“What will it take?” This is the mindset Hayden Tanabe ’18 has used throughout his life and career to help him achieve levels of success he never thought possible.
A natural-born leader with a genuine desire to help others, Hayden has amassed an impressive list of accolades in his young adult life. He is currently in his second year at Harvard Business School, where he’s earning his MBA while serving as student body co-president. Hayden was class president in high school and student body president at LMU, so he’s got some experience under his belt.
Hayden hit the ground running in his first year at HBS as a section president for nearly 100 students. The feedback he gathered informed his priorities as president, where he now oversees 2,000 students. Before stepping into the role, Hayden spent his summer building a diverse executive team, a detailed budget, and a concrete set of goals. He responded to student concerns, planned signature events, and developed a roadmap for building campus engagement and accessibility.
“The HBS Student Association, Inc. is a distinct legal entity, separate from Harvard Business School,” said Hayden. “As a result, we independently manage our finances, operations, and governance. This role mixes my love for student government with running a business.”
Hayden admits he’s having the best time of his life right now, but none of it would be possible without the relationships he made and the experience he had at LMU. “LMU positioned me very well for success at HBS.”
Originally from Torrance, Hayden chose LMU because he didn’t want to venture too far from home and wanted to get involved on campus immediately. He made a splash during his four years at LMU as president of the Residence Hall Association, orientation leader, Rains research assistant, senior vice president of the Delta Sigma Pi business fraternity, and member of the MAGIS service organization.
“I have so many great memories of my time at LMU, but serving as ASLMU president my senior year was the highlight of my experience,” said Hayden. “There were a lot of tough decisions to be made, and it helped me grow as a leader and gave me more conviction in the decisions I’ve made as HBS president.”
After graduating from LMU with a degree in management, Hayden worked in consulting at EY for five years while continuing to serve his alma mater as the inaugural chair of the LMU Brand Ambassadors Program. “Consulting teaches you a lot about different industries; it makes you industry agnostic.”
Eventually, Hayden’s focus turned to graduate school, and changing coasts was at the top of his list. “I always wanted to go back to school to get my MBA, and I yearned for a totally new experience. I also really missed the educational environment and being involved in a close-knit community.”
Once again, Hayden immediately made his mark at Harvard Business School. Before classes even started, he organized a trip to Croatia for his cohort. “I’m all about bringing people together.”
“It’s been interesting to be in this environment surrounded by so many successful people,” said Hayden. “LMU made me think more critically through a Jesuit lens…men and women for others. What are you co-creating, collaborating on, bringing everyone together for…the Jesuit principles I was taught carry with me in my current role.”
Hayden is often asked about his plans after Harvard. For now, he’s 100% focused on maximizing his experiences and not thinking too far into the future. While he doesn’t intend to go back into consulting, he thinks everyone should have a big company experience. A smaller organization where he can have more autonomy is more appealing to him now.
“I was never entrepreneurial prior to HBS and now I’m more open to that path,” he says. “I don’t know what my future holds or where my journey will take me, but I feel more confident being a leader in any space and that’s a good place to be.”
