The Head is Back to Normal :(

So here we are. One year after, ready to share the words of experience from a mind so much wiser...NOT! My head has actually gotten smaller!!! I suppose the good news is that the threat of physically toppling over due to excessive weight is no longer present. But it is quite sad that, just when I had finally gotten used to my growing head and figured out how to dress to its best advantage, I have to go back to 'human sizing':(

No doubt this is all due to my slow re-entry into the real world, where it would be strange to have an oversized head. It's just that I am not so sure I am ready to give up the side effects of a Cambridge MBA. I suffered, I adapted, I survived! I should have scars -- or an oversized head-- to show for it, darn it! Instead I'm just me again... that was a whole lot of cash to invest for a return of 'just me'!!!

As you, readers, all know, this head size phenomenon has perplexed me for a long time. Frankly though, the biggest mystery remains this sudden abrupt ending, since my move away, and it has lead me to wonder if any of it ever actually happened? Here is the deal: one goes to a place like Cambridge inevitably feeling a little (or very) insecure. Nevertheless the MBA year makes you believe, slowly, that maybe you do belong. You can do the work, you pass (most) classes, you go out and make great friends, you beat Oxford in sports and you wear a gown (I LUV MY GOWN). After a while you begin to think that it might just be possible that you actually belong amongst the footsteps of Newton, Burns, Darwin, Plath, Ali G and Nick Hornby -- all people, by the way, with enormous heads (I mean actual physical sizes).

But what if I have been deluding myself and, every time I looked in the mirror at my growing head, what I was actually seeing was a reflection of Newton, Burns, Darwin, Plath, Ali G and Nick Hornby(in that order chronologically)? What if all I was hoping for was a bit of greatness to rub off and be sprinkled onto my average sized 'shoulder melon'? What if the 'me' that went to Cambridge is the same 'me' that left it???

Now there is a totally ridiculous idea! If nothing else, the 'me' that left has definitely added a few inches around the waist from all the grad hall dinners... where only fabulous brilliant people are invited to dine ;P

Welcome and best of luck to the MBA class of 2009!
AJ

The Head is Back to Normal :(

85 Broads Recap

Better late than never... Some additional tidbits from our excellent 85 Broads Cambridge launch on May 23rd!

Over 100 women attended the event, a wonderfully diverse group from Judge Business School, other Cambridge departments, the professional Cambridge community, London, and even the United States! (Okay, that was my mom. But still.) We started the day with an ice breaker in the Judge lobby, and then went into the keynote address that was done by the incredible Janet Hanson.

Janet is the founder of 85 Broads, a very successful businesswoman, entrepreneur, and mother of two. Janet actually flew herself to London and put herself up at a hotel here in Cambridge so that she could attend our launch, which she later called "one of the best 85 Broads events ever." Hot.


85 Broads Founder Janet Hanson delivers her keynot address. Photo courtesy of Veneta Nikolova.

Janet's keynote address was funny, candid, touching, and motivational. My key takeaways from her speech were the following:

"If you need something, create it."

"A computer screen doesn't know if you're a woman." Technology has leveled the playing field and we must learn to take maximum advantage of it.

"Have fun." Simple and critical.

"Take an investment approach to life." Invest in yourself so life is a little less random. "Go long whatever is important to you." Word!

We then had a fantastic panel featuring four women tackling the topic, "Is the current financial crisis an opportunity or does it create further challenges?" Unsurprisingly, the women focused on the positive aspects of the recession. Perhaps Margaret Heffernan said it best when she said, "An awful lot of crap is being weeded out of the system."


Our panel on the recession's silver lining. Photo courtesy of Veneta Nikolova.

In the afternoon, we had open surgery sessions. I attended a session on entrepreneurship that Margaret hosted. She is hilarious and brilliant and wise.

Our final two group sessions were a McKinsey exercise about women leaders and - last but not least - the amazing Professor Srikumar Rao.


This guy rules

Professor Rao was incredibly inspiring. It's no wonder his book is a best-seller! Professor Rao is all about altering one's worldview in order to be happier - because when you accept the world just as it is, you will feel happy. The more you want stuff, the less happy you are. Simple enough, and pretty darn major when you really think about it.

Feeling fabulously inspired, a group of us attended the launch dinner, held in a special hall at Queens' College. There we ate, drank, and listened to the merry - okay, actually rather dramatic - tales of Christina Dodwell. To learn more about her, check out her website for the Dodwell Trust.

I am so proud of the efforts of the JBS women who made this event happen. In particular, thanks again to Veneta Nikolova of our MFin programme. Veneta did major groundwork to make this chapter a reality. Her passion has been inspiring for all of us. And endless thanks as well to Jennifer Hersch from the MBA Office. We know that Jennifer will do an excellent job keeping the chapter going. Her enthusiasm is contagious and we look forward to a bright future for 85 Broads Cambridge!

