Lessons of experience: Anthony Lewis (MBA ’10)

Anthony Lewis (MBA ’10)

Anthony Lewis (MBA ’10), assistant vice president of alternative investments at Stifel Nicolaus, says attending UNC Kenan-Flagler was one of the best decisions of his life.

Lewis came to Carolina to develop his skills in investment management – and he ended up learning a lot about himself in the process.

Lewis spoke with students as part of UNC Kenan-Flagler’s 2016 MBA Leadership Day. Here are his top three lessons of experience for pursuing a successful career in business.

Know yourself.

The pathway to leadership begins with getting to know yourself. Once you know who you are, you can lead others and guide them towards being their best selves.

Find what motivates you.

If you’re on a career path for the money or to meet the expectations of others, it’s important to take a step back. If it’s not who you are at your core, you’re not going to be as successful.

To find what motivates you, ask yourself what you’re truly interested in achieving beyond marketing, consulting or finance.

Be authentic.

Don’t allow the stress of business school and corporate America to make you forget who you are. Allowing this to happen is the biggest mistake you can make. Everyone brings something different to the table. Staying true to yourself helps you capitalize on opportunities. I’ve been in financial services for 10 years, and being my authentic self has helped me form the relationships I’ve needed to ride the waves of different situations throughout my career.

People are the common denominator of what we do in business. We’re in a very unique position to be able to affect the lives of people around us.