Jacqui Cuffe
San Francisco, CA
BA’04, Business Economics, University of California Santa Barbara
MBA’14, Entrepreneurial Innovation Academy, Kelley School of Business
San Francisco, CA
BA’04, Business Economics, University of California Santa Barbara
MBA’14, Entrepreneurial Innovation Academy, Kelley School of Business
Describe your pre-MBA career.
I’d been calling the West Coast home, living in San Francisco and working most recently for Oracle in tech and software sales. I had convinced myself that a career switch was what I wanted and was looking to explore a new segment of business—an MBA seemed like the logical next step. During a networking roundtable at orientation, however, I realized that I loved tech and sales and decided to learn more in the area i already knew so much about.
Why did you choose Kelley?
It is true when they say the Kelley alumni network is robust and worldwide, and I experienced that firsthand in my decision-making process for the right MBA program. I found myself at a networking event for women in San Francisco that brought strong career women together around…food! We were in a cooking class and next thing I knew I was surrounded by a handful of Kelley alums. They were completely honest with me and I could sense their passion for the program, and in that moment, I made my choice.
What is the most valuable insight you learned at Kelley?
I came to understand and accept at Kelley that we all truly have something to offer and often what one person has is what another person lacks. That’s very hard for us high-achievers to admit. On a recent project, I was having difficulty arriving at a solution and I reached out for help from a peer who I knew was great at the subject. It was a moment of humility for me. The very next week that same person came up to me in desperate need of leadership coaching for an upcoming case competition, and I was there to reciprocate.