October 2012
1 post
August 2011
2 posts
A corporate presentation vs. a school presentation
Business school claims to be similar to the real world, pushing us to sharpen our presentation skills. As cocky as it sounds, I’ve always been a good presenter. I did theater for twelve years, and I’m not the least bit nervous in front of a group. That being said, I was all nerves and energy yesterday at my end of summer internship presentation.
In the room were 6 executives, all...
July 2011
2 posts
The value in event marketing
Comic-con has catered to their audience en masse. They realize the expanding demographics and realize how intimidating the conference floor can be to some attendees. To expand corporate sponsorship marketing, they have gone outside, to the city of San Diego. Right now I am sitting at the CNET & Gamespot Base Station, a great, fun resource at Lou & Mickey’s, a restaurant across from...
Dipping my feet into Silicon Valley
As I briefly mentioned, a month ago I began my summer internship at Yahoo! in Sunnyvale, CA. Coming from entertainment, the tech industry is all new to me. Luckily, Yahoo! has a media component to it that is somewhat comforting. I’m not totally illiterate here. I have been working on a cultural transformation team led by Chief Product Officer Blake Irving, a Graziadio alum.
This project has...
June 2011
2 posts
My summer plans
Today was day one of my amazing summer internship working for Yahoo! It was mainly just orientation, meeting my team, and getting some awesome swag. I will be updating as frequently as possible throughout the summer regarding my experiences, my reflections, and anything else fun I do while up in the Bay Area. It’s almost surreal to be somewhere so different from my former entertainment life,...
May 2011
3 posts
2 tags
Using Mandarin in China
I don’t know near enough Chinese. I wish I had started studying Mandarin earlier. According to one of our guest speakers, an American who has become fluent in Mandarin, it takes 10 years or 10,000 mistakes to learn Mandarin. I’m okay with making a lot of mistakes, so I’m hoping it’s a little faster then 10 years.
I cannot thank my professor, Tian Renner, enough for what few phrases she was able to...
3 tags
Cultural Visits in Shanghai
Peppered into our busy days were important cultural visits. One of our speakers said: “If you don’t like the Chinese people, their culture and their history, don’t even think about doing business here.” Many people see the financial opportunity in this growing economy and want in, thinking perhaps they can act in a Western way and get things done, or hoping that maybe they can change the...
3 tags
Guanxi & The Art of Building Relationships in...
During the Shanghai course, we had many speakers mention “Guanxi.” This is basically the relationship you have with someone, whether that be friend or business relationship. This guanxi is crucial to building a personal brand in China and it goes even further to address the reputation you achieve through these relationships. At it’s basest level, it’s networking but unlike the networking we do in...
April 2011
5 posts
2 tags
Kindness of a Stranger in Shenzhen
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It was going to happen once while in China. As a first time traveler on my own, I was bound to get ripped off. It was abundantly clear the second I left the train and went through Hong...
3 tags
Eating & Meeting my way through Hong Kong
April 23-25 (Pictures to be posted retroactively—Sorry!)
Day One:
Oliver’s Super Sandwiches- Central
An egg, bacon, salmon and tomato sandwich with some tea. It was easy to see the British influence in Hong Kong upon eating this first meal. The hustle and bustle of being in Central district was apparent, noses buried in newspapers and everyone eating lunch in a hurry.
Leo- My tour guide
A...
4 tags
A seder in China
Alright, Grandma. You win. I will attend a seder in China. For those who don’t know, tonight was the first night of the Jewish holiday, Passover. This is the story of Moses and the Jewish people’s flight from Egypt that eventually led to the 10 commandments. This story is retold every year on Passover. This is one of my favorite holidays and I was sad to miss it in the US, however, I figured it...
3 tags
Illiteracy Abroad
I am an avid reader. I have been since I was a little girl and a stack of books sat perpetually on the nightstand. I’ve always prided myself in my strong communication skills and my ability to find the right words to describe almost any situation. The second I got on the plane to China, I realized how my greatest strengths would do me no good in China. And that is terrifying.
I’m surrounded by...
2 tags
The Kindle as a Textbook- A year long review
I purchased my kindle in August right when the new version was released. I had anticipated using it for all of my textbooks. I figured this would save me money and save my back! It saved me some money, enough to get my money back on this investment of $179. It also definitely saved my back…or the hassle from turning my car into a locker, since we don’t have those at Graziadio.
Some...
March 2011
3 posts
Writing a more important differentiator for MBA... →
It’s times like this, I pride myself in my writing ability even as I struggle through my quant class.
Vice Presidential Action Plan
QUALIFICATIONS
Extensive club involvement
Ø Director of External Relations- Consulting Club
Ø Race Committee- Challenge4Charity
Ø Event Assistant- Entrepreneurship Society
Ø NAWMBA & VCLL member
Cross-program experiences
Ø Mandarin Course at West LA Campus
Ø Dispute Resolution coursework at Straus Institute
Ø Attending Shanghai one-week intensive in April
Ø Participated in...
And the race is on! Hannah Plaxen for Vice... →
February 2011
7 posts
4 tags
Forming, Norming, Storming...Fast Group Dynamics...
