Personal Update
Mary Koto
Situation Analysis
I retired officially this January. Since 2008 I worked at Bionest Partners, a boutique consulting firm in life sciences. Four of us started the company in fall 2008 – great timing for a NYC business. Fortunately, we survived that recession and I am now on the sidelines. I still advise on some projects, but finally have time for other things.
My first year retirement goal is to start one fun thing and one good thing. I am now learning to sing and have joined a choir that’s scheduled to sing at Carnegie Hall this fall (great timing again, most likely canceled). My good activity is mentoring at a local school for students who will be the first in their family to attend college. Also, I am continuing work with friends to support Democrat candidates to flip the Senate this November. Last year, we wrote over 2000 letters to get out the vote, and have registered over 1000 voters in San Diego.
My partner and I are faring well during the pandemic. Up until mid-May, the thing I missed most was a haircut. But John showed surprising talent at hair cutting. Now what I miss most is face-to-face time with friends, with good food and wine. I know we are incredibly privileged to have such minor problems.
Life Gifts
I am very grateful for good friends like Blake Spears and Janet Nicolini. Twenty years ago, a wise person told me, “Friends are the family you choose.” Friends are my family and I am lucky to have met two of them at the GSB.
More than financial good fortune, I am grateful for having good health and my partner John Thomas, who is very easy-going (together 38 years).
Lessons at Stanford and Beyond
The value of my GSB experience was much greater than I expected – and quite different. Coming from academic research that was solitary, during our two years at the GSB I learned how to work in a team. I made lifelong friends (see above).
My most valuable post-GSB lessons were mostly learned the hard way by making mistakes. Here are things I have tried to teach people just starting their careers. Sorry if they’re simple and obvious; somehow, the hardest lessons are the simplest.
- Working harder isn’t always the answer. When overwhelmed, think first if you can downsize, delay, or delegate part.
- When managing a challenging person, ask yourself:
- Working harder isn’t always the answer. When overwhelmed, think first if you can downsize, delay, or delegate part.
- When managing a challenging person, ask yourself:
- Can I trust this person to do the right thing?
- Does this person make my life easier?
- If the answer to either question is no, this may not be right person for the job.
- Begin with the end in mind. Or as Yogi Berra said, “You’re got to be very careful if you don’t know where you are going because you might not get there.”