2021 Best & Brightest Business Major: Sven Wollschlaeger, University of Michigan (Ross)

Sven Wollschlaeger

University of Michigan, Ross School of Business

“I like to smile, laugh, and build.”

Fun fact about yourself:  I’m a Big Space guy! I once met my childhood hero, NASA astronaut Buzz Aldrin, at a conference in Boston (Congress of Future Science and Technology Leaders). I’m still geeking out to this day!

Hometown: Monroe, Michigan

High School:  Monroe High School

Major:  Business (Emphasis in Tech and Corporate Strategy); Computer Science

Favorite Business Course:  BUSABRD 320 – Corporate Strategy in China

Extracurricular Activities, Community Work and Leadership Roles During College:

  • VenueTourist, Founder, President, COO
  • Zell Early Stage Fund, Education Team Lead
  • Sam Zell Entrepreneurial Scholar @ UMich
  • GE-Reagan National Scholar
  • AXA National Student Achievement Scholar
  • Elks Most Valuable Student Scholar
  • Nexecon Consulting Group, Member
  • Michigan Interactive Investments (MII), Member
  • Harvard Business School’s Pre-MBA “Peek” Program (2019)
  • TD AmeriTrade and JP Morgan Chase, EECS Showcase Champion
  • Michigan Community Scholars Program (MCSP)

Where have you interned during your college career? (List Companies, Locations and Roles)

  • Quicken Loans, Data Infrastructure / Data Lake (Software Engineer), Detroit
  • MoneyLion, Data Science & Fraud (Software Engineer), San Francisco
  • Detroit Venture Partners, Entrepreneur in Residence (EIR), Detroit
  • StockX, New Product Strategy + Innovation, San Francisco (Remote)
  • Insight Venture Partners, Investment Analyst, New York City
  • VenueTourist, Founder, President, COO, Chicago

Where will you be working after graduation? Insight Venture Partners, Investment Analyst

What company do you admire most? StockX. One of many (upcoming) Unicorns, Proudly Built in Detroit. Best City in the World. Build here, you’ll build the world!

Who is your favorite professor? Professor Jose Uribe, who taught Management and Organizations: Behavioral Theory of Management. Like I said, I like to smile, laugh, and think hard. Professor Uribe made each of those happen, every time I stepped into his classroom. Thank you, Professor Uribe!

What advice would you give to a student looking to major in a business-related field? Follow up, and follow through. Then repeat. Not just in business, but in everything you do.

What has surprised you most about majoring in business? My biggest surprise in business school: Self-honesty really does unlock everything! Be self-honest with your true interests. Namely, do what you want, not what you’re told. Be intellectually-honest with your capabilities (double-down or build-up, wherever necessary). And be honest in knowing … Your best friends today are the world’s titans of industry tomorrow.  So be nice!  Curious. And genuine. Always.

Looking back over your experience, what is the one thing you’d do differently in business school and why? Decision-making (which is what this question gets at) is a numbers and an accumulated data problem. As a result, I would have made failure an option a lot sooner. First, not doing so is a disservice. Second, once I did this, every door just started opening. Define your contingency plan. Ask yourself tough, uncomfortable questions. But then get to work (on ~whatever~ it is) with vigor and passion and confidence. Anything I regret in college, I regret not doing sooner. Starting earlier. Building earlier. Learning earlier. Asking earlier.

Which academic, extracurricular or personal achievement are you most proud of? First year, I co-founded a 3D and virtual reality tech company specializing in higher-ed campus tour creation. Over three years, I am proud that we built and scaled VenueTourist from my dorm room to being deployed at universities all across the U.S. – from campuses like GWU to the University of Miami. We raised <$1M from the co-founder of JetBlue, and pitched to Google Streetview, Bessemer Venture Partners, and A16Z. We were invited to operate out of Dan Gilbert’s Detroit Venture Partners office (2019), and I just recently participated in Y Combinator’s Virtual Startup School. I learned the value of good products, great execution, exceptional teams, and starting!

Which classmate do you most admire? Adam Mastis. Loyal, kind-hearted, and an exceptional thinker, above all else!

Who would you most want to thank for your success? My mom. I love you! <3

What are your hobbies?  I am a research junkie, and I love learning. I once read 30 books in 30 days! I love Charles DuHigg and Ernest Hemingway. I also love reading about (and visualizing) the tech that will prove massively consequential in the upcoming decades (Enterprise Security, .. FinTech, .. Mobility, .. and Next-Gen Marketplaces)! P.S. Send me your best book recommendations!

What made Sven such an invaluable addition to the Class of 2021?

“As a whole, Ross School of Business students have many admirable traits in common, as they are highly intelligent and driven toward success. Yet even within this high achieving group, there are those who truly stand out. I cannot think of a better example of this than Sven. My first meeting with Sven left an indelible impression, as he was so clearly motivated by a sheer love of learning.

In the four years that I have had the pleasure of working with Sven, this trait has remained his guiding principle in all that he has accomplished. Whether that is founding a company that has enjoyed great success (both in reputation and monetary gain), landing prestigious internships, seeking out deeper knowledge of business industries through self-study, or finding mentors who are quickly invested in his success once they recognize his ability and enthusiasm, Sven’s passion and drive are always at the forefront.

Sven’s continued success in the business world is not in question, I know that he will go on to do many great things. I also know that by honoring his love of learning and creating new ideas that he will find great fulfillment in his work and contributions to the world. I look forward to watching Sven take the world by a storm after graduation.”

Eva Bacevice
Academic Advisor – Bachelor of Business Administration Program
Ross School of Business

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