Foster Evening MBA Alumni Spotlight: Laura Booth
A Senior Product Manager at Amazon shares how her education helped her pivot to a new industry
Written By: Chandana Surapaneni, contributing writer, Foster School of Business
Are you considering a career pivot to a new industry or role through the Evening MBA program at the Foster School of Business? Gain insights from alumni who have successfully made the transition. Meet Laura Booth, Evening MBA Class of 2023, who shifted from a career in finance to technology and now works as a Senior Product Manager at Amazon. Explore her inspiring journey and discover how she navigated this path.
Why did you want to pivot from the insurance industry to technology?
I think boredom was the primary motivator. Insurance is such an established industry — one of the oldest in the world. Once you understand how it works — the policies, the coverages, how claims get settled — it starts to feel repetitive. It’s essentially the same processes, just viewed through slightly different lenses depending on the situation. After six years, I found myself ready for something new.
On top of that, I felt the insurance industry wasn’t as connected to its customers or their evolving needs as I wanted to be; that’s what initially drew me to tech. It moves so quickly — there’s always something new being developed and something old being phased out. Tech stays connected to what people need because of how fast-paced it is. Ultimately, I wanted something dynamic and interesting that would stay that way for the long-term.
Why did you pick Foster for graduate studies, and why did you choose the Evening MBA program?
I chose Foster for its small, tight-knit network. When I was researching MBA programs, I kept reading that the network is what creates long-term value. I didn’t want to just casually know a large group of people — I wanted to build meaningful relationships with a closer group of people that I knew well. Foster offers that.
I’ve also been living in the Northwest for about six or seven years now, and my husband and I love it here. Foster’s strong connections to local tech companies were a big draw as well, as we wanted to stay in the area once I graduated.
As for the Evening MBA program, the flexibility was the key factor. When I started, I was applying for both internships and full-time roles, and I wasn’t sure which would work out first. The Evening MBA program lets you extend the timeline up to six years, or you can complete it in as little as two years. That flexibility was invaluable because I could adjust my pace depending on whether I landed a full-time role or an internship.
Which resources helped you gain expertise in the industry you wanted to pivot into?
I started with the Career Management Center at Foster, which introduced me to The Product Manager Interview by Lewis Lin. That book was a game-changer. It’s a dense read, but it breaks down case interviews and provides insights into how major tech companies approach their hiring processes.
Going through the exercises in that book was really eye-opening. I realized I wasn’t familiar with the thought processes or the terminology used in tech. For example, in insurance we’d say “roll out” instead of “launch a feature,” even if we were doing the same thing. If I said “roll out” in a tech interview, it would sound like I didn’t know what I was talking about.
I also leaned heavily on the Foster network, talking to current product managers to refine how I approached problems and articulated my ideas. Those conversations helped me shift my mindset and communication style to align more with what interviewers in tech would be looking for.
Did you have a strategy for leveraging the Evening MBA program?
Absolutely. I started applying for both internships and full-time roles in my first quarter. By mid-September, I was already submitting applications. I ended up landing an internship with Amazon, which led me to accelerate my MBA timeline and complete it in two years.
To make that work, I took electives with the full-time students during the day and my core classes in the evening. I started with a full course load so I could adjust if needed, depending on whether I landed a full-time role or internship. The program’s flexibility enabled this strategy, though I came in with a very clear plan and stuck to it.
How did you navigate accelerating the three-year Evening MBA program to fit your career goals?
It required a lot of intentionality. I came in knowing I wanted to finish in two years if I took the internship path, so I quit my job before starting the program. I don’t think it’s feasible to complete graduation requirements in two years otherwise.
I also advocated for myself to access resources off the typical timeline for an Evening student since I was specifically targeting internships. For example, I proactively reached out to the Career Management Center within weeks of starting to explain my goals and timeline, which is sooner than most Evening students would seek support from Career Management since most plan to complete the degree in three years.
It was also crucial for me to get involved with clubs and build connections. I leaned heavily on the Tech Club for resources, mock interviews, and case prep materials specific to product management. It was also helpful to build connections with Full Time students, who were heavily focused on recruiting for internships as well. That group provided a lot of comradery and solidarity in the job hunt, and I’ve maintained a lot of those relationships post graduation.
What specific networking opportunities exist at Foster for Evening MBA students?
When I started, I thought networking was all about formal events — wearing a blazer, holding a drink, and pitching yourself. But I quickly realized the most effective networking happens as you build friendships and relationships in informal settings, like gatherings after a milestone at school, or the weekly Wednesday night happy hours. Those are great opportunities to build genuine relationships with your peers.
Those relationships have already been instrumental in my career. For instance, when I decided to transition within Amazon, my network helped me identify new opportunities and roles I might be interested in, and one of my Foster connections introduced me to the team hiring for the role I ultimately accepted an offer with. I felt confident that I was headed to a great team that was aligned with my long-term career goals because of my network, and I’ve been very happy with my new scope and teammates so far.
What advice would you give someone entering the Evening MBA program with the goal of pivoting into product management?
Be intentional, research how to reach your goals and commit to consistent effort over time. A lot of people want to transition into product management but might not realize how much preparation it takes, particularly if you’re pivoting into the role. For example, case interviews are a standard part of the PM hiring process, but not everyone prepares for them and then could be caught by surprise during the interview. If you’re pivoting, you also need a really clear story that explains how your experience and skills will support the transition and why you are a great fit for product management.
Consistent preparation over time is also really key; whether for casing or behavioural interviews, trying to cram a few days before an interview is very stressful and may not go well in the end (particularly if you haven’t done case interviews before). So, my advice is to define your goal, plan your practice strategy, and follow through with sustained effort so that you feel confident and prepared when you receive an offer to interview.
How did you practice interviewing for product management roles?
The exercises in The Product Manager Interview were my main resource, as well as practicing with others. It’s one thing to read the book — it’s another to actually do the exercises in there. I forced myself to answer those questions even though I was pretty bad at it at first, but I kept getting feedback from classmates and coaches and my responses got better over time.
That process of working through those case questions helped me identify gaps in my thinking and refine my approach. Practicing case questions until I was comfortable with the format and how I would answer was what made me feel confident going into interviews.
What do you know now that you wish you had known when you were recruiting for internships in tech?
I didn’t realize how early the recruiting timelines were for internships specifically. For evening students looking to recruit for internships in their first year, my advice is to start reaching out to Career Management before the program even begins, especially if you’re interested in tech or consulting.
What are your most cherished moments at the Foster School of Business?
Oh, this is an easy one! I participated in the Costa Rica study abroad program, which was not only my first time leaving the United States but also an incredibly memorable experience. Traveling with classmates I knew through the program made it even more special. We explored topics like Starbucks’ and family-owned coffee farms’ sustainability practices and the broader sustainability efforts within the coffee industry.
Seeing Costa Rica for the first time was unforgettable, there were so many beautiful places to see and it had a distinct vibe. We visited the only coffee farm that Starbucks owns (Hacienda Alsacia) as well as small, family-owned coffee farms, which allowed us to see first-hand how coffee is grown, harvested, and processed, as well as how the challenges differed between large and small coffee operations. It was humbling to see and understand the issues people who grow and harvest coffee face — so that many of us can consume coffee daily without thinking too much about it.
The trip was not only highly educational, but it was also a great opportunity to create memories with other Foster students. It inspired many of us to have a renewed focus on sustainability within our own careers, as well as consider the broader impacts of our industries. It was also fascinating to see cultural differences in how business is conducted in Costa Rica compared to the U.S. The blend of real-world business objectives, cultural immersion, personal growth, and fun made it a real highlight of my time at Foster.
Looking back, do any other cherished memories stand out?
It’s not a specific moment, but my time serving on the executive board for the MBA Association (MBAA) is also a highlight. It was my first experience making leadership decisions that impacted a broad group of people while balancing expectations from two sides that sometimes had very different needs — the program office and the student body.
I had to navigate challenges like allocating resources between the Full-Time MBA and Evening MBA programs, finding compromises within competing priorities inside the Evening MBA, and bridging needs between groups. What felt like it could just be a leadership opportunity on paper turned out to offer a lot of really valuable lessons in how to be a leader in professional settings. What made it even better was working alongside people I trusted and respected, which created a safe space to grow and refine my leadership skills. I have definitely taken a lot of lessons from that experience into my career and have continued to trust the relationships that spun out of that experience.
Learn more about Foster School of Business Evening MBA program.
