Andrew

What inspired you to pursue a career in consulting?

I returned to consulting after working at a tech start-up as I missed the very direct impact one can have on the success (or failure) of a project in consulting. At a technology firm, each person certainly still has an impact, but at the end of the day success is dependent on the underlying product, and no amount of extra effort or creative problem solving can overcome a material gap in product / customer fit. In consulting, on the other hand, the custom nature of each effort means that each member of the team can play a greater role in making it a success.

How have you developed your skills since joining OC&C?

My previous consulting experience involved exclusively strategy work, and I have enjoyed the chance at OC&C to learn more about how the private equity sector works and the role that due diligence plays in the process. While the questions our PE clients are asking often share similarities to those involved with strategy work, the overall context of the project is quite different, and over my time here I’ve developed a better understanding of what’s required to provide useful answers.

What’s the most valuable lesson you’ve learned in your consulting career?

No one knows everything!

Describe a time when you came up with a creative solution to a client’s problem.

One interesting project I had a chance to work on was the creation of a global market model for a software company. We had previously looked at the market opportunity in a few specific geographies, but they needed a model that captured the global view. Given the nature of the business, it was important to understand the market from a perspective of both the geography of the software buyer and the geography where the software would be used. We developed a modeling approach that fully captured both nuances and provided a complete picture of the nature of buying and use across the globe.

How do you contribute to a positive team culture at OC&C?

I’ve found the OC&C culture an easy one to engage with – everyone from ACs to Ps brings such a positive attitude to the work and (less frequently) to leisure. I’ve had the opportunity to co-lead monthly peer group meetings for senior ACs / Cs, and have more recently gotten involved as the co-lead of Boston FDA, where I’m excited to keep things moving forward with our growing Boston office!

Can you share an experience where you had to pivot a project approach mid-engagement?

While at OC&C there have been a few projects where the focus shifted significantly toward particular questions throughout the engagement. I’ve found our clients to be quite understanding of the constraints of team time, and very willing to engage in a collaborative process of determining resource allocation through the remainder of the work. Projects are also more interesting when you can tackle the questions people care most about!

"I’ve found the OC&C culture an easy one to engage with – everyone from ACs to Ps brings such a positive attitude to the work and (less frequently) to leisure. I’ve had the opportunity to co-lead monthly peer group meetings for senior ACs / Cs, and have more recently gotten involved as the co-lead of Boston FDA, where I’m excited to keep things moving forward with our growing Boston office!"