Work Experience in business

Two years ago I entered the wide hallways of the business building of IUPUI. As a freshman, I was just waiting to see what the future would hold. Wanting to get involved with something I choose Kelley Indianapolis Cares for its great community service oppurtunities and impact on the community.This organization works with Gleaners, Habitat for Humanity, as well as many others. I could not wait to see what else was in store during my ungraduate experience

However, I soon realized that I can't just sit around and wait to see what the future will hold. I need to act upon it now. In order to get an internship my junior year through Kelley Careers, graduate with Accounting Degree and a Finance Degree, and pass the CPA Exam, I need to start preparing myself for the future. As professor Tim Bennett once said, "market your brand". We each have our own brand that defines who we are professional, whether you have a lot of great skills, are a strong leader, or have the ability to organize large scale events. We each have goals, ambitions, and know that in the future there is something that we want. However companies don't hire just a set of skills, they hire people with plans, motivations, and hobbies. They hire people who know who they are.

So here is my brand-My name is Ashley Manuel. I'm an accounting and finance major. I believe serving others can change the world, but most of all it can change how you percieve yourself. I strive to be a great leader, but I believe in order to become a great leader you first must be able to help others with compassion and integrity. I want to become a CPA and work in tax at a public accounting firm after graduation and I'm extremely excited about beginning as a blogger for the Kelley Biz Blog. All in all, just like anyone else, I want to make a footprint in the world and leave college with a bright future ahead of me.

As a marketing professor, I am always keeping my eyes open for examples of strong marketing. At the same time, I try to think of ways to help my marketing degree students experience these examples for themselves rather than having me just tell them about it.

For the last several years, I’ve kept track of TOMS Shoes. Actually, one of my students first shared the story of this company with me. He was one of those students who cared both about business and doing good. His team did a presentation about TOMS’ dual focus of making a profit and giving back to the community. In case you don’t know TOMS story, here’s the elevator pitch: With every shoe you purchase, TOMS gives one to a child in need. As part of his Amazing Race experience, Blake Mycoskie (TOMS’ founder) discovered a lot of children without shoes. He set up his company to help change that.

There are many things from a marketing perspective that TOMS does right:

• Product – the basic shoe is comfortable and interesting. They constantly change up the designs to keep customer interest. They work with designers to add extra cachet. They even have seasonal offerings. But, the basic shoe is great. Product also includes packaging, which again is a hit for TOMS. Check out the photo below from Savannah Smiled’s Tumblr(http://savannahsmiled.tumblr.com/). The box reminds you of the cause and TOMS story. Inside, there’s a shoe bag, a logo sticker and a letter from Blake.

• Price – these are definitely not the cheapest shoes around. But, that’s not really the point is it? Instead, the price point is acceptable (basic shoes are $44 - $58) especially when you realize that you are really buying two pairs – one for you and one for another. TOMS does little discounting; the most frequent is free shipping.

• Place – TOMS is primarily sold in their own online store. But, they can also be found online at Amazon and in select bricks & mortar stores including Nordstrom’s and independent specialty boutiques.

• Promotion – this is where TOMS excels. Great website. Having received TOMS emails for about 2 years, great email marketing strategy. TOMS also does all of the social media – twitter, Facebook, Pinterest. This year, they’ve direct mailed one catalog (which I know got my mom to buy another pair after seeing all her choices). And, the blog is very engaging. TOMS doesn’t rank in organic search for shoes, but that’s a highly competitive category. The cause marketing initiative “One Day Without Shoes" is where TOMS’ efforts are unparalleled. One April Tuesday every year, One Day Without Shoes asks people all over the world to take off their shoes to see what those without experience every day. This initiative has its own website, highly linked to TOMS of course. The website itself has a lot to offer – a robust story; an event locator and ability to register your own event; a national challenge to get organizations to register their members with a Blake party for the winner; downloadable event materials including rally signs, street stencils, DIY shirts, pocket cards, stickers, banners, displays and toolkits; an iPhone event locator app; videos; a photowall; even a way to do it virtually via Sims and all of the social sharing integrations you could want.

