The Socialist Capitalist

Then we came to an end

2010-06-02T20:48:00.001-04:00

I know, I know, I abandoned this blog a year ago with a ‘wish me luck’ post.. but all I can say is that I did need the luck.. and I can’t believe I survived the past year.. it was crazy, but not in the way I imagined it at all. I changed course multiple times, questioned my decisions a lot, but now at the end I have an overwhelming feeling that I did the right thing.

The prerequisite action after abandoning one’s blog is to re-read old blog posts to figure out what was said, the tone etc... I can’t re-read my old blog posts.. I just can’t.. it feels odd.. So, I ‘m just going to dive in.

So, let’s start at the beginning. I didn’t graduate last year. I’m graduating this year...actually in one week today, on June 8th I will be donning cape and gown and my name will be announced along with 350+ MBA Rotman grads...

So why did I postpone graduation.. well last January, I got a new portfolio (in addition to my current job) and I decided the opportunity to learn about a new business was just too good, so I put off graduation. It was a torturous few weeks, trying to decide what to do. I dropped two courses, and tried to hold onto the three courses, while doing 1.5 jobs .. (that’s how I describe my job last year). Over the year, I had to decide whether I took the summer off school and then decided to drag out the remaining two courses that I had. I took Marketing strategy in the fall and Real Estate Investment this past spring. I’m glad I didn’t rush it. The courses I took were the ones I really wanted to take..

Am I glad that I did the MBA? I guess that the $65K question.. I’ve asked my classmates about it and some seem to have mixed feelings, not everyone is convinced the money is well spent, but most feel that the experience was worth it.. but wished it was cheaper... Some were successful in changing jobs, others (like me) were grateful they had a job to hold on to. The current market environment made everyone question what they really wanted to do.. those lucrative finance and consulting jobs didn’t seem all that lucrative..A few people contemplated switching careers, but then realized that their best prospects lay in their current field.

My opinion? I am I glad I did it. I feel different. I’m more confident in my abilities. It seems silly to say I paid for my confidence.. but it’s more than that.. It’s that my thinking has changed. Graduating from one of the top business schools in the country makes the difference. Do I know what I want to do? Have I found my dream job. I realized that there is no dream job for me.. I’m not someone who lives for work, however I do like making money and I think the MBA has refined my money making skills.

I did get a promotion within the company post MBA. The timing couldn’t have been better. Two weeks after graduation I will start my new job. The decision to postpone graduation a year later was one of the best decisions I’ve made. I was unsure of it at the time. A classmate asked me what the rush was especially in last year’s economy. Sometimes I think I would never have gotten my current job had I not pursued the opportunity at work.

My unsolicited advice- Experience the MBA.. take your time, soak it all in, don’t be overwhelmed by the people around you or the information they try to throw at you. You’ll have the naysayers who think an MBA is an overpriced, inflated ego driven degree, but as long as you know why you are doing it, then that’s all that matter.. Above all stay open to life, experiences, and opportunities.

Procrastinating....

2008-11-21T21:18:00.004-05:00

Have been buried under a ton of work for the last couple weeks. I have so much to relay too... This post is going to be a muddle of thoughts..

Anon, Yes, I am in the full time program, however I still have a full time job. I’m not actually sure how I’m going to achieve graduating in 2009, but somehow I’m going to manage it... This semester, I only loaded up on 1 extra course, however next semester I will have three extra courses. I will be taking a day off every week for 3 months. I think it will give me some sanity.

London: I had the opportunity in October to go to a Rotman networking event in London. Rotman was having a credit crunch seminar that my Options prof was giving. Funnily enough, I met a couple people who worked/still work at my present employer! It was a blast, although the timing couldn’t have been worse. We didn’t have too many meetings set up, however the highlight of the meeting was going to Canada House in Trafalgar Square and meeting with the finance counsellor. That’s a nice piece of prime real estate that the Canadian govt has. I felt so energized by that city. I still have London on my mind...

Ops Mgmt – We have an exam in this course, and I barely understand what I have to know for the final exam. I still have to buy the textbook. We had to do a Ops Mgmt simulation game, and that was a lot of fun!! We were addicted to Littlefield for a while.

Managing Customer Value (aka – Marketing) – One of the most fun courses. Being an ad junkie, I loved the commercials he showed in class. We have a 10 page single spaced (yes, single space) brand audit report due on Tuesday. This is going to be one of the toughest papers to write, as it requires a lot of THINKING.

Options & Futures – This also requires a lot of thinking... surprisingly. My average in this course is very bad compared to the majority of Masters of Fin Economics students that are in the class. They aren’t helpful and I’ve had to fend for myself in this course. Note: You need friends in electives. I tried to make some..I really did. However, I think they realized that I wasn’t going to be of any use to them...I found a better plan. I went straight to the prof, and requested help. Fingers crossed I do well in the last assignment and in the final.

Your bonus is your job. That’s a line I read in an article recently, and I couldn’t agree more. At this point, not quitting my job seems like I had foresight. Really, I didn’t. I was just trying to avoid a manic money anxiety attack.. Y’know the one I’m talking about. The one where the debt keeps piling up, and there isn’t any money coming in.. Yea, that. I got lucky.

Saturation

2008-10-18T15:43:00.001-04:00

I am sitting here trying to work on my Options & Futures assignment when I realize I can’t actually remember how to calculate continuous compounding without looking at the text, although the prof has been talking about it for 6 weeks now. I think it might be important.

I’m starting to wonder if any concepts, theories and models are sinking in or just visiting my brain for brief interludes between classes and exam writing. This year has been flying by so quickly that I can’t even seem to remember what we learned from one semester to the next. I know I always say that a lot of the first year of mba school has been review, but there have been a ton of things I have learned along the way.

The other day I was sitting in the pub talking with my group about our marketing project (which involves a pub) and they asked me about the Foundations of Integrative Thinking course, and I was amazed that I remembered some of the core concepts in that class. I have to say it pleased me a bit, as of late, I have been wondering if the decision to fast track has been a smart choice. Not because of the job market, more because of the fact that everything is happening so fast, and retention and sanity are just two of my many worries. Our marketing prof makes us recap our insights every class. I think it’s a smart idea. It reinforces core concepts, and forces you to pay attention. I better go and look up that continuous compounding formula now.

Crazy Week

2008-09-21T13:05:00.001-04:00

Things have been happening at lightning speed that everything in this past week seems to be a blur. I had classes 3 times this week, and on Sat I spent the last day of summer in a hotel basement conference room learning the requirements to be a CMA marker. Oh and yes, and there was a little bit of market mayhem...

I have been addicted to the news for most of the week. The Toronto financial sector has played the spectator part. None of our financial companies seem to have any significant exposure, however, I think it is more of a wait and see approach. This past week has changed my plans, or rather they seem to be delayed. In some cases, it’s made my game plan non-existent. Any of the networking on job leads that I was hoping to do in the next month have been shifted to the back burner. Contacting anyone now would be senseless and would show a lack of sensitivity. I think I am just going to have to adopt a ‘wait and see’ approach too.

Moving on.. Being in class when a crisis is occurring makes the topic even more interesting. Our Options professor decided to spend the first half of our class giving us an overview of the crisis. It was great! He outlined what credit default swaps were, how the crisis unfolded, and why the US government needed to step in. We had our first Marketing course, and the prof is quite good so far. He really makes you think! At the end of our class he asked us to jot down a few points as to what we learned that evening. We learned about branding, and how successful brands focus on the customer experience rather than just a good product. He did say that he was going to be cold calling, and warm calling. Umm. What is Warm calling? A quick google search produced the following result :

Warm call: A softer version of the cold call where the professors gives a particular student advance warning that he will be asked to comment on a case later in the session or the next day.

Uh-oh.. this did not work for me in Strategy. I seem to embody the proverbial deer caught in the headlights when called upon. The whole idea of cold/warm calling is to think on your feet fast right? Well, this is what they are training you for. I really dislike this method. Everyone learns differently, and there is no one path for business success. I firmly believe that MBA training should allow students to be individualistic rather than conformists.

Alright I will get off my hobby horse. We have a globalization quiz on Tuesday. I haven’t the foggiest idea as to what she has taught us, as the class has been quite boring. All I remember from that class is that she told us about how there was an outcry in China when Kung Fu panda came out. Some Chinese people thought the movie should be boycotted as the movie’s main character was also China’s national treasure. I can’t remember why she brought it up... but, I am pretty sure there won’t be a question on that.

Year 2

2008-09-13T11:47:00.001-04:00

I’ve been a lazy blogger for the last few months. Things have really been happening so fast, that there doesn’t seem to be enough time to process the changes, let alone put all my thoughts together. So here goes my attempt:

I left off at my disappointment in the Strategy class. Well, since then we complained, and they listened. They apologized to us about our Skype sessions, and as a result, we got a formal verbal apology and makeup Strategy sessions. We then had our Finance final exam, which was so bad, that the entire class booed the professor when he walked into the bar later that night. Having written zillions of finance exams, I can say hands down, it was the worst Finance exams I have ever written in my life. He said he designed it with the intent that no one would finish. Professional Designation exams are designed like that. You have to be quick enough that you know the answer without thinking more than 1 sec. You know this before hand, and you study with that in mind. An introductory Finance exam shouldn’t be designed like that. He said he realized his mistake, and would bell curve it. We then got our grades, and he still managed to fail two people, and have half the class get a B. So, we complained again, and they listened. And the class average is now a B+ . Moral of the story: Be vocal in B school.

Moving along: This semester we are taking Global Perspectives, Customer Value, and Operations Mgmt. We had our Global Perspectives class on Thursday night. I was sort of excited about this class, but our first lecture focussed on Comparative and Absolute Advantage, and we had to watch an hour documentary on Wal-Mart. Yawn. How many times have we learned about comp and absolute advantage, and how many times have we learned about Wal-Mart. There is significant overlap here, and I wish they would realize this when programming courses. In addition, I am taking the Options and Futures elective.

Year 2 feels different. A handful of us 2010 evening students have switched to full time status. The change has definitely put me in a different frame of mind: I’m more focussed and disciplined. The pressure is on. I only have 8 months left to maximize the MBA education and experience, and find myself that dream job, and oh figure out what this dream job is. I plan on keeping my day job in the process. It’s definitely going to be tough, but I found out that another classmate is doing the same. I’ll keep you posted on the progress.

