Profile Evaluation

Launched September 22, 2008
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Profile Evaluation

by desiatom » Tue Sep 23, 2008 8:27 am
Hello!

Here is a quick rundown of my profile

Age: 27
Miami, FL
Cuban American Background (Mother born in Havana)
Ugrad GPA: 3.58 Babson College BS in Business Administration
Grad GPA: 3.7 Florida International University MS in Management Information Systems
GMAT: 710 (48 Quant 40 Verbal)

Work Experience: 5 years
After graduating college I started my career in the Institutional Fixed Income desk at Bear Stearns in Boston where I held an analyst position. While I thought that my life would take the pure finance route, an incredible opportunity opened up in my hometown of Miami, FL for me to assist my family in a leveraged buy out of an insurance company and start an insurance premium finance company (financing insurance premiums for small businesses) as a complimentary service. I was basically given a copy of the Florida State Statutes and Regulations governing this type of business and a bank contact to secure a line of credit. Over the past 5 years, I have grown the premium finance business to roughly 600K in annual sales during some tough times for insurance in Florida (we finance property insurance vulnerable to hurricanes). The experience has exposed me to all aspects of starting and managing a business from the ground up: hiring/firing employees, seeking sources of finance to operate, setting performance goals, and creating daily operational procedures. Additionally, the heavily regulated nature of my business has required me to undergo Department of Insurance audits and submit tedious annual reports. Over the past two years, my role has widened to the holding company level where I developed and led a project that created an online policy quoting and information portal for our company's agents. I currently hold the position of operations manager for the holding company and president of the premium finance company. My Uncles and Mother who are majority stockholders in the company are looking to retire and sell the holding company, I feel that this is a perfect time to continue my education, improve my skills, and gain valuable contacts. I love entrepreneurship but would also truly enjoy a challenging general management position.

Sorry to be so long winded, but I believe that my background is a bit different from someone that has only worked for a large corporation and requires a bit more explaining.

Recommendations: Since my shareholders and supervisors are family members, I am getting recommendations from 2 different clients that have worked with me for over 4 years. I intend on submitting optional essays that discuss this choice.

Community Service/Involvement: Junior Achievement Miami Company Program: teaches high school students the ins and outs of starting a business (2+ years involvement)
Condo Association Board Member

I am applying to: HBS/TUCK/FUQUA/DARDEN

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by Graham » Wed Sep 24, 2008 1:01 am
Dear Desiatom,

Thanks for your post. I agree that you have a rather non-traditional background and it sounds like you are aware of many of the key areas you will need to address as an MBA applicant.

It's clear that your academic numbers and GMAT will keep you squarely in the running at the schools on your list. In addition, your status as a Cuban/American will make you very unique in the applicant pool.

The key to your candidacy will really come down to how you position your work experience. You will need to avoid issues of nepotism while giving the adcom a sense for what you've truly accomplished (and for what the firm does, since it will be unfamiliar to your readers). You will also need to highlight clear plans for the future in order to indicate why you need the MBA/why now (beyond the fact that it sounds like the family business is being sold).

Your strategy for the rec letters seems sound, since it would clearly be inappropriate to have anyone from your family write on your behalf.

Your XCs look decent - although the Junior Achievement work is clearly going to carry more weight than sitting on the board of your condo association (unless there are substantial leadership responsibilities involved with the latter?).

Your school selection looks fine in terms of your profile/competitiveness, but I'm curious as to how you developed this list. Obviously, if I knew more about your goals, it would be easier to make recommendations in terms of which programs are most appropriate.

Best of luck,

Graham
Graham Richmond
Clear Admit, LLC
[email protected]
215 568 2590

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