Tom O'Brien

The first half of my career was spent working for large corporations in a variety of positions.  In 2006, I was part of a team that sold our public company to Philips, N.V.  In 2008, I co-founded a company focused on stem cell diagnostics with technology licensed from my alma mater, Georgia Tech.  My partner and I grew the business through 2021 and sold it to a Private Equity firm.  I am interested in helping start-up companies overcome challenges, and help individuals think through career options.

My advice to students...

First, find something you are good at and work hard to become one of the best at that activity. Second, don't be afraid to make a mistake.  You can recover from a mistake, but you can't make a mistake of you are too timid to take a risk.  Third, be open to the possibility that there is more than one way to achieve your objectives.  Fourth, don't be afraid to ask for help.