Podcast Ep. 25 Stanford MBA '95 Katharine McLennan meets MBA '25 Carmen Gordon

Today, I’m joined by Carmen Gordon from the Stanford MBA Class of 2025. Carmen is a second-year MBA student originally from Spain, who previously worked in strategy consulting at McKinsey. She’s driven by a passion for social impact and has worked in the Philippines, Malawi, and Colombia, focusing on socioeconomic empowerment. During her time at Stanford, Carmen co-founded a startup exploring how AI can support freelance fashion designers and spent the summer in India and Europe, working with artisans and luxury brands to bridge cultures and commerce.

This episode is bittersweet—it’s the last one I’ll record with a member of the Class of 2025 before I do a final wrap-up episode reflecting on all 25 conversations. I hope to continue the podcast in October with guests from the Class of 2026, and between now and Octobert, I’ll be sharing weekly solo reflections on the research behind my upcoming book, The Leader’s Choice in the AI World: Sinking into Inertia OR Catalysing Ingenuity.

In this conversation, Carmen and I reflect on the differences—and surprising similarities—between our MBA journeys, 30 years apart. Carmen shares how technology is shaping the future of fashion and supply chains, and how her work is driven by a deep personal mission to foster meaningful livelihoods for artisans. We explore what it means to define success on your own terms, the courage it takes to walk your own path, and why reconnecting to your roots can be the most powerful leadership choice of all.

Chapters

00:00 Graduation Reflections and the Final Episode
03:11 Carmen’s Graduation Week and Pre-Graduation Rituals
04:26 Carmen’s Background and McKinsey Experience
05:53 The Differences in Entrepreneurial Culture
07:24 Comparing Paths: Consulting, Startups, and Career Ladders
11:00 The Social Impact Startup Journey
14:09 Carmen’s Malawi Inspiration and Volunteering
15:57 Launching the Startup with Classmates
17:38 Challenges with Emerging Markets and Luxury Brands
20:44 Rethinking the Design Process with AI
23:43 Generational Shifts: Big Picture vs. Implementation
28:29 Focusing on Designers: The AI Agent Project
31:32 AI as a Tool for Designers, Not a Threat
35:37 Generational Mindsets and Meaning in Work
38:47 Carmen’s Decision to Return to Spain
41:47 Balancing Career, Spirituality, and Roots
43:23 The Impact of Political Climate on International Students
45:33 Reunion Stories and Evolving Definitions of Success
47:27 The Bigger Picture of Technology and Meaning
49:49 Carmen’s International Adventures and Final Reflections
52:00 The Essence of Stanford and Redefining Success
54:26 Final Words and Emerson’s Quote on Success

Join the Podcast Series
Stanford MBA: From Baby Boomer to Gen Z | Class of ‘95 Meets Class of ‘25

Each of these episodes will feature a different pair of Stanford MBA people -- one from the class of 1995, and one from the class of 2025.

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📺 Also available on YouTube:
Entire series playlist:
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLSaVisoF0D_GKxVmHmakNxdpAJCb5_VTP

More info: https://www.katharinemclennan.com/

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