Alumni Profile: Chris Madden, MBA 2006

After a liberal arts undergrad and running my own business for 3 years, I wanted to have a solid foundation in business disciplines like accounting, management, finance, and marketing theory. UIC was the best value, best location, and direct route for me.

I had the most success when going “unconventional” routes the followed my entrepreneurial drive. So,

rather than considering taking a job that wasn’t right whether due to pay, location, or level of interest in the

work, I found creative ways that both earned income, sharpened my internet marketing toolbox, and

extended my professional network. One of the primary platforms where I did this was on odesk, and

having an MBA definitely set me apart from other agencies and contractors on that platform.

People who can adapt, learn, and have a good consistent attitude. Anyone who can look at data and use it

to tell a story, and relatedly, anyone who enjoys balancing creative (making ads, writing copy, developing

strategy) with analytical points is of interest to us. Specifically, being Google Adwords certified, knowing

SEO,a nd spending A LOT of time in facebook Power Editor are skills that give candidates a leg up when

we are looking to hire (like right now!).

For me, the most useful networking I do is specific to my industry: so startups and marketing. Some

events / locations that have been worthwhile: Technori Pitch, events at 1871, Chicago Ideas Week, wine

web at Orbit Media, and marketing meetups generally have all been good. Volunteering for one of those

events / organizations can be that start of a deeper relationship that pays off down the road. I have always

found that giving first a relationship without expecting anything in return is the best approach, so find a

charity, nonprofit, or other cause that resonates with you and get involved.

Be yourself (hopefully that includes not taking yourself too seriously) but be smart: try to imagine the

following 3 people’s reaction to any public post: the hiring manager from your best case scenario

future job, your best friend, and your mother.

Apart from being an active listener during the interview, I try to learn as much as I can about who is going

to be in the interview (or meeting) and then trying to connect my answers to making their jobs easier.

I found reinforcement that the entrepreneurial path was right for me (this was before the current boom in

VC-style consumer-facing web apps, now known as “tech entrepreneurship”), and I had professors and

classes that gave me tools I still use today: marketing, accounting, finance, management, all with highly

entrepreneurial applications.

I am at the very front end of building infrastructure and capacity at Matchnode to create the people and

systems we need to service a large market: small and medium sized businesses who have a solid foundation

but do not have the expertise to grow their business on the internet. So, it’s a constant juggling act of

executing campaigns for clients, building our internal infrastructure, and responding to new business

inquiries