This past weekend, I participated in the Sony Marketing Strategy Case Competition. Unlike past competitions, you show up as an individual and are placed on a team with people from schools all across the country. On my team, we had one of last year’s winners from University of Wisconsin, a girl from Drexel, a guy from UT-Dallas, and a guy from Arizona State who is actually living in Japan...
4 tags
The Responsibility of Being a Pepperdine Student
“Freely ye received, freely give”
This is the Pepperdine motto, tied closely to its religious roots and yet, completely non-religious, non-denominational at the same time. In our educational pursuits, receiving freely of other’s time, energy, dedication to our learning, and collaborative, sometimes selfless, efforts; we are reminded of this motto, of the energy we freely...
My blog doesn't suck!
Or so you tell me….
If you feel so kind, please recommend my blog today on this tumblr tuesday in the Entrepreneurial section.
All the love is greatly appreciated! If you recommend me, let me know! I’ll share the love….
Cultivating Ambition: Secondary Market for Group... →
entrepreneuradvocate:
This is a natural evolution of the market Groupon has created. So many people have vouchers sitting on their desks but unfortunately for the founders it is likely a non-starter. The cost of purchasing a discount from Groupon and like companies is relatively nominal. There are plenty of things…
2 tags
“The farmer knew that if he did not have a corn crop by the time the frost came,...”
– http://www.businessweek.com/managing/content/feb2011/ca2011023_063316.htm
January 2011
9 posts
U.S. Satisfaction With Gov't, Morality, Economy... →
Dissatisfaction with the government, feels like nothing new since the Bush era began. However, corporate dissatisfaction is something new. In the 50s, people joined a corporation and hoped to stay there for life. They believed that corporations had relevant influence on society and that their family would be better off it they lived in the corporate world. Corporate satisfaction has been an up and...
5 tags
The Interconnectivity of Education
I am a Full-Time MBA student. I am constantly surrounded by other Full-Time MBA students. In the first semester, there was some overlap with the MS Applied Finance and MS Global Business programs. As we go deeper into our separate focused educations, the classes together become fewer, and in a year, they’ll be gone.
This semester, I began 2 unique classes that allowed my interactions with...
Southwest proves business is more than the numbers →
This blog re-post pretty much explains it all. Southwest once again proved why their dominance continues both as a business and as an industry leader. Airlines consistently put the consumer last, which is hilarious considering this is a competitive industry where we actually have some choice. I have been a dedicated Southwest flier for many years despite people calling it a “cattle...
A Very Special 5K →
activeartist:
If you are in the Los Angeles area please read! My sister, Hannah (the same one from my ‘Team Alex’ post) is planning a 5k for school, and she’s trying to get more runners. You can find out more information about the 7th Annual Run The Waves, Presented by Pepperdine Challenge for Charity…
5 tags
How do you feel about the 2010 economy?
I am guessing you know someone, if not more than one person, close to you that has been collecting unemployment, underemployed, temporarily employed or who is being underpaid because they had to take whatever they could get. This definitely felt like the norm to me in 2010, counting myself, my boyfriend, my mother, my aunt, and other family and friends, I’ve run out of hands. That being...
3 tags
Finally learning mandarin!
Ni Men Hao!
Last night I took my first mandarin (Zhong wen) class! I’ve enrolled this semester and will be mostly learning pinyin (the transliteration for the pronunciation) but I’m hoping to supplement that with Rosetta Stone which does teach the characters. I’m hoping to have some conversational beginner base when I go to Shanghai in April. Obviously I won’t be fluent,...
3 tags
B-school kicks my big butt
For those who aren’t aware, I’ve had some ups and downs with my weight over the past 7 years. At one point, I had lost 92 lbs. I have kept off 62 lbs. By no means did business school make me gain 30 lbs in one semester, but it hasn’t afforded me the structure that I used to have when I worked. Working allowed me to formalize my eating throughout the day, plan ahead, and not get...
How do you challenge your people? →
An interesting thought that I read shortly after viewing the entire season of Undercover Boss…just makes you think about leadership’s role in everything.
signalrunner:
An idea to follow over at the PwC Innovation Blog:
“One of Leadership’s core responsibilities is to address issues and challenges within the business. But what if we flipped that model and gave part of that...
December 2010
27 posts
3 tags
The changing face of the internet →
An interesting blogger wrote an editorial for CNN detailing the dramatic changes in privacy and advertising on the internet.
5 tags
The Mediation Skill Set
There are five concentrations at Graziadio for full-time students: Marketing, Finance (probably the two “big” ones), Entrepreneurship, Leadership and Organizational Change, and Dispute Resolution. Due to the fact that Dispute Resolution courses are managed through the Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution at the Pepperdine Law School, very little is really discussed about this concentration....
4 tags
First semester blues
Grades make no sense. The GPA points system is extremely unclear. At Graziadio, an A gets 4 pts/unit, an A- get 3.7 pts/unit, B+ gets 3.3 pts/unit, B gets 3.0 pts/unit, etc. There is nothing in between. If you got a 90% or 94%, you still get 3.7. Also, in some classes, I’ve noticed that teachers grade down. If you got an “A-” on a presentation, they put it in the gradebook...
