Alumni Spotlight: William Szczecinski

We’re sitting down with some of our Prosek alumni for a special Q&A Spotlight series. If you’d like to participate or join our Alumni networking group on LinkedIn, please reach out. Next up, William Szczecinski.

Q: Tell us about your current role.

I’m currently a strategy consultant with Bain & Company in London. I joined over the summer after completing my MBA at Columbia Business School (trying my best to follow in Jen’s footsteps – Go Lions). So far, I’ve been working in Bain’s Consumer Products practice, helping global CPG companies shape and execute their strategy, with a focus on digital transformation.

Q: When did you work at Prosek, what was your role and what brought you to the firm?

I joined Prosek in 2018 out of undergrad, as part of the summer Apprentice Program. The PA program itself was the big draw initially, with its real on-the-job training and continuous mentorship instead of a classroom model, and it turned out to be the perfect launching pad. Early exposure that summer to some private capital clients sparked a lasting interest, and that industry became my primary focus over my next four years with the firm. I really enjoyed the breadth of opportunity Prosek provided with those clients, as we helped so many on both the PR and marketing/content sides. It was a great way to learn and be challenged.

Q: What was your favorite Prosek memory or a “moment that mattered”?

It’s hard to pick just one! I think the PA Program set the tone for so many moments that mattered. I somehow got assigned a Partner as my Manager that first summer (shout out to the great Mike Geller), and his investment in my development, along with his (what I viewed as questionable at the time) willingness to let me try to tackle things without much handholding were instrumental to my growth. I’ll never forget sitting with him in my suit at a nice client dinner that first year and thinking, ‘How did I get here?!’

The wonderful truth is that such dedicated, growth-oriented mentorship is engrained at Prosek. My most meaningful moments in later years came when I tried my best to pay this forward to the new Apprentices. The close-knit feel has stuck even as Prosek has grown, and I think it’s what makes the firm so special.

Q: How did your experience at Prosek prepare you for your current career path?

Prosek takes deep knowledge of client industries, market trends, and business fundamentals seriously, and that’s what lets the firm do great work for clients. This lesson of course applies far beyond communications. Prosek taught me how to “get smart” on new topics quickly, foster my intellectual curiosity, and turn that knowledge into action. Strategy consulting runs on a similar model, so that muscle has carried over directly.

Q: What’s one lesson from Prosek that still influences your work today?

Prosek loves a catchy phrase, and one that’s stuck with me for good is “solve, don’t dwell.” We hit problems constantly, but focusing on the next right step is always more constructive than letting the challenge overcome you. I’d give Jen’s advice to ‘just ask’ an honorable mention.

Q: What’s your favorite thing to do outside of work?

My wife and I just moved to London this past summer, so these days our favorite thing is playing tourist on the weekends – strolling the parks, touring the castles and palaces, and perhaps too earnestly exploring the glories of pub culture.