Strategic Thinking in Action: MBA Students Learn from Silicon Valley Leaders

Gary Richman shares his insights with MBA students in Professor Nathaniel Lupton’s Strategic Thinking course. Photo by Adriana Avila.

Imagine getting an MBA at a school with direct access to Silicon Valley’s top minds. This summer, Early Career MBA students who took a Strategic Thinking course at San José State’s  Lucas College and Graduate School of Business did just that. Through a series of guest speaker sessions, they learned from prominent leaders at innovative companies like Splicer Films, Intel, Asana and Cadence Design Systems. The speakers shared their experiences and insights on topics ranging from new venture creation to mergers and acquisitions, offering valuable lessons that aspiring entrepreneurs and business professionals can incorporate into their work and studies this semester.

Annette King: Passion, purpose and agility in entrepreneurship

Annette King, founder, CEO, and director at Splicer Films, shared her inspiring journey transitioning from a tech startup to a film company focused on social impact. King emphasized the importance of having a clear “why” or purpose that fuels motivation and guides venture creation. She believes that passion, combined with a strong sense of purpose, is essential for building a successful and impactful business.

King also highlighted the critical role of strategic thinking and a flexible mindset, particularly when pivoting in one’s career. As a social entrepreneur, she stressed the need to consider the broader impact of one’s work and the importance of being mission-driven.

“King’s experience made me realize that finding and following your passion is crucial, whether in entrepreneurship or the workplace,” said Yuhan Wang, ’24 MBA.

Students left with key takeaways for aspiring entrepreneurs: Find your passion, embrace flexibility, think strategically, build a strong team and balance strategy with adaptability.

Gary Richman: Navigating the path to innovation

Gary Richman, a seasoned strategy and marketing leader with over 30 years of experience in the technology industry, presented a comprehensive framework for driving business innovation. He covered various aspects including understanding business needs, conducting SWOT analysis, brainstorming effectively and leveraging lean startup principles.

Richman introduced a brainstorming innovation framework that encourages a multi-perspective approach, considering people, business and technology aspects to achieve experiential innovation. He stressed the significance of data, passion, patience and persistence in driving innovation. 

He shared a compelling case study from his time at Intel, where he championed the integration of touchscreens in laptops despite initial industry skepticism. By leveraging data, building a prototype and showcasing its potential through a powerful video, Richman successfully convinced stakeholders and revolutionized the PC industry.

When students inquired about his motivation, Richman attributed it to his personality, stating that a desire to make a difference has always been a defining trait of his.

Justin Lau: AI and the future of work

Students also had the chance to hear from alumni like Justin Lau, ’14 International Business, who serves as the director of technology alliances and business development at Zscaler. Prior to this, he managed strategic partnerships and alliances at Asana. Lau discussed the transformative impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on work and collaboration, highlighting how Asana uses AI to improve project and work management, streamline workflows and enhance team efficiency. 

Following Lau’s presentation, Tuong Vy Nguyen, ’22 Human Resources, ’24 MBA, asked him about the potential long-term benefits and risks of widespread generative AI adoption. Lau predicts that AI will lead to significant changes in how people work, with a shift away from data crunching and towards more creative and strategic tasks.

Alan Lee: Mergers and acquisitions as growth drivers

Alan Lee, senior group director of strategy and new ventures at Cadence Design Systems, focused on the strategic role of mergers and acquisitions (M&A) in fostering growth and innovation, particularly in the semiconductor and computational software sectors. Lee provided an in-depth overview of the M&A process, from strategic planning and target evaluation to integration and value creation.

He discussed the importance of conducting thorough due diligence, assessing a company’s intrinsic value through various methods and ensuring a smooth integration process to minimize conflicts and maximize synergies. Lee also highlighted the significance of building strong relationships and fostering a collaborative culture to drive innovation and achieve long-term success. 

The impact of strategic networking in Silicon Valley

Professor Nathaniel Lupton, who taught the Strategic Thinking course this past summer, understands the power of networking and SJSU’s prime location in Silicon Valley. When selecting guest speakers, he prioritizes professionals with strong ties to SJSU — like alumni such as Justin Lau or local community leaders like Annette King — who are passionate about supporting the college. This commitment to connecting students with industry experts creates invaluable learning opportunities.

“I am honored to share my journey as an entrepreneur with SJSU MBA students and aim to empower them to bring agility and ingenuity to their work,” King explains. 

“Holding an MBA in Entrepreneurship [is] a full circle moment to bring my skills and experience into the classroom and impart thoughts and ideas to Professor Lupton’s classes.”

Learn more about the Early Career MBA program at SJSU.

Lucas College and Graduate School of Business faculty, staff, students and alumni consistently make a significant impact in the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond. Many graduates have gone on to excel in various industries, with a notable presence in Silicon Valley. These organizations recognize and value the exceptional education and skills our alumni bring to their roles, making San José State University a key contributor to the region’s thriving economy. We offer MBA, PMBA, MSFA, MSAA, MST and MSTM degrees at the graduate level and 14 different BSBA concentrations at the undergraduate level, the largest set of offerings among the CSUs. These include accounting, accounting information systems, business analytics, corporate accounting & finance, entrepreneurship, finance, general business, hospitality, tourism, & event management, human resources management, international business, management, management information systems, marketing, and operations & supply chain management.