The Last 2 weeks...

2008-07-27T12:15:00.003-04:00

We had our Strategy Final last week. Given the fact that you can’t really study for Strategy, and it was open book, I was fairly laid back about it. Our professor ‘checked out’ on us a couple weeks ago as well, and as a result, none of us really felt the impetus to work hard. We delivered our presentation to our peers, and she was with us over skype. She did the same thing for the final. I really was disappointed in the Strategy class. Strategy is supposed to be fun! She taught us concepts, but I feel that I don’t have a framework for strategy. Her course was just a hodge-podge of concepts lumped together (VRIO framework, Porter’s 5 forces). For our final exam, she made us do a stakeholder analysis on swimsuit design rules....I still don't think I get 'strategic groups'. Oh well, luckily I am not going into consulting.

Anywho, we have one more weekend of school, one Finance assignment and one Finance final left. It’s been really hard to focus on school this semester. I think it is a combination of summer and lack of motivation. I can’t wait for August 7th, because that’s Freedom Day.

Things not to do on a long weekend...

2008-06-29T23:20:00.005-04:00

I can think of lots of things to do on a long holiday weekend.. writing an 8 page paper on Integrative Thinking is not one of them. I've been trying to write this Reflection paper for most of today, and it's been a painful process. I haven't been able to focus, and I am not even close to being done. I am blaming it on the long weekend. I have no motivation to study.

This lack of motivation brings up two salient points: (I wish I could count use of Integrative Thinking vocabulary towards my paper!)

Am I in a virtuous cycle? I am trying to finish up early, and have started overloading on courses. Do I lack motivation because I am overloading or am I overloading the courses because I see my motivation levels rapidly declining in the future months?

Second Salient point: I noticed the newbies.. the 3YR11 students. Their faces are so fresh and eager... They seem to embody me last summer.. all full of excitement and possibility. There are times that I wish for last summer back, and there are times that I am so exhausted that I can't wait for all of it to be over. I still feel excitement but it is more about the opportunities post MBA, rather than getting into grad school.

I want to freeze frame some of these moments, replay some of them, and fast forward the bad ones(Stats class!). Because for all my complaining, it is all happening too fast...

Back to the paper...so what's my motivation? Going out for the rest of the weekend..

Tottering along....

2008-06-22T22:58:00.004-04:00

Finished the bidding for courses this evening, and it was a daunting task. I put in my bids, and then tried to go back a screen to check what section it was, or read the description one last time, only to find out that all my selections disappeared. Aaah! This happened three times. You think I would have learned the first time around. I tried to be all strategic about bidding – I really did try. But in the end the whole figuring out what was the average bid points, and how many people balloted threw me all off and after those times that my screen selections blanked out.. I just started to randomly allocate points....fingers crossed that it worked!

The days seem to be flying by. We had our Finance midterm last week. I finished the FIT practicum and I have one more paper to write for that course that’s due at the end of this week. Our strategy midterm is due this week, and we had to analyze Coors’ strategy... back in 1985!! It’s very hard to look at the data and “pretend” that Coors is a premium beer....and that they aren't called Molson Coors now. This is the problem with doing cases from 20 years ago.. We have current information (esp on beer!) but are forced to stay in a time vortex... why can’t we examine cases that are current? The FIT practicum was better in that respect where we had to analyze Yahoo!‘s current strategy.

More and more work to follow.....Strategy presentation, and group writeup, strategy Final, Finance assignment, and Finance Final.. nearly there. Just six more weeks.

I have started to realize the value of a two or three year program instead of a one year program. Way back when I was contemplating MBA school, I was leaning towards a one year program. I had thought that the faster I get it over with, the better. However, my thinking has changed.. A year just passes by so quickly, and there is no time to take in what you are learning and solidify concepts, and just think about your career. In a two year program, you are given the opportunity in the first year to sit back and watch a bit if you like, before you dive into a field, or an opportunity. You get to analyze what you are learning instead of just ploughing through the material. You get to take more electives, and build your knowledge. I think this is the biggest advantage. It might take a bit longer, but isn’t it better to have no regrets or less of them anyway?

Looking over your shoulder

2008-06-09T00:05:00.002-04:00

We had to analyze Yahoo! Canada strategy in our FIT practicum. It’s been quite fascinating reading all of the articles, and understanding the whole new media landscape. Our task is to define a strategy for Yahoo! Canada in the Web 2.0 environment.

I stumbled upon an interesting piece of journalism in one of the articles “Then, on Aug. 19, 2004, Google went public. According to some former Yahoos, that was a turning point for the company's culture as well. Yahoo became a company obsessed with Google rather than one looking to make the next leap on the Net. "Yahoo became super-paranoid," says one former search manager. "We switched from charting our own course to looking over our shoulder."

That last line struck a chord with me on a personal level. It’s so easy to constantly compare and look over your shoulder. It’s so easy to just take one little peak isn’t it? It appeals to our insecurities. We feel the need to look back and see who’s catching up to us, who will overtake us. We also have the tendency to look around and assess the competition constantly.

We also look over our shoulder at the past and assess what we did wrong and examine our mistakes and all the paths we did not take, and examine the ones we have taken.

My biggest takeaway is to stop looking over my shoulder, and focus on the road ahead. The past is behind me, and the competition? Well, they will always be there, but are they relevant to my goals?

Second Year

2008-05-18T19:24:00.001-04:00

I seem to have lost the interest to blog lately, although there has been a lot going on. Perhaps that’s part of the reason: I can’t seem to write logically amid all of the thoughts swirling in my brain. So here goes my attempt to produce a decent post..

We started Year 2 last week, after a whole 2.5 weeks off from the last semester! We are taking Strategy and Finance this term. I am also enrolled in an extra course called Foundations of Integrative Thinking Practicum, as I am trying to finish school a bit early. As a result, June is going to be a tough month, as I will be juggling three courses.

So, we have finally have our first woman professor assigned to us and she is teaching us strategy. She is good, however she speaks sooo fast, I get tired trying to keep up with her! She has decided to cold call us in class, a method I detest. Yikes! However she is doing this solely because our student reps complained about the ‘lack of transparency’ in participation marks. However, her strategy is novel, and despite all attempts to just be a seat warmer I am somewhat pleased with her approach. In order to get 10% of your marks, you have to sign up for cold calling for 2 classes. She will even help you if you are scared to talk - very thoughtful of her. Can you imagine getting emails and visits from 60 students? Alright, perhaps only half of the class would take her up on the offer to be coached. I don’t feel the need to be coached however I did email her as to what types of questions I should be prepared for.

The Finance prof is younger than all of us. Given that the average age of our class is 32, I have done my rough estimate based on his bio, that he is about 28!!!! There were a lot of complaints made to the administration about his lack of teaching experience. The basis of the complaints were given Rotman’s reputation for one of the best Finance faculty, and given the fees we are paying we should be taught by a more experienced prof. They told us to give him a chance. Apparently, they asked him to come and teach us, not the other way around. He’s quite smart, and has a bit of anecdotal finance trivia, which is a good way to get people to pay attention in class, especially if you aren’t into finance.

The university is much quieter without the full timers. Aaah the study rooms will be empty and will be nice and quiet...So I should be more productive right?

Part Time vs Full Time

2008-04-02T21:27:00.003-04:00

Here are my thoughts...

I really like the part time program. The age group and work experience of your classmates will be a lot higher. There are a few 'older' fulltimers, but the average age tends to be much lower.

In terms of missing out, there are a lot of career info events and workshops that are during the day and that is hard for part timers to go to, given we work a full time job. That being said, if you plan accordingly, there are sufficient evening events to go to as well, or you can take a half day off work etc.

Jobs: If you are switching careers you might need to do an internship. You can always do an internship at the very end of your MBA or in between years 2 and 3. However, if you are looking to get into Finance, there are sooo many competitions and workshops that you can get a lot of experience in that respect. Rotman is really the best school for Finance in Canada (in my humble opinion). I am not sure if that is your intended career path. Jobs are open to every graduating student, and I was told by the career centre that the highest paying job last year went to a part-timer.

Profs: I personally think the quality of the profs are really amazing and are very knowledgeable - even in the evening. For the most part, they teach both the full time and the part time. Some of our profs teach us and the executive mba.

Extra curricular events: I along with my fellow part-timers have been involved in numerous challenges that take place in school. I would say at least 1/3 - 1/2 of our class has been involved in at least one challenge this year. As you know from my blog, I entered the Investment challenge and the Loreal challenge.

One additional note: You can enter the part time program, and switch into the full time program in second year and vice versa. However, this is not a guarantee and is approved on a case by case basis.

This guy is smart and he’s at Rotman

2008-03-29T13:14:00.002-04:00

I stumbled upon Richard Florida’s creative class website by accident. His book ‘Who’s your city?’ is out, and of course I knew he was at Rotman, and he writes an article for the Globe which I usually glance over, but I still didn’t pay too much attention. We got an email about his new book, but we get so many emails a day that sometimes you skim them over. Well after visiting his website, and reading about what he has to say, I can now see what the big hullaboo about getting him on the faculty was all about. He was on the Colbert report!

So for fun I tried his which city should you live in.. I typed in these cities: Toronto, London, SanFran, NYC, Hong Kong. I thought of Dubai, and I forgot to include Bombay. This is what I got:

I should definitely consider staying in Toronto! And then definitely consider London and SF, and not consider NYC and HK.

Anyway, go to this website if you’d like to procrastinate. It’s fun! I need to see if he teaches a class, and buy his book.

And then there were two.... or three?

2008-03-26T20:21:00.004-04:00

Wow, what a day. I am so knackered from the drama of this morning. It seems to have surpassed the exhaustion of the past month.

Today was Investment Challenge day. Now, it’s not what you think.. No, we glided through our presentation, and the judges didn’t ream us. We didn’t make it to the second round, however I was very relieved to just go home, and relax. This is a breakdown of the hours that aged me...

9:30 AM : Our presenter calls me to tell me that he’s sick and can’t present. My response was you are kidding right? Apparently, he wasn’t.

9:40 AM : Frantic phone call to only other surviving member of our group. I am at a loss for words. I am in panic mode. He suggests we go ahead with it. We will just wait for the sick presenter to forward his speaker notes, and add our own notes.