So, this year I asked my undergraduates to participate in this event for extra credit. Although they thought it was a way to earn bonus points, I hoped they would experience the power of word-of-mouth marketing. Lucky for me, my class meets on Tuesday so they could come to class without their shoes. Naturally, I too went without shoes for the day – yep, those blue toenails are mine.

Afterwards, they have to reflect on the day and share their thoughts with me. Their reflections covered a couple of key themes:

1. You become a champion of a cause and play a key role informing others:

“Fortunately, right before my M450, while walking through the hallway between the library and the business building, a student stopped me and thanked me for participating, claiming she did not have the courage to do so. It made me feel amazing. It’s funny how one person can make that big of a difference.”

 “Also, I realized that very few people are aware of this issue. With many people unaware of TOMS or the event, I found enjoyment in explaining my slightly kooky appearance in the middle of the library. I felt like I was an insider with great information about a good movement/cause.”

“I love being able to explain to people why I am walking around looking like a crazy person, it brings a spirit of humility upon me.”

“One thing that I learned during my experience of “One Day Without Shoes” was how much awareness that simply one person can make by going barefoot. I never believed it until I did it on April 10. More and more people kept on asking me about why I wasn’t wearing shoes and just like the website had mentioned raising awareness can be achieved by drawing attention to certain things.”

“It was cool how people would ask you the reasoning behind being barefoot, because I was able to spread the word about one day without shoes.”

2. Without shoes, you spend more of the day looking down to try and protect your feet:

“Before this experience, I didn’t realize how much I took shoes for granted. Every step I took was calculated and not one went without me looking down to see the next. I think it was a good experience to essentially walk a mile in someone else’s shoes... Only walking that mile barefoot. When I was walking barefoot outside, it was the thing on the top of my mind. Whereas when I have shoes on, I think about what I’m about to do next, what I have to do later that day, etc. I never think about the next step I’m going to take.”

“Today, I was without shoes. I spent a great deal of my time looking down in order to make sure I didn't step on anything sharp or jagged. Walking without shoes also made me walk a little slower than normal.”

3. Without shoes, your feet get dirty and they hurt:

“At times it was painful and agonizing to think about how dirty my feet were getting.”

“At the end of the day, my feet hurt in spots that don’t usually hurt!”

“My feet became very dirty and they were starting to ache after awhile.  I also realized that you use different muscles in your feet when you walk without shoes.”

4. We take our shoes for granted, worrying about which ones to buy rather than being glad we have them

“Sometimes I spend so much time shopping for the 'perfect' shoe when in all actuality I should be grateful to have shoes period. It is important at times to step back and be thankful for the basic needs of life.”

“We as Americans don’t realize how good we have it in our country. We take for granted the fact that the many people in the world do not have one pair of shoes while we all tend to have several pairs of shoes for different occasions.”

Dear TOMS Shoes –

Kelley School of Business Indianapolis undergraduate marketing students and I want to thank you for giving us an opportunity to undertake a worthy experiential education activity. 

We vow to go “One Day Without Shoes” again next year!

(FYI – in case you didn’t know, IUPUI won The Challenge in 2011 and Blake will be visiting our campus on April 30, 2012 to celebrate our efforts and share his story)

One of my favorite media sources is This American Life.  It is an hour-long quirky journalism program that reports on off-beat stories that can be compelling, heart-breaking, or hilarious, and sometimes all three at once.  The show is produced by Public Radio International, and can be heard on public radio stations or the podcasts can be downloaded from iTunes or the This American Life website.

In January, they broadcast an episode written by Mike Daisey, an actor with an off-broadway show about Steve Jobs and Apple.  The episode specifically centered around Apple's Chinese suppliers and the working conditions in the factories there.  Mike's story met all the criteria of a great story (compelling, heart-breaking and funny), and, in fact, became This American Life's most downloaded episode.

There was only one problem:  it was all bs. 

Much of Mike's story was fabricated.  He told of meeting with underage workers and workers who were disabled and/or poisoned by the production process and then terminated.  His story included armed guards, government blacklists, and inhumane living conditions.  Most of it he made up.   A real journalist who has experience in China thought a lot of it sounded fishy, so he followed up on the story.  He tracked down Mike's translator (using Google) and she confirmed that none of the above things happened when he was researching the story.

