Q&A with Chamberlain Coffee’s chief sales officer

Find out how Christyne Baxter’s online Purdue Global MBA has impacted her life

Christyne Baxter has never stopped pushing for more. From paying her way through junior college to earning two additional degrees as a working professional, her search for knowledge has taken her to incredible heights.  

When she started her Purdue Global Master of Business Administration, she was working as the vice president of sales for Liquid I.V., a billion-dollar company. By the time she finished her MBA in 2024, she had transitioned to her current role as chief sales officer for Chamberlain Coffee, founded by internet personality Emma Chamberlain, which has quickly become one of the biggest influencer brands in the country. 

In her own words, learn about her journey through the world of online higher education, how her Purdue Global MBA has impacted her life and what she sees for herself in the future.

Q: What was your educational journey before Purdue Global? 

A: When I started, I always knew I was going to college. You go to kindergarten, elementary school, middle school, high school and then you go to college. But then I got to high school, and no one in my family had ever gone to college. I didn’t do the SAT or anything. So, when I was ready to go to college, everybody was saying, ‘Hey, where have you applied?’ I didn’t know what any of it meant. No one in my family could tell me or help me with anything.

I also graduated high school when I was 17. When I applied to college, even though I lived alone from a young age, they wouldn’t take me as an adult. I could not be independent, and without that financial aid, I paid cash for all my courses and went to junior college for a long time. I finally finished school when I was 27. I also had no idea what I wanted to do when I was younger, and so it took me a long time to get through.

I decided to go back and do nutrition because I really wanted an opportunity to actually study consistently. I found that going back as an adult with a better understanding, I really got a lot more out of it. I appreciated the learning more and I absorbed it more. I took studying more seriously, so I think there’s just a very different level of learning that you get when you go back later.

Q: How did you know it was time to get your MBA? 

A: Before the pandemic I got that second degree in nutrition. Because I’m in the natural food industry, general and sports nutrition are things I’m passionate about. So, I decided to go back, and then afterward, I decided to go for my MBA. One, because I’m the first person in my family to ever even go to college. Two, it was on my bucket list. 

Q: How did you find Purdue Global? 

A: I looked up university education rankings and I cross-referenced them with the cost of going back. Then I did an analysis of the cost per year of how long I would be working. When I looked at Purdue Global, it’s a top-rated school and the cost was incredible compared to some of the other schools that are ranked close to Purdue Global. Then I did some research on it and asked a few other people what they thought, and it had a great reputation. So, I went for it.  

Also, the staff, when I was talking and having my initial discussions, were incredibly helpful. I didn’t want a gap between my degree in nutrition and my MBA. They were very helpful in getting me enrolled quickly. Everything from enrolling in your classes to having the discussion forum to having every-other-week seminars, all of that aligned really well with what I was looking for. 

Q: Did you feel like you made the right decision with Purdue Global?

A: Absolutely. It was just so easy to navigate, and people would reach out to me and ask, ‘Do you need help? Is there anything we can do to help you move forward?’ But it was so easy to navigate that I didn’t need anyone to help me with it — which says a lot. Also, the flexibility meant everything. It made it possible. I wouldn’t have been able to do it. The instructors, if you emailed them and had a conversation and said, “Hey this week is really, really tight for me, getting my assignment in on time,” they understood that you’re a working professional with a family life. They would work with you if you were communicative. I appreciated that. 

Within the first class or two, I was saying, “Yeah, this is perfect.” I have absolutely recommended it to other people who have asked about going back.

Q: How did you use your professional experience as a student? 

A: It was a blend of learning new things and using my professional experience, so there was studying and reading materials and then bringing personal knowledge in because I’m coming in as an older student. You have that real-world experience in the business realm, so it was interesting to learn new things to add onto that and layer it in. If I had done this when I was young, it would have been hard. Now having a career and a family, it was much easier. I would highly recommend it to anyone who is more experienced that wants to do it but is worried about the time commitment. 

Q: Where do you get your drive for constant learning?  

A: Both my mom and dad were avid readers, so they instilled that in me from a young age. But the drive is probably from my grandmother. She is still alive. She’ll be 92 years old this year. She retired when she was 82, and it was only because she couldn’t drive anymore. She’s always had a strong work ethic and a drive, and I have always had it too. 

I think another part of it is that I grew up very poor, and I never wanted to be in that position again. Anytime someone tells me, or has told me in my past, that I couldn’t do something, I will set out to prove them wrong. I don’t let anyone define me, and that comes from my grandmother as well because she always told me that I’m going to be whatever I want to be. You’re the one that decides it. You’re going to go as far as you want to go. 

Even when the pandemic hit, I said, “My gosh, how am I going to do this? How am I going to go to school, work and homeschool my child?” She told me, “It’s not about how you’re going to do it, it’s that you get to do it and you’re looking at it wrong. You’re blessed. You’re blessed that you have a job. You’re blessed that you have a child. You’re blessed to be able to go back to school. You get to do these things.” I had it twisted. She’s right, I get to do it all. And so, I did. 

Don’t let people dictate what you can do; and circumstances and how you grow up do not dictate who you’re going to become. You do. And it’s all about believing in yourself and not taking no for an answer. 

“It’s all about believing in yourself and not taking no for an answer.

Christyne Baxter 
MBA, Purdue Global ’24 

Q: What did it mean to finally earn your MBA?  

A: I was so excited. It made me decide that I want to go on and get my Master of Science in integrative nutrition. 

I might want a doctor in front of my name. I think that would be cool, and although I am of a certain age, I feel about 20 years younger than I am. So, I’m going with how I feel, and that means that I’m going to keep going.

One person who really surprised me when they told me how proud they were of me was my mom, because she’s been quiet through the whole thing. When I finished, she was like, “Wow, I cannot believe you’ve done all this. This is so impressive.” That really made me feel good. It meant a lot.

Q: Where would you be without your MBA? 

A: I wouldn’t have understood an influencer brand as much as I do now. That would have made it harder for me if I didn’t put the emphasis on marketing. Times have changed so much since I initially went to school. Marketing is a different beast. There are many people that I’ve seen who have worked hard to get where they’re at and haven’t kept up with trends. And because of that, they’re sliding backward or having a hard time finding a job because they don’t understand how things are now compared to where they were before.

Social media is a big deal. If you don’t understand it and don’t educate yourself on it and how marketing’s changing, you’re going to fall behind. I think my career would have been much shorter and I would be looking at going backward down the ladder instead of continuing to go up the ladder without Purdue Global. Or I would have worked for an awful, boring brand that I had no interest in, and instead I get to work for a young, fun brand. It was founded by a 22-year-old influencer who knows her stuff about marketing, and I can speak her language and know what she’s saying.

Q: What’s next for you? 

A: I love where I am now, and I love what I’m doing. I really enjoy guiding other people in their careers at this point, too. I’ve noticed the higher up you get, the more people who report to you, and you get to watch them blossom and flourish.  

I like managing people, guiding them and building a cohesive team that gets along and is there for each other. I think that’s probably my favorite part now. I’m a friend, coach and mentor. If I become a part of their story later in their careers, that means everything. That is my legacy. It’s not about the brands all the time or what you succeed in personally but seeing somebody grow who worked for you and keep going up the ladder and do the things they want to do and accomplish. Being just a little piece of it, that’s phenomenal.

“I’m a friend, coach and mentor. If I become a part of their story later in their careers, that means everything. That is my legacy.

Christyne Baxter 
MBA, Purdue Global ’24