Careers

Q&A with Megan

After winning a Yale business plan competition, Megan got seed money to launch her start-up business in two different cities, and then, in the wake of the financial crisis in 2008, had to deal with shutting it down. She went on to earn a law degree and was prepared to enter corporate law practice when a chance meeting led her to McKinsey São Paulo. She is now one of the leaders of GLAM (Gay, lesbian, bi, and trans at McKinsey) for Latin America.

Interviewer: So you went to Yale and then plunged into your startup. What was the value proposition?

Megan: It was called JustMovedHere.com, and it was a city guide and social network for people that had just relocated.

Interviewer: What eventually happened? Did JustMovedHere.com move somewhere else?

Megan: The start-up was doing well, but my first formal attempt at raising funds for JustMovedHere.com coincided with the 2008 economic crisis—so I was unable to scale the business, even though I had successfully launched in two cities. I shut down the Web site as I entered law school because the time and financial commitment required to maintain the Web site were not sustainable as a law student.

Interviewer: How did you end up at McKinsey from law school at the University of Southern California (USC)?

Megan: While at USC, I wrote a dissertation about the corporate governance standards in Brazil’s “Novo Mercado” segment of the BOVESPA stock exchange. Coincidentally, my professor’s best friend from childhood was a partner at McKinsey São Paulo. I met her while visiting Brazil to do interviews for the dissertation, and she convinced me to join McKinsey. Up till then, I was only considering big law firms in Los Angeles.

Interviewer: What convinced you that this was the right path?

Megan: It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to learn and grow not only in a new industry, but also in a new culture.

Interviewer: Can you describe an engagement that really brought that opportunity to life?

Megan: I was working on an operations project for a steel mill in rural Brazil. I vividly remember the 8 hours I spent with a team of Brazilians as they performed maintenance on a 150-foot tall blast furnace. By the end of the day, we were all sweat-soaked and black with soot, but laughing and sharing stories in Portuguese. The team taught me how a blast furnace worked, so that I was able to help improve the efficiency of their maintenance process. It was an amazing experience that I never could have dreamed of having as a kid growing up in LA.

Interviewer: I understand that working in Brazil also gave you the chance to satisfy your need to give back to the community.

Megan: I recently did a pro-bono project tackling the housing challenges in Brazilian favelas—or slums—with a global NGO. One Saturday morning, the NGO’s team took our McKinsey team through Heliopolis (the largest favela in São Paulo) and into residents’ homes. We saw the housing issues first-hand. Some homes were overcrowded, with up to ten people living in two-room dwellings without windows. Other homes were constructed simply of tarps and cardboard with dirt floors. One of our directors interviewed a woman in her home about what it would take to improve it and the limited financing options currently available. He listened to her and connected in a way that was inspiring to watch. Our team worked with the housing NGO and local microfinance institutions to create and pilot a new financial product for low-income families. We also helped the NGO to create a scalable and sustainable business-and-operations model.

Interviewer: Did you feel disadvantaged by not having a traditional business background? That’s a question we get asked a lot by applicants who don't have one.

Megan: To be honest, I worried about it before I joined. But McKinsey’s learning team made sure that I got the right training; the mini-MBA program, was invaluable. They also connected me to other former lawyers for mentoring and support. Also, my engagement managers were always there, helping me to master financial modeling and more complex business concepts, such as corporate commodities hedging, even if it meant meeting with me off-hours.

Interviewer: Was it refreshing to get out of the male-dominated tech and startup world?

Megan: The most unexpected aspect of working at McKinsey was finding an amazing network of female mentors and peers. This has been the first time in my professional career that I have had this network to rely on.

Interviewer: What three adjectives describe McKinsey best? First in English, then in Portugese.

Megan: Dynamic, distinctive, fun. Gente boa, adventura, crecimento.

Interviewer: Do you feel like you're having an impact directly on McKinsey?

Megan: Yes, particularly in bringing GLAM and GLAM Allies to Latin America. I lead both those efforts in the region and have received total support from fantastic McKinsey leadership both in Latin America and globally. This is important work. Because of McKinsey’s position as a thought leader in the region, our support for a diverse and inclusive workplace has already started to open up the larger Latin American business community. At this pivotal moment in global civil rights history, I am very proud to have had the opportunity to significantly contribute to a larger cultural shift toward equal rights.

Interviewer: I heard that you dad is a big fan of McKinsey’s Take Time program.

Megan: Did he tell you? After my last study, I took a month of flex time, and my father and I went trekking in the Amazon Rainforest.

Interviewer: What five items mean the most to you, and why?

Megan: Well, let's start with three and next interview, I’ll give you two more!

My surfboard. I grew up surfing, and it’s what I do to keep my life balanced. A lot of my McKinsey São Paulo colleagues are also avid surfers, so you can generally find us on the weekends tearing up some of Brazil’s fantastic waves.

My passport. I love to travel and I literally wouldn’t be where I am today without it.

“Hoots,” the owl necklace my parents gave me for Christmas last year. Hoots is my favorite. I live away from my family now, so Hoots always reminds me of my mom and dad. I bring him with me on all of my adventures.

Education

• University of Southern California JD
• Yale University BA