Natalie Borowski (C'17)
Email: Feel free to contact Natalie Borowski at nborowski95@gmail.com.
What did you study at Penn and when did you graduate?
I graduated in 2017, and I concentrated in finance and management. Within my management concentration, I did the innovation and entrepreneurship track. I also minored in computer science.
What were you involved with as an undergraduate?
I was the President of Wharton Women and the President of Kappa Alpha Theta. I loved having a strong community of women around me. I learned a lot from both organizations and made lifelong friends.
What is your career history and what do you do daily in your current role?
I began my career at McKinsey & Company. I had projects across industries, but quickly realized I loved the consumer space. I mainly worked with clients in apparel, fashion, luxury, retail, and other consumer goods. McKinsey was the perfect place to start my career. I learned a ton and met a lot of incredible people.
I also worked at La Mer, a luxury skincare brand owned by Estée Lauder, on strategy and marketing to develop plans for global growth, in-store technology, and consumer engagement and experience.
Currently, I’m an investor at Coefficient Capital, a venture capital and growth equity firm that focuses on the intersection of consumer and technology. My day-to-day varies a lot, but my role primarily consists of sourcing, diligence, and portfolio company support.
How did you come to work at La Mer?
La Mer was a secondment through McKinsey. After two years in consulting, the firm encourages you to try something new, whether it’s an internal rotation to a different team, a transfer to an international office, or a secondment. I chose a secondment to get experience working directly at a brand in an operating role. La Mer was a great fit because I love the beauty space, the brand is iconic, and the team has a caring culture.
What is your favorite aspect of your current position?
I love working with founders. I’m constantly inspired by entrepreneurs, and it’s fun to learn about all the innovative early stage businesses being built. It’s exciting to provide founders with the capital and support needed to help grow their start-ups.
How has being a woman affected your career trajectory, if it has?
I’m very passionate about women’s empowerment in the workplace. In my career, I’ve prioritized firms that share my values and care about diversity in all aspects. Culture is one of the most important factors for me when picking a job. It’s also important to have strong female leaders in an organization so that you have role models to look up to and people you can go to for advice. It’s all about having the right support network and standing up for what you believe in.
What advice do you have for our members as they begin exploring careers and internships?
When thinking about your career, focus on people and culture. Being surrounded by people you trust and respect is critical.
As you explore careers and internships, don’t be afraid to try new things. Do a different internship each summer. Experiencing new firms, roles, work environments, etc. will teach you a lot about what you like to do and what you don’t. Collect all the data points from each experience to inform your next decision, and then you’ll be that much closer to a job you love.
When it comes to school, my biggest piece of advice is to take advantage of the Penn ecosystem. Join clubs outside of Wharton, register for random classes that sound interesting to you, sign up for travel programs, and try new things.