As a student in business school surrounded by people that want to be entrepreneurs, I can’t help but think about what it takes to become the next great entrepreneur and what traits they have. I see some people doing everything they can to get in the startup game. And I see others thinking that if they can only work at a tech company, or in Silicon Valley, then that makes them an entrepreneur. But the more I think about it, I know people just as entrepreneurial but in other industries and other locations. ... More >>
Hi All. Because it’s MBA application season, I decided to crate an assorted list of MBA application tips. Depending on where you are in the process and how much research you’ve done already, then some of them may be helpful. ... More >>
Nobody wants to fail. Not only does failing feel bad, but often times you also feel like you’ve wasted time and energy in your pursuit. And sometimes you’ve even spent a lot of money before failing. But unfortunately failure can be a large part of life, especially in some industries and circles. In fact, some of the most successful people you’ve seen have failed a lot more than you think. ... More >>
I’m often surprised by the lack of questions that people ask. It’s particularly evident at networking events when I notice that people didn’t know who to expect to show up, when they didn’t do their research on the host, and they didn’t really have an agenda. I also notice it in business school, where most people lead with answers, but not with questions. But often times I wonder if it would be a lot more beneficial to lead with questions and listen more? ... More >>
Negotiations are a very important part of business. Not only do you negotiate deals with clients and vendors but you also spend time negotiating on your own behalf. For example, we all have to negotiate our own salaries and employment terms. So many students take the core negotiations class in business school, and at Kellogg, it’s definitely one of the more popular classes. Well, recently I received a question from one of my readers asking me if there is a difference in the classes at Kellogg versus other schools. ... More >>
Everywhere you look today, people are talking about New Year’s resolutions. Ones they made last week and some they’re adding this week. They’re talking about how much weight they want to lose. What activities to get involved in. And how this year is going to be different from last year. But for most, New Year’s resolutions are usually a steep uphill climb. Things that most people don’t finish. Given that, I propose that it’s better to have Wildly Important Goals than resolutions. ... More >>
As the year comes to an end, students and faculty are beginning to think about the new year. First years about recruiting which will hit them hard in just a couple of days. Second years about what they want to do after business school and how they want to spend the last few months. Admits about what schools to attend and how early to start networking. And everyone else about New Years resolutions, not just at work but also with their friends and families. Well, recently Dean Blount at Kellogg sent an email to the school wishing us a nice 2012. ... More >>
Issues in the Hispanic community are more important than ever before. Over the past decade the Latino population has increased from about 35 million in 2000 to over 50 million in the 2010, according to census data I found. So not only are there more Latinos around in the US today but more Latinos are also doing great things than ever. In hopes of recognizing their achievement, the Hispanic Heritage Foundation is hosting a series of award ceremonies around the US. And in late January, one of them will be here in Chicago. ... More >>
Happy holidays everyone. I hope that you’ve been able to enjoy the holiday season so far and spend lots of time with friends and family. 2011 has been a great year for many of us, and we certainly have a lot to be thankful for. I’m writing this message to put out a few facts about Management Leadership for Tomorrow, an organization I’m part of that also a good year in 2011. Not only did they continue to build the organization but more importantly they also helped a lot of people apply to graduate school and continue to work toward achieving more success than ever before. ... More >>
To the applicants recently admitted to Kellogg’s Class of 2014, great work. Congratulations on your acceptance! Hopefully you are excited about the opportunity to learn more about Kellogg over the upcoming weeks. As a current student, I can’t say enough about how great the MBA experience is, not only because it’s fun and you meet lots of great classmates, but also because of the professional opportunities that you’ll have available right from day one. ... More >>
Hi Everyone: Just passing along information about the 2012 annual BMA Conference. The 25th BMA Conference, “Standing at the Crossroads: Building on the Past to Execute for the Future,” will focus on the convergence of experiences and ideas that will enable the community to make smart decisions in their business and personal lives, and guide them down the correct path in the journey ahead. I plan to attend. We look forward to having you join us at conference! ... More >>