This American Life has published a retraction episode in which they investigate what went wrong.  The NY Times has covered the story as well.

I listened to the episode.  Since it was related to outsourcing, supply chain, and all that kind of stuff, I shared a link with my class (to my M303 students, sorry about that).  I told my friends about it.  Now I feel as if I've been duped.

There is a raging debate going on now (type Daisey into Twitter) about whether Mike Daisey is a lying self-promoter (a la Greg Mortenson of "Three Cups of Tea") or is being attacked for attacking Apple.  You can put me in the first group. 

What are the lessons we can take from this?

Don't lie.  I'm sure that when he started adding some details, he thought it was for dramatic effect.  But one thing leads to another and in this connected world, things come back to haunt you.  That little resume "enhancement" will come back to bite you. 

Mike Daisey is out there arguing that the truth (that Apple allows the mistreatment of workers) is more important than the fact that he made up interviews.  However, he has probably done more harm than good.  What better ammunition for Apple than the fact that its most well-known and outspoken critic is a liar?

What else?  I don't want to be the media basher.  In fact, I think the problem with this country is that too many people are skeptical of quality journalism, rather than that people are too trusting.  However, maybe I need to be more discerning about what I hear and what I pass on to others.

What is your take?  Do the ends justify the means?  What can we learn about ethical decision-making in journalism and in business from this episode? 

While I love teaching students working on their marketing degrees, I have to admit that I do look forward to Spring Break because it usually means a chance to get in some snow skiing. I've gotta be honest, downhill skiing is one of my favorite activities. And, there is a limited window of time when you can easily do it. Plus, skiing at spring break gives me a chance to reflect how what's happening in my classes and rethink how I want to finish out the semester.

Now, I've been skiing for quite a while...let's just say more than 20 years. And, I've been using the same skis since before Dick's bought Galyan's (which was some time in 2004). I know this because my right ski still has a Galyan's label on it. But, when it comes to skiing my motto has been "if it ain't broke, don't fix it."

But still, even a loyalist like me sometimes lets their eyes be distracted by a bright new shiny toy - you got it, the latest rocker skis. So today, I demo'd a pair. And, they were really playful. A few runs hitting some moguls and I was feeling very comfortable and confident. So, we decided to head into the bowls. Now, those of you not familiar with bowls might not realize that these are considered "extreme" trails. Actually, trails is an overstatement as they are more typically just snow-covered ground through the woods on steep faces of the mountains. You make your own trail, being as aggressive as you dare.

So, we hit The North Face and Hawk's Nest. At this point, we could have taken the "easier way" to the "Paradise Lift". But, we felt good and decided to take the risk of doing even harder slopes. Then, we hit the Sock-It-To-Me Ridge followed by The Last Steep. As we were making our way down what was clearly the steepest slope of the day, I started to go across some rocks and in seeking a way to avoid them lost my confidence and my edge and started sliding right down the mountain sideways. Then, my first ski flew off. I figured that wasn't good and really jammed my remaining ski in to try and stop. Instead, I had too much momentum and rolled head over heels. I figured this was not good, but as they say, "a rolling stone gathers no moss." Neither did I.

Lest you worry, the story ends well. I eventually stopped sliding downhill and was completely uninjured. The picture at the right gives you sense of how steep the mountain was. And, I only started sliding about 2/3 of the way down which although hidden behind the trees was actually the steepest part. As I picked myself up and tried to find my 2 skis and 2 poles, I started reflecting on how I had survived. Then, it hit me that it was much like the last corporate reorg that I survived. So, here are my rules of survival:

1. Protect your head. In skiing, this means wearing a helmet (which I did). In a corporate life, this means finding some powerful mentors to shield you. Of course, it helps to have these folks in place before the reorg starts
2. Tuck your head in. In either situation, having your head or neck sticking out is probably too risky right now
3. Bring your arms and legs in as close to your body as possible. Your goal is to avoid peripheral damage. Same as #2 above in terms of the payoff for taking a risk
4. Be calm because this too will pass. Don't panic and start acting crazy. Take deep breaths. Find your "happy" place...
5. When it's all over, breathe a sigh of relief and thank god you were lucky this time.