We started this competition in Nov, with 5 team members. About a month into the competition, one dropped out . (The IC dropout even won free Stalla CFA seminar notes today, and he wasn’t even there!) Last week, another member said that he couldn’t be there on presentation day as he had work commitments.

9:50 AM : Crisis support call to biggest supporter (aka mom) who also suggests that yes, we can prepare in less than three hours.

11:30 AM : Get to school. Nerves are in total overdrive having drunk 4 cups of coffee. Team member and I go over our notes. Surmise that no one will know if we bomb the presentation. Find consolation in this.

12:00 PM Sick presenter calls saying he can make it. Yes, you read right.

12:40 PM Sick presenter arrives.

1:00 PM We present.

1:15 PM It’s all over.

2:30 PM We find out that we didn’t make it to the second round. The 4 cups of coffee is still wreaking havoc on my nerves.

3:00 PM Subway ride home with sick presenter. I am told, that I should relax more. Nearly whacked him over the head, but I restrained myself as there would have been witnesses.

Lessons learned: Always have more than one presenter. Even if you don’t show up, you might win a prize.

It was just a matter of time..

2008-03-16T10:35:00.003-04:00

Before I was called upon in class and looked like an idiot... At least I didn’t say I don’t know.. The irony of it was the question was on Conrad Black. My award winning answer was something to the effect about the ‘class already took my answers’ .... and then I had to repeat what I said because the prof didn’t hear me. For someone who likes flying under the radar, and hates being put on the spot, this didn’t go down well. Well, at last I have learned to always have my name tag...being put on the spot by being called ‘you in the red’ only added to my embarrassment. There was a lengthy debate later that night on whether the Socratic method of calling upon you in class has merit.

Moving on. ..It has been a crazy two weeks and there is no slowdown in sight. The next few weeks are going to be tough. We have something due every week in March! Papers due constantly and all of them require a lot of ‘what do you think?’ I’ll take number crunching and an excel spreadsheet over that any day. As much as I hate writing these papers, and find them cumbersome, I do think this is where I personally get the most value out of the mba. With the exception of stats, and b law, I have coasted through most of the courses. These ‘soft’ courses are a lot more work than any of us thought. It does make me think in a different way, and takes me out of my comfort zone intellectually.

The investment challenge presentation is creeping up on us. In the last two months, our excitement has faded now that we are losing money. . It’s going to be a mad dash in the next two weeks to get up to speed on all the company and market news.

I better go and work on my ethics reaction paper. I am writing on none other than Conrad Black... it’s a good thing I blogged about him earlier, as I am using some of it in my paper...

Oh and one last note: I, along with everyone else have been fascinated with the Spitzer story. I know you probably have read everything there is to read about it.. for goodness sake People and ET are reporting on it too! So, I decided not to comment on it, but I wanted to share this ad by Virgin mobile canada with you. I think it is just brilliant marketing, and in line with Virgin's marketing strategy!

Business Ethics

2008-03-02T09:38:00.001-05:00

Is this an oxymoron? Can it even be taught? I am not sure, but I definitely think it belongs in the core courses taught at MBA schools. Even if you aren’t a highly ethical person, just learning about the consequences of unethical decision making should deter you (in some cases 25 years for white collar crime).

We had our Ethics class yesterday. Although it was a long day, we were taught by our B law prof, and he is very entertaining in class, and as a result it did go by rather quickly. We discussed the well known corporate scandals - Enron, Worldcom, Martha Stewart, Hollinger. The prof presented us with an interesting case that I hadn’t heard of at all. David Radler, Conrad Black’s former best friend and co-conspirator had donated $1 million (some through newspaper holding companies) to Queen’s Business School. In gratitude, Queens put up a plaque commemorating his donation. When he was found guilty, Queens decided that they would make a stance and return the funds and take down the plaque. In the end they couldn’t return all the funds due to the fact that some of the companies that had donated the funds in Radler’s name were not in existence. Mr. Radler did accept the return of his contributions. The question that was posed to us was would you return the funds? My group decided to, take down the plaque, and keep the money. It posed an interesting question, do politicians return money when they realize the money that was donated to their campaign was illegally made? The professor told us that Mother Theresa faced similar problems. Her response was that she couldn’t control where the money was coming from, but she could control where it would go. That line of thinking works for me.

One of the more interesting points that stuck with me yesterday was the fact that unethical behaviour doesn’t happen instantly. A person doesn’t actually sit there and think ‘Today I will be unethical’. It is a series of events that lead up to it. They hope that their little actions aren’t caught, and that they can mend it in time. But one lie always leads to a bigger lie and so on.

In concluding this post, a bit of legal advice for you: If you are ever caught in an unethical situation, and are being prosecuted: Be the FIRST to make a deal.......let’s hope you never have to use this advice.

Hello Again

2008-02-27T23:40:00.002-05:00

It has been a while, I know. I have been trying to think integratively and adapting to my new group.

We finished our ‘Foundations of Integrative Thinking’ class. In the last six weeks we have been overloaded with mental models, and the whole concept of integratively thinking. To be honest, I can’t actually say I understand what the course was all about. I am trying to review it in my brain and so far this is what I have come up with
Question the status quo and the information when making decisions,
Don’t assume blindly, and don’t make judgments rashly
Framing is integral to everything (in marketing a product, or presenting information)
Don’t rely on first impressions (They have not convinced me of this one)

But aren’t these all common sense ideas? It seems so, however very few people carry this out in real life.

One of the fun things we got to do for this course was pick some sort of social cause and create a presentation for it. This assignment actually sold me on the course. If each of us as business people walk away trying to make the world a difference better place, then the school has taught us well. We will be better business leaders in the future.

My team chose to solve the problem of increasing donations to silent tragedies. We chose to focus on WaterAid, an organization that helps provide sustainable water and sanitation solutions in developing countries.

If you’d like to know more about WaterAid, click on the video above. (I love the guys’ voice – he sounds like Chris Martin from Coldplay).

Moving along.. Being creatures of habit, all of us are still adjusting to our new group members. My old group had a ‘method’ that worked just right. We understood each other’s working habits, and quirky personality traits. We got along. Then just to make things interesting, the school decided to switch us all around, and we are all still adapting. It’s not easy, I’ll tell you. I find myself comparing my new group to my old group. I also find myself being less enthusiastic to bond with my new group. The excitement of being immersed in new activities and the possibility of making new friends has evaporated. I am not alone in this sentiment. Most of my classmates feel the same way. We liked it the way it was.

I really have surprised myself in terms of my own resistance to the team change. I always thought of myself as very adaptable I have changed jobs every 2 years, moved schools more than a kid should (6 times before university) and I have moved homes so many times, that I should be used to it. Pick up and leave. Make new friends. Keep some of the old friends along the way. But these aren’t new people. We already know them. We have already formed our biases in our minds. Whether they are correct or not is irrelevant. We have made them and this is where it is tough. When you meet someone new for the first time, you are more inclined to make more of an effort to make a new friend.

I can’t help but compare these changes to corporate re-orgs, and how resistant most people are to them. None of it seems to make sense at the time, but over time you gradually accept it. Why? Because you have no choice.

Biz Law....

2008-02-03T11:42:00.000-05:00

I was so sceptical about this class over the holidays. Just confirms my theory that you can't judge a class based on the syllabus. It is one of the best courses I have taken so far. Okay, the macroeconomics course in the fall comes close. One of my classmates told me that GREAT classes are more about the profs rather than the content. I concur.

We had an entertaining class last week. We had to discuss the charter of rights and freedom in different situations. The issues spanned a diverse range of topics from drug testing at work to assisted suicide. He split us up into pro and con groups to discuss an issue and then an appointed spokesperson voiced our opinions. The arguments for each side were quite diverse and good, considering we had to come up with them in half an hour. The professor was obviously impressed with us that he posted a ‘thank you for an enlightening and entertaining class’. He said that at dinner later than night, he couldn’t stop talking about us. That’s a first! I have to give my classmates the kudos. I simply played the part of the observer.

The highlight of the class discussion was when we had to discuss whether lap dancing should be allowed in strip clubs or not. The prof had the foresight to tackle this issue last. The pro arguments were hilarious. Of course, you can imagine which side the girls chose and which side the guys chose.

As some of you know I document the words I learn in Business school. Let’s just say this business school education is giving me an all rounded education. Well, when the opposition was giving their arguments against lap dancing, the girl (of course it had to be a girl!) claimed that she had never heard of champagne rooms. I immediately thought silently ‘Me too. What are they?’.... :)

Down 13 spots..

2008-01-28T19:39:00.000-05:00

The FT Rankings came out today and they aren’t good at all. Rotman placed 40th this year... Down from placing 27th last year. (Rotman only participates in the FT and Business week business school rankings).

It is a small blow to the Rotman brand globally, as the FT rankings are the most global and diverse, unlike the Business Week rankings that are more US focussed.

What did we do wrong? The dean sent an email to the entire school discussing the ratings. You could tell he wasn’t pleased. Good reason too. The ranking drop was due to the ‘weighted salary increase’ category. Apparently it has to do with the fact that the starting salary for the class of 2004 was higher than the past year, etc..

The ratings that surprised me: LBS is 2nd. Indian School of Business placed 20th A lot more English business schools made the list.

I realized that after his email at 9:06 AM, not a single email was sent out till about 6 PM. Very unusual for a Monday. Perhaps everyone at school was mulling the bad news, and working on getting a higher spot next year...???

Oh well, it's still a good school, and we are still No.1 in Canada, and we placed 6th in Finance.

Suffering from Apathy

2008-01-24T18:00:00.000-05:00

Yep.. finally all the excitement has worn itself out.. I had just enough to carry me through the holiday season, and now its over. I was recently told that I work too hard, and play too little. I think I agree. I think I am heading down the crashing phase. Need a vacation..

School started on Monday. Remember that team building event at the ROM? Well apparently they got too many complaints from the class of 2010. It was to be held on a Sat morning. So, they took our complaints into consideration and made us do a personality test and get to know our teams. For the record: I did not complain. I would have liked the scavenger hunt at the ROM. I went out on Monday night as I hadn’t seen my classmates for a while. Going out on a Monday night was a very bad choice. Thursday nights are better.

We started Foundations of Integrative Thinking.. They are trying to rewire our brain to think about what other people are thinking. hmmm.

