“I always knew that I wanted to have the ability to make a big impact wherever I worked” says Brandon Shields, who embodies the heart of entrepreneurship within the corporate world. With a solid foundation in business from WSB, a management rotational program at DuPont and experiences managing people at JP Morgan Chase, Brandon was posed with the question on how he could incorporate entrepreneurship and innovation into his everyday life. His answer and journey took a turn when he joined the Weinert Applied Ventures in Entrepreneurship (WAVE) fellowship at the Wisconsin School of Business.
“I went through the end process of how you build a startup and I competed in case competitions. I realized the importance of developing an MVP, testing your strategy, testing your theory, interacting with potential customers to test and learn about your product and getting real life practical application. This prepared me nicely for the corporate world where I’m creating financial products.”
Brandon knew that if he wanted to grow at the pace he had set for himself, then he needed to be confident in his abilities. He highlights that he needed to take the risk of losing comfort to seek roles that could challenge him. He credits this ability to his time serving in the United States Marine Corps
At TD Bank, one of the largest banks in America, Brandon has found a hub to focus his entrepreneurial mind. Currently, Brandon is a Product Group Lead in their new product development team. His team is responsible for launching and developing new products within the credit card and loaning business. Brandon thanks UW-Madison for being a key resource in his journey saying, “it gave me the skills and abilities to adapt to any situation. Now, in a business transformation role at a major bank I often find myself tasked with figuring out very large complex problems that I can think of solutions for.”
Not only has Brandon found a creative outlet for his interests, but he remains passionate in exploring and learning more. He does this by helping others not only in a corporate setting, but within his community. Today, Brandon is on the board of a nonprofit that helps individuals struggling with food security or homelessness. In addition, Brandon serves on the Alumni Advisory Board for UW-Madison, helping current and former students stay connected to the university.
Not to be fooled, having a corporate job does not mean there is no room for entrepreneurship. Brandon states, “I took the corporate route and that corporate route has provided an excellent life for me and my family, but the experience that I gained being an entrepreneur and graduate school has also set me up indefinitely for my corporate career, and I know one day that I will maybe pursue that more.”
Brandon emphasizes the personal nature of entrepreneurship. He emphasizes that there is no singular path to success and encourages students to follow their passions, whether in entrepreneurship or within the corporate setting. However, Brandon serves as an example that both are possible.
“I think I would say right now that entrepreneurship really is a personal journey. You are taking the risk to pursue your dream and your goal. No one can tell you what’s best for you…you have to make those decisions yourself. You have to do what you believe in.”
Currently, Brandon says that he plans on staying at TD for as long as he can grow and contribute to the organization. While that might be five years or forever, Brandon pushes students to study entrepreneurship to help them expand their career interest like himself. Innovation is within every mind and exists in every capacity for those who believe in it.
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