Student Profile: Gustavo Meza, MBA ’18
Gustavo Meza pushed his poker chips forward and went all in…for a MBA at Babson College. Gustavo left a successful life and career at CCU Chile (Heineken and Pepsico Bottler) which he built over the span of ten years to land his last position in Revenue Management at the corporate office where he reported to the C-suite officers.
Gustavo came to Babson to learn more about strategy, finance, and to tackle a challenging question, “How do I start a business without risking my family’s security?”. Becoming a father of two (Mateo, 4 and Augusta, 2) has transformed Gustavo’s management style. “With kids it changes the way you see life, it’s a weird feeling actually…you are in charge of someone who depends 100% on your decisions. My kids give me the energy to push forward and as a manager, I have become more of a listener and now see management of a team as 80% relationships and 20% work; but with the pressure for results you don’t have the time for B.S either.”
So how does one manage a demanding corporate job, studying for the GMAT and a family? Well you just have to be Gustavo the Great. Jokes aside, Gustavo shared the importance of finding a life partner who is aligned with your personal and career goals; if you ever have the honor of meeting Gustavo’s wife Bernie, you would understand the true meaning of a power couple.
Gustavo’s advice to someone who is making a life changing decision to pursue an MBA or their dreams is to never use the excuse that you do not have the time to do so (which he has heard too often as an excuse in pursuing one’s dreams) because if you really want something, you make the time for it. Gustavo is living proof of his motto and is someone that many of his classmates respect; to no surprise he was the winner of the One Year MBA class for The General Award, a fearless leader with a unique ability to inspire and that we would follow anywhere.
Interesting Fact: Gustavo was ranked 5th place in Chile for the expert category of dirt bike riding and was featured on nationally recognized magazine cover!
Recommendation for Book Worms: Gustavo recommends that everyone read “Think and Grow Rich” by Napoleon Hill
Guest Writer: Colleen Leung
Hometown: Honolulu, Hawaii
Education: University of Hawaii at Manoa
Previous Experience: Non-Profit Management
Activities: Graduate Fellow at the Lewis Institute, Graduate Student Council, Net Impact Club