We did have to read an interesting article called ‘The Odds of That’. The article quoted the famous Casablanca line ‘of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the worlds....’ Apparently Bogart was clueless. The chance of Bergman walking into his bar was actually very likely. The article says that everything that happens in our lives are random events. We think occurrences and events mean something because of our personal bias. The more personal it is, the more ‘meaning’ we assign it. There is no master plan. There are only coincidences. Nothing is fate, or destiny. It’s just a fluke. Great! So the crazy living in my building is random….. :) Already my thinking is changing..

Off to Business Law.. sounds boring, but the prof is supposed to be interesting.. We had to read an article about a guy who sues a water company because he found a fly in it. Apparently he won, and then lost in the appeals..Should make for an interesting discussion.

View from the 56th floor.

2008-01-10T22:39:00.000-05:00

I attended the CIBC women in capital markets event that was held on the 56th floor of the CIBC building. For those who don’t live in Toronto, a part of the CIBC sign fell off the skyscraper yesterday evening. Surprisingly I was not scared for my safety, considering this is the second time something fell from a very tall building in Toronto in a span of a year. Anyway, the event was good. The most interesting part was that they had invited undergrad and MBA students from both Schulich and Rotman. It was interesting to see the dynamics play out as a result. We tended to huddle by school instead of by MBA and undergrad.

They had an executive MD talk about her experiences, and then they had us mingle. Her underlying message in the words of her 13 year old was ‘job is cool and the money is good’. My takeaway: There is never a dull day in the market and have an opinion and express it. She said well work hard now, put in your dues and it will pay off. Secret: You don’t work the crazy hours forever. AND she said that she worked a 4 day week when her kids were small. Nanny hiring was not discussed. In the mingle session, I joined the trading Q&A group. Their advice was to develop a thick skin, and know that you can’t win in the markets all the time.

One of the other points the speaker made was to move around early in your career and to try different things. I agree. The problem is I have tried different things and I can’t decide. Over the past two months, I have rekindled my love for the markets all over again. I absolutely love the markets. I can stare at the screen flicker stock upticks and downticks for hours. You can NEVER know enough about the market. There is something humbling and challenging in that. The problem is I also really like private equity or corporate lending (fundamentally similar). I like the idea of lending money to a company by assessing their potential and future profitability. I can ALSO look at pro formas and business plans all day. I guess I still have time to decide.

I am going to a few more career info events next week. I am not looking for a summer job or a full time job; however I think you always learn more about the companies at these events. At the very least it is good to go and check out the competition...

We are the sum of our choices

2007-12-31T09:29:00.000-05:00

I am sitting here on the eve of a brand new year, and the above Albert Camus line seems to echo in my mind. Choices. I look back at 2007, and realize I made a lot of choices, both personally and professionally. Some of the choices have been life changing and some inconsequential. There have been a few bad choices, and some stellar choices. Those choices brought about some incredible highs and lows. I made the choice to apply and go to MBA school despite the cost, and despite the naysayers who told me that an MBA wasn’t worth it. I made the choice to take a film production course in the middle of business school applications and interviews, while working a full time job. This despite everyone thinking I was crazy.

People always think they don’t have choices in life, and think life is something that happens to them. But we do have choices. We have the choice to do the right thing. We have the choice to make a difference in the lives of others. We have the choice to go after our dreams or park them on the unfulfilled shelf in our life. We have a lot more choices than people living in different parts of the world. You have a choice, and I wish you good luck in making your choices in 2008.

Another semester done!

2007-12-19T19:47:00.000-05:00

Well nearly done. I have the Macro economics final tomorrow, and it should go well. I’ve been in the MBA program for 8 months now, and it has gone by so quickly. Can’t believe it.

This last semester has been intense. They overloaded us on the courses, and there were a whirlwind of activities at school, of which I only attended a handful. Just reading the emails and the portal updates on school activities took up so much valuable (work) time. Juggling a full time job, and school has been tough. Having worked and studied constantly for longer than I care to remember, I feel that the MBA is a lot more work than any of the previous courses I’ve taken. I think it’s the twice-a-week classes combined with the extra-curricular. There were tons of speaker and workshop events that I would have loved to attend but it meant taking a day off work or leaving work early, and when you take vacation days just to finish assignments or study for an exam, you’d like to keep a few vacation days for an actual vacation! And then there were the ‘extra-curricular’ competitions. The Investment challenge kept me busy. We met with our Investment mentor about a week ago. He told us that he was impressed with our portfolio, as we had made 5% in 3 weeks. Good thing, we didn’t meet up with him this week, the market downturn wiped out our gains! I also signed up for the Loreal Strategy challenge. Unfortunately my group got booted out in the first round. A bit disheartening, but there is always next year! There were a lot of social events in school as well. I’ve barely been out with the school crowd. It has been hard trying to manage all of it.

Alright, enough complaining on my part! Next semester is going to be better. It’s a lighter load. We have Foundations of Integrative Thinking, and because the semester was so light I signed up for Business Law. Yes, I am a glutton for more school work.
They switch our group members next semester, and we are having another team building event in Jan. Considering we already know our classmates, we aren’t sure why they are doing this. However, there are a few people in class that aren’t too friendly, and part of me has the urge to walk over to a certain person and say ‘Hello, I don’t think we’ve met!’ :) It should be fun though as they are holding it in the ghastly crystal structure, otherwise known as the ROM(Royal Ontario Museum).

We get a month off school! I will be sleeping A LOT, and I hope to get in some reading.. those books from the summer are still waiting to be read. The film production schedule might be pushed back a week or two as I am now working on the second draft of the script (it came back with ‘suggestions’). Fortunately, everyone involved with the film is very patient, and keeps volunteering their help! Phew! Okay must stop procrastinating and start studying...Merry Christmas!!!

Bridget likes Oprah?

2007-12-14T22:55:00.000-05:00

I am hardly the political type, but I’ve been following the democratic leadership party race, because I am rooting for Hillary Clinton for President. One of my friends even gave me a ‘Bill for First Lady’ button. In the last week, however, I have been following the Obama campaign. With Oprah’s endorsement, Obama’s campaign trail has become must-see-tv for me. As some of you will know, I am not an Oprah fan, and there have been several lengthy discussions on Oprah (the crowd I hang with is opinionated, and debate is encouraged at the dinner table! :))

Although my loyalties lie with Hillary, and Oprah is definitely not on my favourite celebrity list, I was caught up with a line in her Obama endorsement speech.

“There are those who say it's not his time, that he should wait his turn. Think about where you'd be in your life if you'd waited when people told you to”.

That line alone probably swayed a couple hundred voters. Why should you accept how people see you? Why not question the status quo?

The line resonated with me as it reminded me of a line that I've had to say often in my life. I say it to people who disagree with me about my personality, and my capabilities. I don’t try to change their opinion. And neither should you, reader. It is an exercise in futility. Acknowledge their opinion, and say this ‘People see what they want to see’. Smile and move on. Have the conviction to believe that you are worthy of that promotion, raise or job. If you don’t believe it, why should anyone else?

Inspiring...

2007-12-09T14:00:00.000-05:00

It is beautiful here in Toronto. I am distracted by the small puffy snowflakes that are falling. It just seems so magical, and as I sit here staring outside my window, I am reminded of an article I came across this past week.

I want to share with you the real life story of Carissa Phelps. She recently graduated with an MBA and a law degree from UCLA. Carissa got a job in the alternative assets division of LACERA (Los Angeles County Employees Retirement Association) and after two months quit. Why? Because one of her fellow MBA students, and film maker was making a documentary about her life, and as she was recanting her story, she realized she had to make a difference. Carissa didn’t grow up living a charmed existence; she was instead abandoned by her mother at 12, and became a teenage prostitute. She ended up in juvie hall, and with the help of a counsellor, turned her life around. What an accomplished life despite all the setbacks. She is now raising $20 million for a for-profit community development corporation. For more information on this extraordinary person, here’s the link: Carissa Project

Bizarre Assignment questions

2007-12-05T00:03:00.000-05:00

One of the questions in our second macroeconomic assignment asks us to discuss why Macroeconomics is useful in business in a three page memo. I’ve done a fair bit of research, and realize now that I have to really think about this one. There is no book, article (besides the one he recommended) that magically sums any of it. Thank goodness, I didn’t have to write a three page memo on how statistics is an integral part of the mba program...

We’ve come to realize that the prof doesn’t teach in class. Alright, he teaches some theory, but he talks a lot about general business/economic news. This is all good, however there are certain theories that you need to understand to connect all the dots. I guess this is why they call it grad school.. Independent study and thought is imperative!

However, he is still entertaining... He showed us this video spoof that Columbia MBA students made when Ben Bernake was appointed Fed chairman instead of the Columbia dean. I laughed so hard in class. I looked online for some other ones, and some are really quite funny....

Hire a Nanny

2007-11-26T23:14:00.000-05:00

Naturally, at a women in capital markets seminar you would expect the talk to address balancing career and child rearing, and that it did. Hiring a nanny would be one of the most emphasized pieces of advice that was shared by the panel of women. One even hinted at having two nannies, one for the morning, and the other for the evening. Now, imagine the audience all made up of young women with a mountain of student debt thinking.. how can I afford a nanny? I thought I heard a couple snickers at the mention of the first ‘hire a nanny’ line, the snickering quieted down when it was obvious fairly soon that they were ALL dead serious. One of the speakers told us that if you didn’t hire a nanny you were jeopardizing your career.. well ok, she didn’t use that word.. however she did say that if you don't have a nanny, you are sending a signal to your employer that your job isn’t important enough. Daycare isn't good enough to balance work and career. Well, I don’t have to worry about nannies for a while, and I won’t go into my opinion on the topic.
All in all, it was a very informative session. All the women that attended worked in capital markets, and at one point in time were investment bankers, traders. Interestingly, their backgrounds were so diverse. One woman did her undergrad in german (the language); another was a genetic scientist! However they all did have either a business undergrad, mba and/or designations and were extremely qualified. They had a mingle session after the talk, but I wasn’t in the mood to really chit chat. My mind couldn’t come up with any questions to ask as they had already told us about themselves, and the thought of talking about (read: selling) myself wasn’t appealing. A shame really because the ratio of women professionals to women students was 2:1!! Hopefully, I will feel more up to it the next time. I really do enjoy hearing people talk about their career path. It always re-emphasizes the fact that there is never one path to success, and that it is always a mix of preparation and luck.

