Merchandise Manager, Left on Friday
MBA CO-OP
Class of 2014
McMaster University (Honours Bachelor of Commerce, Marketing; Bachelor of Arts, Sociology)
The Co-op MBA allowed me to gain experience with recognized, trusted, high quality companies, strengthening my resume and allowing me to pursue a career I was truly interested in.
Commerce
Retail
Current job position
Merchandise Manager at Left On Friday.
From Personal Interest to Career Path
Briar Stimakovits always had an interest in fashion but never considered retail a long-term career path. That is until she completed one of her MBA co-op terms working with a Canadian retail company’s buying team. The experience, Stimakovits says, changed everything.
“I learned that a role like a buyer or merchandiser allowed me to marry my creative side with my analytical side, and it allowed me to stay involved with my passion for fashion,” says Stimakovits who has worked in retail since she graduated from DeGroote in 2014. “The Co-op MBA allowed me to gain experience with recognized, trusted, high quality companies, strengthening my resume and allowing me to pursue a career I was truly interested in.”
Corporate Experience Leads to Confidence
When she enrolled in the Co-op MBA, Stimakovits wanted to explore her career path. While she participated in embedded work experience opportunities during her undergraduate studies, Stimakovits says she was eager to enter the corporate world. Looking back, she says the Co-op MBA is ideal for young professionals seeking corporate experience while continuing to learn.
“You get to employ what you have just learned in the classroom into real life situations,” she says. “Taking theory to practice, employing the tools and frameworks from textbooks into pitches, presentations and strategies, all in an environment centred around growth and development, is extremely beneficial. The MBA experience built my confidence. It allowed me to show up strongly in meetings and presentation settings and be comfortable leading teams and spearheading projects.”
Having worked in roles ranging from merchant and store layout manager to her current position as a merchandise manager for Left on Friday, a start-up swim and lifestyle apparel brand, Stimakovits credits the MBA with her continuous career advancement.
“My MBA prepared me to constantly evolve in my career,” she says. “It has helped me to be promoted to high responsibility, high recognition roles.”
McMaster University (Honours Bachelor of Commerce, Marketing; Bachelor of Arts, Sociology)