I am not suggesting that knowledge, experience, and capabilities have nothing to do with survival. Quite the opposite. Being knowledgeable and increasing knowledge through education definitely help. I've been scuba trained and have done rescue first aid training several times. Experience gained through hard work help ensure you are doing the right things most of the time. And, both of these traits will help others want to support you. Still, I do believe that every now and then we all need a little luck. And boy did I feel lucky today!

One final thought - always remember your support team too. While I was busy shaking all the snow off and checking to make sure I was intact, my constant support team known as my husband was at the ready to jump in and help out when he could. This time, it was just to help recover skis and poles. But boy was I thankful he was there.

Today, trying something new was a calculated risk. While that risk had a few questionable moments, in the end it paid off: I found a new pair of skis that help me perform better than before, I had an awesome day, and I had an adventure worth sharing with others. What's your next calculated risk?

On Friday March 2^nd, Kelley hosted its 66^th Annual Business Conference in downtown Indy. I always look forward to attending this conference as it gives me a chance to take a deep breath and think about something more than what’s going on in my classes. But, this year I was especially excited given the theme of “Incite Innovation”. You know it’s going to be a great day when you start by hearing what John Kao and Ray Kurzweil are thinking (click on their names if you want to see what they are up to). And, they both had some very interesting and futuristic ideas to share. But as a marketer, I really enjoyed the luncheon talk by Don Knauss, Chairman of the Board and CEO of The Clorox Company. He shared several ideas that anyone working on their undergraduate marketing degree or marketing MBA needs to remember:

1. It’s not competition that will kill your business, it’s not paying attention to customers that will kill it. So many companies seem to focus on what others are doing instead of understanding what customers are doing. Customers’ needs change. If you don’t keep up with them, they’ll find their own alternatives and fire you.

2. In order to innovate, you have to start with what problem customers are trying to solve. Then, apply advanced technologies to help them solve that existing problem. My favorite example was how Clorox has improved Glad Bags. People want to send less plastic to landfills. But, trash bags that rip are a nightmare. So, Clorox borrowed collaborated with P&G to bring diaper technology to create a stretchy, thinner trash bag.

3. Be careful when you are trying to understand what customers want. Often, they aren’t great at figuring out what they really want or need. But, they are great at complaining. So, figure out what problems are causing them to complain. We used to call this Problem Detection research. It’s still a great idea for existing products and services. Sometimes now, we refer to this as focusing on the Customer Experience.

4. Let’s not forget the macroenvironmental trends. Since innovations are only good when people want to buy them, it helps to look forward at trends that might be impacting your customers. Clorox apparently looked at future trends and identified four that they think will affect their products: 1) Increasing concern for health and being healthy, 2) Making sure that what we are doing leads to a sustainable future, 3) Keeping products and services affordable (a nice way to say we are more price-sensitive), and 4) An increasingly multicultural US consumer. As they choose between innovations to move forward, they compare them to this set of trends and tweak their improvements or prioritize them against future potential.

Thanks, Don. It was great to be reminded about how to understand customers and innovate solutions to keep them happy and productive using our products. So marketers, let's create the innovations that add value and excite our customers to support our brands!

Like many in Central Indiana and beyond, I anxiously awaited (dreaded?) the news about Peyton Manning. And like many I was disappointed by the outcome. But I am not here to join the pundits waxing poetic as why it happened, where #18 will go, or who is to blame. No, as a Management professor with a focus on Strategy and Entrepreneurship, I’d like to focus on one aspect about the news over the last 3 months that disturbed me: The distinction that this was a “business decision” and the implications of what that entails.

So what does this mean? A business decision as opposed to…what? I looked back through much of the press over the breakup announced today, and interestingly there are few direct alternatives explicitly named. A business versus a philanthropic decision? Versus a “non-pareto optimal” decision (a nod to our economist friends)? Perhaps the alternative would be a Ouija board decision?

A decision based on relationships seems to be the preferred interpretation of an alternative. This was all about the Benjamins, not the good will Peyton may have generated, his role in the community, or what this means for the team and NFL. No, this was just about $$. And that makes it a “business decision.” (You almost want to spit that out, don’t you?)