Cheers,

Jen

85 Broads Recap

OXBRIDGE VICTORY! *Updated Movie Link!*

Here is Simon's final film showing highlights from our OxBridge victory. Enjoy!

Thank you, Simon, for putting together such a FANTASTIC, masterfully edited video!!

OXBRIDGE VICTORY! *Updated Movie Link!*

85 Broads Cambridge Rocks!

We had the most amazing chapter launch yesterday... more details soon but HUGE THANKS to the following fabulous women:

Jennifer Hersch!
Jen took on the immense task of setting up this chapter and finding the most fantastic speakers to innaugurate 85 Broads Cambridge. This never would have happened wtihout Jen's support, and we know she will keep the chapter thriving in years to come.

Veneta Nikolova!
Veneta is in our MFin programme, and it was her idea to start this chapter. Thank you, Veneta, for your vision and enthusiasm.

Alex and Debbie!
The amazing MBA office ladies did a fantastic job helping Jen with programme logistics and kept yesterday running smoothly. Which is a challenge when you have over 100 women on hand and limited restroom facilities. Thank you, ladies, for your hard work.

We are so proud to be a part of this chapter. Our launch yesterday was unforgettable and a highlight of our year and our Women in Leadership initiative.

More details to come! Many thanks, all!

Jen and Alex

85 Broads Cambridge Rocks!

Cambridge Launches 85 Broads Chapter!

Very exciting news! Judge Business School will soon be home to the newest chapter of 85 Broads, an organisation that exists to "invite the most talented, trailblazing women to leverage each other’s massive intellectual capital to accomplish everything they ever wanted to do in life – together."

In celebration of the Cambridge chapter launch, Judge Business School is hosting an amazing event this Saturday:

"Women Making Career Choices, Taking Risks and Defining Success - On Their Own Terms"
A day to connect, be inspired and transformed
Date: Saturday 23 May 2009
Time: 09:30-18:00 (formal Cambridge College dinner at 19:30)
Venue: Judge Business School, University of Cambridge

This special event will launch the Cambridge chapter of 85 Broads, a global network of more than 19,000 trailblazing, visionary women who aspire to use their talent and leadership savvy to affect professional, educational, economic, and cultural change for all women globally.

Programme
The one-day event includes:

- Keynote speaker Janet Hanson, Founder of 85 Broads and a leading entrepreneur with distinguished Wall Street background

- Distinguished panel discussion with leading women from diverse backgrounds

- Open surgeries with panellists for small group discussion and Q&A

- Personal development session with renowned "happiness guru" Professor Srikumar Rao

- Presentation of Women and Leadership research findings

- Networking opportunities

- 85 Broads Cambridge Chapter information session and opportunity to join the Chapter

Speakers will include Christina Dodwell, Margaret Heffernan, and Alison Maitland.

Here's to a great launch!

Cambridge Launches 85 Broads Chapter!

MBAT... an MBA highlight!

The Cambridge MBA class is pleased to report that MBAT 2009 was a great success!

What is MBAT, you ask? MBAT is an annual sports tournament hosted by HEC, the Parisian business school. While the logistics left something to be desired (hello, waiting on the curb for 90 minutes for a bus to the campus... not to mention the fish jello for lunch), the weekend was a definite highlight of our big crazy MBA year.

Cambridge placed 7th overall out of 14 participating schools – a major accomplishment considering the small size of our contingent (66 students, versus 212 from Another Big Business School in London). We fielded a total of 18 sports, from rugby to salsa to tug of war, and earned 4 bronze and 8 silver medals. Previous Cambridge teams have not earned more than 3 medals at MBAT, so we are thrilled with this year’s outcome. Check it out!

Cambridge – MBAT 2009 Medals
Bronze:
Salsa
Rowing (men)
Table Tennis
Babyfoot
Silver:
Pétanque
Mountain Biking
Golf
100m (men)
100m (women)
400m (men)
4x200m
Tug of War

Here are some photos...


Our bronze medalist salsa team - a great way to kick off the weekend!


Our bronze medalist men's rowers! Great job, guys!


Our silver medalist Tug of War team! Go Team Tug!


Cambridge sideline support... we were by far the most spirited school!

Many thanks to all the Cambridge MBAT participants. Whether you captained a team, played one sport or a variety of sports, or cheered from the sidelines, your efforts paid off and we had a lot of fun along the way. This was a weekend none of us will soon forget, and it would not have been the success it was without the enthusiasm of the Cambridge MBA class.

