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DECEMBER 2002 MBA JOURNAL: B-SCHOOL REVIEW Jeff Webb: Reflections on the Overall MBA Experience "From the first day to the last, my classmates humbled me with their intelligence, commitment, and ability. I feel the same way about my Darden classmates as I do about my SEAL brethren..." Bertrand rightly thought that I might be interested in such an unusual career move (unusual for a new MBA, anyway). Admittedly, I needed some time just to process the idea of becoming a car dealer. But if I learned one thing at Darden, it was to thoughtfully consider such opportunities, even if they don't agree with some pre-conception of what a "regular career" is supposed to be. That evening I spoke to my wife, Anhara, who was working out of town, and just floated the idea. She, of course, thought I was nuts--and I don't blame her. I decided to get some more information before we got into any serious discussions. My next move was to contact a professor, Mr. John Colley, who knows Jim extremely well. I explained to Mr. Colley that I understood that Jim was looking for a manager, and asked for his help in setting up a meeting. Less than 24 hours later, Jim and I sat down for an interview. Mr. Colley's helpful intervention highlights a second important Darden lesson: Get to know your professors! We only had about twenty minutes to speak during that first meeting, but Jim invited me to his dealership in Roanoke, Virginia for a follow up discussion a few days later. After that second meeting, Jim and I were both interested in me coming on board. He has since shared with me the primary reason he decided to offer me a job: I made it clear to him that I wanted the chance to run a business. At the same time, I was and continue to be ecstatic about the opportunity to work for and learn from a highly successful entrepreneur. Right after that meeting my wife and I talked seriously about the job and, as usual, she supported me completely. We've become very comfortable in Virginia, and after she met Jim and heard the story of his business, she understood my enthusiasm. Jim and I finalized my employment details on the day of my graduation, and weeks later I'm now in Roanoke, learning everything I can about the car business. In January, I'll begin managing a Volvo franchise, and next summer I'll start managing Land Rover and Jaguar franchises as we complete construction of the new complex. The Land Rover and Jaguar businesses are every bit a startup - I'm the only employee, we have no buildings, no cars, no nothing. Of course we have the luxury of knowing exactly what business we're in (unlike most startups), and we'll have plenty of help from our manufacturers. But I'm still excited about the upcoming tumultuous period of our startup and growth. The support I received from my friends in the Darden community during my career search and decision process was overwhelming. Professors John Colley and Robert Hardie were especially helpful. They helped set up meetings, served as references, and advised me while I was investigating the job. In summing up my thoughts on Darden, my positive memories are all associated with the people I had the honor to work alongside and under. From the first day to the last, my classmates humbled me with their intelligence, commitment, and ability. I feel the same way about my Darden classmates as I do about my SEAL brethren: There aren't a lot of them, and God help you if you ever have to go up against them. By the same token, the small Darden faculty is a very special group of people. Ken Eades, Robert Spekman, Jacquie Doyle, John Colley, Robert Hardie, Susan Chaplinsky, Dana Clyman, Bob Bruner, and Bob Billingsley are just a few of the professors who influenced me, mentored me, and helped me learn during my two years in Charlottesville. I've never seen such a gifted group who could communicate ideas so effectively. I feel very privileged to have spent two years of my life studying business at such a fantastic institution. I'm only two hours away from Charlottesville, but my memories of business school already seem a little distant as I begin the next phase of my career.  Get BusinessWeek directly on your desktop with our RSS feeds.  Add BusinessWeek news to your Web site with our headline feed. Click to buy an e-print or reprint of a BusinessWeek or BusinessWeek Online story or video. To subscribe online to BusinessWeek magazine, please click here. Learn more, go to the BusinessWeekOnline home page  | | DECEMBER Learn about your online education options |
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