S3 E2 | From Air Force to Founder with Alex Choi (Wharton)

In this episode, we sit down with Alex Choi (WG ’19, HKS ’19) to unpack his journey from the US Air Force to Wharton and Harvard Kennedy School – and ultimately to entrepreneurship. Alex shares how he built a standout narrative as a veteran applicant, the risk of leaving active duty before knowing he’d been admitted, and how his time at Wharton and HKS shaped his perspective on leadership, service, and career design. He reflects on the transition from the military to big tech, his roles at Instagram and Alchemy, and how those experiences led him to co-found YourNegotiations.com, a consulting company helping job seekers earn more by mastering salary negotiations.

This episode is brought to you by Juno, the collective-bargaining platform that helps MBA students secure lower rates on student loans. Learn more at juno.us/m7a

(00:00:00) M7A Sponsor: Juno
(00:00:34) Opener
(00:00:49) Introducing Alex Choi
(00:03:01) Decision to Attend B-School
(00:03:36) Military Background
(00:05:13) Why MBA?
(00:07:21) Finding Mentors
(00:08:31) Crafting a Compelling Narrative
(00:11:15) Career Highlights Recap
(00:12:32) MBA Application Challenges
(00:15:04) School Selection
(00:16:20) Working with an Admissions Consultant
(00:17:13) Going All In
(00:17:39) GMAT Strategy
(00:19:08) Applying for a Dual Degree
(00:20:13) Opportunity Cost of the Dual Degree
(00:20:54) Value of the Dual Degree
(00:21:27) Was It Worth It?
(00:21:58) Why Wharton
(00:23:10) Time Management as an MBA Candidate
(00:24:45) Post-MBA Career Update
(00:25:28) Founder Journey
(00:26:54) Launching YourNegotiations.com
(00:28:08) Wharton Resources for Entrepreneurs
(00:30:03) Bootstrapping vs. Raising VC
(00:32:22) Long-Term Goals
(00:33:45) How to Get in Touch with Alex
(00:34:19) Advice for Future Applicants