It costs a fair amount of time and money to go on Kellogg’s annual Ski Trip. But for nearly 800 Kellogg student every single year, it’s worth it. You get to have a blast with your fellow classmates right after final exams. You get to hit the slopes on some of the coolest mountains in the United States. And you get to enjoy a number of fun activities every night with some of your best friends in business school. That’s what we did on Kellogg’s 2011 Ski Trip this past week. ... More >>
One of the most popular industries at Kellogg is the private equity industry. Not only does working in private equity offer a challenging career path but it also offers the potential to make a big paycheck. Especially for those who are good, make it to the top, and get carry at the firm. The problem is that the firms are very selective about who they hire and when they hire. So the question everyone has at Kellogg – how do you get into the private equity industry. ... More >>
Hey Everyone, just a quick message to tell you about a food drive that’s coming up to in Chicago. It’s been going on for the past few years and my friend James from Chicago Booth is a long time volunteer. It’s been run for the past 15 years by his mentor, Bruce Hague, who is President of Commercial Lending at the PrivateBank. At the event, volunteers typically spend time starting at 6am unloading trucks of food and making food baskets for those who cannot afford to buy Christmas dinners. This year’s event will be next Saturday the 17th at 6am. Please see below for more detailed information about the event. ... More >>
At long last, final exams for the winter quarter/semester are finally over. For first years, it was there first time back in school taking exams again. So for many of them, it was a spring to the finish line the past few weeks. For second years, the academics were a bit easier. We took the right classes, finished a little early, and had a few extra days to relax. But either way, we both have one thing in common. At this very moment, we’re all on our way to ski trip. ... More >>
Last year in Finance we spent an entire week discussing the efficient frontier. And it wasn’t the first time it came up in business school. In our MBA classes, we talk about the portfolio theory a lot. The idea is that you can optimize the things you choose to invest in if you can figure out how to balance the risk and return. That you can think about what your tradeoffs are and make decisions possible to maximize profit. Well in some ways those same questions about tradeoffs happen here in graduate school. ... More >>
One thing we sure do get a lot of in business school is business cards. We start collecting them from future classmates before we ever step foot on campus. We get them at company receptions and recruiting events. We get them on industry Treks and at coffee chats. And we get them from guest speakers when they come to class. And after getting hundreds of them just in the past few years the one question that lingers is, how useful are they? ... More >>
It’s that time of year again, when MBA application season is in full swing. Applicants are starting to hear back about Round 1 interviews and admissions decisions. And Round 2 applications are just around the corner. So at this point, just about every applicant is looking for a competitive edge. A way not only be competitive for admissions but also to stand out and improve their chances of acceptance. Well fortunately, there are resources out there to help. And one great resource, Kaneisha Grayson, is helping people is having a great webniar later this week. ... More >>
With just one weeks before the end of the quarter and our departure for ski trip, most people here have very busy schedules. Most first year students have four exams next week, starting on Monday. Second year students are wrapping up projects and papers, and also have exams next week. And JD-MBAs are busy taking exams not just at Kellogg but also at the law school, where the final exam period is one week longer. But every weekend before finals week, an edition of the Kellogg newspaper (the Merger) comes out as a small distraction from studying. And for this edition, I was asked to write the piece on the one and only … Steve Jobs. ... More >>
The “goals” question remains a centerpiece of just about every single MBA application. What do you want to do when you graduate? What is your career vision? How do you want to change the world? In business school, a lot of people go into traditional careers right after school. But today a greater number of people have broader career interests than ever before. Like coming up with a great startup. Joining a groundbreaking non-profit. And working with an innovative technology company. And so that leads me to the one question, a lot of people are thinking about right now. What can I do with my MBA? ... More >>
As a student in business school surrounded by people that want to be entrepreneurs, I can’t help but think about what it takes to become the next great entrepreneur and what traits they have. I see some people doing everything they can to get in the startup game. And I see others thinking that if they can only work at a tech company, or in Silicon Valley, then that makes them an entrepreneur. But the more I think about it, I know people just as entrepreneurial but in other industries and other locations. ... More >>