Now... on to Oxbridge!

MBAT... an MBA highlight!

Punting and Pimms... Welcome to Easter Term!

Spring has sprung here in Cambridge. Flowers are popping (and allergic noses are running), coats are tucked away in closets, and the sun rises by 6:00am and does not set until almost 9:00pm.

Easter term will doubtless be our best and most enjoyable course term of the MBA. We'll have two core courses done by this afternoon and a slew of exciting electives ahead. Not to mention formal halls, pub crawls, and May Balls! (Which, curiously, take place in June.)

For me personally, I have decided that this term will be about two things. And no, those two things are not grades and jobs. What are the keys to my Easter term? Why, they are the two P's: punting and Pimm's.

Some of you may not be familiar with the fine art of punting. I just learned how to do it myself last week, having been taught by the master - our classmate Eoin.



See how Eoin brims with confidence as he pushes our punt along? Except...



Yeah, it doesn't work so well when you get the pole stuck in the silt. Fortunately Eoin and John were able to paddle us back and we were on our way again soon.

When we ran into these guys...



Out for a stag do no doubt. We were envious of their hats.

Punting is awesome, people. If you haven't done it, get out there! Here's why:

1. It's an incredible way to see Cambridge's most beautiful and historic colleges from a new perspective.

2. It's lazy and a great workout at the same time. My abs are still sore from punting last week! (Which may say more about my abs than the workout, but still. It's a good one, I promise.)

3. It makes for great classmate bonding.

4. It's quintessentially Cambridge.

5. It's a perfect excuse to drink Pimm's at lunchtime. Or in the evening. Or, heck, in the morning too!

Ah, Pimm's. My second "P" of Easter term.



Pimm's is the best thing to ever come out of England, as far as I'm concerned. Especially now that Prince William is losing his hair.

Pimm's and punting are a perfect pair. And much more fun than looking for a job in a recession.

Cheers,

Jen

Punting and Pimms... Welcome to Easter Term!

A Woman Leader Dishes on Women Leaders

The McKinsey Quarterly hits the nail on the head again.

Here is a great video of Jacqueline Novogratz from Acumen Fund talking about women leaders and venture philanthropy. Inspiring!

Check out the article here.

A Woman Leader Dishes on Women Leaders

Michaelmas down, Lent down, two more terms to go!

For all of you that are considering getting an MBA, I am describing a "week in the life of". This is no ordinary week though (well, maybe for some of us...) but the last and culminating end of Lent term.
For those of you who are my classmates, please do read on. The Friday night pub crawl might have made last week fuzzy in your memory and BELIEVE ME, this is one you want to remember!

MONDAY 9th. March
Wake up to freak out: I have not yet finished my essay for international business and it's exam week. Ha! No time to stress out, I've hit my snooze button twice so I am already late to class...and I have class from 9:00 to 16:00! AHHHH!!! I'm speed walking with my mp3 player, to the Boomtown Rats' "Tell me why (I hate Mondays)".
Results are piling in for Climate Leadership group assignments: a YouTube video to build climate change awareness. The group I am assisting as an audit student is NOT winning the viewership race!
Meeting scheduled for my Services Innovations group to finish project and pitch for an innovative service, Dragons Den style. 18:00 to 22:00 super work session -- thank goodness for domino's delivery! Project looks great, had a blast, we rock! Haven't been this creative since I last owned crayons!
Back home by 23:00pm, just in time to finish writing about the flatness of the world: boy was Galileo wrong!

Tuesday 10th. March
Skipped an extra Strategy class-- that Professor Hadida agreed to, to discuss the not-for-profit sector (yes, we ask for EXTRA classes)-- because I passed out last night before finishing "longest essay ever"! Very upset! Heard from classmates the discussion was great. Also, heard that all students survived the Cap. Markets' exam -- congrats to all!
Run to train to London at 11:45, to attend a GCP intro meeting. Eat on train and daydream while my group mate does insightful reading about project. Key to GCP success? Pair up with diligent responsible team mates and offer them comic relief as your value added. Meeting goes great. Office is awesome, can't wait to work with client who has office on London river, opposite the tower bridge!!!!!!
Return to Cambridge just in time for a final review of "longest essay ever", and a run to the ADC theater to catch "Guys an Dolls". Our classmate Andre is producer! Love the show and return home at 22:30 to correct essay again -- musical puts me in a good mood and I now think globalization is a GOOD thing. By 3:00 I decide that bed is the ONLY good thing.

