Episode 062: Anthony Wojtal, Chicago Public Schools
Release Date: 03/11/2025
Episode 067: Jen Asplund, Asplund Leadership Consulting
Economics & Strategy Podcast
We are privileged to welcome back MBA alumna for a Check In. Since our last visit Jen left a successful at career AT&T, to start her own leadership coaching business, . With significant leadership experience informed by two graduate programs, she is truly an expert. In business, no area gets more scrutiny than leadership. In this episode, Jen explains why being a great leader doesn’t mean being great at everything. It means knowing your own limits and enabling & applauding the strengths of others. Her work helps people acknowledge gaps, develop skills, and embrace that an...
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Episode 066: Lauren Coartney, Uber
Economics & Strategy Podcast
Double Demon and Business Strategy & Decision Making alumna , has experienced wildly different organizational types in her career. Currently Program Lead – Global Digital Experience at the tech giant Uber, she started her career in the traditional healthcare space. We discuss how those differences showed up in her work and what challenged her to try something so radically different. From a resource-based view, these organizational differences can be seen as a means to an end. In healthcare, a hierarchical structure enables the command-control style necessary to prioritize safety and...
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Episode 065: Joe Christie, Owens Corning
Economics & Strategy Podcast
is a Business Strategy & Decision Making alumnus, manager at the building materials giant , and a history buff. He joins us this month to discuss the value of a history degree in business, the opportunities his provided him, and how B2B sales is a bit like a repeated game, where credibility is central to each party receiving their best outcome. Joe innately understands that being transactional in business relationships has a way of following you around and leads to credibility issues that are often hard to outrun. His answer is investing in these relationships and gaining the kind...
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Episode 064: Ian Burke, Lotis Blue Consulting
Economics & Strategy Podcast
In this episode we’re gonna talk about data science! Lots of data science. To help, we welcome double demon and professional in the field, . Ian works in consulting and has a front row seat helping a wide range of clients solve complex business problems using data science as his tool. Consultants often engage with clients across a variety of industries. In doing so, they can play an important role through their learned understanding of industry standards & best practices and by helping apply technological advancements and innovative strategies that elevate industries. Ian is certainly...
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Episode 063: Winny Lucas, Stanford University
Economics & Strategy Podcast
Say Hello to . Winny is a long-time member of the DePaul community as a student, teacher, and staff member and works at . She joins us this month for a conversation on immigration, curiosity, creativity in a technical world, and education; lots of education! As a young woman, Winny left Shanghai for a full-ride scholarship at DePaul and ended up being part of an important transformation of this university. Along the way she accumulated three graduate degrees and a lot of experience in the digital cinematic arts, where she still works today. She is a prime example of luck being a matter of...
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Episode 062: Anthony Wojtal, Chicago Public Schools
Economics & Strategy Podcast
This month we have 2020 MBA alumnus , Budget Manager at (CPS). Anthony leads the budget team for the country’s third largest school district and after 12 years has a veteran’s perspective to offer. CPS delivers a public good and, as such, must serve everyone in its district equally, without exclusion. For this reason, it’s a fool’s errand to compare them to private firms that make such choices to maximize profit. So, how does CPS focus its organization when they cannot choose the services they offer, or customers they serve? The answer, an endless pursuit of operational efficiency...
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Episode 061: Julia Weigard, NewGround
Economics & Strategy Podcast
Our February edition of the hosts 2020 strategy alumna , Director of Network Transformation for . NewGround is a design and build firm with a strong focus on retail financial institutions. One of the most tried and true strategies in business is to build strength in one space – whether geographic or product space – and expand slowly into adjacent and related opportunities. If done well, this can compound your initial strength and, potentially, create economies of scope for your firm; a rare but significant competitive advantage. Listen in to hear Julia discuss her work and how she’s...
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Episode 060: Matthew Robins, NetApp
Economics & Strategy Podcast
It’s a cold January in Chicago but we’re happy to have MBA alumnus on for a conversation on technology sales. Matt works with AWS Alliance team and has spent his entire career in technical sales. He tells us why "sales is hard" but also how his focused his efforts. Time is a finite resource, so using it more efficiently is a sure path to better outcomes. He also shares how getting his MBA was so valuable in helping him distinguish good opportunities from bad, see internal management decisions through a different lens, and understand how changes in pricing models, like...
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Episode 059: Michael Kremer, American Concrete Pipe Association
Economics & Strategy Podcast
For the holiday season we are joined by alumnus , Vice President of Marketing for the . In this wide-ranging discussion, Michael shares knowledge gained over a 20+ year career in marketing, and how luck played a part in his story. The role of luck in life and business is often overlooked or underweighted. Many fall victim to this fallacy - myself included. However, luck rarely arrives for those not prepared to see it or capitalize on it. That’s the role of strategy; to prepare for and navigate towards the range of opportunities most likely to present themselves. So, how do you prepare to...
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Episode 058: Marty Friel, Ameriprise Financial
Economics & Strategy Podcast
This month, joins us for our second Check In episode in this . Marty is a graduate and veteran financial advisor with and his original episode aired on 3/9/21. In that episode, hosted Marty for a great conversation on how and why he pursued this career and what strategy is responsible for his success. Here we take the chance to review Marty’s progress and focus in on how growth, and the challenges that come with it, have impacted his work. Marty gives us some sage perspective on how he manages growth and updates on what advice he might give others seeking to join him in his chosen field....
info_outlineThis month we have 2020 MBA alumnus Anthony Wojtal, Budget Manager at Chicago Public Schools (CPS). Anthony leads the budget team for the country’s third largest school district and after 12 years has a veteran’s perspective to offer. CPS delivers a public good and, as such, must serve everyone in its district equally, without exclusion. For this reason, it’s a fool’s errand to compare them to private firms that make such choices to maximize profit. So, how does CPS focus its organization when they cannot choose the services they offer, or customers they serve? The answer, an endless pursuit of operational efficiency with the guidance of a strong mission. Listen in to hear how, year after year, CPS delivers more with less using the most common approach there is, efficiency.