Natalie Benoy W’09
What did you study at Penn and when did you graduate?
I studied Marketing and Management and I graduated in 2009
What were you involved with as an undergraduate?
I was involved in the SBDC (Small Business Development Center), Social Impact Consulting (SIC), and Wharton Women
What was your favorite part of Penn/Wharton?
Definitely the people! I grew up in a small town in Illinois so going to Penn was such a great opportunity to meet people from all around the world. It was amazing to learn from all of them and they were so key in making an amazing experience at Penn. They’ve helped me find jobs and coached me along the way. Penn has a really unique combination of smart and ambitious people, but also really nice, caring, kind, and open people. That intersection is just magic!
What has your career journey looked like?
During college, I interned at Nike and American Express. I spent 4 years at American Express in the NYC and London offices. For the past 7.5 years, I’ve been at Google in the California and London offices. I’m currently in London working in a marketing position focusing on Google’s physical products such as their pixel phones, nest products, and chromecast. In the past, I’ve held Chief of Staff roles and worked in Strategy Consulting.
What has been the biggest challenge of your career?
People always tell you to have a five year plan and that can be a really hard thing to do and it may not be the right thing to do. Anytime I come with a plan, it isn’t ambitious enough or I ended up in jobs I didn’t even know existed. I’m working on getting comfortable with the fact that not everything needs to be planned.
How was your summer abroad experience at Penn?
My summer abroad experience was amazing and it was my first time outside the United States! I did a 10 week program in Spain where we lived with house families, went to classes 3-4 days a week, and spent our free time exploring cities. It was such a horizon expanding experience and gave me an appetite for travel. It also immersed me in learning another language and inspired me to work abroad in the future.
What advice do you wish you had known when you were an undergraduate?
On the note of going abroad, definitely do a semester abroad if you can! My more general advice is to not put too much pressure on yourself which I know is easier is said than done. I remember being filled with anxiety as a Freshman. Showing up on campus surrounded by really smart and intimidating people can be scary and you might feel like everyone has a plan. Remember that you don’t need to have a plan and you should follow your curiosity. My favorite classes were the philosophy classes and pottery classes I took.
When you start thinking about your career, don’t feel like you have to know what you want to do. Just follow your curiosity and it’ll come together along the way. When you’re feeling nervous, don’t be afraid to share that with your friends and classmates. There’s a perception that everyone has everything figured out, but chances are that you’re all in the same boat.
What drew you to London and do you like living there?
I love London! I came here for a 3 week project, then extended my stay to 3 months, and then 3 years. A lot of the things I love about Penn are what I love about London. There are people from all around the world working in a diverse range of industries such as technology, finance, healthcare, and the arts. It’s such an incredible city and people have a really great work-life balance. You get twice as much time off work, it’s easy to travel, and it’s so green and beautiful.