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Sam G.

Sam Gersten

Break into Corporate Strategy | Cisco Senior Manager, Corporate Strategy

Kellogg School of Management (Northwestern) Logo

Studied at Kellogg School of Management (Northwestern)

Cisco Logo

Works at Cisco

Questions? Start chatting with this coach before you get started.

Sam's Offerings

Custom hourly · $79/hr

Get help with AI Automation, AI Fundamentals, and .

Sam’s Business Operations & Strategy Qualifications

Experience level: Director

After starting out in consulting (Strategy&), I'v since moved to in-house Corporate Strategy (Cisco) while advising startups on growth & operations. I have a Kellogg MBA, a UPenn BA, and can help you make the transition from consulting to tech strategy! As a Senior Manager in Corporate Strategy at Cisco, I lead teams in developing growth strategies across domains, including AI, cloud data centers, and supply chain management. My experience extends to advising startups on strategic finance and business operations, ensuring a comprehensive understanding of both corporate and entrepreneurial landscapes. Having coached startup founders in business strategy and operations, and regularly helping Fortune 500 executives solve strategic questions in my work, I bring passion and experience about helping clients navigate complex challenges and achieve their professional goals. Let's connect to tailor a strategy that aligns with your aspirations!

Sam can help with:

AI Automation

AI Fundamentals

Business Strategy Development

Competitive Analysis

Cover Letters

Financial Analysis

Interview Prep

LinkedIn Review

Market Research

Negotiation Skills

Networking Strategy

Operations Management

Process Improvement

Project Management

Resume Review

View all of Sam’s categories

Work Experience

Juno Logo

Growth Advisor

Juno

September 2025 - April 2026

Cisco Logo

Senior Manager, Corporate Strategy

Cisco

September 2025 - Present

Interviewer

Lead project teams to develop growth strategies for executive priorities across: - GTM (international growth, sales resource prioritization, sovereign / neo cloud deals, services, renewals, business models, licensing, forecasting/planning) - Product (AI, cloud data center, enterprise networking, observability) - Supply chain (silicon, memory, thermals, etc) - Inorganic motions (M&A, partnerships, investment opportunities, divestiture) ... and more (competitive response, thought leadership, annual planning)

MEDPREP Logo

Growth Advisor

MEDPREP

February 2024 - June 2024

Cisco Logo

Corporate Strategy Manager

Cisco

October 2023 - September 2025

Interviewer

Gobekli Logo

Strategic Finance & Business Operations Advisor

Gobekli

July 2022 - November 2022

Cisco Logo

Corporate Strategy Manager

Cisco

October 2021 - September 2023

Inspirit AI Logo

Growth Advisor

Inspirit AI

April 2021 - July 2022

University of California Office of the President Logo

Strategy & Program Management Office

University of California Office of the President

March 2017 - August 2019

Strategy& Logo

Experienced Associate / Associate

Strategy&

August 2014 - February 2017

Sam was also given offers to work at

  • Amazon Logo

    Amazon

  • Workday Logo

    Workday

  • Payoneer Logo

    Payoneer

  • Verizon Logo

    Verizon

Education

Kellogg School of Management (Northwestern) Logo

Kellogg School of Management (Northwestern)

Master of Business Administration - MBA

Triple Major: Finance, Strategy, Management | Technology Pathway

University of Pennsylvania Logo

University of Pennsylvania

Bachelor's degree, Philosohy, Politics, Economics

Grade: magna cum laude, with honors

Sam G.

Sam G.