Chris Douglass

MBA, Class of 2023

Principal Sales Manager, HubSpot
Co-Owner and Coach, CrossFit

This interview was conducted by Caroline K. Reff, a freelance writer and editor who teaches news and public relations writing at Syracuse University.

Once he embarked on his MBA, Chris Douglass gained a better understanding of how to lead and make decisions for the business. The program’s curriculum was also immediately impactful for him not just professionally but personally.

“The flexibility of the evening and weekend classes gave me the opportunity to complete the degree at my own pace,” Douglass says.

Having asynchronous classes not only enabled a flexibility that was crucial to Douglass’s busy professional life, it was important to his new life as a dad. The online program had other distinct advantages too. Despite the fact students were spread out across the world, Whitman’s top-notch technology made attending online classes a seamless experience. The class structure gave Douglass the opportunity to interact with classmates and faculty in real time, enabling a shared learning experience, much like in a physical classroom.

“I have a better understanding of how to manage and make decisions for the business,” says Douglass.

Because of what the program curriculum demanded, the lessons learned and their applications were instantaneous, affecting Douglass’s perspective both personally and professionally. This prompted numerous “ah-ha” moments for him where he drew immediate connections between concepts and techniques and real-world professional experiences.

“I was recently talking with a CMO about his short- and long-term marketing strategy. I was a resource, adding value based on my classroom experiences,” Douglass says.

Thanks to the classes Douglass took at Whitman, he felt knowledgeable in a number of new areas. Not only did he feel more confident in understanding what the CMO was looking to accomplish, he felt like he was conversing with a peer. Similarly, because he’d taken accounting and finance classes, Douglass was able to better manage his own business’s profit and loss (P&L) statement.

Now  a proud Syracuse University graduate, Douglass is confident the skills he has developed will enable him to tackle almost anything in the business world. For now, he will continue to use those skills in both of his current jobs. His only immediate plan? “Appreciate the journey and reflect on the growth I’ve experienced over the last two years.”