Joe Del Regno’s Post

It feels like just yesterday that I was a freshman sitting in the Starbucks inside the Boston University School of Management building and reading about Kellogg for the first time. As a marketing major who knew that she wanted to go to grad school one day, attending Kellogg was a dream. It’s hard to believe that just over 10 years later, I can say that that dream came true—and in a way that was even better than I knew at the time. Back then, I hadn’t yet heard about the MMM program (a dual degree MBA from Kellogg and a M.S. in Design Innovation from the McCormick School of Engineering). I would later realize that MMM was absolutely perfect for me as it blends human-centric design, technological innovation, and business rigor. In the decade since first learning about Kellogg, life has taken more twists and turns than I can count, with each bringing a mix of emotions, learnings, and growth. This has been particularly true during my last two years at school, and as I close one chapter and start the next, I wanted to share a few reflections: Define and stay true to your anchor points: Before I started school, I received invaluable advice from a Deloitte colleague: “every quarter, decide what your two or three anchor points are—what you want to get out of that quarter. Every decision you make about how you spend your time should be in service of those anchor points.” In an environment where being quadruple-booked was way too easy, this advice kept me focused and grounded. Many paths can lead you to your north star: Coming to school, I knew that my purpose in my career was to use technology as a force for good. I was, am, and always will be passionate about building products and experiences that make a positive, meaningful difference in the lives of the people who use them. Though I started school thinking I knew exactly what I wanted my job to look like afterward, I learned so much along the way that reshaped my direction, and I could not be more excited for the next chapter. There is no greater gift than incredible people: The past two years were filled with some of the most amazing joys of my life, and also the most difficult, unexpected challenges. I could not have gotten through my time at school without the genuine care, support, and understanding of my people who lifted me up and gave me endless grace. To all of you: thank you. I am grateful beyond words. As for what’s next, I’m ecstatic to share that I will be joining Intuit as a Product Manager in the Consumer Group, focusing on using the power of artificial intelligence to make doing taxes easier and less stressful for everyone. If you’re ever in San Diego, please do reach out. I would love to connect!

Let’s talk about Northwestern University - Kellogg School of Management. It’s more than just a top business school—it’s the #1 in marketing. But it’s not just about rankings; Kellogg’s mission runs deep: 𝘣𝘶𝘪𝘭𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘵𝘰 𝘭𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘨𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳 𝘰𝘧 𝘮𝘢𝘳𝘬𝘦𝘵𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭 𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘢𝘤𝘵. Kellogg is all about community. A student-driven culture. If you get in, you’re not just joining a B-school; you’re joining a tight, collaborative network. And you get the best of both worlds: Evanston and Chicago. A college-town feel with the perks of a major city right there. Want Kellogg? You’d better be crystal clear on how you fit their values and what you’re bringing to that community. 𝐁𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐲𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐆𝐌𝐀𝐓 𝐬𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐨𝐧 𝐩𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐭. Kellogg’s not for lone wolves. They want team players. You’ll dive into 200+ team meetings over two years—learning different styles, problem-solving approaches, and how people work together. You might have tons of achievements and stories. But to crack a school like Kellogg, sometimes all you need is the right narrative and the right score—𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒇𝒍𝒖𝒇𝒇. People like Anushka Chakravorty, Vivek Mall, and Nijansshi Thakkar didn’t get in by accident. They had the right prep, the right story, and knew what mattered. If you’re serious about cracking a top school like Kellogg, it’s time to get the right preparation plan. Reach out to my team and start your journey - +919739561394 #GMAT #MBA

Benefit from insights that have not only led to innovations but also shaped markets. Learn from esteemed Kellogg faculty known for their academic excellence and industry expertise. Learn more about the program here: https://emrt.us/kcpo/LiSP #KelloggExecEd #ChiefProductOfficer #ProductStrategy #ProductLeadership #KelloggCDO #ExecutiveEducation

