Timothy Goebel, MSBA '16
Decorated professional figure skater Tim Goebel—who was one of the most competitive skaters in the world at the peak of his career and won the Bronze medal for the United States at the 2002 Olympics—does not shy away from a challenge. In fact, it was the promise of intellectual and academic rigor that initially drew Tim to NYU Stern’s MSBA program. “I’ve always been driven to find something that’s challenging, whether it’s physically, academically or intellectually,” he says. “I knew the program was going to be challenging and I was going to have to learn quite a few things I’d had zero exposure to before. But I didn’t want to just get better at something I already knew how to do.”
Tim had been working as an econometrics modeler at a media agency in Manhattan when he realized he wanted to leave the field of marketing analytics altogether. To do so, he needed to pursue a degree that would demonstrate his commitment to taking on an entirely new skill set. Stern’s Master of Science in Business Analytics was the exact right move, he says, as it exposed him to “an entirely new sphere of knowledge and a new skill set to master.”
The learning curve was steep and intimidating, Tim admits, but he was heartened by the energy of Stern’s faculty. “It was clear that they really were passionate about their areas of expertise and I found that very engaging and motivating.” He also found fellowship in his Stern community and cohort: “I met and worked with some awesome people who I consider very good friends now—people I trust and respect professionally and personally. From that standpoint alone, the program has been hugely beneficial.”
The program was also beneficial for Tim when it came to expanding his career opportunities. “Thanks to my degree, I am able to pursue opportunities I would not have had the experience or knowledge for. I’ve been able to cast a broader net when it comes to finding the right home, professionally.”
Find the right professional home, he did: Tim recently landed a job at Google, as a Marketing Mix Modeling Partner Program Manager. Tim’s position is part of a new team, and the program he was assigned to was in a nascent state when he came aboard. “My team and I are having to define our own goals and design our own strategies. In a way, this mimics my experience at Stern. My cohort and I came into the program as our own cadre of experts, and you learn to work with everyone’s strengths and background.”
One guiding principle of Tim’s life—from the Olympic ice rink to the NYU campus and Google’s Mountain View office—is the value in constantly challenging yourself and never becoming comfortable with the status quo. Pursuing his MSBA degree only reinforced this principle: “To be successful, you have to be willing to dive in wholeheartedly. You don’t have time to second guess yourself.”
Words to live (or work) by:
Never stop learning, and never be satisfied with the status quo.
Favorite course at Stern? Why?
Dealing with Data, because it exposed me to Python. For someone who had never worked in the platform previously, this course made it approachable.
Proudest professional moment?
Being hired at Google!
If I had a month off work to do anything I wanted, I would....
Travel all over Europe.
If I wasn't in this profession, I would be…
Working in Real Estate.
I define “professional success” as:
Finding a role that constantly challenges you to learn, adapt, and find innovative solutions to the problems you are being asked to solve.