Jinan Talitha, Luxury & Retail MBA 2025
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- Hometown: Makassar, Indonesia
- Undergraduate: Bandung Institute of Technology, Entrepreneurship
- Previous Industry: Modest Fashion Brand Owner
- Clubs/ Involvement: Marketing Chair, MGSG
Why did you decide to pursue the focused one-year MBA program?
As a Modest Fashion brand owner, I would love to return to my business as quickly as possible. Stern offers me the opportunity to be surrounded by brilliant people in the luxury and retail industry, learn all the business skills I need, and network with incredible alumni all in one year.
How did you find a sense of community and support within Stern?
My cohort is one of the kindest groups of people on Earth. As someone who didn't grow up in the US, I thought it would be difficult to have casual conversations with everyone, as we didn't grow up watching the same shows or listening to the same music. However, when we were talking about some old American movies, my friends would tell me the recap of the movies first so I could join the conversation.
How would you describe the culture and community within your class?
The total opposite of the MBA student stereotype, they are confident yet soft-spoken, principled yet open-minded, and intelligent, yet kind. They are more active listeners than unintentional speakers.
What was your favorite class at Stern?
I love all of my classes, but my favorite is my pricing class. It's not every day that I get to learn from the President and CEO of Jaguar, Land Rover, North America. We also run a pricing simulation game to learn how to price a product in real life. Professor Eberhardt is so kind that he will stay after class to help advise me on how to price my Modest Fashion products. One of the most important key takeaways I got is that, as important as pricing is, it's even more important to know how to justify your price.
What has been a highlight of your Stern experience?
There was a moment when I worked in a group with Tech MBA and Luxury MBA students. We were deciding on a time to meet, and my friend from the Luxury MBA cohort suggested that we all meet on the second half of our break because she always saw me go pray during the first half. I never really said that I need to pray at that certain time, but I think this experience highlights how the Stern tagline of "Stern is all about transformation and improving the world" is embodied in its community.
What advice do you have for prospective students?
Doubting yourself is a sign that you might be on the right track. Every student who was accepted into the program experienced self-doubt at some point. So, if you're feeling overwhelmed and afraid, be kind to yourself and hit that submit button.
How has Stern’s location in NYC impacted your experience?
The number of guest speakers coming to our class is mind-blowing. The CEO of Krohn came to our class and listened to our presentation on her brand. We also had the opportunity to visit Carolina Herrera, Ralph Lauren, Tiffany & Co., and other luxury companies easily because they are all located in NYC, the city of fashion.