In this episode, Snejina Zacharia, SF ’13, a 2013 MIT Sloan Fellow from Bulgaria, transformed a personal insurance frustration into a $500 million business by founding Insurify, the "Kayak of insurance." After a minor car accident during her time at MIT caused her premiums to spike, she discovered the absence of a comprehensive insurance comparison platform and spent over a year convincing risk-averse carriers to join her marketplace. Despite facing significant challenges as a first-time female immigrant founder in a highly regulated industry, Zacharia built Insurify from a three-person team to nearly 200 employees through relentless persistence, strategic fundraising, and operational focus. Her journey exemplifies the MIT entrepreneurial spirit, emphasizing the importance of building the right founding team, maintaining financial discipline, and never giving up despite countless rejections—ultimately creating the largest online insurance comparison platform in the United States.

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In this episode of Sloanies Talking with Sloanies, host Christopher Reichert sits down with Raafet Azzouz, a 2024 Sloan Fellow at MIT Sloan, to explore his remarkable journey from a small town in Tunisia to global finance and entrepreneurship. Raafet shares how his early love for mathematics and humanities shaped his academic path through France, ultimately leading to senior roles at major financial institutions like JP Morgan and Bank of America Merrill Lynch. Despite his successful Wall Street career, he felt the need for a deeper sense of purpose, prompting his decision to step back, pursue impact-focused ventures, and enroll in the Sloan Fellows MBA program.

Raafet speaks candidly about the challenges and strengths of the immigrant experience—resilience, adaptation, and resourcefulness—which inspired his New Colossus Project. (YouTube) This initiative tells the stories of first-generation immigrant trailblazers in America, aiming to reframe the narrative around immigration and highlight its immense contributions to innovation and entrepreneurship. He also discusses how MIT Sloan became a space for personal transformation, where he stepped outside his comfort zone through courses in leadership, improvisation, and social media, all while reflecting on his identity and future direction.

Throughout the conversation, Raafet emphasizes the value of risk-taking, lifelong learning, and giving back to community. His evolving definition of success now centers on impact, connection, and legacy rather than titles or accolades. This episode is a powerful reflection on navigating change, finding one’s voice, and the importance of institutions like MIT Sloan in shaping not just careers, but lives.

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In this episode from 2019, Christopher Reichert, MOT ‘04, sat down with David Schmittlein, former Dean (2007–2024) and Professor of Marketing at the MIT Sloan School of Management, to discuss many topics, including where he found inspiration in his personal and professional life.

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In this episode of Sloanies Talking with Sloanies, Christopher Reichert interviews Henna Karna, EMBA ’18, who reflects on her academic and professional journey. Karna discusses how Sloan’s blend of quantitative and qualitative learning has shaped her approach to innovation, emphasizing engineering new patterns over relying on existing use cases. With a PhD in applied mathematics and a career spanning roles at the NSA, Google, and AXA, she shares insights on cryptography, behavioral modeling, and risk management. Karna advocates for empowering others, aligning short-term actions with long-term goals, and fostering sustainable innovation. Currently a Harvard fellow, she focuses on AI’s societal role, aiming to ensure its responsible and human-centric adoption. Karna defines success as finding joy in daily life and encourages prospective MBAs to embrace the rigorous yet rewarding Sloan experience.

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In this special episode of Sloanies Talking with Sloanies, host Christopher Reichert, MOT ’04, sits down with two distinguished guests: Admiral Thad Allen, SF ’89, former Commandant of the United States Coast Guard, and Frank Finelli, SM ’86, a senior advisor at The Carlyle Group and founder of the MIT Sloan Veterans Fund. Together, they discuss their experiences at MIT Sloan, the complexities of leadership in the military and private sector, and the challenges of technology adoption in government. The conversation explores the evolution of defense strategies, the importance of networks within the MIT and military communities, and the need for innovative approaches to address modern national security threats.

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In this episode of Sloanies Talking with Sloanies, host Christopher Reichert, MOT ’04, interviews Stephen Boyer, SDM ’08, co-founder and chief innovation officer at Bitsight. The conversation reflects on the evolution of cybersecurity, including the complexity of cyber threats and the challenges companies face in managing risks. Boyer shares insights from his career, discussing the importance of transparency in cybersecurity incidents and the role of AI in enhancing security practices. He also emphasizes the value of a mission-driven career and the need for continuous learning.

Boyer also discusses his experiences at MIT Sloan, highlighting the impact of the MIT 100K competition and the broader MIT ecosystem on his entrepreneurial journey. He offers advice to prospective Sloanies, encouraging them to immerse themselves fully in the MIT environment and to align their studies with their long-term career goals. The episode provides a blend of practical cybersecurity advice and reflections on the significance of strategic thinking and innovation in one's career.

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In this special episode of the podcast, Andrew Husband (Senior Writer & Editor, Office of External Relations) briefly assumes hosting duties to discuss five years of Sloanies Talking with Sloanies with host-turned-guest Christopher Reichert, MOT ’04.

Reichert reflects on some of his most cherished and memorable conversations with MIT Sloan alumni and faculty—including the late Ed Roberts, SB ’57, SM ’58, SM ’60, PhD ’62, and his son, Mitch Roberts, SM ’92; as well as a joint conversation with Juan Pablo Armas, SM ’92, and Roberto Rigobon, PhD ’97, to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the MIT Sloan Latin America Office.

After living and working in Australia for 13 years, Reichert decided to seek out an MBA degree to build on the skills he had developed while founding and managing an IT consulting company. The confluence of business and technology led him to MIT Sloan, where he initially considered the MBA program before a chance reading of a Management of Technology program brochure.

Reichert emphasizes the importance of volunteerism among alumni, and Husband highlights the former’s ongoing work with the MIT Sloan Boston Alumni Association, the MIT Sloan Alumni Board, and the MIT Sloan CIO Symposium. This naturally leads to a discussion of MIT Sloan Reunion 2024 and the need for the ongoing involvement of the alumni community at large.

Links:

• LinkedIn Profile
• MIT Sloan Reunion 2024

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Support the show

Thanks for listening! Find more episodes on the Sloanies Talking with Sloanies website.

Learn more about MIT Sloan Alumni on Facebook, LinkedIn, X, Instagram, and Threads.

To support this show, or if you have an idea for a topic or a guest you think we should feature, drop us a note at sloanalumni@mit.edu

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Join host Christopher Reichert, MOT ’04, in a candid conversation with Jawad Ahsan, MIT Sloan Executive MBA alum, as they discuss the transformative power of an MBA, Ahsan's career growth from GE to entrepreneurial ventures, and the role MIT Sloan played in shaping his path. Discover how System Dynamics and MIT Sloan's collaborative ethos inspired Ahsan to pursue a portfolio career, balancing corporate success with creative storytelling and societal impact.

Reichert and Ahsan talk about Ahsan's creative pursuits, including his book "What They Didn't Tell Me," which became an Amazon bestseller, and his involvement in producing books, movies, and investing in startups through his ventures Light Mountain Creative, Light Mountain Capital, and Light Mountain Craft.

Links:

• LinkedIn Profile: www.linkedin.com/in/jawadahsan
• Website: http://www.jawadahsan.com/

Support the show

Thanks for listening! Find more episodes on the Sloanies Talking with Sloanies website.

Learn more about MIT Sloan Alumni on Facebook, LinkedIn, X, Instagram, and Threads.

To support this show, or if you have an idea for a topic or a guest you think we should feature, drop us a note at sloanalumni@mit.edu

© MIT SLOAN SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT