Alumni Spotlight: Angela Sobol

Angela Sobol is the U.S. Head of U-Studio, Unilever’s in-house creative agency. At U-Studio, her job focuses on working with brand teams to provide creative content solutions at scale across a variety of marketing and advertising channels. As the digital and social media ecosystem are converging at an ever-increasing rate, Angela and her team continue to look for new and innovative solutions.

How has your learning been applicable in your current role?

I have 17 years of experience in advertising and marketing, which remains the primary focus of my work. Completing the program allowed me to better round out any areas I thought were necessary in order for me to think beyond the typical marketing and advertising lens. Ultimately, this allowed me to formulate a more holistic business sense and have better conversations in areas of Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) business that I previously didn’t know.

What motivated you to pursue this program?

There are several areas within CPG that were new to me – mainly supply chain, retail, and different financial aspects that I hadn’t encountered before in my career. Also, I have always wanted to get an advanced degree such as a Masters, but hesitated due to its high cost and whether I thought an advanced degree would further my career. The Business Essentials Mini-MBA allowed me to accomplish both of these goals. Now, I better understand and have more confidence when discussing new parts of the business and I’ve gotten that taste of an advanced degree.  

What was your biggest personal or professional gain from taking this program?

My honest answer would be the personal satisfaction of being able to attend a Masters-type program and the fulfillment that came along with it. However, the program also gave me more confidence in areas that I was unfamiliar with, which has really helped me in having conversations with others. My motto has always been “fake it ‘til you make it”, but you still need to arm yourself with knowledge as much as possible. I got that from the Mini-MBA.  

What does the term “reinvent” mean to you?

I love this question because that is what I’ve striven to do throughout my career. While I’ve always worked in advertising and marketing, I’ve done something new and different with each place of business - always building on what came before, but being out of my comfort zone. I use learning to build up areas I may know less about or where things have evolved faster than I’ve been able to keep up. I want to continue taking on new challenges as I am not someone who wants to do the same thing for the rest of my life. I lend the passion gained from my past experiences to any new opportunities so that I can continue to reinvent myself.

What does the term “lifelong learning” mean to you?

To me, lifelong learning means to continuously grow as an individual, both on a professional and personal level. The world is moving so fast and post-COVID, it’s more difficult to make human connections. Lifelong learning is really about creating those experiences and gathering whatever information is necessary to stay connected to people. It’s also about being able to find a sense of empathy as well as exchanging and reflecting on our own experiences, learning something new each time.

In looking back on your program experiences, what stands out to you?

I really want to recognize the program director and the rest of the team at Rutgers for creating such a great mix of professionals from a diverse set of backgrounds including age, prior experiences, location, and differing careers. It was a curated experience that also fit my key requirement of being in-person - I really wanted to be back in a classroom and not just in front of a computer screen in my own bubble. I know that it was a concentrated effort on the staff’s part to make sure the program fostered an inclusive environment with engaging professors and students.

What advice would you give to fellow professionals or colleagues that might not have considered this type of program?

I would tell other professionals that this program is very achievable in terms of time, commitment, and cost. The in-person option of the program is short enough to take time off, but Rutgers also gives you the option to take the course online. Whether you are new to your career, already have a few years behind you, or are in a leadership position, this course can offer you something that will help you improve.