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Interview with Adam Carson, Director of Finance, Intuit

BrownHEN interviewed Adam Carson, Brown '96, Director of Finance, Intuit Inc., Mountain View, CA.

1. Adam, you worked at GE and now have an important position, Finance Director, at Intuit. These companies have quite different histories. Do you find their cultures very different?

I actually find the cultures very similar because both Intuit and General Electric expect a great deal from their leaders, are open to ideas from all levels of the organization, and heavily emphasize developing people. Of course there are divergent styles within each organization due to the differences in company size, markets, and types of products (knowledge versus manufacturing/financing.)

Intuit is fortunate because our founder, Scott Cook, remains as a very active leader of our business. Scott is the personification of Intuit’s values—just as every founder is the driving cultural force in their business. When someone pours their soul into an organization it is inevitable that there is tight alignment between their personal values and the culture they create for that organization.

2. How can a person be entrepreneurial within a large corporation?

I’m going to reframe that question into “How can you better control your destiny within a large organization?” because the word entrepreneurial can be interpreted several different ways.

Decide to care about the well being of the entire organization.

Own the concept that it is your organization (although it happens to be a large one where you don’t call all-the-shots-all-the-time.) Build your skills and think how to grow the entire organization—even though you might only work in a small corner.  Solve problems and communicate in ways to make the entire organization stronger. 

The one decision you can make entirely by yourself is your mindset. When you decide to have the mindset of an owner and consistently behave that way, it will be noticed. When others do notice, share your vision and ask for their help. Large organizations require more than one person to make a change.

3. When you were at Brown, you were interested in team building and experiential learning. Are these aspects of management important to a Finance Director?

These aspects of management are critical for all leaders because we need to work with others to accomplish any difficult task or create lasting change. The process of creating an organization where people show up to give the best of themselves and work to help others grow is difficult. Many things can hurt this delicate process. Leaders can use team building tools and experiential learning to establish a common set of values and behaviors to help people consistently work together towards a goal.

4. What do you enjoy the most about your job?

My number one joy is when people invent new solutions or find better ways to accomplish a goal AND then share the discovery with others.

That behavior means the organization is firing on all cylinders:
• People are so engaged in their jobs that they experiment with changes
• The culture encourages new ideas, embraces risk and does not fear change
• People want the entire team to win and they share broadly

5. What do you feel you gained from business school?

My approach is to constantly learn and expand my awareness in areas where I know very little. Learning directly correlates to an increased number of options I have when I need to react to a situation. Increased options can produce more appropriate responses to ambiguity.

Business school was an opportunity for me to acquire a great number of tools in a very short time. Oh, did I mention the debt?

6. Are you involved in social service work outside of Intuit? Why?

Absolutely, giving to my communities is an important aspect of leadership because it demonstrates my caring for others and helps to foster trust and credibility. My activities are creative, social, and educational (improv comedy, alumni involvement, and teach leadership at Santa Clara University.)

7. How, specifically, can small business owners benefit from using Intuit's products? Are you concerned that they do not understand how they would benefit?

I am glad you asked! We are incredibly customer focused and work to help small businesses get the most from our offerings as possible with support, training opportunities, and a thriving network of accountants.

Intuit has many products and services that help solve problems for all types of businesses – from basic cash flow management via our free SimpleStart software to complex system integration for Mid-Market firms via our Solution Provider Network.

Our QuickBooks product line is known for both ease-of-use in managing financial tasks and an interface that enables owners to see their firm’s big picture at a glance. Ease helps firms save time and money. In addition to our products, Intuit hosts several communities designed to help small businesses. Our jumpup website (www.jumpup.com) is designed for entrepreneurs thinking about starting a business.

8. Do you use Intuit products in your personal life?

Absolutely! Quicken is a near daily ritual.

9. Would you speak about fear as a motivation or hindrance toward accomplishment? How has that played a factor in your path, if any?

Fear is not a motivator for me and I do not use it to motivate others. The emotions and behaviors fear creates are exceptionally strong and come with very steep costs to individuals and organizations.

