Annie McCarter’s Post

Recently, I shared some exciting news about accepting a position that was, by all lights, a significant promotion. It was an incredible opportunity, and I was truly honored to be considered for such a leadership role. However, after some deep reflection, I realized that the position wasn’t the right fit for me at this point in my journey. Sometimes, we find ourselves on a path that seems like the “logical” next step—one that aligns with our external definitions of success. But what I’ve learned is that progress isn’t always linear. True growth often requires us to take a step back, reassess, and make decisions that align with our core values and well-being. So, I made the decision to step back from the new role and return to what I’m most passionate about: teaching, innovation in writing instruction, and contributing to the university through meaningful service. As an Associate Teaching Professor at ASU’s Writers’ Studio, I’ll continue to explore the exciting intersection of AI and education, and I will also focus on serving our academic community through my work as a Faculty Senator and in my other service roles. Progress should be seen as holistic—an ongoing process that includes recognizing when it’s time to pivot, refocus, and prioritize what truly matters. For me, that means dedicating my energy to the work that fulfills me and supports my well-being. Thank you to everyone who has supported me through this journey. I’m excited about the opportunities ahead and eager to continue making a difference in higher education, both in and out of the classroom. Here’s to embracing a path that feels right, even when it means taking a step back to move forward. 🚀

Hi Everyone! 🌟 Here are my key takeaways from Class 6 of the Fellowship Product Management Program at Growjunction. Focused on Research Methodologies and User Understanding 📊. I learned how crucial proactive research is for anticipating user needs before they arise. This contrasts with reactive research, which only addresses issues as they happen. Being proactive helps us develop products that meet current demands and foresee future trends, especially in the fast-growing EdTech sector. 🚀 We also covered Primary and Secondary Research. 📚 Primary research involves gathering first-hand information from users, while secondary research is about analyzing existing data. Using both methods gives us a better understanding of market dynamics and user preferences, which is essential when launching new features on an e-learning platform. Another important aspect was creating user personas and empathy mapping. 👥 This involves collecting demographic data, user goals, pain points, and behavioral traits. Empathy mapping helps us visualize the user experience, thoughts, and feelings, allowing us to tailor our FoodTech products to better meet user needs. A huge thank you to our mentor, Subham Bose, for his guidance on these topics! 🙏 Lastly, the ideal sample size for research varies based on the users and product scale. 📏🌟 Excited to apply what I've learned! Growjunction

Dear LinkedIn connections, are you willing to help Tim and to learn more about the (perceived) importance of sustainability aspects of coffee cups? I would not ask for support from my network if it wasn’t for this interesting research, done by a talented M.Sc. student at Tilburg University. You can help Tim by 1) filling out the survey yourselves (5 mins) and 2) forwarding to your network members and ask them to do the same. Tim is aiming for >1000 respondents to develop a solid data set to conduct insights from. This is a long shot but achievable with your help! Thanks! Jack

I’ve recently completed the Private Equity and Venture Capital course by Università Bocconi on Coursera. This program was an invaluable dive into the mechanics of alternative investments apart from the traditional form of Public Equity, covering crucial areas such as: Fund Structuring and Capital Raising 📊: Gained insights into the lifecycle of private equity funds, from limited partnership agreements to the intricacies of capital calls and distributions. Investment Analysis and Due Diligence 📑: Explored the frameworks used to evaluate target companies, including rigorous financial modeling, industry benchmarking, and risk assessment. Deal Structuring and Negotiation 🤝: Delved into the complexities of term sheets, valuation approaches and the art of aligning interests among stakeholders. Exit Strategies and Value Creation 📈: Learned about strategic exit options such as IPOs, secondary buyouts, and trade sales, along with value enhancement through operational improvements and financial engineering. This course has deepened my understanding of the strategies and challenges within private equity and venture capital, and I’m looking forward to applying these skills to foster growth and value creation. Thank you to the professors at Università Bocconi and instructor @Stefano Caselli for this comprehensive learning! 

✨ Dream Big. Work Hard. Make It Happen. ✨ After some months of working with SCM Frigo S.p.A. a company in the production of CO2 condensing units, and gaining hands-on experience with cutting-edge technology, I’m excited to share that I’ve reached a new key milestone. This experience has significantly broadened my expertise. 🚀 As an engineer, I believe that "continuous learning" is essential for thriving in today’s fast-evolving world. Staying ahead requires not just skill, but a commitment to growth. 💪 After two months of focused learning and challenging assignments, I’m proud to have completed the Mini MBA: Business Strategy to Business Plan course. 🎓 This journey taught me how to: Create Competitive Advantages 🔍 Analyze Markets Using SWOT 📊 Apply the Business Model Canvas 🧩 Evaluate Financial Statements with Ratio Analysis 💵 Set Goals Using OKRs 🎯 Develop a Comprehensive Business Plan 📈 These new skills have equipped me for future challenges and career growth. 🌟 A big thank you to all who supported me throughout this journey! 🙏

