Martin Lopez and Kelly Watson,

EMBA Class 2006 – Embracing the Challenge of Change

Before starting the LMU EMBA in 2004, Martin was working in Human Resources for a major Latino retail concern and Kelly was a marketing vice president for an international telecom company. In 2006, Martin acquired a controlling interest in Herbs of Mexico, a national leader in providing Herbal and Health products to the Latino community and health conscious individuals. Kelly joined the organization as Acting COO in 2008.

Martin Lopez, Managing Partner

The LMU EMBA has proved to be a life-changing experience for me. My relationship with Herbs of Mexico was a long-standing one through family contacts, but the idea of buying a controlling interest in the company was never on my radar before starting the program.

I began my EMBA with an idea of what I thought I could learn from the program and came out with so much more.  Although I had spent six years in HR for a large Latino retail organization, I had an underlying feeling that I didn’t have a true understanding of how all the pieces fit together. I had little confidence in my own business acumen and was acutely aware that I lacked a solid grounding in critical business fundamentals.

My first year was pivotal in developing a real clarity and understanding of my own capabilities but it was my second year that proved to be the real personal and professional turning point for me. The inspirational teaching and backing received from my Executive Coach opened my eyes to the possibility that there could be more than just rising to the top of the corporate ladder and gave me the self-assurance to aim higher. I developed a clear perspective on what I could achieve and gained the confidence to fully embrace my core passions and goals.

I use the lessons learned in the EMBA program on a daily basis and the continuing support and advice I receive from both faculty and EMBA friends is of immeasurable value to me as I implement my vision for Herbs of Mexico.

Kelly Watson, Acting COO

When I came to the LMU EMBA program I had a strong corporate background and expected I would continue on that path for the duration of my career with primarily Fortune 500 companies. I was primarily looking for an opportunity to expand my knowledge base and sharpen my strategic skills, but like Marty, my EMBA experience was responsible for dramatically altering my career trajectory. I had never considered myself as an entrepreneur, but the program made me re-examine my goals.

If you were to ask many of my fellow graduates as to the single most important lesson we learned from the program, the answer would be “I realized just how much I didn’t know.” Behind this statement lies the true strength of the LMU EMBA. There is a strong focus on participating in the classroom with an emphasis on teamwork as the key to becoming a better, more successful leader. It takes real self-confidence and self-awareness to admit that we can’t possibly know everything and that the answer is to actively embrace the ideas of others.

During the program a number of like-minded EMBA students came together to form “Change Asylum.” The group was set up to provide a forum where we could hold each other accountable on career matters and act as our own change agents. Since our graduation, the group has evolved into an important mutual support network for many of the EMBA alumni. It has proved invaluable in helping me define myself as an independent businessperson who can add value to many different kinds of businesses, both large and small.

Robert Contreras, EMBA Class 2008

Taking My Organization to the Next Level

Robert is the Deputy Executive Director of Bienestar Human Services. He has been an advocate for Latinos affected by HIV and AIDS for over nineteen years. Under Robert’s direction, Bienestar has grown from being an AIDS project providing information on weekends to a comprehensive HIV social services and support agency with branches throughout Southern California.

Over the years the trend in the non-profit sector has been a slow, steady redirection and reduction of available resources, coupled with increased competition for available funds.  With this in mind, I came to the realization that pursuing an Executive MBA could arm me with the necessary skills to confront the many challenges within our sector.

Bienestar has relationships with a number of universities and over the last 10 years I have worked closely on a number of research projects with Dr. Frank Galvan of Charles Drew University. Dr. Galvan is an alumnus of Loyola Marymount University and on hearing of my interest in pursuing an Executive MBA, he recommended that I investigate LMU's program. At that time, I was considering other programs in the Los Angeles area, but after much due diligence, I became convinced that the LMU EMBA would provide me with a superb, well-rounded business education. The curriculum embraced many key elements that I believed were fundamental to my continuing improvement as a senior executive.

Looking back on my EMBA experience, I have no doubt that I made the right choice.  There are numerous areas in which the program helped me grow, both personally and professionally. On one level, I gained immeasurably in my own self-confidence and belief. I refined my presentation and speaking skills and feel very comfortable addressing large groups. On another front, I have become a much more strategic thinker. I automatically take a broader view of situations and analyze all sides of an argument before making critical business decisions.  Bienestar has definitely benefited from my participation in this program. I am an infinitely more rounded senior executive, having developed a sophisticated range of soft skills, and I now employ a real emotional intelligence in my approach to business.

Finally I should point to the enduring strength of the relationships one develops with both faculty and peers. In my case, this has led to an actual business concept that my team members and I came up with as part of our course work. We have continued to develop our ideas since graduation and are now at an advanced stage and hoping to bring product to market within a year. This is an overt demonstration of the sheer “can do” mentality that this extraordinary program imbues in all of us who have had the privilege to attend.