Wednesday 11th.March
5:00 alarm mysteriously fails to wake me before 7:00. Start...I mean "continue" strategy exam studying in favorite cafe. Staff very surprised when I order 1 cheese and salmon bagel, 1 ham and cheese toastie, 1 large cappuccino and 5 brownie bits all at 9:00. Look at me weird when I tell them I have not eaten since 17:00 day before.
Turn in "longest essay" just before Services class, at 14:00. Instead of paying attention to lecture, start working on blueprints for group project. After class, 30 min discussion with group about tomorrow's presentation -- AHHHH, I'm doing part of the pitch! 16:30 meeting with GCP supervisor. See some classmates who were doing Private Equity: they look tired.
After GCP meeting, gather with small group of friends to review Innovations for exam. Whoever said two brains are better than one was a genius! Leave at 19:00 to power walk back to Jesus College for a Graduate Hall with classmates. Happy to know I am not the only irresponsible MBA'er. Later learn that another group went to Christ's formal. Officially, socialising has become more important than studying;)
Go home close to 22:00 to work on Services blueprints for tomorrow's presentation. Go to bed at 3:00 defiantly believing long and excellent dinner still worth the pain of no sleep.

Thursday 12th. March
8:00 meeting with exam study group to finish revising. Spend 5 mins commenting on how great classmates are: Sam and Cesar shared their own personal review notes for Innovations and Strategy with entire class! Kudos!
11:00 meeting with GCP group to define plan for Monday project start. 11:30 have to run home: my sister has arrived for a visit and is waiting to be let in.
12:00 have to run back to Judge to start rehearsing Services pitch and to pin up presentation. 13:00 Seminar Talk by Rosa Cha -- had to skip because pitch is hard to memorize. 14:00 start Services' class. Everyone did great with their project pitches...including my group;) End session at 16:00 and some student go straight into another presentation for Enterprise Performance Mgmnt. Wow!!!
I have no time for celebrations either. Go back home for dinner with sister a trick her into a "sightseeing" tour of College Library. Study for exams until midnight -- sister very patient!

Friday 13th.March
6:00 studying for exams with 2 large lattes -- cafe staff officially worried. 12:30 run to Judge for a GCP document signing session. Finish at 13:15, just in time for my favorite relaxing walk around Cambridge's old colleges. Make it to exam hall at 13:45 and put my gown on. Classmates make fun of me for wearing gown but I am determined to get money's worth out of darn vestment! Also, hoping gown will make me as smart as it makes me look:)
Finish Strategy and Innovations exam at 5:00. Last major core exams of MBA!!! Do not remember any of the questions or answers...except that I wrote about wonderful Services' group project idea...
Meet sister for dinner at Nando's. Fill belly with chicken before all-class "golf pub crawl". Meet for pub 1 at 6:30 and form females' team with sister. Totally focused on winning category! Made 56 points in 6 bars and one club. Rest of evening is classified!

Saturday 14th.March
Wake up shamefully late. Very resistant to movement. Sister hungry so take her out for tea and scones (yeah, THAT late!). Miss MBAT petanque practice at 14:00. Go out shopping and sightseeing. Day feels beautiful now that studying is over.
Attends Guys and Dolls again with some classmates because it really is THAT good. Say will go home early but somehow ended up in a bar and then clubbing. Apparently, still very irresponsible!...Blaming classmates who are too nice and make me want to spend time with them.

Sunday 15th. March
Wake up less late. Do some needed cleaning and organizing in morning. Take sister punting-- sun is out so take advantage! Go home in late afternoon to review some GCP material for Monday project start.
Early dinner and amazing Bach concert in Trinity College. Get home close to 23:00, write emails, write blog, refuse to go to bed because in denial of tomorrow's GCP start! Good thing classmates are going to be around so we can start planning more fun and games:)

Congratulations to everyone for finishing Lent Term! And good luck with the GCP:)
AJ

Michaelmas down, Lent down, two more terms to go!

We Drank in Blue, We Dressed in Blue

March is Colon Cancer Awareness Month in the US, and today is Dress in Blue Day - an initiative started by the Colon Cancer Alliance to raise awareness about the disease...

Which, by the way, is the second most common cancer in men and the third in women. Colon cancer is the second-leading cause of cancer deaths in the US - but it is also the MOST BEATABLE of all cancers when it is found early through regular screening. Consider yourself aware!

I have been an advocate for colon cancer awareness in the US for the last six years and have been wanting to do something across the pond to spread the message of awareness and prevention. And so it was with the very generous support of our Cambridge Business School Club that we put on "Drink in Blue, Dress in Blue" last night to kick-off Dress in Blue Day.

