Why the UC Davis MBA was Special for this Alumnus

Tiago Cavagnaro, originally from Chile, earned his MBA from University of California, Davis Graduate School of Management in 2010. With four years’ experience before starting the grad program including R&D manager at Agrosuper, Rancagua, Chile, he was the perfect candidate for the b-school.

Since graduating, he earned his spot at Fundación para la Innovación Agraria, Santiago, Chile as Functional Ingredients Program Manager. And now he’s Chief Innovation Officer at ADA Soluciones Informáticas.

We find out what made his MBA so special to him.

What were you doing before starting your MBA?

Before starting the UC Davis Full-Time MBA program in 2008, I led the R&D department at one of Chile´s largest food and agriculture companies. The department was responsible for creating and validating new processes and production techniques, mainly for poultry and pork.

What key factors encouraged you to pursue your graduate degree?

With a technical background, I needed to put my ideas – including personal entrepreneurial projects – into action beyond the lab. The UC Davis MBA program offered unique, real-world experiences in a collaborative community with others who had similar drive and ambitions.

What factors helped you decide on your program and school?  

I was searching for an MBA program to serve as a bridge between my training as an agronomy engineer and what I wanted to be: a hands-on, experienced entrepreneur and a catalyst for bold innovation. The UC Davis MBA program was a perfect fit for me because of its reputation, size, location and the university brand known for its pioneering research and global impact.

How did the experience help your career progression? Did the program help you find your post-graduation job? 

The UC Davis MBA program gave me the skills, tools and knowledge as well as exposure to new ideas, a powerful network and collaboration with world-class research faculty. I gained the intellectual muscle and managerial mindset to be an effective leader and entrepreneur.

What was your favorite thing about the city/town/campus?

My wife and I moved to Davis without having lived in the US before. It’s a peaceful place with the quintessential college town atmosphere. That said, Davis is close to Sacramento, the thriving capital of California, and only about an hour and half drive to the global technology and innovation hubs of San Francisco and Silicon Valley. There’s a very strong network of successful UC Davis and Graduate School of Management alumni across Northern California you can tap into to develop and benefit from personal and professional relationships.

What was your single best experience during the program?

I served as a volunteer with my classmates at Grid Alternatives, a nonprofit organization that brings the benefits of solar technology to communities that wouldn’t otherwise have access. This gave me a distinctive set of skills, which, combined with a couple of business ideas forged with faculty at Davis, helped me to arrange a meeting with Walter Robb. Mr. Robb was the chief operating officer of Whole Foods Market, the world’s leader in natural and organic foods. He introduced me to his team, which finally led to my wife and I moving to London to work there for a period. When you have a chance to connect the dots, you should pursue the opportunity.

What do you think is the biggest myth about business school?

That there’s an immediate financial upside once you graduate. You’re not required to write a thesis to earn an MBA. You will truly “graduate” from any business school when you apply what you learn in your endeavors—and be rewarded for the value you bring. I’ve had the good fortune to create businesses, and I recently sold the company I started.

What advice you would have for incoming students to the program? How do you get the most from an MBA experience?

I’d offer that incoming MBA students think of where they are now and where they see themselves after graduating. Plans might change, but they’ll do so for the good if you follow your heart and focus on your goals. If you’re solely seeking an immediate financial upside, I’d suggest you look for environments where compensation and financial gain molds relations and interactions. Be mindful that environments where money is the bottom line can be difficult to work in and you will likely sacrifice other benefits.

If you were starting over, is there anything you’d do differently when it comes to researching and applying to business school?

I’d definitely repeat my visit to Davis and the Graduate School of Management. A Brazilian MBA student hosted me, and we are still in touch. That said, today’s applicants have much more information available to tap via social media and online groups and forums versus 10 years ago. If visiting the schools you are interested in is not possible (I traveled from Chile to Davis), get in touch with current student ambassadors and recent alumni to ask questions about the school, culture, academics, return on investment, etc.