2022 Best & Brightest Business Major: Benjamin Holladay
Benjamin Holladay 22MBA
Benjamin Holladay
Emory University
Goizueta Business School
Describe yourself in 15 words or less: Ultra-competitive challenge seeker who thrives in team-based settings focused on relationship building and problem solving
Hometown: Birmingham, Alabama
Fun Fact About Yourself: I love making homemade pizza and am meticulous about my process. I spare no expense when it comes to using quality ingredients and having the best equipment. My favorite pizza to make is a classic Neapolitan-style Margherita pizza with Pepperoni + Hot Honey as a close second place. My dream house has a backyard built around a wood-fired pizza oven.
Undergraduate School and Major: Auburn University, Chemical Engineering
Most Recent Employer and Job Title: US Navy, Nuclear Engineer & Business Manager
Aside from your classmates, what was the key part of the school’s MBA programming that led you to choose this business school and why was it so important to you?
The things that drew me to Goizueta were the small class size, consulting focus (in instruction and recruiting), and a stated commitment to academic rigor. I think class size is a personal preference, but I knew a more intimate environment would be a better fit for me. The consulting focus was an obvious benefit as it matches my post-MBA goals. As for rigor, I think the MBA process should absolutely be a challenge and a bit of a grind – otherwise it wouldn’t be worth doing. Goizueta holding rigor as a core value really resonated with me.
What excites you most about getting your MBA at Goizueta? What makes you most nervous?
I am most excited for experiential learning opportunities and learning from my classmates. Real-world experiences like the Impact360 program and the Global Experiential Modules will provide unique opportunities to go beyond the classroom setting.
I am also extremely excited to learn from my classmates. This was an aspect that I underestimated until I really began meeting my potential classmates during the admissions process. I know I am going to be a part of a diverse, high-caliber group coming from all different industries; everyone will have very different experiences and perspectives from my own that I look forward to learning from.
I know I’m not alone to say that I’m nervous about how the pandemic will affect the overall experience. I am hopeful that the hybrid approach planned for the fall will be a safe but temporary bridge to a more “normal” experience in later semesters.
Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far:
Based on the nature of my work with the Navy, I’m not comfortable discussing specific accomplishments in an online forum. I would request that this question is omitted if my profile is selected.
What led you to pursue an MBA at this point in your career?
In my role with the Navy, I found that I enjoyed the business aspects of my job more than the technical engineering work. I knew that an MBA would provide a great opportunity to shift my long-term career focus to better match my interests.
What was the most challenging question you were asked during the admissions process?
“How do you plan to use your MBA to help people?” This question caught me off guard largely because I was so focused on myself during the admissions process. I still don’t have the specifics figured out, but I know I want to be involved in boosting education opportunities for students who do not have access to high quality education through their primary schools. This is something I am passionate about.
How did you determine your fit at various schools?
I spent a lot of time on each school’s website and looking at other online content (e.g., rankings, jobs reports, profiles of faculty members) to make decisions on where to apply. From there, I assessed culture based on interactions with current students and faculty at information sessions, recruiting events, and the interviews. I always got a good feeling from Emory based on how proud of the program the current students and alumni were. I ultimately made my decision considering Emory’s advantage in recruiting for consulting and the consistently good “gut feeling” I got.
What was your defining moment and how did it prepare you for business school?
Choosing to join the Navy, and more specifically joining the Naval Reactors Headquarters team was a defining moment for me. I had never planned on joining the military prior to my senior year of undergrad, but the challenge of joining and operating within the highly-selective Naval Reactors team was enticing and motivating.
The environment working there was often intense, which makes sense when the consequences of the work are as high as they are in a military application of nuclear power. But, this environment challenged me and stretched me to grow in the best way possible. I learned to consider all possible outcomes as well as all possible solutions; I learned the importance of clearly and concisely articulating a position as well as the immense value that dissenting opinions provide; I learned to anticipate questions (several levels deep) but also that some questions do not need to be answered to arrive at the right solution; and most importantly I learned that the value of building strong working relationships by truly listening to someone cannot be overstated. I am sure these lessons will hold true beyond working in an engineering-focused military organization and will set me up to succeed during business school and my future career.
What is the most important attribute that you are seeking in an MBA employer – and why is that important?
The right balance of trust and support. I want to be in a position where I am empowered to make an impact on the project team quickly, but want the support needed to succeed in a new environment. I tend to take more time acclimating to a new organization, so I think this balance will be key for me.
Interested in exploring Full-Time MBA opportunities? Learn more about Goizueta’s Full-Time MBA program.