I passed Stats!!!

2007-11-20T22:04:00.000-05:00

Wahoo!!! I can’t even begin to describe the relief I feel. My hands were shaking as I logged into the portal to check my grades. I have never been this nervous of a grade since I wrote my accounting entrance exams. Two people did fail the course, and I feel so bad for them.

It is in a crisis that you realize who your friends are and just how good the school you attend is. When I told people I was scared of failing, only one person took me seriously. Everyone just told me that they would never fail anyone. I am really glad I never took it for granted that I was going to pass just because I got into MBA school.

Over the last two months, I really wondered if I was going to pass stats, and contacted the prof. I even contacted the Program Services offices (the place mba students go to for everything). I expected them to laugh at me, and was surprised how supportive they were. They even offered to set me up with a one-on-one tutor (which I didn’t take them up on, as I had gone to the tutorials). They even followed up after our conversation. I was very impressed!

This whole episode will go down as one of those stories that didn’t kill me but taught me to believe in myself. As one of my friends said well, this is the only course I have actually had to study for, and I guess that’s true. It’s the only course, where I have actually read the entire textbook. Business to me is second nature, so worrying about mba school had never been an issue. Cocky? Perhaps. This whole experience has been humbling. I have newfound respect and admiration for the people who are learning business for the first time. I understand now how terrifying it can be.

Needless to say I called members of my urban family for an impromptu drink session to celebrate! It’s a couple beers later, and I am on a definite high from passing stats, and slightly buzzed.... I now have to go and prepare for my Eco group meeting tomorrow.

What a week...

2007-11-17T17:29:00.000-05:00

I’ve barely held it together this week. School, work and life-in-general all seemed to collide, and it was hard to stay focussed on any one thing. Had the stats exam this week. I couldn’t even take a day off as it was year-end reporting. Well, the exam is over. That’s all I can say about it. Success or Failure is out of my hands at this point...

We’ve now moved onto Macro Economics, and the prof is really good. He’s funny and makes the class interesting. He is definitely the best professor thus far. I have observed that he has a penchant for the word ‘okay’, which he says every 2 seconds in a very funny intonation! However, for all the entertainment that he brings to class, I was starting to get bored in the second class. I really like macro economics, and when he talks about current economic news or anecdotes, I find myself engrossed; however when he starts telling me what the difference between GDP and GNP and how you calculate balance of payments, my eyes start to glaze over...

The Investment Challenge is A LOT of work!! One of our group members quit, but since he wasn’t really contributing I wasn’t too surprised. The only problem is that he was supposed to be the presenter on challenge day, and now I am not sure which one of us will have to do it. We might have to draw straws. We have to finish our investment policy by Monday, and there are still so many things to set up before we start trading. Apparently most of the other groups have started trading, so this week we have to start trading! One of the things that I really like about this challenge is that they set each group up with a mentor. We sent our mentor an email asking him to see if our stocks were aligned to our investment policy, and he replied in an hour. I was impressed! I like the fact that there are so many workshops and seminars and people to ask for help if you need it.

On another note, I was sitting with my investment challenge group when one of the Rotman Asset Mgmt reps came by, and he was rambling for a bit and at first I thought he wanted me to get him to go to some women in capital markets event, where you usually accompany a woman as a guest (there are events like that) and in between his spiel, I was losing patience (I’ve been in a very ‘chop-chop’ mood this week). It turns out he was asking me if I would be interested in attending a women in capital markets seminar. I felt a bit guilty after, especially as I was very interested. This event is geared towards women and only women. And apparently they were finding it hard to get women to go.. Bonus! Now, I know why I am doing the MBA. It’s always been quite the struggle for me to break into the investment side, and I have always felt being a woman has never helped. That and the fact that I am soft spoken and reserved. I am looking forward to it!

Distractions

2007-11-10T11:18:00.000-05:00

Studying at school on a Sat is a BAD idea. In fact studying at school on most evenings is a bad idea too. There are too many people, and too many ‘events’ going on. How I wish for the quiet of the past summer! I am so distracted right now, that blogging seems like a more effective use of my time. The door to the study area keeps clicking every 5 seconds as someone is either entering or leaving. A couple of the meeting rooms are filled with study groups, and their conversation are so loud, that you can’t help but listen.. darn it, I might as well be contributing. The printer noisily churns out a document every so often. And to top it all, there is a Super Saturday Finance (cross between informational and networking) event in the foyer and the speakers' voices carry through the quiet study area. I might as well be attending.. Every half an hour I hear a clap, and a change of voice..So although it is very frustrating, the school is always buzzing with activity, and I guess that is a good thing...if only I could get some studying done though.

Juggling...

2007-11-05T23:06:00.000-05:00

That’s what I feel like I am doing lately. Everything seems to be happening all at the same time. Had the accounting exam last week, and I think I did well. My mom said the nicest thing on the day of the exam. She forgot which course I had the exam for, and when I told her it was accounting, she said ‘Oh good! Your favourite subject!’ Her words stayed with me though the whole accounting exam, and I think I wrote a good exam. Fingers crossed!

I have the Stats exam next week, and it is definitely not my favourite course. I really don’t feel like studying for it, and I barely opened the stats textbook this past weekend. I was hoping to take a couple days off however it is my busy time at work, and I doubt I can take days off. I will really be celebrating once I pass Stats. It’s the only course that I have been worried about. Mainly because it is the first course where I feel below average...However, after stats, it should be smooth sailing.. yea!

Trading for the investment challenge starts on the 8th, and that is really going to be a handful. Bossing boys is harder than it looks... Working in groups is always difficult. People have different timelines, and priorities, and when things aren’t graded, purpose takes on a whole new meaning.

I have sent out the script to a couple people for criticism. It’s so hard to wait for feedback. I really hope the images in my brain have translated well into words. I still have to organize so many things for the film, and I am so grateful for all the help. I haven’t decided about music yet – Do I have it or not? On a positive note, I just got an email about the film that I was part of last fall - it placed 7th in an Austrian film festival (it was an Austrian production) My role consisted of following the director around, and observing. Haha.. However, it set the stage for everything else.

When gold digger met sugar daddy...

2007-10-27T17:50:00.000-04:00

This is an actual post that was on craigslist and has been making the rounds online... I find this the funniest thing ever! Firstly, I am in finance, and the analogies in the guy’s response are just classic.. Secondly, I think this is the best rebuttal for all the women who expect someone else to pay their bills..The guy is a bit mean in his response..but it is still funny! Someone once told me that I was ambitious, and the way they said it made me feel that ambition was a dirty word….My response to it was I am practical. I want to have a certain lifestyle, and I don’t expect someone else to provide it for me unlike this woman here…

The Question

What am I doing wrong?
Okay, I'm tired of beating around the bush. I'm a beautiful (spectacularly beautiful) 25 year old girl. I'm articulate and classy. I'm not from New York . I'm looking to get married to a guy who makes at least half a million a year. I know how that sounds, but keep in mind that a million a year is middle class in New York City, so I don't think I'm overreaching at all.

Are there any guys who make 500K or more on this board? Any wives? Could you send me some tips? I dated a business man who makes average around 200 - 250. But that's where I seem to hit a roadblock. 250,000 won't get me to central park west. I know a woman in my yoga class who was married to an investment banker and lives in Tribeca, and she's not as pretty as I am, nor is she a great genius. So what is she doing right? How do I get to her level?

Here are my questions specifically:

- Where do you single rich men hang out? Give me specifics- bars, restaurants, gyms

-What are you looking for in a mate? Be honest guys, you won't hurt my
feelings

-Is there an age range I should be targeting (I'm 25)?

- Why are some of the women living lavish lifestyles on the upper east side so plain? I've seen really 'plain jane' boring types who have nothing to offer married to incredibly wealthy guys. I've seen drop dead gorgeous girls in singles bars in the east village. What's the story there?

- Jobs I should look out for? Everyone knows - lawyer, investment banker, doctor. How much do those guys really make? And where do they hang out? Where do the hedge fund guys hang out?

- How you decide marriage vs. just a girlfriend? I am looking for MARRIAGE ONLY

Please hold your insults - I'm putting myself out there in an honest way. Most beautiful women are superficial; at least I'm being up front about it. I wouldn't be searching for these kind of guys if I wasn't able to match them - in looks, culture, sophistication, and keeping a nice home and hearth.

And this is the answer:
I read your posting with great interest and have thought meaningfully about your dilemma. I offer the following analysis of your predicament. Firstly, I'm not wasting your time, I qualify as a guy who fits your bill; that is I make more than $500K per year. That said here's how I see it.
Your offer, from the prospective of a guy like me, is plain and simple a cr@ppy business deal. Here's why. Cutting through all the B.S., what you suggest is a simple trade: you bring your looks to the party and I bring my money. Fine, simple. But here's the rub, your looks will fade and my money will likely continue into perpetuity...in fact, it is very likely that my income increases but it is an absolute certainty that you won't be getting any more beautiful!

So, in economic terms you are a depreciating asset and I am an earning asset. Not only are you a depreciating asset, your depreciation accelerates! Let me explain, you're 25 now and will likely stay pretty hot for the next 5 years, but less so each year. Then the fade begins in earnest. By 35 stick a fork in you!

So in Wall Street terms, we would call you a trading position, not a buy and hold...hence the rub...marriage. It doesn't make good business sense to "buy you" (which is what you're asking) so I'd rather lease. In case you think I'm being cruel, I would say the following. If my money were to go away, so would you, so when your beauty fades I need an out. It's as simple as that. So a deal that makes sense is dating, not marriage.

Separately, I was taught early in my career about efficient markets. So, I wonder why a girl as "articulate, classy and spectacularly beautiful" as you has been unable to find your sugar daddy. I find it hard to believe that if you are as gorgeous as you say you are that the $500K hasn't found you, if not only for a tryout.

By the way, you could always find a way to make your own money and then we wouldn't need to have this difficult conversation.

With all that said, I must say you're going about it the right way. Classic "pump and dump."

I hope this is helpful, and if you want to enter into some sort of lease, let me know.

Hello?

2007-10-25T23:27:00.000-04:00

I don’t even know where to begin....Life has just been hurtling past in all directions.

