During the summer of 2025, Het Shah (MBA '26) interned as an NYU Stern MBA Product and Strategy Intern at Esusu. Read on to learn more about his time there:

Name: Het Shah

Grad Year: 2026

Specialization: Strategy and Tech Product Management

This summer, I interned at Esusu on the Product and Strategy team, where I worked on initiatives aimed at expanding financial access for renters who are typically left out of traditional credit systems. I collaborated with both internal product managers and external stakeholders like Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to explore how verified rent payment data could be used in mortgage underwriting.

My work involved developing a strategic plan that included the product roadmap, go-to-market approach, competitive landscape analysis, pricing strategy, and potential areas for expansion. I also supported our Plaid integration, used Figma for design mockups, and built financial models to support recommendations. The final output included a set of strategic recommendations with associated risks and next steps for the leadership team.

This experience helped me connect the dots between strategy, product development, and financial equity. It showed me what it takes to build technology that can create real-world impact for underserved communities. I’m heading into my second year at Stern with a clearer sense of the kind of product roles I want to pursue. 

One challenge I ran into was aligning different teams, each with their own priorities and leading them towards a shared product direction. Clear communication and early alignment on KPIs helped get everyone on the same page.

What stood out most was how much of the financial system still relies on outdated credit metrics. There’s a huge opportunity to reimagine how we assess creditworthiness and working at Esusu this summer made me excited to be part of that change.