I teach strategy to practicing managers and executives in Central Indiana and in the Kelley Direct online program, which reaches savvy business folks worldwide. I have had the privilege of advising executives and boards of firms large and small, old and new. And I doubt that ANY of the experienced businesspeople I have come in contact with would tell you that “business decisions” are purely economic. In fact, most would argue that it is the people and the relationships between them that most directly affect the success of an organization, whether a new venture or ongoing concern, for-profit or not-for-profit. To aver that business decisions and relationship decisions are on opposing ends of some rationality continuum is an insult to businesspeople, as well as the readers of the articles that directly or indirectly imply such a contrast. Business is ALL about relationships.

As such, Peyton leaving Indianapolis was a relationship AND business decision. The two are inextricably linked. I am sure that the powers that be (OK, might as well say it—Mr. Irsay) recognized that this was not a decision about just dollars and one person, or even A Tale of Two Quarterbacks (Mr. Kravitz, a great title idea for a book you might publish in the future on this chapter in Colts history!).  The relationships involved extend to the team, the community, and the public perception of the NFL overall. We can only assume that someone of Mr. Irsay’s experience and savvy fully understands that we know it is about more than money. Do people pay crazy amounts of money for tickets because of the “product?” For access to the good value beer, hot dogs, and NFL gear? I think not—it is to be part of an experience that gives meaning to our lives. Anything that reduces that to a “show me the money” mentality really misses the boat. So I trust that the decision here weighed these intangibles appropriately.

Corporate America has gotten a bad rap over the last few years as being self-indulgent, greedy, and full of hubris. This is a far cry from the majority of entrepreneurs, managers, and corporate leaders I have had the opportunity to know and teach or work with over the years. So yes, this may have been a business decision, but relationships were first and foremost—and to associate “business decisions” with a lack of soul, devoid of sensitivity to the people involved, is inaccurate and unjust.

A closing note…I look forward to cheering for Peyton Manning wherever he ends up. I also suggest we not hold Andrew Luck, assuming he is the choice come draft day, to any specific expectations or blame him or the Colts organization if he does not measure up to #18. He is by all reports a promising quarterback and a fine young man—let’s let him decide how he will express that in coming years.

B2B Video Provided by Kelley's Office for External Affairs:

Written by Carly Griffin, Senior Marketing Student

I can honestly say that this past Wednesday was the most fun that I have ever had on the second floor of the Business Building. For the past five years, the Kelley School has hosted a student engagement event for students, and this year’s theme was Backpacks to Briefcases (B2B). As an intern for the Kelley Office for External Affairs, I had the privilege of coordinating the logistics of this event.

The goal of B2B was to educate Kelley students about reaching important milestones while progressing through their college years.  Representatives from the Office of Student Financial Services, Kelley Academic Programs, the Kelley Career Planning Office, Kelley Indianapolis Student Government, and First Year Programs all attended and gave us important real-life tips for success. For example, Financial Services wanted to make sure that students in their junior years knew how to calculate their spending habits and create appropriate budgets. Financial Services also wanted seniors to be aware of their credit reports and how to read them correctly.  

In addition to the educational information provided during Kelley B2B, there were opportunities for students to be involved through social media outlets. A Twitter hash tag (#kelleyindyb2b) was available to collect student comments all day long. In addition, Kelley students were invited to participate in a Facebook photo contest by posting creative photos of their backpacks on the Kelley Indianapolis Facebook page.  The winner took home a leather Kelley briefcase.

Students were also invited to participate in the backpack weighing contest that took place on the second floor throughout the day. The winning backpack weighed in at a whopping 34.3 pounds!

For me, B2B was more than just take-home knowledge. Planning the event provided me with real-world experience and allowed me to network with people I would have never had a chance to know otherwise. I worked closely with Angie Meyer in the Career Planning Office. After meeting and talking with her, she asked me to run for secretary of Kelley’s Student Government. It felt good to think that only after meeting me a time or two, she trusted me to do a great job for this organization. I ran for the position, and you are now reading this blog written by the secretary for the Kelley School of Business Indianapolis Student Government!  In addition, I worked on B2B plans for the Academic Programs Office with Carly Grennes. She is academic advisor for the Kelley undergraduate program. After our collaboration on this event, Carly nominated me to the IUPUI Top 100 Program. I am excited to share that I am pursuing this nomination.

