Leah MarcusSenior Director of Business Design & Strategy in IDEO's Chicago
Affiliated Programs
About
Leah is a Senior Director of Business Design & Strategy in IDEO's Chicago studio where she helps organizations identify business opportunities and design breakthrough products, services, and experience solutions. She has over 15 years of experience building innovative, human-centric growth strategies and operating models across physical and digital channels. Prior to joining IDEO, she oversaw the end-to-end customer experience and sales technology at Nordstrom Trunk Club, consulted on design and innovation strategy at Gravitytank, and specialized in product lifecycle management in the missile defense industry at Raytheon. While leading product management at a high growth startup, Leah brought countless products to market that generated millions of dollars in revenue - primarily driving growth through engagement, retention, and loyalty.
She is an alumni of the MMM Program at Kellogg, and holds a BSBA in finance and economics from Washington University in St. Louis. Leah is also an adjunct lecturer with the MMM Program, where she has taught design thinking and innovation courses for the past seven years.
Q & A
How has MMM made a difference in your career?
The MMM Program provided a foundation that propelled me forward in my career in both product management and design and innovation consulting. The unique curriculum and hands-on support from faculty, administration, and alumni gave me an opportunity to make space for creativity, embrace ambiguity, and learn through failure - all important lessons that carry forward from MMM to my role at IDEO today.
What value do you think MMM graduates bring to industry now?
The MMM Program equips its students with a highly differentiated, sought after skillset that can be applied across a multitude of career paths and industries - consulting, product management, marketing, and finance to name a few. MMM graduates are analytical, creative thought leaders who can collaborate across disciplines while bringing in a strategic, business mindset. What business wouldn’t benefit from that kind of leader?!
What advice do you have for a student just starting the MMM Program?
I always encourage MMM students to think deeply about what they hope to get out of the MMM Program and their Kellogg experience. And then to ruthlessly prioritize their time and energy during those two years in order to achieve that.