Bruce
Co-Founder, Boston
- Why did you launch Analysis Group?
- Back in 1981, I was trying to figure out how I could be more entrepreneurial plus have some more fun. I wanted to build something different. I realized that if I was uncomfortable with lots of rules, there must be other people out there who felt the same way. So my colleague Mike Koehn and I started Analysis Group in some very humble quarters.
- How important is the bridge to academia?
- One of the constants over the years is that the best ideas truly prevail. And it doesn’t matter who or where they come from, because this is a pretty flat organization, with a collaborative, supportive culture. The scope of problems we work on is broad and reflects most of the disciplines you would find at a graduate school of business or economics. We’ve built strong ties to universities because we think that working with great professors keeps us fresh and provides us with the newest thinking. If our work was not ready to show to one of our professors, then it surely wasn’t ready for clients.
- How would you describe the work environment?
- Analysis Group is a pragmatic place, where we are asked to solve real and often quite difficult problems for our clients. Our work is concrete and tangible, and I have always found that satisfying. It’s also a great place for people who are confident in what they do, who enjoy testing their ideas and getting a chance to win.
- What advice do you have on how to build a career?
- When new people joining the firm ask me how to build a career here, I tell them to find a good mentor. Look around at the senior partners here – each one of them had the advice and support of someone else to help guide their careers and each will, in turn, guide others. Grow your own and bring someone else along – that’s the model. Also, we’ve never been afraid to hire someone who could replace one of us. Hiring people who are smart, self-starters, and a good fit with our culture keeps the firm vital and focused on growth.