Like many leaders, my best moments are now possible because I encountered difficult times and, as a result of those challenges, decided to grow and change.

10. Do you have a mentor who has helped you in your career path/personal development? Who are three individuals (dead or alive) who have influenced you?

I have several mentors that I go to for advice on difficult issues. In addition, I am constantly trying to observe leadership behaviors I can apply in my life.

Three people who have influenced me are:
• Dean Hazeltine – Constantly learn & teach; treat everyone with dignity; live by the highest ethical standard
• Rebecca Stockley (improv coach) – We are each unique; embrace failure because it means you are taking risks; work hard to make your partners look great
• Paulo Coelho (author) – Be a warrior of light; make mistakes; rise to challenges; both know and act on what is best for yourself

11. What is the latest insight (about life, work, play) that you picked up and would like to share with BrownHEN?

Suzanne and I just celebrated the one month birthday of our twin girls. So lately my thinking is about this new journey.

A mentor of mine shared a quote recently that I have been pondering, “Build a strong and tough support system and give far more to it than you receive.”

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© BrownHEN.org – 2008

 

Interview with David Durfee, CEO & Chief Scientist, Bay Computer Associates, Inc.

BrownHEN interviewed David Durfee, Brown '80, CEO & Chief Scientist, Bay Computer Associates, Inc., Cranston, RI.

1. David, why did you found your own engineering company rather than work for a large company?

My family has a retail hardware store that we all grew up working in. The environment there and the responsibility given to me allowed me to make significant change. After I graduated in engineering I went to work for a fortune 500 company. As you might guess, sometimes you felt like you were trying to turn a supertanker.

In one sense, I continue to work for large companies as my firm does contract design for large firms. While the Dilbert cartoon sometimes seem all too real in these situations, being a consultant allows us to control the aspects of the job that have been assigned to us without too many big company distractions.

Many of our other clients are startup companies and it is great to be "in on the ground floor" where you can make a significant contribution to the success of a company.

2. We read discouraging things about the future of U.S. industry. Do you believe a place will continue to exist for a company like yours?

People told us we were crazy to start a consulting firm in Rhode Island. When we started, we had to compete with larger firms that were located closer to the 128 tech loop. Now they tell us we are crazy to compete against India and China. It certainly is true that we are competing with overseas vendors.

We believe that customers will always value excellence. As with many vocations, there are large variations in productivity. What good is it to pay 1/3 the US hourly rate if it is taking you four times as long to get the job done? While our engineers may complain occasionally about the "high bar" that we have set, they are proud of our achievements.

3. You are noted for being a very successful teacher at Brown. Teaching must distract from your other work. Why do you do it?

I went to graduate school so I could be a professor. Well, I guess I spent too much time around professors and decided that the job wasn’t for me. The teaching part was always fun. Also, I think it is one way that I can “give back.” I remember sitting in engineering classes wondering, “what the hell is this guy talking about?" I work hard at giving real life engineering examples so that the students can see how important what we’re teaching will be to them.

It’s really great that I get to teach one course a year. I do have to say that I have little free time while I’m teaching but it’s only for one semester.

4. In your business, do you have to spend much time with legal or regulatory matters?

I suppose the answer is yes if the term “legal” applies to submitting and subverting patents. As far as regulatory goes, I think that is one thing that has made us successful. We have designed a number of devices that have been registered with the FDA. Our proven ability to comply with FDA (and European) regulations has been very helpful to our customers.

5. You father was well known in Rhode Island politics. Do you have thoughts of running for office?

I asked my dad a while ago why he got into politics with all the negatives about the job. His answer was very simple. He simply got angry over what he saw and decided to run for office himself. I’m certainly angry enough, I just don’t have the time between school, work, and family right now.

6. Do you worry about conflicts of interest in hiring Brown faculty members and recent graduates?

I worry about conflicts of interest all the time. Honesty and integrity are very important in addition to excellence in engineering. (It's even in the IEEE Code of Ethics!) Any dealings that my company or I have with the University are very public and usually involve me putting in extra hours “on the house.” (I’ve discovered that alumni are suckers for helping the University and I am no exception.)

