Jose Alonso
MBA 19
Co-founder and CEO
Caldo Restaurant Technologies
My goal was to enter the food industry with a focus on innovation and entrepreneurship. An MBA was a unique opportunity to pivot and dedicate my passions through calculated risks while being supported by a strong Haas food community and alumni network. An MBA allowed me to interact with leaders of industry, study real growing businesses, gain practical experience, and develop my entrepreneurial acumen to help make food ventures successful.
Using an MBA to gain valuable skills and experience for a new industry
Design thinking is merged into many courses, and I’ve learned how to understand the customer, how to adjust a business model according to consumer response, and the role of empathy in building a constructive relationship with an audience.
I've set up MBA consulting teams for small food businesses in the Berkeley/Oakland area. I worked with a small health food service business and an organic, fair-trade coffee company, assisting in their scaling and pricing strategies as well as attempting to improve their operating efficiency.
Classmates who care about your passions and success
Even before I was admitted, Haas students put me in contact with others who were active in food and brainstormed with me on strategies. I felt welcomed and embraced, like I was already one of them. That was unique, and I’ll never forget it.
At Haas, there's a diversity of experiences, cultures, and opposing perspectives, but what everyone shares is a commitment to working towards true purpose and meaning.
INTERNSHIP
Summer Associate
Rich Products Corporate Venture Capital Fund
Emeryville, California
JOB PRIOR TO HAAS
Senior Associate for Investment Banking Latin America M&A
Citigroup
New York City, New York
PREVIOUS DEGREE
BS, Economics
Boston College