"It’s failure that gives you the proper perspective on success." - Ellen DeGeneres Even after two months, it still feels surreal to finally be where I've aspired to be for so long. Reflecting on my journey to an MBA, one date stands out: December 8, 2021— The day I received Kellogg's rejection mail. It was a crushing blow to years of toil, and I nearly gave up on pursuing higher education altogether, let alone at Kellogg.  Fortunately, my family and close friends— especially Naveen Hariharan and Samiya Nasim—supported me through this period and helped rekindle my hope. Their encouragement helped sparked a journey of deep self-reflection. I pushed myself beyond my comfort zone, both professionally and personally. Joining Atlan to build the Product Analytics function from scratch was a leap of faith. While I had self-doubt if I could rise to the challenge, the support and guidance of amazing colleagues—especially Rohan Goel and Peter Swigert—helped me thrive, learn and grow. Leaving Atlan for business school was a bitter-sweet decision, but I am thankful for the opportunity to work on cutting-edge technologies like AI and Data Governance with a bunch of talented folks. The MBA application journey was no less taxing the second time around.The two years of experience I gained, along with the journey of self-reflection I embarked on, allowed me to dive deeper into my story. Several friends, current students and alumni patiently offered to review my application and craft my pitch. I still remember feeling numb with happiness when I received my acceptance email, Nearly nine years after first hearing about Kellogg, I finally attended my first class in September, and I have so much to be grateful for. I am indebted to several people who have helped me along this journey, and I am eager to pay it back. If you are in the journey of applying to an MBA or considering it, do reach out and I would be happy to connect and provide help. Onwards and upwards! #Kellogg #MBA #M7 #ArtificalIntelligence #Grit #Northwestern #MBALife #MBAJourney #BusinessSchool #givingBack #Reapplicant #Failure #

Great application advice from Catherine Malloy who was previously strategy and operations lead at The RealReal prior to Northwestern University - Kellogg School of Management. “My biggest advice for Kellogg applicants is to be crystal clear about your “Why MBA and Why Kellogg” story. Kellogg’s admission process is designed to dig deep into your past experiences, your career goals, and your values. Being able to articulate how a #Kellogg #MBA ties into your overall career narrative can differentiate you from other candidates. In building my story, I mapped out pivotal inflection points in my career and personal journey to identify key themes in my professional narrative. I thought about how a Kellogg MBA could play into living out these values and passions in the future.”

While “graduation” is officially next week, I’m excited to share that I’ve completed the year-long Kellogg Executive Education's Chief Marketing Officer Program and received credentials as a Kellogg Executive Scholar. Our industry is changing. The broader world around us is changing. Without a doubt, the field of marketing is changing. Telling a good story has not changed, and that is the craft of marketing. How we amplify that story, leveraging technology and personalizing that story to consumers is the new frontier. Intellectual curiosity and on-going education is critical. We can’t just keep up with trends. We have to get ahead of them. We must always be students. Northwestern has been the global thought-leader in marketing for decades as the number one marketing program on the planet, and it was evident throughout the program. There are growing expectations on marketing leaders to drive revenue, develop attribution models, and in many ways become scientists of consumer behavior. We help drive not only the customer experience, but also develop models, methodologies and experiments to prove what we’re doing is working. Throughout the program, I’ve been incredibly impressed by the faculty at Northwestern University. While academia sometimes has a reputation for cold isolation from “the real world” of business, in them I’ve found the exact opposite. Passionate individuals who really care about their students and are experts in this craft. I’d like to thank a few individuals in particular from the Kellogg Executive Education faculty. Susan Bryant - Susan was phenomenal in her leadership of my CMO cohort, and I’m also appreciative that she took the time to make a special trip on to campus for coffee when I was in Evanston. This entire program was run with tremendous grace and really a seamless experience. Nick Caffentzis - I truly appreciated you sharing your stories from your nearly 16 years at GE Healthcare. Even moreso, it really stood out the multiple times you’d catch me on the side with tips for my career growth. I felt like you took a personal interest and that stood out. Thank you. Derek Rucker - Your passion for your students is clearly evident, and I enjoyed our conversations tremendously. I believe Enzymedica is well poised to someday be one of your case studies - bringing natural digestive health to the masses. I appreciated the collaboration and your academic approach to case studies of real marketing executions. In addition, special thanks to Scott Sensenbrenner and Kim Halpin, PHR for your support in encouraging me to do this program. I have many new tools in my toolbox to drive our marketing strategies and I believe this investment will pay back in dividends. I'd also like to thank my cohort and classmates throughout the program. You were all inspiring individuals!

About a year ago, I decided to invest in myself to expand my knowledge, deepen my skills, and build my confidence in what I love to do. It’s easy to get complacent in your job, with long hours, high stress, and lack of time to prioritize learning and professional growth. It wasn’t easy, but after a year of hard work, I completed the Kellogg Executive Education | Chief Product Officer Program at Northwestern University. This program challenged my thinking, gave me structure on how I approach building great products, and connected me with some amazing people! How are you investing in your own professional growth?

