Harsh Thakkar hails from Gujarat, a part of India known as “the land of legends and lions.” He endeavors to embody his region’s proud legacy of leadership as he strives to build impactful businesses.
Thakkar launched his first startup in India, leading a team of 14 to build a successful subscription-management platform. He raised $125,000 in funding and scaled the business to 38,000 users. Seeking to deepen his understanding of finance, he decided to pursue an M.B.A. in the United States. He was drawn to the Gabelli School of Business by its reputation for excellence and its prime location.
“Fordham is one of the great institutions for finance in New York City,” he noted. “The M.B.A. program has been an incredible experience for me.”
Learning to Build a Brand
Thakkar, who will complete his M.B.A. with concentrations in finance and marketing this May and will serve as the Graduate Diploma Ceremony speaker, credits supportive faculty members, professionally relevant courses, and the collaborative culture at the Gabelli School with helping him to develop the skills and network needed to advance his career. He cites Adjunct Professor Paul Kramer’s branding course as a highlight of his studies.
“It was one of the most phenomenal classes I’ve taken,” he said. “It truly made me understand exactly what it takes to build a brand.”
Some of Thakkar’s most meaningful learning experiences happened outside of the classroom. He took full advantage of the unparalleled networking opportunities available to Fordham students here in New York and traveled abroad through the Gabelli School’s Global Immersion Program, which pairs coursework with corresponding international excursions to learn about best business practices in other countries.
“The M.B.A. trip to Chile showed me how consultancies, startups, and marketing work in different environments,” he asserted.
‘The Company Grows When the People Are Growing’
Thakkar believes that collaborating with talented classmates who bring diverse experiences to the table has been instrumental in his growth. As president of the Graduate Student Advisory Council, he leads a team of eight students, overseeing initiatives that benefit the student community.
“Whatever I’ve achieved throughout my term as president is mostly because of my team. They have tons of experience. Everyone is coming from different worlds,” he said.
“Learning to manage people who have such great energy has made me a better leader.”
Thakkar describes himself as “a people person,” and this led to a recent project inspired by the needs of his fellow business students.
“Many students are applying to numerous job opportunities every day,” he shared.
“One issue they encounter is that Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) do not scan a lot of resumes. So, I worked with my team in India to create a way to tailor all the resumes and CVs on a single platform, and we have now implemented it here.”
After graduation, Thakkar will be focusing on a new startup, an AI-enhanced product management platform. While he is eager to leverage new technology, it’s not what drives him.
“I’m always trying to understand what people want to achieve individually and organizationally. Individual growth and company growth come together every time. That has been my experience. The numbers and everything else come secondary, because the company grows when the people are growing,” he said.
“I love being around people. That’s what really motivates me. It’s that good energy that keeps driving me to build businesses, which has been at the heart of my success at the Gabell School.”
— Kim Volpe-Casalino
