What is your name, current location, and current occupation?
I’m Tracy Taylor Wydra and I’m Co-founder of the Luxury Skincare Brand WINNØW. I currently live in Rye, NY.
What was your affiliation with MIT?
I received my Masters of Architecture (M.Arch) from MIT in 2004.
What was your thesis title?
Passages: A Hospice for New York City
What are you doing today?
I am the Co-Founder of the Luxury Skincare Brand WINNØW. I’m also a mother of 3 busy children.
Do you think your career path has been unorthodox or nontraditional?
I would characterize my career path as unorthodox. I started in finance after college and then pursued a Masters in Architecture at MIT. After working several years in architecture, I took some time off for family. When I returned to the workforce, I focused my creativity in a new direction with the creation of a skincare line.
How did your time at MIT affect your career path?
At MIT I learned about creativity and problem solving, keys to design thinking. I learned how to bring together skill sets from different disciplines to create solutions. These are the skills that I am putting to use daily.
What is advice you would give to a new alum coming out of MIT?
There is not one correct path, things can change over time. Take advantage of opportunities and don’t be afraid to take risks.
What are you trying to learn right now?
I’m doing research on skincare science as well as learning how to grow a business. There are constantly new things to learn.
How can fellow alums reach you if they want to speak further (email address, website, etc)?
Website www.winnowskincare.com and Instagram @winnowskincare
You can connect with me via LinkedIn.