7. How to you keep up with technological developments?

My wife laughs at me. When we go to the beach, I bring a book on data communications or motor control. Engineering is a craft. Like any craftsman, your vocation needs to be part of who you are and not just a 9 to 5 job for you to be successful

8. What is your vision of the future of Bay Computer Associates, Inc.?

The future vision hasn’t changed much in 17 years. We want to continue to do really interesting engineering designs and work with intelligent, hard working people. It tends to feed on itself. As you hire great people you do better engineering which results in more interesting work. Each year has brought bigger and more exciting engineering work to us.

9. What are the five qualities you would ascribe to a business leader / entrepreneur?

Work ethic, intelligence, experience, honesty, and integrity—there is no ranking. You need all of them.

10. Who are the three individuals who have influenced your development the most?

You’ve posed a very difficult question. So many people have influenced me. If I must list only three:

• My parents for my work ethic and interest in how things work.
• My wife. Without her influence I would have a tendency to treat the whole world (people included) as an engineering problem.
• Barrett Hazeltine for lessons on how to “pay it forward.”

11. Would you speak about fear as a motivation or hindrance toward accomplishment? How has that played a factor in your path, if any?

I guess fear of failure and a fear of losing customers could explain why we work so hard. I prefer to look at it as the desire to achieve excellence.

12. What is it like having a son at Brown?

My son seems to be enjoying Brown. He seldom calls (which I view as a positive thing). I never talked to him about being an engineer but that is what he decided to do. It is great to be able to relate directly to his experiences. In fact, he told me about this really great professor that runs up the aisle to shake the hand of students who give the right answer! (I’m told that Barrett now says, “Am I making sense?” instead of the, “Is everybody ok?” that I used to hear.)

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© BrownHEN.org – 2008

Interview with Jorge Casimiro, Executive Assistant to the President - Latin America Group, The Coca-Cola Company

BrownHEN interviewed Jorge Casimiro, Brown '98, Executive Assistant to the President - Latin America Group, The Coca-Cola Company, Mexico City, Mexico.

1. Jorge, you have a senior position at Coca-Cola. Do you feel you have much opportunity to be entrepreneurial?

Absolutely! There are always opportunities to be entrepreneurial.  Being entrepreneurial is a mindset, a way of being and a way of acting, regardless of the size of the enterprise or the position you occupy. The moment you allow yourself to think a certain situation won’t allow you to be entrepreneurial is the moment you start limiting yourself.

2. Your responsibilities include the entire Latin American region. What are the pitfalls a citizen of the United States faces in working internationally?

My parents were born in Cuba, so I had a pretty international upbringing that has helped me tremendously; and my time at Brown only added to that. In general terms, I wouldn’t say that there are any pitfalls for U.S. citizens working in Latin America. The pitfalls exist when one–regardless of nationality–is unwilling to understand different cultures and different mindsets, thus limiting oneself from working within those contexts to meet goals and objectives. 

3. How do you learn the cultural nuances in the various countries Coca-Cola works?

Obviously language is a big plus. However, the most important thing to do is to listen and engage—whether it’s the taxi driver taking you from the airport to the hotel or the country operations manager walking you through the latest business plan. Keep an open mind, be respectful and ask questions. Allow that natural curiosity we all have to come out, without worrying about what people will think.  This understanding, aside from enriching you personally, will provide you with keen business insights into that market.

4. The U.S. market seems to be moving away from carbonated drinks. Is the same true in Latin America? How do you forecast trends in people's taste?

Sparkling beverages continue to grow and represent a tremendous opportunity for The Coca-Cola Company worldwide. On top of that, the entire nonalcoholic ready-to-drink market is also growing. In fact, The Coca-Cola Company’s worldwide volume grew 6% in each of the first three quarters of 2007, and Latin America volume grew 7%, 9% and 9%, respectively, in those same three quarters.

