Listening My Way Forward

If you had told me a year ago I’d be hosting a podcast, I would have laughed. As an introvert, I’ve always found it easier to listen than to step into the spotlight. But one of the biggest lessons from my UCLA EMBA journey is that growth often comes when we lean into connections, the kind that truly stretch us.

As one classmate put it beautifully in our conversation, this program also gives you the confidence to open doors, explore new skills, and see business from every angle. That line has stayed with me, because it captures exactly what this journey feels like.

Of course, the professors and academics are world-class, and they are a big reason we chose UCLA. But what I have tried to capture through my podcast, 5% Conversations, are the lessons that come from outside the classroom. The podcast has simply been a chance to sit down with classmates, listen to their journeys, and realize how much we can all learn from one another.

What started as an experiment has turned into one of my favorite classrooms. And what has been most heartening is how often the conversations return to the same theme, the cohort. Again and again, classmates spoke about how this community has been the real gift of the program, the friendships, the generosity, and the support that make an already demanding journey not just possible but memorable.

Yes, the academics are intense, more than most of us expected. The quarters move fast, the workload is heavy, and everyone is balancing careers, families, and school at the same time. I have heard about color-coded calendars, strict routines, and daily practices that keep people grounded. Time management here is not a theory, it is survival, and it teaches discipline in ways few other experiences can.

The diversity of stories has been striking. A walk among the sequoias turning into a reflection on resilience, how growth often comes through fire. The courage it takes to pause a career to care for family, reminding me that sometimes stepping back is the bravest move forward. Simple habits, like making the bed each morning, becoming anchors for bigger wins. Practical wisdom, like keeping two phones to draw clear boundaries. Stories of volunteering and service as a way to stay grounded. The grit behind filling stadiums, and the persistence required to bring a film from script to screen.

Different industries. Different journeys. And yet, the same themes echo through them all: resilience, balance, purpose.

What makes these lessons powerful is not that they come from textbooks, but that they come from classmates living them every day while navigating the same demanding program. That is what makes UCLA Anderson School of Management EMBA special. The faculty teach us frameworks and strategy, but the cohort teaches us how those lessons play out in real life. Together, they form a classroom richer than either could be alone.

I do not know where this podcast journey will lead, but I already know it has given me something invaluable: the reminder that listening is one of the most powerful ways to learn. And that sometimes the most important teachers are the people sitting right next to us.

Before I close, I want to say a heartfelt thank you to everyone who has joined me on 5% Conversations so far. Your openness, reflections, and generosity have made each conversation richer than I could have imagined. This little project only works because of the stories you have shared.

I also want to acknowledge the friends, families, and partners who stand behind us. They are the ones who quietly take on extra responsibilities, make sacrifices, and give us the space to grow. Without their support, none of this would be possible, and they are just as much a part of this journey as we are.

And this is just the beginning, If the first few episodes have taught me anything, it is that the best stories are still ahead.

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