The Gies College of Business iMBA program has proven to be a powerful catalyst for professionals seeking to reinvent their careers. With varied backgrounds and aspirations, John Miller, Valeria Fournet, and David Gray all found the program to be a transformative experience that equipped them with the skills and confidence to pursue their passions.

John Miller, MBA ‘22, a seasoned pharmaceutical manager, sought an entrepreneurial path, ultimately launching Winking Stars Sparkling Wines. Valeria Fournet, MBA ’24, who learned English as an au pair and retail worker, built a successful financial coaching business. David Gray, a marketing professional, leveraged his MBA to drive innovation within a legal aid organization. What unites them is a shared desire to break through career plateaus and pursue more fulfilling, impactful work.

The Gies iMBA provided each of them with a tailored educational experience, focusing on practical skills and strategic thinking. Miller gained insights into market segmentation and social media marketing, Fournet mastered data-driven communication and strategic marketing, and Gray learned to lead effectively and utilize financial data to drive change.

Learn more about how the program empowered Miller, Fournet, and Gray to translate their unique ambitions into tangible, rewarding career transitions:

From Au Pair to Financial Coach

Valeria Fournet, MBA ‘25
Owner and Coach, VF, LLC

When Valeria Fournet left her native Venezuela because of political challenges there, she could have never predicted a career path that included some unexpected roles as an au pair, a cashier, and a stay-at-home mom.

Born in Caracas, Fournet began an engineering degree at Simon Bolivar University before completing her studies at Sergio Arboleda University in Bogota, Colombia. Initially, she planned to pursue an MBA right away but was advised to gain practical experience first.

“Unilever offered me a job in Caracas, but I prioritized improving my English and moved to the US as an au pair in Memphis, TN,” said Fournet. “I learned the language alongside a three-year-old who wasn’t shy about correcting my grammar and pronunciation.”

She met and two years later married an American and became a mother while awaiting her green card. By the time she received it, her husband was matched with a residency in Savannah, GA.

“It was a challenge because I’d always been a high achiever, but my career plans were put on hold,” said Fournet. “My English wasn’t yet proficient enough for corporate roles, so I became a cashier at Kroger’s, determined to be the best one they ever had.”

This experience, while humbling, provided insights into business operations and customer interaction. Within months, she advanced to the accounting department, became a floor supervisor, then ran a corporate gas station. By year’s end, she was selected for a three-year management training position, which she completed before moving for her husband’s next job near Chattanooga, TN, where she had her second child. She declined a transfer with Kroger to focus on her family. Six months in, the pandemic hit.

With time on her hands, she began listening to personal finance advisor Dave Ramsey and discovered a passion for personal finance. She began helping friends pro bono to get out of debt and manage their finances.

“I’m amazed at how many people don’t realize how much they’re paying in credit card interest or how a high-yield savings account works,” said Fournet. “So many think investing is beyond them.”

By 2021, Fournet had paying clients, but her family of doctors and lawyers back in South America were skeptical of her walking away from a Fortune 500 career path.

“I’m a servant leader, and I believe that by help others succeed I’ll become successful myself,” said Fournet. Following her mother’s passing in 2021, she decided to use her inheritance to pursue an MBA.

Fournet evaluated several programs but chose Gies Business because she was drawn to its personalized approach and global networking opportunities. She took her first course in Fall 2022 and will graduate in August 2025.

Fournet has applied what she’s learned about data analytics to help her clients understand their finances. She also supports small businesses with bookkeeping and financial analysis and this year will develop in-company group training on everything from benefits to budget projections.

“It’s not my personality to do self-promotion, but the marketing classes I took were eye-openers,” said Fournet. “I learned to craft a sales pitch and identify target audiences. I now focus on married couples aged 30 to 50 years old who are ready to achieve financial stability.”

Fournet said she now appreciates the importance of understanding how to share data in a powerful and actionable way. She has developed a template for year-end reports that track her clients’ progress and set future goals.

“When I shared what I developed with my finance professor, he was so encouraging and made me feel welcome to ask questions,” said Fournet. “This has helped me carve a niche for those who want to take control of their finances, regardless of their net worth.” 

From Marketer to ‘Intrapreneur’

David Gray, MBA ‘20
Business Project Manager, Bay Area Legal Services
Co-founder & Business Director, FosterPower

David Gray credits his MBA from Gies College of Business for honing his ‘intrapreneurial’ skills, enabling him to find his niche launching innovative ideas within an organization.

“I was always a bit of a ‘want-a-preneur’ full of ideas but struggled to find viable ones,” said Gray, who originally pursued a degree in psychology before shifting gears to earn a BS in business administration with a marketing focus at the University of Central Florida. For his first job, he was the marketing manager for GrubTaxi, a local food delivery service long before the days of Door Dash and UberEATS.

“I explored how the power of SEO, social media, and digital marketing could complement more traditional channels like direct mail and events,” said Gray, who parlayed that experience into working for Brand Advance, a digital marketing firm.

