Sunday, April 20, 2008
Friday, April 18, 2008
TGITs and early Fridays don't mix...
There was a pretty good turnout at yesterday's TGIT.. which meant a late night for me. And today morning I had to be up early to make it for breakfast with the Tippie Board of Visitors. Just spending time with a group of distinguished personalities, as we had in the room today, is a fabulous experience. Later in the day, we had a CEO roundtable focussed on leadership and ethics. The roundtable was moderated by Len Hadley (retired Chairman at Maytag) and the panel featured Clay Jones (Chairman, President and CEO of Rockwell Collins), Mel Haught (President and CEO of Pella Corp.) and Donna Katen-Bahensky (President and CEO of Univ. of Wisconsin Hospitals & Clinics). An excellent opportunity to pick the brains of accomplished business leaders, the roundtable definitely lived up to its promise.
A fabulous day, tempered only by the fact that I'm sleep deprived.
A fabulous day, tempered only by the fact that I'm sleep deprived.
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Next semester in Europe!!!
A little background information I probably should have blogged earlier... the Tippie MBA now has an exchange program for the fall semester with the Rotterdam School of Management, Erasumus University, in The Netherlands. So the student who goes on exchange this year will spend Fall 08 (Sept-Dec) at RSM. I think its an excellent opportunity to further broaden your horizons and learn more about European and global business practices. At building a network at one of Europe's top B-schools is definitely a plus.
So.. guess who's going on exchange to RSM this fall??!!! No prizes for guessing - yours truly. :)
I'm quite excited about the prospect of spending a semester in Europe. I'm just hoping that the dollar will strengthen against the euro by September!
So.. guess who's going on exchange to RSM this fall??!!! No prizes for guessing - yours truly. :)
I'm quite excited about the prospect of spending a semester in Europe. I'm just hoping that the dollar will strengthen against the euro by September!
Friday, April 11, 2008
A Day in the Life of a Tippie MBA....
Last night, I got back from Chicago by 9pm after a day-long assessment for a summer internship. (Unfortunately, I'm one of the few people in class who have still not decided on what they'll be doing in summer). Anyways... a snapshot of a day in my life..
6:30am - Alarm goes off... snooze.
6:45am - Second alarm goes off... aarrgh.!! Wake up, play my morning songs (the wake-up playlist!), check if there is any new email.
7:30am - Getting ready to head out. Apparently, its raining heavily outside. I absolutely hate it when I have to wear a suit and it rains... (sigh..)
7:45am - Pick up the WSJ on my way out. I'd planned to drop off the car first thing in the morning, but the rains have made me change my mind.
8:00am - Meeting at JPEC (John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Center). My job at JPEC is to make investment recommendations for a Venture Capital fund. We analyze the business plans and financial statements of the firms that seek funding. We've scheduled a meeting with one such client today, so this is a pre-client meeting.
8:30am - Meeting with the client at JPEC
9:45am - The meeting at JPEC got over few minutes early. This gives me time to drop off the car.
10:00am - Meeting with team from the Strategic Business Consulting class. (Recap: We are consulting on product management for Zurich Financial Services)
11:00am - Lunch with Laura Desmond, CEO - Starcom Mediavest (The Americas) and 4 other classmates. Laura is an alumna of our university and one of the youngest CEOs in the world to lead a marketing services company.
12:10pm - Attend presentation by Laura Desmond.
1:15pm - Catch up on pending email/phone communication. Most of it has to do with arranging team meetings, although the emails that take longer have to do with my internship search.
1:45pm - Need to work on a finance assignment. Head to the business library to use the Bloomberg terminal.
3:30pm - Leave for an interview with Pearson.
4:00pm - Interview for summer internship.
The interview went quite well. The role would be in corporate strategy and I'd be working directly with one of the VPs. Should know their decision soon.
5:15pm - Leave for apartment; get out of the suit! :)
6:00pm - Attend a class to make up for an earlier one I'd missed. Thank God this is not a regular class. A 6pm class on Thursday is definitely not my thing.
7:15pm - After being edgy for over an hour (I told you.. classes on Thursday evenings are just not my thing! ), I decide to head out to the TGIT.
This week's TGIT is at a local Mexican restaurant - martinis included!
10:30pm - Back at the apartment after dinner & martinis. It is actually quite early for a Thursday night, but today has been a long day. I'm ready to crash...
11:45pm - After an hour of emails/news/setting out agendas, I'm ready to crawl in for a good nights sleep.
Tomorrow's going to be a busy day too. I'll be attending a presentation, and later having lunch with Scott Heiferman, CEO/co-founder of Meetup, and a Tippie alumnus. Should be another interesting day.
6:30am - Alarm goes off... snooze.
6:45am - Second alarm goes off... aarrgh.!! Wake up, play my morning songs (the wake-up playlist!), check if there is any new email.
7:30am - Getting ready to head out. Apparently, its raining heavily outside. I absolutely hate it when I have to wear a suit and it rains... (sigh..)
7:45am - Pick up the WSJ on my way out. I'd planned to drop off the car first thing in the morning, but the rains have made me change my mind.
8:00am - Meeting at JPEC (John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Center). My job at JPEC is to make investment recommendations for a Venture Capital fund. We analyze the business plans and financial statements of the firms that seek funding. We've scheduled a meeting with one such client today, so this is a pre-client meeting.
8:30am - Meeting with the client at JPEC
9:45am - The meeting at JPEC got over few minutes early. This gives me time to drop off the car.
10:00am - Meeting with team from the Strategic Business Consulting class. (Recap: We are consulting on product management for Zurich Financial Services)
11:00am - Lunch with Laura Desmond, CEO - Starcom Mediavest (The Americas) and 4 other classmates. Laura is an alumna of our university and one of the youngest CEOs in the world to lead a marketing services company.
