Ariella Tenuta
Roadtrip Nation
Costa Mesa, CA USA
"You have to know what your core values are in terms of your personal satisfaction and happiness and look for that in the place that you work."
Career Roadmap
Ariella's work combines: Business, Numbers, and Problem Solving
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Day In The Life
Skills &
Education
Here's the path I took:
High School
Bachelor's Degree
Business/Commerce, General
University of WisconsinMilwaukee
Graduate Degree
Business Administration and Management, General
University of Chicago
Here's the path I recommend for someone who wants to be a Chief Financial Officer (CFO):
Bachelor's Degree: Business/Commerce, General
Graduate Degree: Finance and Strategy
Learn more about different paths to this career
Life & Career Milestones
I've taken a lot of twists and turns
1.
Growing up, competitions were a constant for me, which helped me get comfortable in front of people and to push for success. I also had a very supportive mother who gave me confidence.
2.
I flunked out of my first year of college because I was having too much fun to go to class. I had to work hard to get back into the university and retake all my courses to salvage my GPA.
3.
Despite being back on track in school, I got pregnant and had my daughter with 2 yrs to go. By then, I had figured out how to be a successful student and completed my bachelor's degree with honors.
4.
After graduation, I taught English for a year on French island. Then I waitressed and took administrative jobs until I started building my accounting career, but I didn't care much for the work.
5.
I always regretted not having gone to a top college out of laziness. So after a few years of lackluster work, I decided to go big and got my MBA from University of Chicago Booth.
6.
I’ve since worked for great places but also some companies that were a really bad fit for me. I was distracted by things that seemed good but weren’t the most important in my own personal values
7.
When my daughter went to college I took my gap year to travel India and SE Asia and teach yoga. A lot of people thought I was crazy to abandon money and my career, but I learned a lot on the journey
8.
Now, I’m doing something I really love because I have found a workplace that aligns with my values. As the first CFO of Roadtrip Nation, I'm in a role where I impact our company growth and mission.
Defining Moments
How I responded to discouragement
THE NOISE
Messages from Family:
Diverging from your career path is irresponsible (when I took extended time off to travel); you're throwing away your potential.
How I responded:
I have supportive parents who allowed me to make my own choices. Every choice that I made along the way brought me here so I feel I’m a little bit wired to shed the noise. I fully subscribe to the idea that there is no one path. Whether you listen to the noise or shed the noise, you have to try to make the best choices for you. You’ll end up in a place you want to be.
Experiences and challenges that shaped me
I had my daughter in college and struggled with being a single mom. Trying to balance being there for my daughter and still grow in my career has always been a challenge. It's about finding your right balance.
I was raised by a single mother and my immigrant father was not able to provide a lot of financial support. Financial stability was a struggle and everything I accomplished in my life I built from scratch.