From Graziado to Olympic Glory: Lauren Gibbs, EMBA

For one Pepperdine Graziadio School of Business and Management EMBA grad, a thriving career in executive level retail sales was just a jumping off point.

So in 2014, just months after finishing at Graziadio, Lauren Gibbs (EMBA, ’14) decided to train to join the USA National Bobsled Team–a vast departure from many who wish for less adrenaline in their post MBA paths.

Gibbs’ excellence in sports began early. During the pursuit of her undergrad degree at Brown University, she was a four-year volleyball star there as a team captain. She also maintained an impressive academic record, all while receiving titles from the All-Ivy Academic League in consecutive seasons. Prior to joining Brown, she attended Westridge, Pasadena’s prestigious high school. There, she excelled in soccer, track and field and volleyball, earning a place in the Westridge Hall of Fame.

Earning her BA at Brown gave Gibbs choices that for some would seem difficult. One was to pursue the sometimes complicated career path involved in a recent liberal arts undergrad degree. The other, also daunting choice for her was to advance into the next phase of academia—an MBA. Realizing that this would afford her a reliably marketable master’s degree, she chose the latter.

Armed with her BA which included specialties in public & private sector organizations and entrepreneurship, Gibbs traveled back west to Malibu to embark upon an EMBA.

In a recent profile interview that she gave to Pepperdine, she described her experience.

“I felt that there were some holes in my education that might limit my professional choices, and I wanted to arm myself with additional options. I chose Graziadio because I was drawn to the small and intimate class sizes, which promoted interaction with the professors. In the EMBA program, I knew I would be surrounded by and learn from experienced peers.”

Gibbs became a regional sales director at Trumaker, an online retailer specializing in custom tailored men’s fashion. Her reputation grew there as “an extremely dedicated, hardworking and loyal professional … who inspires others.”

Her athletic pursuits didn’t stop, even during the demanding career move. Gibbs continued to immerse herself in sports during and after her time at Graziadio.  During this time, she became acquainted with Jill Potter, a member of the US National Rugby Team. Potter was impressed by Gibbs’ accomplishments as a weightlifter a practice that Gibbs had continued. Potter suggested for Gibbs a tryout for the American bobsled team.

Using a vivid and seemingly accurate description of the sport, Gibbs says, “People often describe bobsledding like being kicked off a cliff in a trashcan … It is amazing how many thoughts can race through your head in a minute. It took me a second to catch my breath, after pushing a heavy object for 50 meters while simultaneously trying not to trip, hurt myself and actually get in the sled. I was experiencing severe sensory overload.”

The strength and stamina involved with this sport is often underestimated. The sled itself is made of light metals, steel runners and a composite body that is built for speed. The team must be aware that the conditions on the tracks are sometimes unpredictable, and training involves a great deal of strength and endurance building to obtain the capacity to control the vehicle.

Gibbs, who now calls Denver home, continues to train for Olympic glory in 2018 in Lake Placid. “I’m … getting ready to tryout out for my third National Bobsled Team,” she notes.  “My life is unfolding beyond my wildest dreams, and I’m excited to see where it goes next. I’d like to get into public speaking and write a book to tell my story, in the hopes that it will inspire other young women. I’d like to impact other MBA students and encourage them to marry their passion with their entrepreneurial endeavors.”

Her journey is chronicled both by the Huffington Post and her Instagram account.

 

regions: Los Angeles

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