Alumni Profile: Jim Dolphin of American Marine Advisors

At Booz Allen — Jim joined Booz Allen in 1994 as a Senior Consultant in the Transportation team, working with commercial clients, including large shipping companies, railroads, and maritime service companies. He spent seven years at Booz Allen, the last two as a Principal based in McLean, VA.

Jim Dolphin

Now — Jim is the President of American Marine Advisors, Inc., the only merchant banking firm in the US exclusively focused on the maritime industry. He is based in New York City.

What, in a nutshell, did you learn at Booz Allen? I worked as a commercial banker before joining Booz Allen. I have always said my days as a banker made me appreciate the importance of cash flow, and my days at Booz Allen taught me how to improve it. Booz Allen taught me how to deconstruct a business — any business. I learned never to simply accept the "conventional wisdom" on any topic, but rather to look at the data and do the analysis in order to truly understand the drivers of a situation and the options. Perhaps most importantly, I learned to put trade-offs and difficult decisions into context, so that action can be taken even when surrounding information is complex, less than perfect, or hard to compare.

How did Booz Allen serve as a foundation to your current position? American Marine Advisors' clients look to us to give them good ideas, well-considered advice, and rigorous execution in complex situations, things Booz Allen helped prepare me for. Booz Allen helps you develop an ability to communicate with the heads of companies and the confidence to do so — skills that are critical in any business.

Would you recommend working at Booz Allen? If so, why? Absolutely. Booz Allen will challenge you. It will give you a variety of experiences and help you build a tool kit to deal with business challenges. The simple truth is that by saying you worked at Booz Allen, you establish a level of confidence and respect anywhere you go.

What does the successful consultant do well here? Successful Booz Allen consultants work hard and think freely. A successful consultant must also enjoy what he or she is doing-it's too demanding a job to do well if you don't enjoy it.

Favorite moment or experience here? Shipping touches all parts of the world and most industries — from oil to agriculture to finished goods. As a result, I worked across multiple companies and cultures on every continent save Antarctica. As a young professional, the access to the senior management and boards of some of the world's largest companies was my favorite part of the job. The Booz Allen network and the support I received from around the globe — from Booz Allen vice presidents, groups, and industry specialists — was also a very special resource.

I'm new to Booz Allen ... Any advice for me? Get ready to work but also have fun. Seek out diverse experiences. Consulting gives you the opportunity to consistently work with smart people on a wide range of challenges, so enjoy.

profile posted July 2004