Our department had the pleasure of sitting down with Tanvi Mehta, one of our MTM students from our 2025 cohort, to chat about what brought her to the program, the skills she’s learned, and what she’ll be taking with her as she dives into her new internship at CrossnoKaye. Tanvi grew up in Bangalore, India, where she received her Bachelor of Design in Product Design from Karnavati University.
Find Tanvi at her LinkedIn here!
Q: What were you doing prior to joining our master’s program?
A: Before MTM, I was running my own B2C lifestyle brand called Printority back in India. It was a woman-led venture that focused on giving everyday objects a personality through accessories. We were a profitable business and ran for 2 years. I also worked as a UX design intern at a creative studio, where I led platform redesigns and worked closely with product and content teams. Overall, these experiences really sparked my interest in product management and marketing, and the sweet spot between creativity, systems thinking, strategy, and impact.
Q: What encouraged you to join the MTM program?
A: I was looking for a program that would combine business, technology, and design in a way that would actually reflect how real teams operate. The MTM program felt like a place where I could stretch my analytical and creative muscles at the same time. Also, as an international student, I appreciated how action-oriented and STEM-designated the program was. They also had a field project! Overall, it looked like a really good package for a nine-month program.
Q: What has been your favorite course and why?
A: I would definitely say that my favorite course was Professor Renee Rottner’s negotiation course. It gave me a very new lens for thinking and negotiating. During every lecture we soaked in a lot of information, and she made sure that we practiced what we learned. If we were learning a new strategy, for example, we would do sample negotiations with our classmates. We got to actually prepare for it and negotiate in different scenarios. There was one that I remember where a group had to barge into a negotiation room with another group. However, one party was told to be really angry, while the second party had no clue about it. The problem was, then: how would we deal with it? There were also different types of negotiations, such as email or in-person, that we covered in various settings. That was very enjoyable and helped solidify what we are learning. Apart from that, Professor Rottner has always been very inspiring. I just loved her class!
Q: What is something you learned that you look forward to using in your next job?
A: I come from a design background and ran my own business, but I didn't formally have any business education. I just did what I knew according to the knowledge I had. What I learned in the MTM program was structure, scalability, frameworks, and how to grow a business in a sustainable manner. At a strategic level, what was a good way to think about a business, and then how would I grow it? We even had an AI class, where we extensively used AI in various ways and leveraged it. When you come to the MTM program, you soak into this ecosystem fully. It really shapes the way you think, in ways that can help you and your company grow.
Q: What was your field project and what was a highlight of that experience?
A: The field project was a blast. I loved it so much. I was chosen to work with Procore Technologies, which is a company here in Santa Barbara that specializes in construction management. I worked on leading the competitive analysis for them to guide their go-to-market strategy for European expansion. Our team was made up of six people, each with different ownership roles. I then built a 40-plus parameter framework to judge every competitor and to understand the landscape altogether. Ultimately, I presented my recommendations to the corporate strategy team, and I think it's safe to say that they really liked the strategies! The highlight was how I was able to translate all that messy data into a strategic insight and tell a story that could be acted upon.
Q: What was an activity outside of class that was particularly insightful?
A: 100% the New Venture Competition. Our team “Masterminding” built an AI tool to help teachers create personalized lessons and reduce their burnout. We won the third prize at the finals. More than that, I learned how to pitch, test, and evolve an idea in a high-stake environment, all while I was balancing the coursework, a field project, my TA-ship, and job searching in general. Seriously—do not sleep on the New Venture Competition; join it!
Q: How did the cohort-learning model of the program affect your MTM experience in and out of the classroom?
A: One of the key reasons I wanted to do my master's was to get a global perspective and to immerse myself in different cultures. I love traveling in general. This cohort was a great place to be at because we are a set of such diverse individuals coming from various countries all over the world. That's the great thing about the MTM program: anyone can join. You don't need an engineering background. This means you get a holistic sense of different professions, personalities, and backgrounds all together, and you end up learning so much. Apart from that, we also spent a good amount of time outside of the class together: learning about each other and spending time together (having fun, going to the beach and the mountains). It was a lovely time and I will miss them.
Q: What is your favorite part about going to grad school in Santa Barbara?
A: The beach, the sunsets. On my right side now, I have mountains. If I walk five minutes, I have the beach. If I wait until 7pm, I will see a beautiful sunset. What else could anyone want in life?
Q: What's your favorite new technology?
A: Agentic AI tools. Autonomous agents that can reason, take actions, and collaborate. It’s going to be a real shift in how we build products and work in the next few years. So I've been experimenting with them to see how they can be used in daily life!
Q: What else would you tell an incoming MTM student?
A: There are a lot of different doors that you can knock on at UCSB. There are communities, workshops, and programs happening all around, so if you just keep your eyes open you will end up finding something. For example, the food bank has been so helpful for me as an international student, and I know it is for the other cohort members as well. There's just so much to do! You just need to knock on the doors and take those opportunities.