Most of the stories previously featured in this series show the amount of time and effort that Hultians put into planning their networking strategies. Some of us started planning months before coming to Boston (see for example Part 1 and Part 2). This time, it’s not the case. Today’s story is filled with pure gut feeling, going with the flow, and creating bridges out of thin air. A truly inspirational story if you, like Nadav, are a factory of dreams and visions.

 

Born and raised in Israel, Nadav Zohn has done it all. From being an Air Defense Artillery Officer for the Israeli Air Force to living and traveling for a year through Southeast Asia with his soon-to-be-wife, Amit. He was so inspired by his undergrad dual-major in Sustainability and Economics that he had to see with his own eyes how it is done in futuristic Japan, South Korea, and other Asian countries where the economy is strong and sustainability is implemented in every aspect of everyday life. His home country is considered the original “startup nation,” which explains his decision to start his career track working for a couple of tech startups before applying to the Global MBA program at Hult.

Nadav admiring the urban design at the skate park near Hult Boston campus on the Charles River.

Learning #1: Questions open doors

“It was the first week of August 2018 when I asked for some help with the application process for an MBA program starting September 2019,” Nadav recalls. “Granted I was already quite ready with my GRE score and some cover letters. So, upon asking for help, I came to learn of an opportunity to start my MBA in September 2018 at Hult. Wait, what?! I could start an MBA a month from now? I was overwhelmed for a moment but got to my senses quickly enough to reply with a roaring LET’S DO THIS! ‘Ask, and you shall receive,’ I thought to myself. This soon enough became my mantra throughout my year at Hult Boston.”

Nadav (far left) and his team after presenting in the finals of the Hult Prize local round.

“Everything went super smoothly. I had the best interview with the enrollment advisor, and I was extremely excited when I got a scholarship approval, and better yet, got accepted to study at the Boston Campus,” Nadav recalls with a big smile on his face. “But wait, where will I stay? I had no time to find a room/apartment/street bench with a proper winter cover. So, I started asking again, to everyone I knew. My friends and family recruited to the mission, and in no time, my friend got me in touch with his family who agreed to host me until I got settled in. Perfect!”

Learning #2: Questions bring people together

“November came, and with it the realization that my classmates became my family. The Hult community is a unique and super powerful one because of its diversity and vast global experience. So, I had this crazy idea: why not harvest all that awesomeness into a TEDx event on campus?”

 

By now you should’ve noticed a pattern here. If your answer was “He’s going to ask someone,” you’re getting the point. Nadav started asking around: classmates, Hult Students’ Association reps, professors, even his Dean, to see if anyone even knew how to organize such an event. “Fast forward to six months later, many board meetings, chocolate chip cookies, and the first TEDxHultBoston event successfully took over the campus (and your mobile screens). This would never have happened without the teamwork and help of my incredible peers, and specifically Yugma, Shloka, and Mridul.”

Nadav at his inaugural TEDxHultBoston event on campus.

Learning #3: Questions make things happen

Nadav’s mantra works like a charm for him. As we were sipping coffee during our interview, he kept on telling me all these crazy stories and their incredible outcomes. Story after story they all had one thing in common; they started with Nadav ending many of his sentences with a question mark.

 

“I got into grad school, got a place to stay, got to meet amazing people with whom I’ve created new friendships, got to go to Six Flags theme park, got to upgrade my laptop for free (granted it was malfunctioning, but still!), got replacement tickets, got to taste delicious food, got to participate in Hult Prize with an amazing team, got to help others, got to take care of some awesome pets, got an internship, got good grades, got advice from my professors, got a free library membership, got to learn cool people from visionary startups, and so much more. And what’s my point? Honestly, just ask! Ask people for directions, ask them for advice, ask for their time, ask to offer them beer/hummus/cupcake. Ask for help, ask them what they do, or simply ask what’s their favorite TV show.”

Nadav conquering his fear of heights at Six Flags with wife Amit.

It was Steve Jobs who said “you can’t connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backward. So, you have to trust that the dots will connect in your future.” Think about the power of a question and how asking it will put you in the fast lane toward achieving your craziest dreams. All you have to do is ask.

 

 

This is the fifth of a six-part series. Come back next week for the final installment.

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