Triston Francis: Advice for Harvard MBA Admits, 120 Alumni Reflections & Crafting Your Life

“You can meet a lot of people in the HBS MBA program. What you want to do is identify people that have a similar set of values and interests because those are the individuals that you really have the most potential to build with. The sooner that you can start getting to know your classmates, the better. It takes the nerves out because you start to realize that you and the other 929 people that are showing up on campus the same day have no idea what to expect. As I was talking to people that started, it normalized it for me and made me feel more comfortable.” - Triston Francis

“Therapy is a resource that was helpful. It's an opportunity to really sit and spend a concentrated hour with somebody who is trained at helping you unpack the things that you're thinking through. It doesn't have to be focused around areas that are negative. I view therapy as no different from going to the gym and working out to maintain a healthy body as opposed to fixing it when there's something wrong.” - Triston Francis

“I was a research associate of Organizational Behavior Professor Leslie Parlow. If it weren’t for that, I probably would've come out of HBS overly focused on the professional side of the equation. If you go to a place like HBS, things will work themselves out on the professional front for the most part. That doesn't mean that you're going to found the next unicorn. It means you'll be able to find good jobs that will allow you to provide for yourself and your family. The bigger variability I saw after interviewing 120 alumni was around how things shook out on the personal side of the equation. That's the bigger driver in people's satisfaction with how their life unfolded. There's a lot of value and importance in there that unfortunately gets overshadowed by the professional component.” - Triston Francis

This conversation between Jeremy Au and Triston Francis, who leads People & Organizational Strategy at Sea and former HBS Student Body Co-President, gives advice to incoming Harvard MBA students. The discussion highlights three main takeaways:

1. Thoughtful Planning: Triston emphasizes the importance of having a well-defined plan before starting the MBA program. He draws an analogy to being a DJ with a playlist and highlights the importance of setting clear goals and priorities to effectively utilize time and resources.

2. Veteran Stories and Nostalgia: Both Jeremy and Triston share their experiences and reflect on their time at HBS. Their anecdotes on social events, planning, and relationship building showcase the diversity of paths and opportunities available during the MBA program.

3. Embracing Experience and Uncertainty: They share the value of cherishing experiences, no matter how small. They encourage potential students to build deep connections with professors, administration, and peers and to be kind to themselves as they navigate the challenges they will face during this career inflection point. 

They also discussed the significance of personal relationships and building communities, therapy as a helpful resource, and the creation process of the course Crafting Your Life, which aims to help MBA students live with greater intentionality.

Watch, listen or read the full insight at https://www.bravesea.com/blog/triston-francis

Get transcripts, startup resources & community discussions at www.bravesea.com

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