Upon completing recruitment formation with UCX University, I want to shout out and honor the pioneering contributions of Lillian Gilbreth, a trailblazer in industrial and organizational psychology. Her groundbreaking work not only proved her contemporaries wrong about women's intellectual capabilities but also reshaped workplace dynamics for generations to come. Here are just a few reasons we owe her a debt of gratitude: 📘 Thought Leadership: With her dissertation, The Psychology of Management, Lillian elevated management from purely mechanical to human-centered, addressing employee fatigue, time management, and stress. 💼 Pioneering Time and Motion Studies: Alongside her husband, she pioneered time and motion studies, creating efficiencies that benefit workplaces even today. 🌱 Employee Well-being Advocate: Lillian was among the first to emphasize the importance of regular breaks and recognized the impact of stress and fatigue on productivity, advocating for healthier work environments. 💡 A Visionary in Employee Motivation: She explored the vital relationships between motivation, monetary reward, and job satisfaction, laying the foundation for modern motivational strategies. Thank you, Lillian Gilbreth, for your invaluable insights and dedication. I can certainly see and experience the positive impact of your contribution 👏

On Guru Poornima, I receive numerous heartfelt messages from team members I've worked with over the years. These messages, filled with appreciation, often overwhelm me and evoke a surge of serotonin. They make me reflect on the impact I've had on my colleagues, especially during my early years of leadership. I've learned a few fundamental principles throughout my professional career that have helped me make a lasting impression and impact on their lives : Empowerment: Empowering those you work with fosters courage and integrity, encouraging an open and organisation focused mindset rather than a narrow focus on KRAs. Value Addition: Bringing value to the table involves thorough homework and hands-on experience to understand real-time challenges. By working on solutions that make their lives easier, you demonstrate genuine support and commitment. Respectful Leadership: Avoid imposing methods you didn't appreciate when you were in their position. Forced leadership, unethical practices, and excessive micromanagement create a negative environment and undue pressure. On this auspicious day of Guru Poornima, I wanted to share these learnings from my professional journey. I am grateful to everyone who has taught me valuable lessons, both personally and professionally, regardless of their designation, seniority, or experience. Thank you for sharing those valuable lessons and guidance.

Thank you for your interest in Rehan School, my name is Rehan Allahwala, and I have been an entrepreneur most of my life, I have done over 150 businesses in 7 plus countries and failed in most of them, thus I claim to have a Ph.D. in failure. 

What I have learned is to keep trying and not be afraid of failure. Today humanity knows how to create Doctors, Engineers, Swimmers, and Cricketers, but we do not know how to create world-class leaders who bring change like Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, Elon Musk, Edison, and Obama.
The most important work in the world, we leave it to CHANCE and we do not have a process to create the next Steve jobs. 
 We choose not to give a car to someone without training and license, we train people for years to become an accountant, a lawyer, and a doctor, but for a world leader, we leave it to chance, so NO MORE. I think there must be a way to make this happen, and we should not leave it to Chance or ACCIDENT for it to happen, and I Have set out to find, create, and implement a process so we can create a system that can help us MAKE the next Steve Jobs and Bill Gates. This is what this School is made for, It is an experimental school that will keep trying to make and find ways to create amazing future leaders in the world, who can fix the things that are broken around us that need desperate fixing. The world has amazing tools today like the Internet, AI, Computers, VR, and Mobiles, and the education system is slow to adopt these changes, We at Rehan School aim to use all these tools, use the First principal method, and re-engineer the education system. I aim to educate and create 1000 future leaders from my school, under my direct supervision, so that these students and future leaders can go out there, and make a better world for everyone, I am to create a Nobel laureate, Guinness World record holders, and multi-millionaires, who will be trained in doing so. If you think you want your child to become the next future leader in business and in the world of issues who will impact 10 million + Human beings positively, this is the school for you, but if you want a regular Joe with good numbers this is not the school for your child. I thank you for visiting us and allowing me to tell you my vision of how we can finally take care of the leadership failure in our countries and the world. Rehan Allahwala Founder, Rehan School

I just spent 3 incredible days with the leaders of Udemy and didn't take one picture. But according to 'unnamed sources' pictures are good for algorithms. So I used CoPilot AI to give you something purple to look at (what's with the spelling?!). Anyway, I highly recommend you get some face-time with your colleagues as soon as you can. 1. Nothing beats sharing a meal or a drink and a good laugh over a project gone wrong (or right!). 2. The moments between the moments matter so much. The high five, the knowing nod across the room, the contented sigh in a long elevator ride after a fulfilling day. 3. When a conversation isn't packed with an agenda, you truly learn about who people are. You see the real. This information will fuel your relationship and your work. 4. The energy in a room will 10/10 times beat the energy on a zoom. It's contagious and compelling in ways we as humans need to fill up on sometimes. 5. Seeing your peers ride a mechanical bull is just something I wouldn't want anyone to miss out on. Thank you to Melissa Daimler, Matt Holcombe, Jennifer Linale, CMP, our leadership team and many others behind the scenes for bringing us together!

"Our future pulls us more than our past pushes us... and time is just a tool." Loved getting to hear Benjamin Hardy, PhD, speak during our 2-day SaaS Academy immersion on the psychology of impossible goal setting today and delve into the idea that: We tend to live in the present based on what we have seen in the past, but achieving impossible goals happens when you have a clear vision of the future. So, we worked throughout our intensive to take some time to "shatter assumptions" rooted in a false frame today by: 1) Creating a 100% clear future vision. 2) Bringing 100% belief 100% of the time. 3) Questioning requirements. 4) Saying no to good to get to great. 5) Staying grateful you get to play the game. Appreciate all the coaches and founders walking this journey with us! Marcel Petitpas, Dan Martell, Johnny Page, Dev Basu, Michael Manzi, Matt Verlaque