The event was a marvel, if I do say so myself. It is a true testament to the awesomeness of our class that we could host a party in our MBA Syndicate Room (a rather sad, decrepit room with a zany color scheme that is home to our microwave, foosball table, and a fleet of computers that have possibly been there since I was in middle school. Which is fitting, because as I told my fellow bartender last night, the event was basically like a middle school party but with alcohol! And a karaoke machine! Cake and crisps were also included) and have a great time.

What? You don't believe that we can turn even the oddest of spaces into party central? Perhaps the photographic evidence will change your mind...













Enough said.

Except: a HUGE THANK YOU to the CBSC and EVERYONE who came out last night. Thank you. You are not just now a big fan of Blue Hawaiians, but you making a difference in the fight against cancer.

With big love for the JBS MBAers,

Jen

We Drank in Blue, We Dressed in Blue

Head Expansion_ Part II

So here's an update on the growing head phenomenon. I believe we have achieved a stabilizing size...no tipping over with the weight yet!
However, I have lately been thinking about the possibility of applying some MBA knowledge to start tackling my little problem (no pun intended). You see, as I mentioned before, I believe my head has been growing because of all the knowledge and experiences I have accumulated. But the problem is, none of it is quite that organized! Last term I was drowned in facts and academic material. This term -- in which I am sooo much older and wiser -- I have decide to engage with the University and enhance my social life. BIG MISTAKE! At least in the Fall I only had one category of "knowledge" to deal with! Contrarily, in the past two months, not only have I absorbed a s%$* load of school material, I have also been living a rollercoaster of social activities and experiencing all these lectures, debates and cultural events through various Cambridge outlets.
The result: massive amounts of disparate data are now randomly stored in my poor pathetic brain...in complete chaos and disorganization! I don't have time to clean my room, let alone "file" my brain!!! But something has to be done! My verticality is at stake!
So today, while I was finishing off my operations management final essay (due tomorrow) a brilliant idea (not to do with the essay, of course) jumped into a tiny unfilled crevasse of my wobbly top: all I need to do is apply a Kanban system to my brain! Ah yes, the brilliance of a Japanese production model is that it take chaos and waste and turns them into a lean, mean efficient working machine :)
Accordingly, tomorrow morning (after I finish and turn-in the essay ON TIME) I will start my self-operation overhaul. I wonder if I can Kanban in English or if I have to learn Japanese too.... AHHH , brain weight! I'm tipping over, I'm tipping over....
AJ

Head Expansion_ Part II

Two McKinsey Quarterly Articles For Your Consideration...

A classmate forwarded the links to two fantastic articles from the McKinsey Quarterly... check 'em out!

The first - Centered Leadership: How Talented Women Thrive - was written last September. As part of the McKinsey Leadership Project, the firm has developed the five dimensions of leadership - a new approach that helps boost self-confidence and efficacy in business leadership roles.

The second contains the McKinsey Global Survey Results of how executives put centered leadership into action.

Give these two articles a read, and get inspired!

Two McKinsey Quarterly Articles For Your Consideration...

Operations Management Factory Tour: Cadbury

Hello all!

So, my trousers may be a little tighter, but I have to say the Cadbury factory tour was one of the highlights of my MBA so far.

Factory tours were the grand finale of Operations Management, one of our Lent term core courses. Factories on the list this year included Rolls Royce, a brewery, Jaguar, a printing facility, and Cadbury Schweppes.

Due to my airplane-automobile-all-things-macho-fatigue, I chose Cadbury Schweppes... and kept my fingers crossed it would be chocolate, not tonic water.

And chocolate it was! Lots of chocolate! Though we had to be very patient in order to receive it.

Upon arriving at Cadbury, we were greeted by one of the managers (who got his start in cocoa production - love it!) and treated to lunch. Our factory tour followed, for which we had to don fabulous ensembles that included booties, flimsy jackets, pseudo-shower caps, and ear plugs so as not to contaminate the precious chocolate.


Here we are, looking quite like Smurf surgeons I think!

The factory itself was pretty fascinating. My personal highlight was visiting the Creme Egg manufacturing area - yes, the Creme Eggs, Cadbury's crown jewels, get their own section of the plant - and seeing how they create the perfect yellow and white egg-like fillings.

Yum.

Anyway, after the tour we spoke to one of the other big-wigs, who answered our questions. But I was a little distracted during this conversation, as the chocolate arrived! Giant, heavy gift bags full of chocolate. A sweet ending to a very fun day.



Jen

Operations Management Factory Tour: Cadbury

The Big Snow

As you may have heard, we have been on the receiving end of LOADS AND LOADS OF SNOW these past weeks. Right. Well, I guess it all depends on your perspective.

The snow that fell here is nothing compared to the huge amounts that bombarded my mom in Michigan (not to mention the thick ice that built up on all her windows), but nevertheless it has been a remarkable winter here. And remarkably photogenic! See below...