For the last couple weeks I have been trying to stay afloat through stats, and I think I am going to be okay for the final. We have our management accounting final exam next Thursday, and since I have barely opened the textbook, this weekend is going to be accounting 24/7. Today we got back our accounting group assignment. We did alright, but we didn’t get the top mark. I personally don’t care about grades that much, however being a management accountant, I did feel a bit miffed. Considering all our numbers were right, and the only comment we got was ‘well done’. I did find out that the group that got the top mark did it last minute, the day before. ..people like that make me feel dumb..lol!

Onto more interesting things.. I signed up for a Rotman wide investment challenge. The challenge is to manage $30 million over five months, for a client of our choice. It is quite exciting; however it is a lot of work. We have to decide who our client is first, how we want to invest, devise a risk management strategy, and finally and most importantly decide what we are going to invest in.. That’s the fun part – picking stocks! After five months of monitoring and strategizing, we present our investment strategy. Interestingly, 40% of the mark will be based on our presentation and our defence of our chosen strategy. Only 10% of the mark is based on our portfolio’s return.

And if that isn’t enough to keep me busy, my little film project is finally taking off. I have been very quiet about it, but now that it seems a reality, I feel a bit comfortable sharing. The script is done, the director is in, and the lead actress is in. The filming schedule is set. The lighting, camera, sound, location.. its all coming together.

Advertising does work…

2007-10-08T00:21:00.000-04:00

Have any of you seen the new Sun Life commercial featuring the song ‘Ordinary Miracle’ by Sarah McLachlan?

The very first time I saw the commercial, I was hooked. I recognized the song and the voice, but didn’t know the name of the song. I did remember the commercial and the fact that it was for Sun life.

Its brilliant advertising on their part: timing the feel good ad with Thanksgiving. I have been following Sun Life’s stock for a while, and it makes me want to buy the stock even more now!

It also ties to my current state of mind. I have decided to stop aspiring for a while, and just be. I am just going to enjoy mba school and not worry about missed opportunities, the post mba career, the massive debt on graduation, or whether I am in the right job currently.

I feel quite calm and at peace with all the areas in my life. I realized that you can’t rush anything in life. It’s okay to take a side seat and just enjoy the view. It doesn’t mean I don’t have future plans, but once in a while it’s good to follow the ‘just be’ philosophy, instead of ‘just do it’ one.

It’s a wonderful feeling when you reach this zen like state. Nothing anyone says can alter it. Let’s see how long it lasts! ;) lol.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Finding that ‘perfect’ job

2007-09-28T22:12:00.000-04:00

My email box seems to be inundated with emails from all the industry clubs about networking opportunities. If you are thinking about switching careers, it is considered a must to attend these industry networking opportunities. Most of us in b school are looking to switch careers so finding that perfect job can be an intimidating task, given the competition.

A classmate forwarded me an HBS article that advised against plunging head on into a new career. The author suggested keeping your day job, while launching your new career on the side. Seems reasonable right? However when we started to discuss the merits of this strategy we realized that it was only applicable to certain types of career switches. The article gives the example of a lawyer who became a writer or the auditor who started her own toy company. This strategy works for those seeking new opportunities that are either creative or entrepreneurial.

Moving from one type of corporate job to another is impossible to do on a part time basis. For example, what if you are currently employed in the IT sector, and want to switch to finance, or if you are in finance and you want to be a consultant? I guess that’s why the summer internships are important. Again, being a part-timer puts you at a disadvantage. How do you break into a new career without attending those networking events or scoring a summer internship?

Although I am in finance, I would like to be back in the money side – either lending or investing. I have personally found it very hard to get into either a portfolio management company, or an investment bank. I am amazed at people who do make a successful career switch. Maybe I have never wanted it bad enough.

Of course persistence and focus is key in landing that perfect job. However I also think that all the stars have to be aligned. There have been times in my career where I’ve gone for zillions of job interviews, and never landed a single job. The opposite has also happened. There have been times where all it took was one interview to land my perfect job(at the time). I have even been hired on the spot once. No it wasn’t at a donut store…

I personally think at the end of the day finding the perfect job is about chemistry and kismet. The element of chemistry: people hire who they like. Everyone is capable of doing the job, there are training programs to bring people up to speed. The element of kismet: meeting the right person at the right time at the right place.It sounds a bit like dating to me.

Big Words in Accounting – part 2

2007-09-22T10:16:00.000-04:00

So this was the first week we had class on both Tuesday (Stats) and Thursday (Mgmt Accounting). We had this ‘Rendezvous at Rotman’(free food and drinks) before class started on Thursday, and some things have come to our attention. We, part-timers are clearly at a disadvantage... all the info sessions, club meetings, and career coaching workshops are during the day. Makes sense since 80% of the students are full-time, however not great for us. This means we have to make an extra effort to get involved and participate in our mba instead of just warming seats.

For our management accounting course, we have the same professor we had for Financial accounting – this is good as we know what to expect in terms of the exam and assignments. The accounting prof did teach me something in class.. Did you know that inventoriable is a word?? We thought he made it up.. but go ahead google it.. also learned interesting slang words courtesy of a classmate/urban dictionary... stripper wallet, little steve, smell check, ignoranus, and my personal favourite, work hot.. so when you put them all together...

Update: sentence removed due to possibility of libel lawsuit and bad karma!

This is what I do to relieve some stress.... make silly incomprehensible sentences with stupid words...it is the bad writer in me....Highly recommend urban dictionary if you want a chuckle in class or at work.

Another classmate informed us of this website that rates your professors ...very useful when deciding electives. It also has a field where you can rate the hotness of your profs, some of those hotness ratings are questionable at best. lol. Must go and do some stats homework. Apparently two people failed stats last year.

The universe is trying to tell me something...

2007-09-18T22:22:00.001-04:00

Had serious reservations posting about this, but since this blog is about my MBA journey, and rejections are part of the journey here goes:

A couple weeks ago, we got an email from the Rotman Asset Management club asking us to apply to participate in the annual Financial Post Stock Market challenge, where each team receives $1 million in play money. The challenge is open to all the b schools in Canada. I thought it would be a fun thing to do, and applied.

Today, I got an email from the club selection committee informing me that I wasn't selected. Apparently 40 people applied, and I think only 5 or 6 people get selected. I am not sure what the selection criterion is as they don’t have a job description, nor do they interview candidates. I didn’t think it was that hard to get into. I personally didn't think I would play any lead part in it being a part-timer, however I thought it would be a great experience to be part of. Perhaps I should have written more about the stocks or strategies I would have employed, instead of just the standard experience and education along with the prerequisite resume.

I have had a series of events that have happened recently, and I think that perhaps finance isn't for me. I am starting to think that all of the events that have happened are all signs that perhaps finance isn’t my career goal. I think I am fairly decent at it, as I actually make a living doing it, but am I passionate about it?

In the movie, Serendipity, John Cusack’s characters says: ‘Greeks didn't write obituaries. They only asked one question after a man died: "Did he have passion?”'. I am not sure about the accuracy of the statement, but I think it’s a great question to ponder.

Career season has started.

2007-09-13T23:02:00.000-04:00

I went to the Merrill Lynch info session this evening. One of the Merrill bankers introduced the company and gave a speech for about 15 minutes. It was a pretty straightforward presentation. He talked about the company accomplishments, structure, culture, and the type of people they were looking for. If you can’t attend the sessions, the presentation bits are videotaped. He then opened the floor for Q&A. No one asked any questions. He then said the formal part of the presentation was done, and now we could talk to the Merrill bankers individually.

I only talked to two bankers, both of whom were very friendly and informative, and most importantly patient! People asked them so many questions, and I am quite sure they were being asked the same questions over and over.

Apparently, Merrill is only hiring 8 people for this year. I found out later it was for all of Canada, not just Rotman! This must mean their employee turnover is low, given their size. However, chances of a full time employment aren’t that amazing without the summer internship. To part-timers the summer internship is not a viable option, so I am not sure how a part timer would get a job in IB. Also, one of the ladies I spoke to said they aren’t really looking at the grades. This was a big surprise! She said they were looking at the whole package, and fit was important.

I personally dislike these events, as there seems to be so much pressure to outshine everyone else in the room. Pretty hard to do given the 100+ people in the room. However, given this is an MBA recruitment event, and these are MBA students, there were quite a few people trying to do just that. It was so obvious at times, I almost wanted to cringe.

In terms of the networking: It was extremely hard to get any one-on-one attention with any banker. There are usually four or more people huddled around one banker. Some smart people did ask for business cards and will probably follow up. I personally didn’t. I found it hard to establish any real contact with any banker. You don’t get to form any connection with the person you are with. They don’t ask you what you do or anything personal about yourself. I did overhear some people go into their experience, but most people just stand around asking them questions. If you aren’t familiar with capital markets, then it is a good idea to attend just to get more information and practice the lingo.

I was very nervous about this ‘meet and greet’ networking event, but I managed to find the ‘on’ button. It was a good learning experience, as it made me realize that I was more confident in these situations than I had anticipated. I guess this is an acquired skill, and with practice it can be refined.

So, I guess if you are going to go to these events: Be aggressive and ask for business cards and/or hand them out. Also, try and say something about yourself. And if possible, try and get one on one attention with someone. That is the only way to establish any sort of future networking opportunity.

TIFF movie reviews - in my humble opinion...

2007-09-12T23:34:00.000-04:00

Films generally follow the same themes: love, war, sex, violence. However, film festivals tend to have more than your average dose of sex and violence. Since I usually stay away from violence, I end up steering towards the other end of the spectrum - the relationship/life genre. So if you aren’t interested in reading about it, skip this post entirely. Please also bear in mind, that my films were at best random selections, given film availability, my disorganization and lack of memory as to what the films I had scribbled down in haste before I got to the box office.

Filmmakers attempt to enlighten us, make us question our beliefs, and if they are really good, they touch our hearts. These are the only two movies I have seen at TIFF so far, and they are worthy of comment.

Married Life
I watched it tonight. I didn’t know too much about the plot except for the fact that it starred hottie Pierce (007), Rachel McAdams, Patricia Clarkson, and the very talented Chris Cooper. They were all in attendance, except for Pierce.

Synopsis: its set in the late 1940, a married couple’s happiness is slightly marred by the fact that the husband is having an affair. He loves his wife too much to let her ‘suffer’ through divorce, and instead opts for killing her. I know what you are thinking. Yes, I too thought, okay it sounds like the Laci Peterson story, however the movie was based on the 1953 book ‘Five Roundabouts to Heaven’ .

