Garett Awad '07
Position: VP, Group Strategy Director at Deutsch
Industry: Marketing and Advertising
Lesson Learned: It's amazing how far your passions can take you. You can help people and build a great business.
I was one of the first employees to join TOMS Shoes and have developed my career with a company whose cause and people I truly love. For every pair of shoes that’s purchased, TOMS will give a pair of new shoes to a child in need. I have been fortunate to see the company grow from an idea into a global brand that positively impacts so many lives.
LMU helped with every aspect of my development as a business professional and entrepreneur. Professor Fred Kiesner took me under his wing and mentored me for four years. Professor David Choi gave me the technical skills I needed and pushed me with tough love. Both professors helped me start a media company that I experimented with during my studies at LMU.
I learned some important lessons at LMU: it’s amazing how far a good attitude will take you even if you don’t have all the technical skills at first; also, no matter what people say, you can be successful and ethical at the same time.