What grades did you attend Bullis? What year did you graduate?
6th-12th grades, Class of ‘18
Where did you attend college and what is your occupation?
I currently attend George Washington University in Washington DC; currently am the Founder of OTGBABY, Inc.
What activities or classes were most memorable for you as you reflect on your time at Bullis?
I particularly enjoyed playing on the Varsity Ice Hockey team. I made many friends on the team, improved my game, and learned how to manage my time alongside academics. My favorite classes were the Entrepreneurship capstone and one elective I took called Food Science.
How did Bullis best prepare you for college and beyond?
It was a combination of the coursework, the people I met, and the extracurricular involvement due to athletics. Managing sports and academics back in high school put me on the path to having excellent time management skills, which has helped a ton while running my business. I took some challenging courses at Bullis that allowed me to develop critical thinking skills, and I was also able to meet amazing mentors that have provided me with advice both personally and professionally.
Please tell us about what you have been doing since graduating from Bullis.
I went off to College at GW and re-launched my company OTGBABY in early 2020. Since then, I have been operating the company full-time.
Which part of your journey has been most rewarding?
For me, it has been the learning aspect. I have learned infinitely many things starting my own company that I would not have learned elsewhere both from the process and the mentors/teammates I have surrounded myself with. I learned to become passionate about learning and being better each day.
What would you say to Bullis students who are currently on their journey to finding purpose?
Simply to start trying/doing new things. I would tell a student to think about what they think they are passionate about, and start being a part of projects/activities that involve those passions. Even if they find out they are not passionate about one part of the initiative, they can be passionate about another, which can lead to the next idea/project. This potentially helps people truly figure out what they like.
Who is someone that inspires you and how?
My mother Barbara Guterman. She is an entrepreneur herself and always inspired me to start a company. I have learned tons of lessons from her, and now have the honor to work with her on OTGBABY on a daily basis.
What is the best book or production that you have read, watched, or listened to lately?
I watched a Stanford lecture where Reid Hoffman interviewed Brian Chesky. Among the many things he speaks about, he talks about how he started AirBnB. He talks about how scrappy they had to be when they started the company- doing things from making cereal boxes to sell to fund themselves, to flying across the country to New York to take photos for hosts and uploading them onto the internet. Very inspiring how small, scrappy things can add up to much larger things, as I am learning in my own venture.
What global challenge would you like to see tackled and how do you see yourself contributing to the positive change that you desire?
Water scarcity is an issue I am becoming more passionate about. I hope to be a part of a company in some capacity in the future that looks to solve this problem.
Why would you tell a prospective family to choose Bullis?
For me, it would be the many opportunities Bullis provides to get involved in the community in addition to simply coursework. As I mentioned earlier, Bullis made me incredibly well-rounded when I graduated. From my involvement in Sports, to clubs, to community service, I was able to be involved in so many different activities that not only allowed me to gain excellent time management skills, but to meet so many people, truly feel a part of a community, and gain excellent real world skills.
- Alumni
- Class of 2018