Frozen berries at Downing College


Frozen bicycles en route to Judge


What would a snowfall be without a snowball fight?

Thinking Spring,

Jen

The Big Snow

The WIL Interview: Robyn Hudson, MBA '07

Jen recently interviewed Robyn Hudson, a Cambridge MBA alumna from 2007-2008. She has some great insights for prospective students, current students, and others - check it out!

JB: Your MBA ended last September. What are you up to now?
RH: I am working in London in a large NHS Foundation Trust in a strategy development team - so a mix of business and clinical knowledge is proving handy!

JB: What has been the best thing about entering the professional world with a Cambridge MBA?
RH: It is so lovely to be paid again! It is good to be able to understand what the finance team is talking about, and also being able to open an excel document and not pass out through fear is proving useful. Handy to have a broad bass of knowledge, without the burden of having to be the expert.

JB: How well did the Cambridge MBA equip you for post-MBA life?
RH: I think it is not so much the ability to run an NPV - I have pretty much forgotten how to do that! It is more about knowing that you can if you have to, and this belief in your ability is what I have taken away from that amazing year.

JB: What was your favorite part about Judge Business School? Your favorite part about Cambridge?
RH: It is all about the people and the adventures that you had togther - both good and bad.
My favourite part of Cambridge is down by the weir. I am also a huge fan of Grantchester - although not technical Camrbidge.

JB: Looking back, what would you have done differently and why?
RH: Nothing - it was brilliant, I did just about everything possible.

JB: What advice would you give to a current MBA student at Cambridge or anywhere else?
RH: It is going to be the hardest you have ever worked and played - and you will truly get out what you put in (you have to love a cliche!). Do absolutely everything - you can and will sleep after.
I would also say that after the MBA is as much of a change as the first few weeks of the MBA. I say this for a number of reasons. All of a sudden you are back in a hierachy, there are people who are not use to or comfortable with 'management practice' moments as we called them in our year. And all of sudden all of the people you have lived, worked and played with are spread all over the world. Which is sad - so good to be prepared for that.

JB: What advice would you give to prospective MBA students, especially women?
RH: Don't be intimidated. You have been through a highly selective process - so trust the people who know! And talk to everyone - as guaranteed they will be feeling as overwhelmed as you in first term.

Thanks so much, Robyn! If you are a JBS MBA alumna and would like to be featured here, email us at jbswomen08{at}gmail{dot}com!

The WIL Interview: Robyn Hudson, MBA '07

Steve and the business model of social works

I attended a lecture at Enterprise Tuesday last entitled "Increasing the odds", about social entrepreneurship and the challenges of financing for research and Not-for-Profit ventures.

http://www.cfel.jbs.cam.ac.uk/events/index.html

Let me tell you about one of the speakers:

Steve Shirley came to the UK as a WWII Jewish unaccompanied child refugee. Steve did not speak English, yet learned and thrived in education. Steve received a degree in mathematics and started a software company in the 60's that became highly innovative and a leader in its field. Steve became a social entrepreneur after a son became diagnosed with autism, starting a series of support infrastructure for patients of the disease. Steve retired and is now dedicated full-time to funding autism research and support, and software initiatives, donating millions of pounds to these causes.

Any person with a story like this is admirable, but here is the catch: "Steve" is actually Dame Stephanie Shirley. And there are three more things that Steve makes clear:

1) She acquired her nickname when, during the first years of her business, she discovered that she received more favorable responses if she signed her communications under a male acronym.

2) She received her title for services in technology, not for her philanthropic work

3) She is an entrepreneur by heart: she "starts" things

As mentioned before, the lecture focused on financing for social entrepreneurship. As a ardent philanthropist, Dame Stephanie proposed her view that any social venture she agrees to finance has to have a viable business model, clear goals and strategy, and a plausible plan to measure success. Results are, in her view, as important in traditional for-profit businesses as they are in social entrepreneurship and the not-for-profit sector.

So, I'm sharing this experience with you all today, not because I can summarize any of it to a satisfiable extend by because of the very interesting topics that emerged from the lecture. On one hand there is the case of this woman, who overcame a male-dominated industry (and cultural era) with some rather innovative and unconventional methods. Secondly, there is a question of the business nature and returns that should be expected from a modern social entrepreneurship model.

