It Takes a Section

RC year felt like one of those Homo sapiens diagrams pasted on the walls of middle school science classrooms. At first, we crawled, and then we stumble-walked, and then we ran. Now it's April, and our time as RCs is ending.

This year, for me at least, has been one of becoming. Career interrupted, granted the space and time, I worked to begin becoming the things I had been meaning to be—one of which was an entrepreneur.

And as I spent my days rushing between startup meetings and my designated red swivel chair in Aldrich 008, I began to repeat the African proverb—it takes a village—eventually altering it to my own, more specific version: when it comes to starting things at HBS, it takes a Section.

Launching a product can be a lonely, harrowing ride. But when I look around the classroom now, from my perch in the almost-Skydeck, I see the people who have brought real support and comfort along the way.

There's Isabel, who offered up a spontaneous crash course on sales the day before my very first sales call. Because of her, I knew not to get off the phone without securing a follow-up plan. And without her, I don't know if I would've successfully landed that first customer.

There's Darren, a former lawyer, who red-lined my first customer contract, leaving me legal wisdom and notes of encouragement in the margins.

There's Arshaan—the heart of the Section D entrepreneurs—who organized a weekly check-in for our section starters. And then there are the attendees, celebrating each person's progress, listening attentively to each person's challenges, popping in with recommendations, relatable stories, and connections to helpful resources.

And lastly, there is nearly everyone else—thoughtfully answering questions for customer research, checking in often to hear how things are going, cheerleading, fueling continuation through genuine investment in my journey and shared excitement over my wins.

One night, a bit shell-shocked after a customer call that pushed the product launch forward two months, I let my feet guide me to the next thing on my calendar: Section D Intramural Dodgeball. While it may seem difficult to convince adults to stick around campus until 8 p.m. for team-based recreational athletics, that's not the case for Section D. We love our intramural sports, showing up for games in droves, often with cheer squads in tow. Our enthusiasm takes us far. Most days, we win by forfeit, as our competitors struggle to field a full team.

And so, on this night, I wandered to Shad, nervously picking at my fingers. As we warmed up, I told my section mates about the meeting I'd just had and the tricky timeline I was facing. Together, we brainstormed ways to succeed. I left that night with our team one step closer to the playoffs, and with my pockets full of phone numbers for roommates of section friends’ friends with technical backgrounds. We launched the product on time.

So next year, even as we scatter into different classrooms, one thing will continue to hold true: that this is a special village, this section of mine.

Kiera Klinsky (MBA ‘27) is a born-and-raised New Yorker and Dartmouth College alum. She is a former BCG consultant and Chief of Staff at a consumer AI startup, currently serving as the MBA Associate for NextView Ventures. Kiera writes about technology, entrepreneurship, and media and entertainment for the Harbus and on her Substack, The Kitchen Fridge. Kiera has spent the year building hiring software through Scouter.