#33 David Loan - Strategy Manager @ KPMG / Impeccable Mandarin Speaker / Going Global / Where Push MEETS Pull

Career Overview

• David went to Hamilton College in NY and Johns Hopkins to get his masters in International finance in Nanjing China
• Currently a Manager with KPMG in Corporate strategy in the US that started originally in Shanghai China
• Prior to KPMG he worked for the Economist Intelligence unit, Standard and Poors and Bellwether Innovation thinking
• Board Treasurer for the Pulaski Institution

 Highlights

• Career has been a total random walk, falling In love with languages
• Loved the culture and background on learning languages
• 9 Month dedicated language program in Beijing 
• Being ill prepared for internships upon return to the US
• Really not planning ahead in College for internship or getting experience
• Relationships
   
  • The power of building and keeping in touch with people
  • Figuring out interesting ways to connect with people, it's not always about drinking and sports 
  • Look for authentic touch points throughout your career 
  • Building up social capital - People want to help each other out
• Graduate, pack your bags and move to china
• Use college to expand your horizons, take offbeat courses to be more well rounded
• Supportive parents on the international career
• Being a type A personality without an effective plan
• Salary negotiations in china is pretty much take it or leave it
   
  • Best decision of his life 
  • How salary at a young age isn't the biggest component to decision making 
  • Making decisions with student debt looming over you
• Some of my advice stuck "Life is a Pull"
• Find where push meets pull
• Nothing you do in your life is a waste of time
• What David is proud of in his life and career, impressive stuff