Forecasting consumer preferences, tastes and trends is at the heart of our commitment to offer consumers the beverages they want, when they want it and how they want it, all in a responsible way. Obviously, a lot of research is involved, but we don’t limit ourselves to just research. We also take time to listen and establish a relationship with consumers; it’s this relationship that has helped us become the world’s largest beverage company that today is #1 in sparkling beverages (with four of the world's top five nonalcoholic sparkling brands, including Diet Coke/Coke Light, Fanta and Sprite), #1 in juice and juice drinks, #1 in coffees, #1 in teas, #2 in sports drinks, and #3 in bottled water.

5. You were a highly respected leader on the Brown campus. Do you feel that experience is valuable to you now?

Highly respected? Wow, thanks! I think the lessons I learned as a campus leader had to do with listening to many different opinions and taking action. And by listening, I don’t mean waiting for people to come talk to me; I mean identifying who you need to talk to and really engaging them. The other part, action, is also critical. You can’t be afraid to make decisions (just make sure they’re smart ones), and you really can’t be afraid to check yourself on past decisions and adjust as necessary. 

6. You seem to be relatively young for the responsibilities you hold. Do you feel your youth is a problem in dealing with other managers?

I’ve been lucky in that The Coca-Cola Company has a firm commitment to developing its employees to their full potential and to removing barriers that get in the way. My current assignment is my fourth since I joined the company in 2001 and my second as part of the Latin America Group. At every step, I’ve had tremendous support, have worked my brains out and have learned a great deal— earning some grey hairs along the way.

7. Is most of the company business conducted in English? Do you recommend that Brown students learn a language in college?

In Latin America, most business is conducted in Spanish, Portuguese (Brazil) and English in that order. However, everyone has a working level of English in order to interact with our headquarters in Atlanta and with colleagues around the world.

I would definitely recommend learning a second (or even third) language in college, but I would also add that it’s not about learning the language per se.  Learning another language opens your mind to another way of thinking, another culture and other experiences. Even though you may not master the language itself, the process will enrich you both personally and professionally. 

8.  What are your tips for coping with air travel?

Try not to work on the flight unless you really have to—read a book or watch a movie. Make sure to get a good night’s sleep the night before and during the trip. Drink vitaminwater and, if vitaminwater is not available, make sure to take your vitamins and keep hydrated with plenty of water. Honestly, exercise is very helpful (the few times I’ve actually exercised on travel). 

Also, make sure not to spend all your time in an office or hotel room. Even if it’s just 30 minutes, go out and explore a bit.

9. What are the top five qualities you would ascribe to an entrepreneur?
• Creativity and an open mind
• Discipline and focus
• Fun
• Responsible
• Not afraid to get your hands dirty

I find many people have some of these qualities.  However, when you find someone that has all of them at once, hire him or her!

10. Would you speak about fear as a motivation or hindrance toward accomplishment? How has that played a factor in your path, if any?

Hindrance. No question. However, I’d be lying if I said it’s never played a factor in my life because we’re all human. I think the key is recognizing fear when it rears its ugly head and then making sure not to make decisions or act based solely on fear.

11. As you know, the entrepreneur’s path is filled with trials and errors, and also failures. What’s a valuable insight for entrepreneurs to keep in mind when they’re experiencing setbacks?

There’s always more than one way.  We all tend to get stuck in certain patterns of thought and action; but when you’re experiencing a setback, I think it’s important to step back, look at the situation from different angles and consider different alternatives and solutions.

12. What is the latest insight (about life, work, play) that you picked up and would like to share with BrownHEN?

I’ve been married for almost two years now and it’s amazing how much my life has changed (for the better). I guess the insight is that, just like marketplace dynamics are always changing and shifting, your life and your priorities are always evolving. In the same way that business should be nimble and responsive to these market forces, so should you. 

Your priorities when you begin your career as a 20-something are different from when you start a family or from when your metabolism starts slowing down or from when you begin thinking about retirement I think most of us tend to get stuck trying to make these transitions from one phase of life to another.

From a business perspective, the need to identify these personal and professional changes is critical because if your priorities aren’t matching your actions (or vice versa), you’re not contributing your full potential.

13. Who are the three individuals who have influenced your development significantly?

My family, definitely. As immigrants who arrived to the US with literally nothing, they instilled in me a strong work ethic, a responsibility to family and community and a sense of self. And they haven’t just influenced (past tense) my development, they continue to do so everyday. 