🎓 We're proud to be a sponsor and supporter of Western Michigan University’s Haworth College of Business Food Marketing Program: Preparing Future Leaders in CPG and Retail 🚀 If you are ready to take your career and skills to the next level in the fast-paced Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) and retail industries read on. 🌟 At Western Michigan University, they’re helping students and professionals alike gain a competitive edge with cutting-edge certifications and career-focused education. Whether you're a student looking to start a career in food marketing, supply chain, or category management—or a professional looking to upskill in these evolving sectors—our programs are designed with YOU in mind. Why WMU? 📈 Industry-Relevant Certifications: Gain hands-on skills with certifications in Category Management, Cannabis Marketing, and more. 🤝 Strong Industry Connections: Benefit from partnerships with leading CPG and retail companies. 🌐 Flexible Learning: Whether you're on-campus or online, programs are built to fit your busy schedule. 🌍 Get ahead in CPG and Retail, and be part of a program that connects you to industry leaders, cutting-edge knowledge, and a network that will open doors to your future success. 🔗 Check the online training and certification today and invest in your future career: https://lnkd.in/gvMYc33T #CPG #Retail #CategoryManagement #StudentSuccess #CareerGrowth #WMU #ProfessionalDevelopment #LearningEvolution #CatMan

A little bit of reflection upon the watershed moments of my life, and it doesn't take long to realise how a lot of things have to fall into place (or fall apart) for such moments to occur. I am ecstatic to share I will be joining as an MBA candidate at Northwestern University - Kellogg School of Management (frequently ranked among the top business schools in the world). Over the last couple of years, whenever I have told someone about my plans for an MBA, I usually received an instinctive response - 'why'. But this post is more about expressing my gratitude to those who encouraged me, inspired me, and stood by my side when I was unsure. Sometimes the support was tangible in the form of helping me with the process and some times it was just a casual but meaningful conversation helping me get out of my own head. A tonne of gratitude goes to my parents, who may not read this but are always there for me. If I try to mention everyone else who has helped me make this happen, LinkedIn will probably mark me as a spammer. But to mention a few - Siddharth Sharma Satvik B. Somesh Gupta Aashna Khattar Naman Shah Paddy Raghavan Jags Raghavan Vikas Jain Kartik Gada Aditya Agarwal Jegyasa G. Archita Dey Pragati Keswani Niharika Agrawal Vatsal Srivastava I would have probably not made it or given up long ago without the support of these amazing people. PS: as for my 'why MBA?' - Aside from my career goals, a part of me just wanted another excuse to hangout with some amazing people from around the world, without the pretext of work. xD Excited to meet my future classmates and professors! #kellogg #mba #northwestern

After attending the spring Darden Alumni Board meeting in Arlington last week, I used the 4-hour drive back to Raleigh to reflect on how the Darden experience impacted me and my career. My first observation is that Darden’s benefits are realized cumulatively. As my odometer turned over and my career advanced, I realized a shift in my problem-solving skills from work experience to wisdom. The ability to view issues holistically, for example, is now a natural starting point for me, and a differentiator versus many peers. I owe all that to Darden. Second, the Alumni network is now more powerful than ever, in part because of sheer scale. In 1978, we had only a couple thousand graduates, but now number 19,000! While managing business development for a strategic marketing firm, I often tapped the Alumni database for warm introductions to prospective firm’s CMO or CEO. During all 15 years in this role, not once was I turned down for an intro, no matter the function or responsibilities of the Darden connection. For me, this experience clearly reflects the enduring value of the Darden brand. Finally, in a world of constant, accelerating change, Darden has remained true to its mission: “The Darden School improves the world by inspiring responsible leaders through unparalleled transformational learning experiences.” While many B-schools offer up noble mission statements, Darden delivers across the enterprise. Top students and faculty; global study opportunities; a transformative classroom experience. All the pieces work in harmony, to the benefit of all students. My message to prospective students is simple: Darden will change you for the better, in ways you never expected. Be ready for surprising A-Ha moments of insight tied directly back to your Darden experience. I am forever grateful for the Darden people - for what I learned, who I met, and how they helped me grow.