This course provides an integrated strategy framework for innovation-based entrepreneurs. Some first-time founders believe that entrepreneurs need to “just do it” and that there is little role for strategy. Over time, however, most founders realize what experienced entrepreneurs and investors already know: two equally capable companies with very similar ideas and founded at the same time can have dramatically different outcomes. One creates millions of dollars in value, while the other fails completely. The difference? Strikingly different strategy. In the first module, the class covers four key strategic choices that shape when and how startups deliver real value to their stakeholders. The second module explains how such choices can be organized into 4 different strategic “playbooks” to systematically evaluate alternate strategies for a startup. The third module consists of the application of this framework to a real startup and a debrief with the founder. This class has the goal of transforming each student from someone with a vague understanding of the role of strategy in entrepreneurship to a master of strategic thinking in a startup environment. The syllabus is available upon request.

[Course Website] [Teaching Evals] [Class Rap Up]

This course is about the art and science of influence in organizations. Many people are ambivalent, if not disdainful, of those who seek to wield power and influence at work. Yet organizations are fundamentally political entities, and the ability to diagnose and navigate organizational politics is critical for personal and organizational success. All aspiring leaders, therefore, stand to benefit from developing greater political acumen. Although it is tempting to think that people are either naturally skilled in the exercise of power or not, the reality is that political skills can be learned. They are, however, difficult to acquire through passive learning alone—for example, reading articles or listening to lectures. These skills are more readily developed through a combination of deep personal reflection, application of concepts to real-world situations, and opportunities to practice and receive feedback from others on new interpersonal styles and approaches. The interactive and simulation-based design of this course reflects these learning principles. The syllabus is available upon request.

The purpose of Strategy is to enable students to design profitable strategies that are responsive to the characteristics of the firm and the nature of competition in the relevant market. The class is designed around three key questions: How can firms balance the opportunities and risks associated with dynamic markets and uncertain technological changes? How can a company generate value, and how can it capture that value as profit by leveraging its core capabilities? How does the external environment of the firm affect the optimal internal organization of the firm? This course is part of the first-year MBA core. Some of the topics covered include forms of competitive advantage, Make vs Buy, corporate venture, resources, market-entry, and network effects. The syllabus is available upon request.

I serve as a mentor for first-generation high school students as part of Boost, a program sponsored by the Haas School of Business. I meet with high-school sophomores on Saturdays to coach them during a year-long preparation of a business plan for one of their business ideas. The program ends in May, with a final presentation to their parents and the Boost community (see a photo of my 2021-22 group on the right). Boost’s objective is straightforward: help high school students in the Bay Area be the first in their families to go to college. Our students tend to be African- or Hispanic-American, live in inner cities, and come from working-class backgrounds. Statistically, students that match this particular demographic in the United States have a very low probability of being admitted into college due to the lack of surrounding academic and financial resources, preparation, and guidance. Boost helps overcome these barriers and has a remarkable track record: 100% of the students who complete Boost’s four-year program have gone on to graduate high school and attend college.

[Boost Website] [Presentation 2022] [Presentation 2023] [Haas News]

BEE’s goal is to increase representation in economics by dismantling barriers to participation in our field and confronting bias. Making economics more inclusive requires building new educational pipelines that facilitate the participation of a broader and more diverse population. To achieve this goal, BEE organizes every spring a tutoring program that matches graduate students with underrepresented undergraduate students in economics (both female students and students of color). As part of this program, I have served twice as a tutor for Econ140, the econometrics class for undergraduate students in economics.

[BEE Website] [Syllabus Econ140]

The Undergraduate Research Apprentice Program (URAP) provides an opportunity for Berkeley undergraduates to work with faculty members on cutting-edge research projects. Working closely with mentors, students deepen their knowledge and skills in areas of special interest while experiencing what it means to be part of an intellectual community engaged in research. The program is designed to stimulate awareness of advanced research and interest in graduate study. Students earn up to 4 units of academic credit for their work as research assistants. As part of this program, I have mentored four undergraduate students who joined the Data Innovation Lab.

[URAP Website] [Data Innovation Lab]