What did you do prior to The Parthenon Group?

I worked as a consultant focused on technology and innovation for a large consulting firm. My work involved surveying the technology landscape to understand which emerging technologies would have an impact on our clients and then making sure our clients were properly positioned to take advantage of those trends.

Why did you select The Parthenon Group?

Your first year at business school you are bombarded with recruiting efforts from every consulting firm imaginable. From just about every firm that came to present, the work seemed basically the same: strategic, challenging, and varied in nature. However, Parthenon was the only firm where I felt I genuinely connected with the members and where people genuinely connected with each other. I saw these people not only as recruiters but as potential colleagues. I saw the office not only as a place where people worked but—with its signed sports memorabilia, hanging pirate flags, and “The Parthenon Group: King of Consulting” spoof beers—as a place where people enjoyed each other’s company. I was fortunate to get an offer and spent the summer helping select the nascent hedge fund’s new holdings. The work was totally different for me, but I realized that the work as well as the co-workers were something I would enjoy for quite some time. Three months and many Parthenon Group-sponsored social events later, I accepted my full-time offer.

What stands out about the type of work you are engaged in at The Parthenon Group?

Friends always ask me what I do. I am certainly a strategy consultant, but I work on such a variety of clients and industries, that it’s hard to pinpoint exactly where I work on a day-to-day basis. This is magnified by the two-case model that we employ. One day I may be helping to pick the next important stock for our hedge fund. The next day I might be working on a growth strategy project for a small, $70 million technology firm. The variety of projects has made my experience thus far an exciting one.

What can you tell us about the people and culture at The Parthenon Group?

I really cannot say enough about the Parthenon people and culture. You always hear the phrase “Smart. Nice. Driven.” When it comes to the people at Parthenon, it really is true. I am constantly blown away by the caliber of people Parthenon attracts. Whether it is a discussion about a work project or about sports, everyone is incredibly knowledgeable and thoughtful in their comments (one of the Principals here even used to be a statistician for a professional football team—good luck defending your fantasy football picks to him). On any given day you will find people willing to share their expertise and teach you anything from statistical programs to what major trends are impacting the economy today. And people are incredibly driven in all facets of their lives whether it is producing the best work for our clients or getting a win for the Parthenon basketball team.

What do you like about your home office's location?

Boston is a great city. I would argue that it is the most historic, most intellectual, and most sports-crazed city in the United States. Parthenon is really not that much different than Boston. While Parthenon may not yet have the history Boston enjoys, we certainly strive to have the highest caliber of people and just about everyone here is a die-hard sports fanatic.

MIT, Harvard, and many other world-class schools are all within a few miles of each other. You can almost certainly find an invigorating discussion outside of the office with whatever PhD you happen to run into. When the weather is warm, you can spend your time strolling up to Fenway to catch a Red Sox game in the company suite. And unlike larger companies where only senior executives have suite access, the Associates and Principals at Parthenon are the most frequent attendees.

What is your favorite quality about The Parthenon Group?

My favorite quality about Parthenon is that it feels very personal—almost like a family—and that feeling starts at the Partner level. If someone in your family is sick, you can be certain you will be allowed a lot of flexibility around your work schedule. If you are stressed, someone will notice and take you out for a drink to talk about it. And if it’s your birthday, you can almost certainly expect a gift from Bill and the firm. Parthenon is growing, but it has not lost that small-firm feel. Everyone still knows everyone else on a first name basis. I think because we know each other as individuals, we are more willing to go out of our way to make sure that we are treating each other as individuals and not just “that Associate I manage” or “that Partner I report to.” As someone who has previously worked at a very large firm, I really value the personal nature of Parthenon. You will work hard and you likely will have late nights, but you are sure to be treated as fairly and respectfully as possible along the way.