Seidman Alumni Board Spotlight - Erika Wilmers
Professional Journey Quick Facts:
- Since graduating with my MBA from Grand Valley in 2012, I have held a variety of roles as a sales professional.
- From selling hand protection, to sugar free candy, to now enterprise web development services, my career in sales has taken me all over the United States.
How has Seidman had a role in your journey?
The MBA program at Grand Valley helped me understand business at both micro and macro economic levels. My cohort and I were given the opportunity to travel during the program and speak to business and political leaders on how business is shaped at a local, regional, national and international stage. This understanding has been extremely beneficial to my career and was a foundational element in understanding how to sell to large B2B and B2C organizations.
When did you graduate?
MBA - 2012
Where are you from?
Grand Rapids, Michigan
What do you do for fun?
I love spending time with my husband and two sons. Outside of family time, I enjoy going to Lake Michigan (in the summer months), being active, and specifically I love playing basketball every week in a co-ed league.
Erika's Advice
"Connect, connect, connect. Your network will provide you with opportunities if you take the time to build connections with the people you know and meet. One piece of advice I got as a senior in undergrad was to not be afraid to ask someone you want to get to know out for coffee. Learn from them and ask about their careers and how they got there. You'll be amazed at the stories you hear as well as the inspiration you might get from their career learnings."
Tell Us More...
What would you say has been the most significant professional outcome that came as a result of your GVSU degree from Seidman College?
Being hired in at a non-entry level role at Meijer Corporate for my first job out of graduate school. This really gave me confidence in my abilities as an employee and set my career on a trajectory I never really saw happening but am extremely thankful for.
If you could learn one new professional skill, what would it be and why?
I wouldn't say I would be starting from scratch, but public speaking is something I am continually working on as a professional skill. Someday I hope to be able to deliver a "TED Talk" type speech with the confidence and delivery skills of someone like Simon Sinek.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?
No one is going to look out for you the way you will look out for yourself. It was in the context of taking chances and following your passions. Always be your own best advocate.
If you could pick any job, what would it be?
I would be a consultant for small to medium size business. Having the opportunity to be a large part of the growth of a small business from $1MM in revenue to $4MM in revenue in a span of less than 3 years was one of the most fulfilling accomplishments in my career. I'd love to help other businesses do the same some day.