Jordan Feyko

Stanford Graduate School of Business

“Midwestern-raised explorer who loves traveling (and eating his way) around the world!”

Hometown: Columbus, Ohio

Fun Fact About Yourself: I have traveled to 42 countries and once went skydiving with the Crown Prince of Dubai.

Undergraduate School and Major: Harvard, B.A. in Applied Mathematics and Economics

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: Private Equity Associate, Francisco Partners

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: My biggest accomplishment has been working with a team of talented investment professionals at Francisco Partners to close on a large investment in a financial technology company after an intense summer of diligence and negotiation.

Describe your biggest accomplishment at Stanford GSB so far: My biggest accomplishment at Stanford GSB has honestly been getting to know all of my incredible classmates. Learning about their life stories and sharing our experiences while thinking about how to best manage and lead in the future has been an energizing and humbling experience!

What quality best describes the MBA classmates you’ve met so far and why? Definitely “genuine” as I would say my classmates are really committed to the GSB’s ethos of openness and sincerity in discussions (both inside and outside the classroom). They are quick to share, but more importantly, are also quick to listen.

Aside from your classmates, what was the key factor that led you to choose this program for your full-time MBA and why was it so important to you? The key factor in my decision was the GSB’s focus on developing leaders who not just learn the nuts-and-bolts of management (strategy, finance, accounting, etc.), but learn how to really lead people. At the end of the day, the key to being a successful manager is to surround yourself with talented individuals and to know how to empower these colleagues to reach their full potential. Whether it’s a start-up or a Fortune 100 company, the GSB recognizes that it is most often the “soft skills” that separate good leaders from poor ones. I was (and continue to be) impressed with the way the curriculum is structured to provide ample opportunities to not only learn directly from successful leaders but also to put these theories into practice with the interactive leadership curriculum (starting with Leadership Labs in the first quarter on campus). I am excited to continue the experiential learning and to have the chance to practice different leadership skills in a supportive and honest environment.

What club or activity have you enjoyed the most at Stanford GSB so far? My favorite activity so far has been the Global Study Trip to Georgia and Bulgaria that I attended this past winter. It was an amazing experience to travel with 30 of my classmates and have the opportunity to learn more about a part of the world about which I knew very little while meeting with prime ministers, business leaders, and start-up founders who shared their views on the region’s breakout potential.

In addition to learning more about the places themselves, the highlight was definitely getting to know my classmates at a much deeper level and getting to share in many of the new experiences from enjoying Georgian feasts to exploring snow-covered Sofia! The GSB’s international experiences requirement is such an important part of the program and I am a huge advocate of the value of international exploration and exchange and really appreciate the number of official and unofficial opportunities the school provides.

What led you to pursue an MBA at this point in your career? I decided that the four-year mark post-graduation was a good time to re-examine my professional experiences and the potential value of pursuing an MBA. After having learned a tremendous amount from my practical work experience in finance, I recognized that managerial skills was one skill area in which it would be valuable to have the opportunity to learn and expand my abilities. I felt that the MBA would provide an excellent chance to devote myself full-time to professional development and that Stanford’s focus on leadership development would provide me with the ideal environment to pursue this goal. Regardless of the post-MBA path chosen, I recognized that this skillset would be crucial to my success in the next stage of my career.

What other MBA programs did you apply to? I also applied to HBS, Wharton, Booth, Kellogg, and Sloan.

How did you determine your fit at various schools? I found the best way to evaluate fit was to visit each of the schools to which I applied and to talk with current students in order to get a better sense for the culture and focus of the school. While the school websites provide a helpful overview of key programs and courses as well as career placement info, I felt like the only way to truly understand the essence of each school was through direct interactions with students (and I found all the folks I reached out to be very accommodating and willing to share). Ultimately, I felt Stanford was the ideal fit for me given the smaller class size, focus on experiential leadership training, and location in the heart of innovation in Silicon Valley with access to so many incredible guest speakers.

What was your defining moment and how did it shape who you are? My defining moment was when I received my acceptance into Stanford for my MBA. It unlocked an opportunity for me to further step outside of my comfort zone and push myself to engage in new and unknown experiences. Having spent the past few years working in New York City and San Francisco, I relished the challenge and opportunity to meet peers from all around the U.S. and around the world while continuing to broaden my perspective. In college, I had my first international travel experiences and discovered my passions for exploring and learning about the world and taking those experiences and applying them to my everyday life. My time in the Stanford MBA program is providing me with the chance to continue my life-long quest to learn more about the world around me and expand my experience set while examining a wide range of potential career options.

Where do you see yourself in five years? I would say one of the main reasons I decided to go to school was to take time to reflect on my career to date and to think about what path I want to pursue longer-term. One of my key priorities I have discovered in school is my desire to find a career that allows me to pursue my passions while also having a role that enables me to have a direct impact on my organization, colleagues, and society as a whole. I am still determining which career path best fulfills these goals, but have been exploring both corporate paths inside and outside of the financial world (as well as taking time to consider and explore some of my entrepreneurial ideas). I feel very fortunate that Stanford provides the support and resources to explore my career passions, no matter which direction they may take me.