reflect on your professional and personal values through the MBA application process, consider if Tuck’s culture of co-investment and the small town charm of Hanover are right for you. If it is, be genuine in your application and let the admissions team know what you’ll bring to the community. Every applicant is more than a test score or a resume. Tell them what makes you unique.

DON’T MISS: MEET DARTMOUTH TUCK’S MBA CLASS OF 2024