Gregory Borsuk

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Prinaka: You were the first batch of IB graduates in the class of 2012! What was that like?

Gregory: It was pretty sweet! My friends and I were excited when we were given the opportunity to major in International Business. I can’t say that I’m usually the first at many things, so being part of the first graduating class was a pretty unique experience.

Prinaka: Was there a specific reason you chose the IB major?

Gregory: I always knew I wanted to go into business. Baruch has a lot of business majors including Finance, Accounting, Economics—but I wasn’t great at math, so I was looking for something more balanced. I felt that IB forged an in-between path in that it is business, but not necessarily focused entirely on mathematics. Plus, I felt having “International Business” on my resume would stand out. IB opens a lot of doors, and back then we didn’t know exactly where we’d end up, so it seemed like the smart choice.

Prinaka: Do you feel the IB program helped you during your job search or career?

Gregory: I wouldn’t say my degree directly got me hired, but it definitely gave me a strong foundation. The program introduced me to new people and allowed me to consider different perspectives that I wouldn’t have otherwise considered. It broadened my mindset and helped me identify opportunities both domestically and internationally. That mindset has been more important in my career than the specific major itself. Essentially, being able to think holistically & globally has given new perspective to what’s possible. Understanding how to leverage my skills and connections has really helped define my goals better and facilitated me being able to better execute them.

Prinaka: Let’s talk about your study abroad experience in Berlin. What was that like?

Gregory: When I was in Berlin, I got to see so many different things and meet people from different walks of life. One of the coolest parts was being in a program with students from places like Russia, for example. Some of those friendships still last today! I also immersed myself in Germany’s culture which, to be honest with you, I don’t think I would have done at another point in my life. That global exposure is something I always reference in all kinds of social environments; whether while networking, meeting new people or during potential job interviews.

Prinaka: That sounds great. Let’s pivot this conversation to talk about your career. You started off as an entrepreneur, starting your own company. Could you tell me more about your entrepreneurial journey?

Gregory: While I was still in college, I launched a company that sold outdoor goods across platforms like Amazon, eBay, and Sears. Our goal was to be visible everywhere—we had to adjust pricing between platforms, manage our own website, and eventually build our own customer base. It wasn’t a saturated market back then, so we saw an opportunity and acted on it. The company doesn’t exist anymore, but it led directly to my next role.

Within essentially two months, I was at the Economist (which is, if we’re talking IB, pretty international!) When I tell people about my role at The Economist, the first question I get is, ‘Were you a reporter?’ I actually ran three stores over there. I ran the entire Economist e-commerce division that existed at the time. I managed the online store and developed product assortments. We sold a range of branded and high-end goods. I also managed Learning.ly, an online education platform. I onboarded 200+ subject matter experts and guided them throughout the process. Similar to my entrepreneurial journey, I did everything there even though I was working for a corporation. I worked there for six years and traveled to London several times to meet the team at HQ.

Prinaka: That sounds like an exciting job description! Now you’re at Walmart and you are working as the Site Merchandising Manager. What does your current role involve?

Gregory: I’ve been at Walmart for nearly three years. I manage the computing vertical, one of the largest verticals at Walmart in terms of Gross Merchandise Value (GMV) generation. You can imagine – it’s electronics, computers, PC gaming, printers, and so much more. It’s similar to my previous roles in that I have a hand in so many different things here – strategy, execution, SEO, working with cross-functional teams such as marketing, editorial, advertising, and more to get a cohesive message out there to customers. I like to frame my career in four buckets: entrepreneur, brand (The Economist), agency (Flywheel), and big retail (Walmart). Each experience has built on the last.

Prinaka: Well, I wanted to ask a specific question regarding something I came across on LinkedIn — you worked on many projects at Walmart, one of which is the launch of the MacBook Air in Walmart. That was really captivating for me. Could you elaborate on that a little bit?

Gregory: Absolutely! One of the coolest things about working with the big box retailers is that you get to work with the biggest companies in the world. Oftentimes, it’s a mutual collaboration – they’re pitching you, you’re pitching them. For us, Apple had never allowed Walmart to directly sell MacBook as compared to other retailers like Amazon and Best Buy. After a lot of internal coordination and working with Apple, we launched it. We had a full takeover of the homepage with all the Apple products including the hero MacBook, different traffic drivers throughout the website, notifications, email marketing, all that stuff. It was enormous. It was high-pressure because so many stakeholders were watching, and as the last front-facing element of this initiative, we push the stuff live on the site so if we mess something up, everyone would know. While it was exhilarating, it was also really rewarding. 

Prinaka: Sounds exciting. Earlier we talked a little bit about these different buckets of e-commerce that you shared with us. Do you have any advice for students who are looking to pursue a path in e-commerce in one of those buckets?

Gregory: Think about whether you want to be a generalist or a specialist.  I personally consider myself a generalist since I have experience with different things. But both of these career trajectories have their advantages and disadvantages. Also, keep your resume sharp and optimized for applicant tracking systems. Additionally, reach out to people on LinkedIn who are working a job you like – not necessarily to get the job, but simply to understand what the experience is like. That curiosity can lead to future opportunities.  Lastly, always, always ask questions!

Prinaka: Thank you, Greg. Have you observed any notable trends in recent years (particularly with the rise of AI and evolving tech)? Are there any shifts specific to your roles or the e-commerce field more broadly?

Gregory: Marketplaces are huge—every big retailer is building one. They get third-party sellers to do the work while collecting fees and bringing in new traffic. Everyone is trying to copy Amazon’s model. AI is another absolutely huge gamechanger! I’ve seen it get leveraged internally, externally, every single platform you can name and look at. It’s being used to summarize reviews, write product descriptions, and more. It’s changing the game.

Prinaka: As we wrap up, was there anything from your time at Baruch that you’d recommend students focus on?

Gregory: Build relationships. Your peers and professors are your future network. I know of people who have gotten jobs through their professors as well. Take different courses that you’re really interested in so you can get a better idea of how you want to approach things. There are so many ways to apply an IB degree, whether it’s in marketing, psychology, or tech. Just explore.