My wife, Elizabeth, is another. I’ve found that having a partner who offers unconditional support (and puts up with all the other “stuff”) makes all the difference in the world both inside and outside the workplace.

Collectively, I’d also say the Coca-Cola system. Whether it’s the support and advice of my friends and colleagues, the unique perspective of stewarding the world’s favorite brands in more than 200 countries, or the incredible satisfaction of working for an enterprise that is truly committed to the communities it serves, Coca-Cola has definitely influenced who I am as a professional and as a person.

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© BrownHEN.org – 2008

Interview with Naeem Zafar, Partner at Concordia Ventures

BrownHEN interviewed Naeem Zafar, Brown '81, Faculty at Haas Business School, University of California Berkeley, and Partner at Concordia Ventures, Cupertino, CA.

1. Naeem, you have had a highly respected career as a serial entrepreneur. You were CEO of six different companies, I believe. How are you finding being CEO of a consulting company, Concordia Ventures?

I worked at six startups and I was CEO of three of them. One went public and others went through various traumas and exits. Concordia is aimed at transferring my life experiences to other entrepreneurs. I am trying to bring several accomplished entrepreneurs from various disciplines to join me at Concordia where we can advice advise other entrepreneurs who are at the early stage of their learning curves. My work at Berkeley feeds directly into what I do at Concordia. It is liberating to be running Concordia. It is much less stressful than being the CEO of a venture-backed company, yet it is even more exciting and engaging. It is a tremendous learning opportunity as I meet the best and the brightest from all new technology areas. 

2. How can an entrepreneur gain the most benefit from a consultant?

Each consultant offers some area of expertise. As an entrepreneur you need to be able to listen to advice from various sources but you must have enough conviction of your own so that you can evaluate and select what works for you. All of us have our own life experiences. That is why entrepreneurship is not a cookie cutter recipe. It is our own journey but a consultant, once carefully selected, can accelerate our learning and reduce our risk in this journey.

3. The United States has a reputation for being especially entrepreneurial. Is this reputation deserved? If it is deserved, how can it be maintained? If it is not deserved, what should be done?

It is well deserved. There are four key factors that contribute to this and if we maintain these factors we will continue to have the edge and the well-deserved reputation.

a) No stigma of failure. Unlike most places in the world there is very little stigma associated with failure, In Silicon Valley there is no stigma. A failed entrepreneur is more valuable as she/he is not likely to make the same mistakes again – someone else has paid the tuition for his/her learning.

b) Access to capital. It is much easier to raise venture or angel capital in the U.S. than anyplace else. Partly because sharing risk as an investor is in the American psyche. This is how we grew this country ahead of Europe in the 20th century. There are many entrepreneurs who made it big and now are willing to invest to help see new technologies take hold. They understand technology and risk. They help with capital and advice. Our venture industry is the most evolved in the world.

c) The eco-system. The process to start a venture is much easier in America and especially in Silicon Valley. At a well-attended party any Saturday night you probably have all the people you need to start a company. From techies to experienced CEOs, to marketing experts to lawyers and accountants—all have strong networks; and within two degrees of separation one can assemble a team in no time. We take this for granted but it is very unique to us. The systems are set up to make it easy to start companies. The way we can grant stock options attracts a lot of talent.

d) Excellent Brain trust and access to markets. We are lucky that we have an excellent higher education system. Not only do we pour well-trained people into the workforce each year, we attract the best and brightest from all over the world. The U.S. also have the homogenous market of 300M people that is unlike anyplace in the world. If you can sell a product here it gives you the scale to be able to sell it anywhere in the world.

Obviously our immigration policies can put the kibosh on some of these factors. That can hamper our future growth. Changes in taxation can impact our venture capital activity and our ability to grant stock options. These stock options are the essential currency that drives millions to work 70 to 80 hours per week for years and break all the rules needed to achieve new breakthroughs.

4. I believe you arrived at Brown three days after coming to the United States. What was your biggest surprise about life in the United States?