Gray broadened his expertise to B2B marketing, focusing on digital strategy for Carlton Fields, a Top 200 national law firm. Three years later, looking for new challenges, he became marketing manager for Pemco World Air Services, an aircraft maintenance company. During this time, Gray began exploring online MBA options but faced challenges meeting some of their requirements.

“I was never a great test taker, and GMAT prep didn’t significantly improve my scores,” said Gray. “Frustrated, I sought programs that waived the GMAT, which led me to Gies Business.”

Gray envisioned using his MBA to jumpstart his pursuit of joining a company’s C-suite. He thought pursuing business operations or project management would broaden his perspective beyond marketing.

“Gies Business does a terrific job of explaining the learning outcomes for each of specializations,” said Gray, who chose the Gies Business iMBA’s Strategic Leadership and Management track with a focus on Entrepreneurship and Strategic Innovation.

“Even without traditional entrepreneurial ambitions, I saw the value in courses on creative thinking and organizational culture for growing any company, he said.

Gray appreciated Gies' diverse learning environment, which offers the opportunity to collaborate with people from different parts of the world, different ways of working, and different specialties.

“I learned how to be a better leader and team member, and how to use financial data to sell an idea,” said Gray.

Shortly after starting his MBA, Gray became a business project manager at Bay Area Legal Services, a legal aid organization serving the Tampa Bay area.

“Working for a non-profit allows me to stretch my creativity and share ideas in an environment where resources are tight,” said Gray, who has found it easier to implement new ways of working than at a big law firm or larger corporation.

“I’ve excelled by providing executive leadership with new perspectives and growth opportunities,” said Gray. “Gies Business offers a well-rounded, affordable program that fits seamlessly into a full-time workload.”

Since graduating in 2020, Gray has led or served as an advisor on several multi-year, six-figure grants. He is the co-founder of FosterPower, an app and website that offers youth in foster care easy access to digestible information about their benefits, protections, and legal rights. With over 4,500 app downloads and 22,000 web users since its May 2023 launch, the non-profit aims to expand nationally.

“I’m now inspired by my work I do, and I’m proud to help our firm help others who may not be aware of all the services they have access to,” said Gray. “My boss and the executive team appreciate how they’ve benefitted from my MBA learnings.”

From Pharma to Fizz

John Miller, MBA ’22
Co-founder, Winking Stars Sparkling Wines

John Miller, a seasoned pharmaceutical industry executive, found his career plateauing without an advanced degree.

“I come from a long line of educators, but my future father-in-law steered me towards a more lucrative career path by opening doors where he worked,” said Miller, who earned a history degree from Sonoma State University.

After 21 years of climbing the ranks AstraZeneca and a stint in physician’s marketing, Miller returned to the pharma giant as a district sales manager for another six years. Despite his established success, Miller yearned for an entrepreneurial alternative.

“Early on, my boss gave me a lukewarm response about the value of an MBA,” said Miller. “Later, I let my liberal arts background hold me back, convinced I did not have the credentials to do well in the program.”

But the dream of launching his own company persisted. When the pandemic grounded Miller’s travel, he revisited pursuing an MBA. He explored several options in his home state of Texas, but their oil and gas industry focus didn’t align with his goals.

“I ultimately chose the Gies iMBA for its strong focus on entrepreneurship, which was important for my dream to one day open a winery,” said Miller.

He credits marketing courses by Steve Raquel and Hayden Noel, both clinical associate professors of business administration, as key to understanding the power of social media marketing and strategic targeting. Initially “terrified” of the required accounting course, Miller found accountancy professor Oktay Urcan’s teaching style accessible and easy to understand.

“The Gies iMBA made me feel emboldened to try something new and equipped me with the basics to enter a well-established industry with an innovative product,” said Miller. “As I learned more about market segmentation, I realized that there’s a lot of white space in the wine category for new entrants with a distinctive offering.”

Just before graduating in December 2022, Miller co-founded Winking Stars Sparkling Wines with his and sister Denise Conte. Since then, their flagship product Mimoza has won awards in California and Texas and their winery has been recognized as "The Best Winery" in Grimes County, TX. Though Texas boasts the second-highest number of wineries in the US, Winking Stars is unique in its focus on sparkling wine. Due to challenging local growing conditions, Miller sources production in California, while managing operations from a small Texas town near Houston.

Initially, a tasting room was part of the business plan, but when that didn’t gain traction, Miller recalled associate professor of business administration Michael Bednar’s emphasis on building a business around a core product or service.

“Because Winking Stars is a canned wine, it didn’t lend itself to the tasting room concept as well as bottled wines,” said Miller. “So, we’ve pivoted from a direct-to-consumer hospitality focus to a consumer packaged goods brand model that builds on the canned cocktail trend.”

While acknowledging there’s no substitute for work experience, Miller encourages aspiring entrepreneurs to consider pursuing an advanced degree.

“There are no shortcuts to an MBA’s benefits, but the decision gets easier when the investment is $25k instead of $120K,” said Miller. “It was demanding -- and came with giving up some weekends with my wife and kids -- but when you weigh the pros and cons, consider your ‘why’ and how an MBA will can propel you toward your passion and achieving your life goals.”