Case Study:
Noel De La Torre

Tell us what you do and what your work typically entails.

After earning my MBA at the Kelley School of Business, I joined Intuit as a Growth Marketing Manager where I primarily lead customer marketing initiatives focused on growing the QuickBooks ecosystem.

I drive customer research initiatives, such as usability testing, abandonment surveys, customer interviews, etc., to uncover key insights and build customer empathy. I rely heavily on data and design thinking principles to develop the best possible experiences for our customers, and truly keep them at the heart of what I do.

More than anything, I lead. Whether it’s customer research, analytics, or marketing strategy, the expectation is that I drive those initiatives and own the results.

How has the altMBA helped you level up?

Coming out of a traditional MBA program, I was conditioned to seek out the perfect answer. But while finding the perfect answer might be ideal, the reality is that we are typically limited by the data or understanding that we have, so the task of find the “perfect” answer can be onerous.

altMBA really taught me that perfection is a constraint that we place upon ourselves. It limits our ability to move forward out of fear of failure and embarrassment. But really there is tremendous value in simply shipping our work. By applying uninhibited rigor to our endeavors, sharing them with the world and seeking feedback (not validation), and then iterating our work based on the differing perspectives, we can produce truly amazing results.

What’s the thing you liked most about being part of the altMBA?

The community altMBA fosters was absolutely my favorite part about the program. I had the opportunity to work with the most inspiring group of people who not only raised the bar through their own work, but also asked challenging questions and gave very thoughtful feedback. They constantly pushed me to be better, and as a result, I held myself accountable to produced better work. To this day, I find myself channeling their feedback outside of the program, asking myself whether or not I truly produced my best work possible.

What's something you approached differently recently because of what you learned during the altMBA?

The biggest change for me has really been a shift in mindset. The way that I go about my work is just different. I hold my head a little bit higher, and am just more confident in what I am producing.

I’m much more open about shipping my work early, actively seeking feedback on the projects and initiatives that I am leading, and then applying a new type of rigor based on the different perspectives that I acquire. At the end of the day, I’m just much more confident that I am in fact driving change that matters and resonates with my customers.

Any other comments or recommendations about the altMBA?

Set aside the time and courage to go all in on the program. It’s challenging, rigorous, and even scary at times. But your return is directly correlated to the investment you make - and it’s absolutely worth it!