4 tags
Hazards of buying a car (written Dec 15, 2010)
In early November, I crashed my car and totaled it. I received a settlement from my insurance company, and combined with some personal money, was able to pay cash for a new car.
I knew exactly how much money I had to spend, knew exactly what car I wanted (a Nissan Versa) and knew that it had to be a certified pre-owned. After a few test drives at a few Nissan dealerships, I realized finding the...
3 tags
Ethical Leadership Highlighted on "The Apprentice"...
On week 9 of The Apprentice, after two previous weeks where lying had come up as an unacceptable factor amongst the contestants, one contestant was fired at the beginning of the show for cheating.
On week 7, Mahsa was fired after initially breaking her team’s trust by discussing their financial winnings with the other team prior to the board room. She later denied this interaction to Mr. Trump...
4 tags
Bad Luck Baylor (written Nov 19, 2010)
Cursed from the start. It felt like we were cursed from the start. On Monday before the competition, I totaled my car. My face was bruised and a little worse for wear. However, I had been working with Dr. Andrea Scott to prepare for this competition for a few weeks and was not going to let something like this stand in my way. I packed my bags.
At the airport, I received a distressing phone call....
3 tags
Drive without distraction (written Nov 9, 2010)
I am busy. Being an MBA student makes me extremely busy. I am always making to do lists in my head, making phone calls from the car, and checking my emails at red lights. My commute is often 45 minutes to an hour. If I don’t get work done in the car, I have trouble with my time management.
Yesterday, I crashed my car. No, I totaled my car.
On my way to school, I was in my head about a...
3 tags
Prepping for case competition (written Nov 2,...
The next two weeks are nutty. I have always had a drive to win. I don’t like not winning, and the reason is not actually for the “glory” or the “bragging rights.” I like winning because it means I challenged myself and it was worth the effort. That being said, I don’t win very often. Athletically, I was ecstatic when I finished about a millionth in the LA...
2 tags
Canyon Curves Consulting reflects on Case...
Friday morning I arrived at school with nervous energy and positive thoughts. My team, Canyon Curves Consulting, was competing in the Values-Centered Leadership Lab Case Competition. This is an ethics-focused case competition. You are given two hours to read the case, analyze it, form a recommendation and create a presentation. Then, you present for a panel of judges for 20 minutes, followed...
4 tags
SEER Certificate and leading a SEER-centered life...
On Tuesday I attended the SEER certificate information session. For those who don’t know, the Certificate in Socially, Environmentally, and Ethically Responsible (SEER) Business Practice is a brand-new program specific to the Graziadio School’s full-time MBA program that focuses on certifying that those who complete the coursework are socially, environmentally and ethically responsible (SEER)...
3 tags
Establish shared vision for group dynamic success...
In the most recent episodes of The Apprentice, group dynamic issues are a direct reflection of a lack of shared vision. In the case of the show, this means that the contestants each want to get the job—they’re out for themselves and are not working for the greater good of the team. One strategy that has gone largely overlooked and underutilized is the fact that, by succeeding, no one from...
4 tags
Gallup does it differently (written Oct 19, 2010)
The first question the recruiter from Gallup asked the audience was, “What do you think of when you hear the name Gallup’?
The obvious response is polls. However, as she went on to explain, the skills they have to successfully generate polls are the same observational skills that allow them to improve businesses on a significant scale.
They are a consulting firm. During Consulting Week in...
1 tag
Tiny Kernels of influence (written October 6,...
My iPod is riddled with memories and influence. Better than Ezra is a reminder of a guy I briefly dated, Mika was received from a co-worker, and Billy Joel is one of the gifts my father gave me. When I hear Build Me Up Buttercup, my mind immediately goes to the moment when I crossed the finish line with my friend Kendall. No matter to what extent, these people have touched my life; these tiny...
4 tags
Trashy TV as a learning tool
Watch The Apprentice: The Recession Era to find out how not to do business
Donald Trump, you might actually be doing something right for once.
This recession has largely been about good, solid workers losing their jobs. Not just good workers, but sometimes, burgeoning success stories that never had a chance to blossom. Donald Trump has restored The Apprentice back to a show worth watching....
Capitalizing on Crazy (written Sept 19, 2010)
hy-po-ma-ni-a
[hahy-puh-mey-nee-uh, -meyn-yuh] Ҭ noun, Psychiatry. A mild form a mania, primarily characterized by an abnormal state of extreme excitement, great optimism, overactivity and reckless spending of money.
This condition recently has been linked quite extensively with success, specifically in entrepreneurs. Sparked by a recent New York Times article, I think it’s important...
Advice for businesswomen who live healthfully →
A woman who I have worked with who is a Registered Dietician recently posted on a topic I specifically asked for. As a woman who worked in a network heavy industry, I was always struggling with my weight, both due to the “required” alcohol intake and food. Business school is far from a break, like I had hoped it would be. Networking is just as important now as it was before. Check...
