Home Region
Charlotte, NC
Undergrad Education
Duke University, Public Policy, 2011
Previous Experience
Procter & Gamble; MAXIMUS ; Freelance Consulting
“It’s not about how far you’ve come at any given point, but enjoying the journey and the company of those around you.”
Stephen Temple has always enjoyed a good challenge – both personally and professionally. An Ironman triathlete, Brand Manager, and aspiring entrepreneur, his journey has led him to take on a new series of challenges alongside his classmates at HBS.
An entrepreneurial spirit from the start
From a young age, Stephen developed a “budding entrepreneurial passion” opening a lemonade stand at age five. That marked the beginning of a journey that has taken many turns over the years, including a summer working with the Ministry of Education in Belize, starting a freelance consulting business, and a four-and-a-half year run with Procter & Gamble.Stephen likens his time at P&G and in consulting to what he appreciates most about HBS. “It is a beautiful intersection of complex problems and highly motivated teams working together to create solutions that make lives better around the world.” Seemingly prosaic products, Stephen learned, could have a dramatic impact improving lives: Replacing single-blade razors with safety razors increases hygiene and limits disease in rural India; facilitating greater access to feminine hygiene products helps young women stay in school in Africa. “Being at P&G,” says Stephen, “taught me to put myself in the shoes of customers with different vantage points and backgrounds.”
Exposure to bigger and more complex problems
Eager to work with those around him to embrace ever larger challenges, Stephen simultaneously applied to business school and launched a boutique consulting practice. Before beginning at HBS, he pursued a lifelong dream of living and working in France, where he served a client in the wine and hospitality industries, bringing strategic marketing and design insights to a local Champagne producer and a luxury boutique hotel.
For Stephen, HBS was the logical next step. “I was blown away by how many impressive and diverse perspectives were brought together in one room. As a Section, we tackle big problems with insights from multiple angles: different countries, religions, sexual orientations, and industries.”
Stephen gives back to the school by serving on the student Senate, where he “works alongside administrators to include a student voice in decision-making with lasting impact.”
This summer, Stephen will work with Bain & Co. in San Francisco, helping clients in the tech sector. Longer term, Stephen sees himself continuing to work in the technology space, either advising clients or as an entrepreneur himself. But he believes the path is as important as the goal. “It’s not about how far you’ve come at any given point,” he says, “but enjoying the journey and the company of those around you.”