This film could have gone down the bad movie path, however, the dialogue was brilliant, the dark humor was laugh-out- loud funny, and each of the actors brought the characters to life. I really hope it gets picked up for distribution.

The best line was towards the end of the movie when Pierce Brosnan’s character says ‘Raise your hand if you think you actually know what the person lying beside you is thinking’.

Une Veille Maitresse (The Last Mistress)
Synopsis – Based on the book of the same title, the film is set in 1835, amid the excess of Parisian aristocracy. There is an impending marriage and past love affairs are under scrutiny. The director really did an AMAZING job with the film. It was just one of the most beautiful movies. Everything about it was beautiful : the cinematography, the costumes, the actors (esp, Fu’ad Aït Aattou, the lead actor).

Although, the movie dealt with the main characters going through a love/hate relationship, and all the awful things we are capable of doing to each other in the name of love and lust, there was enough levity in the movie to not make it a harrowing experience. The grandmere stole the spotlight in all of her scenes in her quest for the salacious truth. Again, I had no clue what I was getting myself into. It premiered at Cannes and was apparently a contender for the Palm d’Or. I can see why, as I saw this on Monday, and it is still lingering in my brain.

Catherine Brellait, the director of this film was asked why she chose to adapt this novel. Here is her response:

I love the books of the l9th century.. I would have liked to be the author; he was considered scandalous; he was immense. I did a period piece because I want an ambiance in which passion is possible: the aristocracy allows for the range of emotional experience. When you are starving in Darfur, you cannot think about passion.

I was a bit stunned by the last line. I understand that people in Darfur have to deal with basic survival, but isn’t love and passion a universal feeling? Do poor people not feel passion or love? I think they do. I stumbled upon an article about an Afghan tea boy who has been jailed 15 years for love. I personally think it would make for a great film.

Hello, six weeks later...

2007-09-11T22:42:00.000-04:00

I did absolutely nothing on the six week break. I think I needed to do nothing though, as I really did feel burnt out after last semester. Remember the ‘fun’ list? Well I didn’t even cross off half the items on my ‘fun’ list... I only read two books from the stack of books sitting on my shelf.

Today was the first day back to school. There is a different vibe at school, as the school seems to be invaded my nameless full timers. Starting the part-timers in the summer is a smart idea. It gives us time to adapt to each other and to our surroundings. It’s an odd feeling to share the school with 400+ extra MBA students, not to mention the MiFs, undergrads...We are all going to be jostling for prof.’s attentions, networking opps, coffee, study space and more importantly bar space. Can you imagine being at Wharton or Harvard? (Okay I know some of you might, but that was never my dream) Apparently, the incoming class of MBA students is in the 800 range!! Can you imagine competing with 800 people for a job? Wow, makes me realize how much of a commodity the MBA designation really is.

I have been a little mopey and whiney lately at the thought of another semester at school. All the excitement of getting into MBA school seems to have worn out. I am now counting down the 3, possibly 2 years (!) till I graduate. I know, it’s all about the journey right? But what if while you are on a certain path, you realize that there are other paths you could be on. What if you could live somewhere else? What if there was a possibility of a dream job, but it was just the wrong timing?

A couple weeks ago, I was on Pixar’s website, and decided to check the job postings. I saw a posting for a Film Finance Lead at Pixar. The description said ‘reporting to the director of Finance, and a dotted line to the producer’. How amazing is that? It would combine what I am trained to do professionally and what I love to do in my spare time. I didn’t even know such a job existed. Naturally, given the fact that Pixar is in Emeryville, California, and Rotman is in Toronto, Canada, I had a lot to think about. Although the possibility of an interview is never certain, I always think very carefully about whether I want to apply for a specific job. After hours spent discussing the pros and cons with everyone, I decided not to apply. Interestingly, my mother thought otherwise.

But this is what life is like isn’t it? In order to get something new, we always have to give something else up. I have to keep reminding myself of how I will feel when I finally get this degree instead of all the missed opportunities along the way. Getting my accounting designation was one of the best feelings ever – I actually cried when I got the results! Yes, I was like one of those actresses who start crying when they receive their Oscars.. I know the MBA is worth it for me, and it will definitely open more doors. The hardest part is patience. I still derive some sadistic pleasure from logging onto Pixar’s website and staring at the job posting.

6 weeks of freedom starts tomorrow

2007-07-31T11:17:00.000-04:00

I’ve got the accounting final tonight, and then I’m done! I think I am going to do fine, however my reputation is on the line. :)First semester over.. I can’t believe how quickly it has passed. All the first impressions have stayed the course, and so far I am quite pleased with the program and the school. The quality of instructors has been good. The class of 2010 has got spirit and enough 'unique' characters...this definitely has made going to class fun and interesting! :)

I have already made a list of ‘fun’ things to do.. I know who does that? Only me. I have a stack of books that I can’t wait to get through!!! Will be in the burbs for most of August, sitting in someone’s backyard reading.....aah can’t wait! Also cannot wait to browse TIFF’s movie schedule, and decide which movies I am going to see at the film festival in September.

I have to wake up early tomorrow morning, as I am going up North for a mini break. That is going to be tough, as we are all going out tonight after the exam. Good thing I’m not driving.....I can sleep on the ride up.

Using my WHOLE brain is kinda good...

2007-07-25T20:04:00.000-04:00

We have to hand in our accounting project tomorrow, and I think I am done with it. I might take a tiny peek tomorrow before I submit it, just in case...

We had to analyze the financial reports of two companies, churn out some ratios and discuss our findings. I chose Hershey's and Kellogg's. Initially, I was falling asleep reading these reports. However I have to admit I actually learned something new, and I actually felt like I used my whole brain. I had to really think, instead of coasting (which is what I have been doing).

I had no clue that ethanol prices affected my weekly grocery bill – Did you? Apparently corn farmers are planting ‘fuel crops’ rather than ‘food crops’. 2 weeks ago, I wouldn’t have known what a ‘fuel crop’ was!

The more I delved into these reports, the more interesting it got. It was like a story (okay, not as interesting as fiction) however it was still quite fascinating. A company going through and explaining what they did right and what they did wrong, assessing the past and trying to forecast the future.

At the end of it, I realized that this is pretty cool. It's weird - I actually had an opinion about each company. I guess this is a good thing, considering this is one of my career options post MBA. For the record, I like Kellogg's - solid company! However Hershey’s is yummier!

Stop the Insanity!

2007-07-18T23:57:00.000-04:00

Most readers have probably been wondering when my socialist/non-capitalist streak would come out. That side of me has been quiet for a while, but I saw this headline and I just thought people are nuts! Designer Bag Hysteria at Whole Foods

Is it just me? I really don’t get it – What’s all this fuss for a cloth bag that was probably made in some sweat shop in the third world country using child labour and costs 25 cents.

I like nice, pretty, well designed things, be it clothes, shoes, tech gadgets just as much as the next person. I can even understand the hysteria over the iPhone or anything technology related. I would love to be a buyer at Holts, and I am a foodie, so good food is definitely one of my indulgences.

However this whole obsession with designer stuff is just distasteful at all levels. I understand that high fashion is a business, but it’s just so sad that we as a society are so shallow that we can’t see the fact that really it’s all about people trying to fit in. Working and living downtown, I see a lot of people dressed head to toe in designer garb, and on any given day these people have at least $10,000 worth of ‘stuff’ on themselves. I realize that it is hard to try and not get swept away in our culture of excess. However, my philosophy has always been that money in the bank is better.

The funniest thing is now that ‘saving the planet’ has become trendy we are being encouraged to do what most people in third world countries having been doing for decades. Reuse plastic bags and use cloth or jute bags. A $15 grocery canvas bag being hawked on Ebay for over $150, just because some designer created it, is just ridiculous. This is herd mentality at its worst.

Hubris – Word of the Day, Week, and possibly the Month

2007-07-14T10:02:00.000-04:00

It’s unlikely you haven’t heard about this, as the Canadian media has been announcing this every 5 seconds. But in case you haven’t heard, Lord Conrad Black was convicted of fraud on Friday. I knew he was going to get convicted as U.S. corporate governance laws are very harsh after Enron, and in Conrad’s words there are lots of ‘corporate governance zealots’ out there.

A brilliant mind brought down by his own hubris. This is the sentiment echoed by virtually every Canadian media establishment. The Americans don’t really care for him or know him. They just view him as another corporate sleazebag. In Canada, however we are fascinated by him. He is smart, eloquent, well read, and savvy (some may call him sleazy) business man. Perhaps part of the fascination lies in the fact that he could have been so much more. Perhaps part of it is about watching him rise so high, only to dismantle everything he built in one swoop.

Didn’t he know that video cameras capture everything? That if you are going to carry out damaging evidence out of your office, that perhaps you should put it in a suitcase instead of banker’s boxes? Did you know he was expelled from Upper Canada College because he had gotten access to and sold final exam papers? I guess old habits die hard. Of course he is appealing. I wonder what his sentence is going to be. And of course now he wants his Canadian citizenship back.

Apparently all the high profile executives and society people he befriended on his trip to the top have deleted him from their blackberries. Really, why would you try to impress these people and carry out a lifestyle that you can’t keep up? The whole corporate and society ladder thing always reminds me of high school and people trying to fit in. Thankfully, I have never wanted to fit in. :)

This whole situation reminds me of this quote:‘Intelligence and hard work will get you the position and power, however it is only character that will keep you there’.

Off to read the National Post, a Canadian paper that Conrad launched. Yes, I am a die-hard Postie (This is to all the Globe readers, you know who you are).

How to Effectively Procrasinate

2007-07-08T23:15:00.001-04:00

1. Watch every episode of True Hollywood Story ever made
2. Watch everything on You Tube
3. Read every blog out there

My procrasinating wasn't totally wasted. I found this clip from 'The Princess Bride' movie. It's called 'Battle of Wits'. It's not totally related to game theory but it's a good dilemma/strategy for economics theory.

I think this might get me an A on the economics final! If only it could.

Big Words in Accounting

2007-07-06T17:09:00.000-04:00

While in the THROES of the accounting class on Tuesday, I was able to EXPROPRIATE NEBULOUS information about notes receivable, and my grasp of the subject is TENUOUS.

