Kellogg Leaders in action: Prepare to ‘Build while flying’
What makes Kellogg unique? In a rapidly changing world, we provide our students with fertile soil for fruitful leadership. Our students are planting seeds to become the leaders of tomorrow, and our community supports and challenges their growth. Whether in the classroom or through global opportunities, our MBA programs sharpen analytical skills while fostering creativity and social intelligence.
Our “Kellogg Leaders in Action” series highlights adaptive, empathetic leaders who are changing the global business landscape.
Meet Kimberly Marshall ’12 MBA, who has worn many hats as an innovation investor and advisor. Currently, she is an advisor to Goldman Sachs’ Launch with GS. She previously spearheaded strategic growth initiatives at Uber, helping the company expand dramatically. We sat down with her to talk about how creativity, innovation and adaptability are essential for professional development and how an MBA can be a steppingstone for converting your passion into a career.
Why do you think it’s so easy to pick Kellogg alumni out of the crowd?
Kellogg attracts great people — the colleague you’d want to collaborate alongside, the leaders you’d want to shepherd your professional development, and the talent you’d want to hire for your team. Some of the best professional interactions I’ve had and some of the best people I’ve met along my journey, I have not been surprised to discover are fellow Kellogg alums.
What do you personally think it means to be a Kellogg leader?
Lead with integrity and excellence and create opportunities for others to thrive.
Could you share an example of how you’ve used your Kellogg leadership skills in your own career?
My post-Kellogg career has included a lot of building while flying. I helped grow Uber from 19 markets to over 400, and typical of being an early employee at a startup, I wore many hats. Creativity, innovation, thinking outside the box and being nimble are all critical to success in early-stage tech and all traits I was able to hone at Kellogg.
How have you seen Kellogg’s unique leadership style demonstrated in the careers of your fellow Kellogg graduates?
I’ve been thrilled by my classmates’ abilities to pursue and excel at what they’re most passionate about and continue to evolve as their careers grow and passions shift. Our careers have been so dynamic, and I’ve loved seeing the evolution of their opportunities, how adaptable they’ve been, and their ability to pivot and innovate while using the leadership skills and expertise they developed at Kellogg.
Can you describe a lesson you learned when you were a Kellogg student that you have taken forward and still use in your career today?
Being honest with myself about my interests and capacity. There are so many incredible things to do at Kellogg — but you can’t do them all. Maximizing your experience at Kellogg requires an awareness, discipline and shrewdness that is also critical to maximizing career and life.
What advice would you give your younger self back when you were considering coming to Kellogg?
Don’t be distracted by traditional recruiting if you know you’re pursuing a non-traditional path. When so many of your brilliant fellow classmates are doing one thing, it may feel foolish not to do the same...but stay true to your life vision.
What does it mean to you to be part of the Kellogg alumni community?
Be a leader and create opportunities for others. So many alumni were helpful as I pursued my career in tech and venture capital, and it’s important to me to keep paying that forward and creating opportunities for others.