“The thing is, almost everyone takes the easy path,” says Guzmán Colilla. “Everyone tries to do the same thing. If you have passion, you have an advantage.”
He speaks from experience. Guzmán’s passion for sports—combined with his business education at Hult—led him to work for GoPro and Real Madrid, in addition to launching his own ski-wear company.
“Everyone tries to do the same thing. If you have passion, you have an advantage.”
-Guzmán Colilla, Video Specialist at Real Madrid C.F.,
Hult BBA Class of 2016
At Hult, Guzmán connected with Professor Hap Klopp—the founder of The North Face. “Hap Klopp is a passionate entrepreneur,” says Guzmán. “I showed him this project I was building, and he was willing to help.” Klopp became Guzmán’s mentor for his final thesis, a business plan for the fledgling ski-wear company.
Success in business requires a certain mindset. Hult students are taught to learn and adapt quickly, and apply knowledge gained from a wide variety of sources to fit the needs of a given situation—a process Camille Quinart found familiar.
“The business world is similar to competitive sports,” explains Camille, a Hult Masters in International Business alumna and competitive triathlete. “In both areas you need to be prepared for change, understand obstacles, and find solutions.”
Camille felt that the passion that drove her to succeed in sports was the same kind of passion expected during her studies at Hult. “I immersed myself internationally by studying at Hult’s campuses in London, Shanghai, and New York. It was a way to learn from cultures and people around the world to acquire a growth mindset,” she says. “Passion produces energy, and is contagious. This makes people want to collaborate and work with you.”
For Tarjei Sporastøyl, Hult’s unique approach to business education reflected his own experience in honing his snowboarding skills. “I was first attracted to Hult because of the hands-on style of the program,” says Tarjei. “Hult works to narrow the gap between an academic and business environment.”
“Hult works to narrow the gap between an academic and business environment.”
Tarjei Sporastøyl, General Manager at Sirdal Ski Center
Hult MBA Class of 2016
And that first-hand experience was what gave Tarjei the edge when he found an opening for his dream job—General Manager of a ski resort in Norway. “I’ve loved snowboarding for years, and was excited about combining my passion for the sport with my business degree,” he says. “Now as the General Manager, I’m responsible for our budget and implementing the long-term strategies developed with the board.”
And the proximity to the slopes is a great perk. “I manage about 100 employees, and spend a big part of the day outside on a snowmobile or on my snowboard,” Tarjei says.
Ultimately, for these Hult alumni, the passion they felt for sports was the perfect way to drive their success in business.
“You can always find a way to connect your passions to your work,” says Guzmán. In fact, he believes it’s the key to both happiness and success. “Even on the bad days, you can forget that you are working, because your job is something you love. Take advantage of that, because if you have a passion, you will put all your effort into that. You will want to be the best, and you will find new ways to succeed.”
If you would like to find out more about our business programs, download a brochure here.
Mel Cloney is a staff blogger working in London, and is passionate about the Hult journey. Her writing focuses on faculty, academics, and student and alumni experiences. She’s a food, scuba, and running junkie with a penchant for all things French.
Hult offers a range of highly skills-focused and employability-driven business school programs including a range of MBA options and a comprehensive one year Masters in International Business. To find out more, take a look at our blog Hult scores in top 20 in The Economist’s Which MBA? ranking for 2019. Download a brochure or get in touch today to find out how Hult can help you to learn about the business world, the future, and yourself.