These are all the BIG WORDS that I learned in accounting yesterday. My classmate and I made note of all the big words the prof said. Didn’t think I could string a sentence with all those words, did you? ;) (update: had to take out IMPUTE as I used it incorrectly!)

Yes, this is how bored I was in class. This is one of my issues with the Rotman MBA program. They do not grant any exceptions on courses. As a newly certified accountant I have to sit through two accounting classes. What’s worse, is I can’t even remember some of this stuff. But I know its buried somewhere in my subconscious, so I just can’t seem to pay attention in class.

The prof is not bad and he has some good anecdotes about accounting scandals. One was about this company, who claimed revenues on products that had been loaded onto their delivery trucks, however the trucks never left the premises.

I know some people might find the accounting anecdotes boring. However, us finance people just relish on all these ‘corporate accounting fraud’ scandals, as it’s the most exciting thing in our field! This is riveting stuff to us, because we just can’t believe that these people thought that they could get away with it. Unfortunately, everytime Hollywood tries to make a movie about business it isn't very good, with the exception of Wall Street and Boiler Room.

Right now, I am hooked on the Conrad Black case – I don't understand his motive. Did he really need more money ? I guess its never about the money at that level, It’s what people think they can get away with or what they think they are entitled to. My all time favourite corporate scandal is about how Nick Leeson brought down the 233 year old Barings Bank. The weirdest part is this guy spent time in jail for fraud and now does after dinner speeches. Nick Leeson's website

Fascinating business model if I ever saw one! The Economics final is coming up on Tuesday, so I better get cracking. It’s going to be hard. I should have bought the text book. But now it just seems futile to buy it before the exam. Live and learn.

One more month to go..

2007-07-02T13:16:00.000-04:00

What a difference a year can make. Last year this time I was on vacation in D.C. having fun. A year of essay writing, gmat studying, interviews and now a year later -finally at b-school.

The next month is going to be busy - 1 quiz, 2 assignments, 2 exams.. oh and work too.

A Funny Accountant - Is that possible?

2007-06-27T20:49:00.000-04:00

I had the opportunity to hear career advice from Karen Maidment, the CFO of Bank of Montreal today. She is very different from what I imagined her to be. I know all executives want to be liked, but I found her to be genuine and frank. She was really funny (strange for a CFO and an accountant!) and very down to earth.

She started out wanting to be an urban planner, but ended up getting her Commerce degree at Mcmaster University majoring in accounting. She was an auditor at Clarkson Gordon, and then went on to become CFO of Clarica Life Insurance, before arriving to take on the CFO job at BMO. In 2006, she received the CFO of the Year award. Her personal life – She’s married, has two kids, and lives in Cambridge, Ontario.

Some advice she passed along:
• Don’t focus on balancing a day, just life in total - So, some days you are going to work twice as hard, and some days you will slack off.
• Don’t take yourself too seriously - Obviously you have to take your job seriously, but don’t take yourself seriously. Don’t beat yourself up for the mistakes you have made.
• Live within your means, even in the good times. (This is basic accountant dogma)
• Don’t be afraid to take risks – This was in answer to somebody saying that she has led a charmed life.
• Always be your self - She never thought she would fit into the banker’s mould.

She also said the three things to seek out in a job are: learning, contributing and having fun. Oh and she also talked about the whole "it’s about the journey not the destination”. She said ‘journey’ people are much happier in life. Focus on the journey, and think about the three things: Am I learning, contributing and having fun?

On the recent BMO problems: She said that her little 12 year old boy said to her "I hear there are problems at the bank”. She replied “yes”. Then her son went on to say “Well I heard that the tile fell off the building, the screws fell off the field, and it costs $680 million to fix it”! Priceless!

She also said that her kids don’t know what a real homemade cookie is. They think you take the dough out of the freezer, unwrap it, slice it and bake it. And she’s okay with that. :)

Study proves what we knew all along

2007-06-23T15:24:00.000-04:00

Finally! The myth disproved. ;)

Money can buy Happiness

What do I want to be when I grow up?

2007-06-14T22:50:00.001-04:00

I had a meeting with the Rotman career counsellor today, and I realized that I have a lot of soul searching to do. She asked me what I thought an ideal job would be, and I could only come up with 3 things. The saddest part was I had to really struggle to come up with those 3 things. One of the questions she asked me was “What I considered fun, and what I enjoyed at work?” Frig! My mind went blank. Work - Fun? You got to be kidding me. It got even worse when she asked me what I wanted to do. I listed five completely different things. She was very nice about it, and said a lot of people are like me. I think she was just trying to make me feel better. I felt like telling her that my ideal job would be to start my own film company and make some indie films. On days like this I really feel like ‘Bridget’.

I ended up walking home after as I needed to think. I realized I have been entrenched in the corporate world for so long; fun isn’t even part of the equation. I remember when I first graduated I was so excited to have a job in banking. I remember when I got my first job downtown, and I felt all grown up. The newness of everything; the excitement. I want that back. As some of you know I had wanted to go to school full time. I needed to just be. I feel I have just been running on the corporate treadmill for so long that I don’t even know what I want anymore. Funnily enough, on my way home I walked down Yonge Street. A section of Yonge Street was closed off for a 5K race. The race was the ‘Bay Street Rat Race’. For those who don’t know, Bay Street is Toronto’s financial street. I think it was a sign. I just wish I knew what it was trying to tell me.

Champagne and Cake for Everyone!

2007-06-13T20:41:00.000-04:00

I’d be celebrating too if I received $60 million. Yesterday Rotman invited the ‘3 year’ MBA students to celebrate Rotman’s $60 million funding from the Ontario government. They still need to raise another $60 million to fund the school’s expansion. The building will be finished in 2010, which is when I am supposed to graduate, so I will not see any benefit from this $120 million effort. The money will be used to construct an additional building, and to hire more faculty to teach all the extra students they plan on getting. They intend to double the size of the students (and faculty), which means they will be churning out 600 MBA students a year (they currently graduate 350 or so). I guess they must think that the MBA designation is sustainable.

Anyway, this $60 million is quite the feat for Rotman, given government cutbacks in education (I am hoping the tuition rioters don’t get wind of this). Rotman has managed to secure a never before funded amount, and they made it a point to divulge that the funds came directly to Rotman, and not through U of T. Of course, the man responsible for this is Roger Martin. “All hail Roger”. Hey, that could be another slogan on a t-shirt. I know, I know the ‘t-shirt saying’ trend has passed. You can’t blame me for trying. I am in b school. It’s bringing out the capitalist in me.

2 courses down, so many more to go....

2007-06-03T13:59:00.001-04:00

Just had the Managing People exam on Thursday. It was open book which was nice, however that made it hard to study for. We have now moved onto Micro Economics and Accounting. Having a degree in Economics, I find the Economics in b school more practical, than the abstract method in my undergrad. I think Rotman does it in this way, as there isn’t too much time to teach us a full course in Economics. We finish studying Micro Economics in 6 weeks!

There isn’t much to write as its summer and there isn’t all that much going on in the school except for classes and a few speaker events(which I haven’t attended). So, it’s time for some random blogging:

Everyone at Rotman is in love with the dean, Roger Martin. He has superstar status, and there’s good reason for the adulation. In his reign, he has managed to get Rotman from 72nd to 27th in the FT ranking. He was able to do this partly as his appointment to dean followed the generous $15 million donation from Mr. Joseph Rotman. This donation enabled him to hire and pay better professors. That might be true, however I think Roger Martin brought something more to the table. He was able to take a business school and define it in his thinking, namely the ‘Integrative Thinking’ philosophy behind Rotman’s curriculum. He is PR savvy, and he has managed to promote the Rotman brand around the world. He also seems genuinely nice, and is approachable, and not highfalutin or self-aggrandizing at all. So, on that note, let’s print ‘I love Roger’ t-shirts – maybe we will make a killing out of it.

My Very First Post!

2007-05-28T14:50:00.000-04:00

So, here it is. My very first post! I have been prolonging this for a long time, partly due to laziness, but also due to fear that my blog wouldn’t be very useful to anyone.

So here goes. I was inspired to write this blog after being addicted (yes, addicted) to other mba blogs as I found them really useful in the application process. So, the main reason for the blog is to provide some insight into the Rotman MBA and perhaps some guidance. There aren’t too many Rotman blogs out there, and I have not found one that chronicles the part-time MBA. I might digress into my opinions about life and random thoughts once in a while...

Reader be warned: This is going to be a long post as it’s the first one, and it’s been a month since I have started mba school part-time.

So far what have I learned? Well, MBA part time is just as hard as MBA full time. In fact at Rotman, they don’t call it ‘part-time’, they call it ‘3 yr MBA’. All the MBA students are just as eager to make friends and bond, and just because you have to go to work the next day doesn’t mean you can’t drink till the wee hours of the morning.....

We started off the MBA with Negotiations. It was an intensive course that ran through 1.5 weekends, and it was a lot of fun. The prof was surprisingly one of the most soft-spoken men ever! Some things were fairly intuitive – like play nice, everyone wins if you negotiate a bigger pie, etc.. Some weren’t –Did you know that draught stricken Ethiopia gave money to Mexico when Mexico was hit with an earthquake? We listened to renowned Stanford psychologist Dr. Cialdni’s ‘Principles of Persuasion’. Biggest takeway: The Reciprocity Principle: When you do something nice for someone, and they thank you, what do you usually say? ‘Don’t worry about it, No problem, It was nothing’ What you are supposed to say is “I know you’d do the same for me”. This works because the person instantly feels that they need to reciprocate the good behaviour. Hence the anecdote about Ethiopia helping Mexico. It turns out Mexico had helped Ethiopia when the Italians tried to invade Ethiopia way back when.

Next class was Managing People. We just finished this class. It was alright, we learned some models and theories. However the best part of the class was the case studies. We learned about Ogilvy & Mather, and Lincoln Electric. The last one still intrigues me. Apparently, this company is studied in b schools around the world because of its unique ‘compensation as motivation’ theory. I was shocked that this company is still in existence some 100 years later. Lincoln’s motivation theory is one of ‘piecework’ pay. The more you make, the more you get paid. Seems fair right? However people don’t get health benefits or sick leave. Somehow, it really works! Interestingly enough, this motivation ideology didn’t work in Europe. Figures - given our fascination with money in N.America.

I think this post is long enough, more in the next post. Please post comments!