2006 to 2010 AUSTIN AND HOUSTON
Business Honors, Finance | Minor in Chinese, Coursework for Minors in Marketing and Math
Internships
- Wireless and IT Industries Intern // Austin Technology Incubator (9/2009 to 5/2010)
- Evaluated startup applications and led portfolio company projects in market validation, competitive analysis, financial analysis, and strategy
- Natural Resources Group Summer Analyst // Goldman Sachs (6/2009 to 8/2009)
- Worked on $5.5bn Baker Hughes’ acquisition of BJ Services
- Private Equity Intern // Gateway Private Capital, a private equity advisory firm (10/2007 to 5/2008 and 9/2008 to 1/2009)
- Performed analysis of PE/VC funds’ performance and portfolio fit for institutional investors
- Led intern and full time analyst recruiting and managed intern to build thought pieces and prepare Requests for Proposals under strict time requirements
- Growth Equity Intern // Austin Ventures (6/2008 to 8/2008)
- Identified top opportunities in education technology based on valuation, market, and idiosyncratic factors
- Explored strategic options for Entrepreneur Magazine
- Corporate Banking Intern // Merrill Lynch Private Wealth Management (12/2007 to 1/2008)
- Ranked first among five interns in leads of $1-15mm businesses
- Risk Management Intern // Austin Capital Management, a $1.6bn fund of hedge funds (5/2007 to 11/2007)
- Performed due diligence on hedge funds and tracked monthly portfolio risk metrics
- Initiated office-wide movement to eliminate and digitize all paper files and redesign fund marketing materials
On Campus Involvement
- Portfolio Manager, Founding Team // Texas Undergraduate Investment Team
- Led group of 16-20 to manage $30,000+ student fund
- Outperformed S&P 100%
- Led fundraising, “hiring/firing,” operational/structural changes and implementation, public relations, talent development, and alumni relations
- Team Lead // Asian Business Students Association Consulting Team
- Led turnaround by revamping team mission and structure
- Raised over $10,000, led planning and sponsor relations, and hosted first UT-wide sustainability case competition
- Lead, Bone Marrow Drive
- Organized first, biannual, week-long campus-wide drive
- Charter VP // Panama Brigades
- Worked in team of 12 to create micro-business for three Panamanian orphanages
Honors
- Recipient of 9 Merit Scholarships
- 1st of 16 teams // Roden Scholars Case Competition 2009
- Worked in team of 4 to create vision, concept, strategy, and implementation plan to build a massive online role playing game (MMORPG) with a social impact
- 1st of 10 teams // ABSA 2008 Case Competition
- Worked in team of 4 to create marketing strategy for Buick
- 3rd of 16 teams // Roden Scholars Case Competition 2010
- Led team of 4 to create vision, concept, and implementation plan on the premise of using advanced GPS technology to help the blind
- 3rd of 12 teams // BizIT 2008 Case Competition
- Worked in team of 4 to build product commercialization strategy for biotech firm with ingestible insulin tracking technology
- Finalist // International Renewable Energy Case Competition
- Led team of four to build renewable energy startup to solve Macedonia’s coal dependency and presented to panel of investors
- UT Representative Team // McCombs International Case Challenge
- Worked with team of four in 72 hour competition to reframe Dell’s execution strategy in China
Select Academic Projects
- Brass Ring Team Lead // Dell
- Managed team of four to provide recommendations on supplier quality strategy
- Founding Team // StudentSourced.com
- Created strategy and launch plan for talent crowdsourcing startup
- Team Member // Hot Science Cool Talks
- Devised online growth strategy for education nonprofit
2010 TO 2012 SAN FRANCISCO
Technology, Media, Telecom Investment Banking Analyst
Worked in more than ten 4-10 person teams simultaneously to guide clients through financial transactions. Helped launch startup coverage and startup investing, enhance venture capital (VC) coverage, and pilot new initiatives in group-wide marketing and public relations
- Live experiences include sponsor consortium buyside of private internet company to merge with existing portfolio company, PMC-Sierra’s acquisition of Wintegra, LSI Engenio’s carve out sale to NetApp, and Network Solutions’ sale to Web.com
- Other notable experiences include LinkedIn’s IPO pitch
- Created and implemented across 7 sectors new process and avenues for client communication such how to optimize client email collection and management, and running a unique speaker series
- Facilitated investments in pre-IPO companies such as Dropbox and Uber
- Forged relationships and created thought pieces for VCs and pre-Series A startups
- Coordinated across teams to plan and create pre and post event materials for 300-500 people conferences and other client events, including the Internet, Education, and Cloud Computing conferences
2012 TO 2014 SAN FRANCISCO
Co-Founder and CEO
Founded profitable online marketplace connecting customers to local businesses through ticketed experiences like cooking classes at restaurants. Pivoted away from an online equity fundraising platform for non-tech businesses. Joined 500 Startups, a top 3 tech accelerator with <2% acceptance rate
- Raised over $150,000 for small businesses before pivot
- Led product design and development, front-end development, user interviews and acquisition, local business sales, and talent recruitment
- Signed up over 40 businesses and over 700 users in 3 months
- Self taught front-end development and designed and built site in under 3 months
SUMMER 2014 SAN FRANCISCO
Designer and Front End Developer Intern
Created Elefint Labs experimental division, led first Labs project, an interactive infographic using D3.js, and managed clients for web and infographic design projects
- Designed websites for organizations including Lean In and Population Services International
- Used statistical software (SPSS) to analyze Bureau of Labor Statistics’ American Time Use and Consumer Expenditures Surveys to create interactive infographics mapping the use of time to the use of money
2014 TO PRESENT BOSTON
2+2 Admit | MBA Candidate (graduation May 2016)
On Campus Involvement
- VP of Design // Design Club
- Lead branding, asset, and web redesign
- Director of Education // Tech Club
- Plan and run with team of three multiple education events a month on web development, mobile development, "growth hacking", product management, and rapid prototyping
- Head of Marketing // SPARK Entrepreneurship Conference hosted by the HBS Entrepreneurship Club
- Achieved stretch target of over 800 ticket sales, surpassing previous year's sales by 33%
- Designed all conference assets such as folders, flyers, and signage
- Worked with team of eight to plan and run conference, recruit speakers, solicit sponsorship, and configure logistics; assisted other functions by raising $2,500
- VP of Innovation // Strategic Communications Club
- Plan, market, and run creative speaking workshops on sales pitching, speaking for community building, and running a successful crowdfunding campaign
- Member // Social Enterprise, Asia Business, and Leadership and Human Capital Clubs
Select Academic Projects
- Team Member // Migros
- Worked in team of 6 to interview customers, redesign, and prototype a new mobile app to enhance pre- and during shopping experience for one of largest grocery store chains in Turkey
- Presented findings and demoed app to key executives in Migros after just one week of work