What separates the top performers from everyone else? According to Googler and Maryland Smith graduate Arhaan Saksena, MS '15, it's a focus on the big picture. "Always ask yourself, what is the larger problem that you're trying to solve?" he says. "It's crucial to define the overarching goal first, and work smartly to resolve the issue." Otherwise, he says, you will end up spending time and resources on tasks that may not be aligned with the actual problem.

Deloitte tax consultant Ekaterina “Katya” Tour ’17, MS ’18, made the most of a four-year tennis scholarship at the University of Maryland. By the time she graduated, she not only collected 70 singles wins and led the Terrapins to their first-ever Big Ten Tournament victory, she also finished an undergraduate degree and tacked on a Master of Science in Accounting in the “Plus One” program at the Robert H. Smith School of Business. “I knew I had four years,” she says. “And I didn’t want to miss out.”

Creating a profitable news business is difficult. Roy Schwartz ’98, MBA ’01, and his partners have done it twice. Schwartz joined Politico in 2008 during the publication’s early days and helped the journalism company expand in Washington, D.C. Then in 2016, he and two associates left Politico and started Axios. Since then the startup has grown to prominence, grabbing attention with an HBO series and exclusive interviews with newsmakers like White House adviser Jared Kushner and Apple CEO Tim Cook.

LaKisha Greenwade, PTMBA '11, known by her clients followers, and peers as Coach L, is the founder and CEO of Lucki-Fit, a platform that empowers individuals to look and feel their best in all aspects of life to become lucky in life and business.

Business conditions change over time and across regions, but finance professional Dan Freiman '94, MBA '04, says one thing remains constant. "Building relationships is key, as is going in with understanding and respect," he says. "That goes a long way and is a constant process."

A multimillion-dollar social media campaign on two of China's most popular platforms requires careful planning and vision. Digital Strategist Rishi Kadiwar, '05, MBA '10, says success also requires global mindset — especially when team members work in multiple countries and speak numerous languages.

Some people wait until they travel abroad to develop a global mindset. But Elaine Oves ’15, a marketing associate with Interel Group, says the process starts at home. “You don't have to travel far,” she says. “You just have to step outside your comfort zone and interact with people unlike yourself. The more you do it, the more you learn.”

Visiting other countries, whether for business or leisure, can seem daunting because of the abundance of variables in a new environment. Philip Grove, MBA '15, an international sales manager, chooses to focus on the one constant variable in each trip: himself.

Global business strategist Paul Adler, MBA ’78, can’t help asking questions when he meets somebody from another place. His cultural curiosity propels him forward. “Being interested in other cultures is impossible to fake,” says Adler, a former business development executive for IBM who launched his own firm in 2018.

Sameness can be reassuring. But Maurice Nick, a supply planning manager at Stanley Black & Decker, prefers the disruption of new ideas. "I grow tired of situations quickly," he says. "Without having different insights, different perspectives and different people around me, I get weary in what I'm doing."