From the misty shore of Lake Cayuga… to the misty shore of Lake Michigan
Two years in Ithaca
Was enough. But seriously, Cornell was a gorgeous place that taught me about the birds and bees -in Animal Behavior 101. Also, I became arguably the 144th best American university squash player.
Off to school in Boston
Well, Cambridge actually. Okay, Harvard. But it’s alright, because I didn’t get in the first time. I did learn about evolution and ecology, and those subjects, plus the scientific method, have influenced my thinking ever since.
Is the Lampoon a school?
Not legally, no. But I edited two issues my Senior year, illustrated two covers, wrote, contributed cartoons, and was Assistant Art Director for a nationally published parody of USA Today. And Conan O’Brien supervised my initiation. I started to wonder: could I capture some of that creativity in my professional life?
Professionalizing myself
How does a Forest Ecologist break into business? Business school. Yes, sadly, even an ecology degree from Harvard didn’t overly impress ad agencies. So Kellogg taught me about marketing and business strategy. And organizational behavior, which is a lot like animal behavior, but with people. After that, the agencies fell in line.