12:10pm - Attend presentation by Laura Desmond.
1:15pm - Catch up on pending email/phone communication. Most of it has to do with arranging team meetings, although the emails that take longer have to do with my internship search.
1:45pm - Need to work on a finance assignment. Head to the business library to use the Bloomberg terminal.
3:30pm - Leave for an interview with Pearson.
4:00pm - Interview for summer internship.
The interview went quite well. The role would be in corporate strategy and I'd be working directly with one of the VPs. Should know their decision soon.
5:15pm - Leave for apartment; get out of the suit! :)
6:00pm - Attend a class to make up for an earlier one I'd missed. Thank God this is not a regular class. A 6pm class on Thursday is definitely not my thing.
7:15pm - After being edgy for over an hour (I told you.. classes on Thursday evenings are just not my thing! ), I decide to head out to the TGIT.
This week's TGIT is at a local Mexican restaurant - martinis included!
10:30pm - Back at the apartment after dinner & martinis. It is actually quite early for a Thursday night, but today has been a long day. I'm ready to crash...
11:45pm - After an hour of emails/news/setting out agendas, I'm ready to crawl in for a good nights sleep.
Tomorrow's going to be a busy day too. I'll be attending a presentation, and later having lunch with Scott Heiferman, CEO/co-founder of Meetup, and a Tippie alumnus. Should be another interesting day.
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
Job Shadow - 3
I'm now back in Iowa City, trying to put some structure to my thoughts. As I think about the last few days, there is one oft-repeated, cliched expression that comes to mind - 'drinking from a fire-hose'! Not a very eloquent phrase, but it does sum up my job shadowing experience. I have learned so much just by observing from the sidelines, that I would not have thought possible before this.
As I now 'join the dots' over the events that finally led to the job shadow, I realize that it would not have been possible but for the support I got from the Tippie program at various stages - from the presentation they organized, which created my first point of contact with Manny, to the letter from the Dean which helped convince Manny of my keen interest in entrepreneurship. Without doubt, the value addition I have gained over the last few days had definitely made this one of the highlights of my MBA experience.
As I now 'join the dots' over the events that finally led to the job shadow, I realize that it would not have been possible but for the support I got from the Tippie program at various stages - from the presentation they organized, which created my first point of contact with Manny, to the letter from the Dean which helped convince Manny of my keen interest in entrepreneurship. Without doubt, the value addition I have gained over the last few days had definitely made this one of the highlights of my MBA experience.
Monday, March 31, 2008
Job Shadow - 2
Amazing. Period.
I suppose that won't suffice, so...
I reached Manny's office at 8:45am. I was given a quick primer on the projects that are currently underway, so that I could make sense of the conversations/meetings/other interactions I would be observing. A quick overview of the work they are doing: They are working on the development of different medical devices, related to cardiac surgery. Each of these devices, if successful, will revolutionize cardiac surgery as it exists now. Most of the work I saw today was related to one particular project. Obviously, I cannot disclose any details of what I was privy to, but that is not too relevant to the main purpose of my visit.
What was really exciting was to see an entrepreneurial team in action, working on a product they truly believe in, excited about the difference they are about to make, led by a leader they absolutely trust and admire. It was mind boggling to observe how Manny could get tasks done on our drive to lunch... tasks that would otherwise take a person a major part of his/her working day.
Today's experience was akin to sitting on the sidelines of the field and watching a great player in action. You could try to learn the sport in many ways, but getting tips from a legend to improve that swing of your bat or to perfect your kick of the football... that is priceless.
In business school, we spend hours learning about motivating teams, managing products and trying to understand what separates the few successful product launches from the myriads that get lost along the way. Today, I observed all that and much more in action.
I suppose that won't suffice, so...
I reached Manny's office at 8:45am. I was given a quick primer on the projects that are currently underway, so that I could make sense of the conversations/meetings/other interactions I would be observing. A quick overview of the work they are doing: They are working on the development of different medical devices, related to cardiac surgery. Each of these devices, if successful, will revolutionize cardiac surgery as it exists now. Most of the work I saw today was related to one particular project. Obviously, I cannot disclose any details of what I was privy to, but that is not too relevant to the main purpose of my visit.
What was really exciting was to see an entrepreneurial team in action, working on a product they truly believe in, excited about the difference they are about to make, led by a leader they absolutely trust and admire. It was mind boggling to observe how Manny could get tasks done on our drive to lunch... tasks that would otherwise take a person a major part of his/her working day.
Today's experience was akin to sitting on the sidelines of the field and watching a great player in action. You could try to learn the sport in many ways, but getting tips from a legend to improve that swing of your bat or to perfect your kick of the football... that is priceless.
In business school, we spend hours learning about motivating teams, managing products and trying to understand what separates the few successful product launches from the myriads that get lost along the way. Today, I observed all that and much more in action.
Job shadow -1
It is 7am on Monday morning and I'm in my hotel room in Minneapolis, getting all set for the job shadow. I drove up here last night from Iowa City, just so to avoid any last minute glitches. The office is just 5 minutes away from the hotel I'm staying in, so everything is going like clockwork so far!
I've got to admit.. I've got a nervous tingle just thinking that the person I will be shadowing today is the founder of a $3 billion medical devices company (and not to mention the other four multi-million dollar businesses he founded!).
Watch this space.. I'll keep you posted.
I've got to admit.. I've got a nervous tingle just thinking that the person I will be shadowing today is the founder of a $3 billion medical devices company (and not to mention the other four multi-million dollar businesses he founded!).
Watch this space.. I'll keep you posted.
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