Luxury & Retail MBA | Odalia Zubarev

Hometown
Toronto, Canada

Undergraduate
Schulich School of Business, York University, Bachelor of Business Administration

Previous Industry
Non-profit (NPO) and Advertising

Specializations at Stern
Sustainability and Social Impact, Luxury Marketing

Student Clubs
Social Impact & Sustainability Association (SISA) - Vice President of Luxury and Retail cohort
Luxury and Retail Club (LuxRet) - AVP of Admissions 
OutClass member

Through experiential learning, rich classroom discussions, and exposure to global industries, my MBA has both affirmed my passions and opened doors to new ways of thinking about sustainable, creative, and impactful business.

I chose to pursue the Luxury and Retail MBA program at Stern because I knew this program as the most direct and meaningful way to pivot into the field that has been my deepest and most enduring passion since childhood. During my business undergrad in Toronto, where I specialized in Sustainability and Strategic Management, I had not yet realized that a viable career path could exist at the intersection of sustainability, luxury, and retail.

With a strong background in marketing, communications, and design across the nonprofit and advertising sectors, as well as experience as a social entrepreneur, I have long been drawn to work centered on sustainability and authentic brand storytelling. These interests have shaped my academic focus and professional choices from my undergraduate years onward. Stern offered exactly what I was seeking: rigorous, project-based and experiential learning with high-level clients in an accelerated format. It allowed me to build the industry-specific skills and exposure I needed without committing to a traditional MBA structure that would have required significant time in areas less central to my long-term goals, such as finance and accounting.

I think my most memorable class at Stern was Global Markets, Human Rights, and the Press with Professor Posner. Even as an elective, it quickly became one of the most foundational courses I’ve taken in my MBA. I genuinely believe that it should be a compulsory course for every aspiring business leader. It gives a holistic perspective on ethical issues and violations across industries that often get overlooked in both academic and professional settings.

Business leaders must have the confidence, poise, nuance, and language to navigate crises and address systemic challenges: from exploitative labor practices in mining, apparel, and technology, to private equity in healthcare, to migrant workers’ rights, and investigative reporting on consulting firm controversies. Our class had the incredible opportunity to engage with journalists, lawyers, executives, and organization representatives, all of whom were willing to answer our toughest questions. With such a diverse cohort with different career paths, areas of expertise, and nationalities, the discussions were incredibly dynamic.

Being able to have 1:1 conversations with these professionals, ask meaningful questions, and really dig into their perspectives unlocked a level of access and insight I had never experienced before. It reminded me how essential ethical awareness and human-centered thinking are to leadership, and how transformative it can be to learn directly from people shaping these issues in the real world.

Out of the many meaningful moments during the program, visiting Florence stands out as an absolutely pivotal experience for me, both professionally and personally. It was my first time in the city, and the timing could not have been more cosmically fitting! We conducted over 10 locations and travels within the Tuscany region including Antinori Winery, Ferragamo Museum and HQ in Florence and production sites in Prato, the Gucci Archives in Palazzo Settimanni, Pitti Uomo (one of the biggest menswear fashion events in the world), and even the breathtaking NYU Florence campus. 

What made the experience so powerful was how naturally and potently it brought together so many of my interests: cultural richness, competence and fluidity, beauty and the arts, culinary excellence, deep witnessing of artisanship and craftsmanship, and thoughtful conversations around embedding sustainability into industry practice. Being surrounded by industry experts and knowledge leaders with backgrounds in fine arts and craftsmanship felt especially affirming to me as an artist.

On my last day in Florence, I even got a small tattoo to commemorate the experience as a personal reminder of a chapter that reshaped how I see my work and the direction I hope to grow in from here!

Your learning doesn’t stop when the classroom ends. In a cohort of 400+ MBA students (including all full-time MBA programs: Luxury & Retail MBA, Tech MBA, Two-Year MBA), you’ll hear perspectives shaped by all kinds of professional, cultural, and personal backgrounds. Not all of them will resonate with you, and that's a natural part of the experience.

What really matters most is being intentional about where you invest your time and energy and how you stay true to your own values. Moments of discomfort or feeling out of place don’t mean you don’t belong; preserving your integrity and perspective is what serves you long after the program ends.

I try to approach both the academic environment and the city around me as classrooms in their own right, and being a student in the broadest sense. In a dynamic city like New York, this means staying open, persistent, and self-aware while navigating challenges, and at the same time seizing countless opportunities to learn, grow, and connect in ways you never expected, both personally and professionally.

I love the Brooklyn Botanical Garden for its endless greenery, vibrant flowers, and artistic inspiration. I’m also a fan of the Noguchi Museum and MoMA PS1 for their unique collections on art and design. For food, some of my favorite spots for pastries, baked goods, and heartwarming meals are Radio Bakery, L’Industrie Pizza, Wondee Siam, and Santa Fe BK. And for fellow cinephiles, don’t miss the Angelika Film Center and Metrograph.