I'm opening the blog to discussion and encouraging your exploration of Dame Stephanie's website and a December NYTimes Nicholas D. Kristof opinion column on social giving:
http://www.steveshirley.com/default.asp
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/25/opinion/25kristof.html?_r=1

AJ

Steve and the business model of social works

Let's Talk About Fashion

Those of you who are my friends on Facebook might have noticed an interesting exchange stemming from my updated status yesterday. My status read, "Jen is tired of talking about planes, cars, and other boy stuff. Can't we talk about fashion instead?" I received many responses - with girls in favor and guys not so much. Surprise surprise.

But really - which is more interesting, this:



Or this?


Philip Lim Spring 2009 via NYMag.com

If I can't talk about fashion in class, I'm going to talk about it here! Check out this new article from Forbes.com about shopping smart during the credit crunch (the LBD - Little Black Dress - has perhaps never been such a critical wardrobe component). Just because we're in a recession doesn't mean you should look any less professional in your next job interview. This article is a worthwhile read for all you professional (or professionally-aspiring) ladies out there!

And really? Why can't we discuss the fashion industry in class, instead of constantly churning over aerospace, automobiles, and Apple? Many of the same principles apply, and the fashion industry impacts us all. Sigh. A girl can dream of a Chanel case study...

Cheers,

Jen

Let's Talk About Fashion

Jed's Guide to Cambridge Colleges

Our esteemed classmate Jed has written a Fan to the Tastic blog post about Cambridge colleges. Prospective students, you do not want to miss this! Current and former JBS MBAers, please check it out and contribute with your comments. The college process can be a tricky and confusing one to navigate, so the more complete this guide, the better!

For those of you who don't know, once you accept your place at Judge Business School, the MBA staff will apply to colleges on your behalf. All you need to do is give them some criteria from which they will be able to figure out which colleges will suit you best. If you want, you can also ask for a specific college and they will do what they can to get you in. For more info on the process, Jed's post is a great resource.

My college process was fairly amusing but definitely worked out for the best. Once I accepted my spot at Judge, I emailed the MBA office to say that I wanted to a) be close to Judge (since I'm terrified of cycling in this town), b) be close to the train station (since my fiancé lives in London), and c) have my own bathroom. I received a prompt reply asking, "Would you prefer Magdalene or Wolfson?" I decided to go for Magdalene, since it was older and would be a better embodiment of "the Cambridge experience"... only to receive an email a few days later welcoming me to Downing.

I definitely lucked out. Downing is probably the most convenient college in terms of proximity to Judge, and it's only a 13-minute walk (or 9-minute half-walk-half-run after two pints of Guinness) to the train station. My dorm - the Singer building - is one of the newest and though I have my issues sharing a kitchen with folks who don't wash their dishes, not to mention my noisy neighbor, overall I would highly recommend Downing to any prospective student looking to live in college.

Would love to hear from fellow classmates about their college experiences! Please leave your comments!

Cheers,

Jen

Jed's Guide to Cambridge Colleges

How I Spent My Winter "Vacation"

Gotta love the Midwestern US of A!

Hello folks,

It's been awhile! But I am finally back to blogging, having returned from a whirlwind winter break and having (um, barely) survived Michaelmas exams. We're already into our Lent term - we had our first Operations Management, Innovation, and Strategy classes this week - but I'd like to take a moment to revisit the gloriousness that was winter break.

Granted, I had bronchitis for most of it. Not to mention the weight of exams hanging over my head. But I still managed to enjoy myself - it was hard not to, considering I was wedding planning!

Yup! As if a full-time, one-year, super-intense MBA programme weren't enough to keep me busy, I am getting married next September in Portsmouth, Rhode Island. So on Christmas Day, I flew to see my mom in Michigan and in the two days following, we, along with my cousin/Maid of Honor, embarked upon The Great Dress Quest of 2008.

Now, planning a wedding during an MBA program might be rather insane, but having to condense wedding dress shopping into two days is completely bonkers. And yet, it also necessitates an exceptional level of focus for which I ended up being quite grateful. I can see how other brides' quests can last days, weeks, even months, and span across cities, counties, even states and countries. But I knew I had just two shops to visit, and my Wedding Dress of Dreams had to be in one of them. There was just no choice.

And, lo and behold, it was! I found my dress at the hilariously and endearingly Midwestern-American shop in the photo above. Despite the fact that I woke up at 6 o'clock that morning in order to get in some Finance review, I did not let my looming exams overshadow my big day and my big dress. 

It's all about keeping a balance, right? It's about doing the best we can in this programme while keeping in mind that there is life - and possibly some satin and lace and sequins and fabulous beading and a lovely train and layers of crinoline - beyond it. Okay, so the lace and sequins might not be for everyone, but the balance should be.

Hoping to keep that in mind as we traipse through the next eight weeks of Lent and on into our Global Consulting Projects...