We all grew up watching American TV and movies in Pakistan so much of what we see in the States does not shock us. Nevertheless it was surprising to see that America was not like NYC or the Wild West. People were simpler, happier, unpretentious, and welcoming. People were warm and willing to help. But perhaps the biggest surprise was to get used to people smiling and saying hello in the street for no reason at all. This was not normal to see for me. I was always trying to draw a deeper meaning into each hello and sometimes giving a more complete answer to each “hello, how are you” then was expected!

5. You teach entrepreneurship in the MBA program at Berkeley. A common piece of conventional wisdom is that entrepreneurs are born, not made. What aspects of entrepreneurship can be taught?

Many traits of what makes an entrepreneur are innate. But the method still needs to be learned. We teach about the method (the process) of starting businesses. We teach how to reduce your risk by doing your essential homework. How does an entrepreneur approach various aspects of business versus a professional in a corporation? The to-dos include a long list that starts with doing basic research on your idea, developing a scalable business model, hiring, financial planning, and thinking about exits. We arm the entrepreneur with this knowledge and our own experiences to help him/her be more successful with fewer hiccups.

6. Your companies have been in several different high technology fields and you have written scholarly articles about starting small businesses. You seem to have time to be involved in professional activities. What is your secret about learning new ideas quickly?

Asking a lot of insightful questions and listening well are essential to fast learning. You must also be very good about time management and selective consumption of information. If you are not careful you can drown in too much information. You must develop a technique to quickly compartmentalize and index information in order to be able to access the information that you gathered.

7. Do entrepreneurial opportunities still exist in electrical engineering / computer science fields?

Is this a trick question? Of course, we have not even scratched the surface yet. We are now in the field of EE and CS where we were in 1920 about automotives and aviation. You have seen nothing yet. We still think of computers as things like we looked at internal combustion engines in 1920s. Today we don’t talk much about engines but we deal with myriad things that use engines. The same thing will be true about computers. There will be hardly a discussion about computers. There will be convenience appliances, highly connected and consumers of information that will make our life easier, more connected and our work processes automated.

8. What are the top five qualities you would ascribe to an entrepreneur?

• Perseverance
• Clarity of objective
• Resourcefulness
• Strong desire to bend rules or make your own rules,
• Salesmanship at all levels.

I describe an entrepreneur as a person who is willing to pursue an opportunity with the resources that he/she does not currently control. This definition says a lot. It is about being persistent and finding ways to go around the walls that will come in front of you. Salesmanship comes in various ways. It is about selling your vision to other employees and team members, to selling your ideas to investors to selling your value proposition to customers.

9. Would you speak about fear as a motivation or hindrance toward accomplishment? How has that played a factor in your path, if any?

Fear can be a motivator or a hindrance – sometimes both, depending on your personality and the situation. My biggest fear is usually letting my investors down or the people whose livelihood depends on my decisions. The families of employees all depend on your actions and results of your decisions. But you must get over your fear, otherwise you will be paralyzed. This is when I seek out my mentors and get advice from people that I trust. You always get through it.

10. As you know, the entrepreneur’s path is filled with trials and errors, and also failures. What’s a valuable insight for entrepreneurs to keep in mind when they’re experiencing setbacks?

Analyze the situation. Post mortem is key. Figure out what did you do wrong or what you could have done differently. Talk to others and your mentors. Improve thyself. Stop feeling bad and get back in the game. Remember getting a gym membership is not enough to get fit or lose weight – you must participate in the game.

11. What is the latest insight (about life, work, play) that you picked up and would like to share with BrownHEN?

The latest insight is about getting intensely productive with your time. This is your most important asset. Constant email is a terrible thing to distract you and Instant Messaging (IM) is even worse. I want to automate things in my life and get control of my time so that I can use it to do things that excite me and are rewarding. Limiting distractions, limiting meaningless television, unnecessary meetings and conversations that are pointless must be limited and eventually eliminated. I am reading this book, Four Hour Work Week, which speaks to me and what I had been trying to do for the last couple of years.

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© BrownHEN.org – 2008