Jen

How I Spent My Winter "Vacation"

The business of modern slave trade

Nicholas D. Kristof is a New York Times columnist that writes about a variety of issues generally dealing with the developing world. His last set of columns have highlighted the modern slave trade, specially focussed on sex traficking. Plase see the links below if you are interested in learning more about these issues. Particularly relevant is the last column titled "Striking the Brothels’ Bottom Line" where the sex trade is analysed based on its business model, and on how it can fail.
AJ

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/11/opinion/11kristof.html?_r=1
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/04/opinion/04kristof.html
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/25/opinion/25kristof.html

The business of modern slave trade

Who is Ben Barry?

Q: What does Judge Business School, PhD & a Modelling Agency have in common?

A: Ben Barry



This man, a PhD student at Judge Business School who owns a modelling agency, has received the Canadian Governor General's Awards in Commemoration of the Persons Case Youth Award by making "the most positive impact of anyone I have encountered on women and their self image. Ben is instrumental in affecting a change of societal values of women through both his modelling agency and his research at Judge Business School."
...............................................................................

What do you think of the above?

I wonder if it would have been the same outcome if a female PhD student, who owns a modelling agency, had written the same stuff.

Also posted on Blinkymummy.

Who is Ben Barry?

Surviving Michaelmas Term

So it's been quite a while since our last post. Let me assure everyone though that this does not signify our lack of commitment. Quite on the contrary it is actually a direct result of it: we finished Michaelmas term and I suspect that we were all so tired from the hard work that we "passed out" and forgot how to spell. (that's my excuse and I am sticking to it!)
The good news is WE SURVIVED!!!!
And as I prepare myself for exams this week,"nostalgically" reviewing a term's worth of finance and accounting notes, I have been fondly thinking about the time so quickly gone by and all the grand things that I did... which lead me to consider how on earth I actually got all those things done without having a nervous breakdown???
So I decided to record what I think are aspects or common strategies for surviving the first term of a one-year MBA at Cambridge. I hope those of you with whom I shared the wonderful last three months can look at this and think "Ah yes! I remember doing that too! Hahaha, how I have grown!" And for those considering joining, do take note -- your mental health needs this information, even if your physical one doesn't.

1) Meet the class before classes starts. The first few pub outings where essential ice-breakers : even if you couldn't remember anyone's name afterwards...they remembered YOU!
2) Do not attempt to use the grand staircase before studying the entire building plan thoroughly. You will get sucked into a black hole if you ignore this and never ever make it to class. Use the elevator on the right side of the building instead.
3) Give up trying to remember the 5 different log-in names, 8 passwords and 29 websites you are suppose to check daily. Make friends with "responsible" people in class and have them inform you of all important notices.
4) Go to class. You don't want to be that "person who doesn't exist".
5) Make sure you have an accountant in your study group. If you don't, task someone besides yourself to become an accountant.
6) Bring a blanket to LT3 and iced-drinks to LT1, no matter what the temperature is outside
7) If you can 't find a suitable kick boxing class, use your study group to vent your stress and frustration. Just don't tell them that is what you are doing -- better be labelled mental than mean:)
8) Go to every possible finance recruiting/information event even if you are not interested in the topic. They always serve decent free food afterwards, crisis or no crisis!
9) Accept every possible formal hall or fancy dinner party invitation. Otherwise you will forget how to use a fork and how to dress sensibly. The everyday jeans and sandwiches do not reflect the real world!
10) Do prepare a "plan of attack" for your career search. You will probably not follow it but it will make you feel better knowing you tried... when you realise you don't have a job.
12) Find your favorite coffee place in Cambridge, check opening hours and get a loyalty card!
13) If you get a bicycle remember to get a helmet...and body armour to go with it.
14) Join rowing. Otherwise you will be envious of the people who wake up at 6:00am to go exercising in the freezing English mist and show up in class smelling like the Cam. (Really, that would make you more pathetic than them)
15) When playing Management Practice games remember that whatever you do and no matter how you excuse it, it IS personal!
16) There is only one Matriculation, one Halloween and one Christmas a year. Celebrate it at your college....and bribe colleagues to take you to theirs.
17) Join the student union. It's often quite relaxing to hear other people argue...I mean debate.
18) Go out after class and get drinks. Loads of drinks. Make Browns your second home!
19) If you go out to a bar and an attractive person becomes "friendly" with you, ask for their age immediately. Chances are he/she is WAY too young!
20) Lastly, no matter how cute they look, stay away from any ducks, geese, pigeons or bunnies. Animals in Cambridge do not like humans!

Please do add to this list if you remember anything else that can be relevant. I hope to make a guide for next year's class out of this.
And happy exam taking!
AJ

Surviving Michaelmas Term