I have never been more proud to be a part of the Kelley school than I was during the Backpacks to Briefcases festivities. This opportunity showed me that it’s important to be engaged with student activities while completing my college degree. Not only did I gain invaluable experiences and relationships, I had a lot of fun!

Alexander the Great. Plato. Martin Luther King Jr. Mahatma Gandhi. Obi Wan Kenobi. Can you tell me what all these individuals have in common? A mentor.

As a young professional, I am constantly having a inner debate about what I actually want to do with my career. What am I really passionate about in business? Should I go back to the Kelley School and get a entrepreneurship MBA or a marketing degree?  How is my graduate experience going to translate into future professional opportunities? Should I wear the blue or red tie?

While I'm sure I will always have some form of these debates, its good to know that we were given two ears and one mouth. What do I mean? Its quite simple and yet complex at the same time: you were meant to listen more than speak.

Listening and mentorship go hand in hand like, "peanut butter and ladies" says Ricky Bobby. Faculty insights, professional wisdom, and past experiences of a mentor can help answer those tough questions about where you wind up in the future. Human beings are social creatures, we were not made to go through life alone. Picking an mentor that is invested in your success can make all the difference in your personal and professional life.

For me, I tend to have different mentors for different areas of my life. Dave Ramsey and more recently, Pete the Planner, generally have a stronghold on how I behave financially. Kris Gethin, trainer and nutritional expert, controls my eating and exercising habits. Ed Foreman, Jim Rohn, and Napoleon Hill have a fairly tight grip on my mental health and well-being. While this approach works for me, maybe you know someone you respect personally and professional who you feel would be a great mentor. If you don't, make it a mission to find someone. As a matter of fact, I know several Kelley School of Business professors who would serve as excellent mentors.

Alexander the Great had Aristotle. Plato had Socrates. Gandhi had Dadabhai Naoroji. Obi Wan Kenobi had Yoda. Who have you sought out to help you get to where you want to be?

-Nate 

@NCanadaWeTrust

@PetethePlanner

@KelleyIndy

1. Prioritization - Each morning, our team huddles up and explains the top three tasks we will be working on for the day. I've found this to be incredibly helpful, especially when unexpected work gets piled on. Keeping your focus on the big picture makes filling in the details much easier.
2. Exercise - Nothing helps me blow off steam like an intense workout at the gym. I know this may seem cliche or even unexpected from a business related  blog but I consider all areas of my life to be business related. The company I work for emphasizes the idea that an employee should work harder on yourself than you do on your job. I would agree wholeheartedly that we become better employees as we become better people. My work team shares insight on diet, nutrition, and makes sure each team member does not have any photos displaying our physique. Feeling the strain at work? Hit the gym.
3. "The Little Things" - One of the favorite movies among my co-workers is Zombieland, which reminds us about, "Rule 32: Enjoy the little things." One of these "little things" that our work team uses to relax is basketball. Several of us have mini-basketball hoops from Dave and Busters that are often used after an intense phone call, an unexpected email, or worrisome letter. I can't tell you how good it feels pull off a 360 slam dunk after a rough day at the office.

This is always one of my favorite times in the semester—when the DIVE project teams meet with their ventures to kick off projects. What is DIVE? DIVE is an acronym for the Discovery, Innovation, and Ventures Enterprise. It is made up of students in our Evening MBA program with an interest in venturing in some way —which might include starting their own company, joining a high-growth venture, or working with investors and entrepreneurs as a service provider (e.g., attorney, banking, consulting, etc.). The Evening MBA program of the IU Kelley School also has enterprises in supply chain management (gSCIE) and finance (FIND). The enterprises are key components of our graduate experience. Projects typically run from January through May/June.

As Director of DIVE (though I prefer “DIVE Master”) I accept about 20 folks each year who have gotten through most of the core classes—strategy, accounting, finance, economics, marketing, and operations—and are prepared to lend their expertise and training to a venture. DIVErs get real-world exposure to venture challenges such as funding, market focus, and operations with lean resources. It is a big step from the classroom to the venture world. Through the DIVE experience, these folks learn a lot more about the world of venturing, and if they really want to join that world! Of course, our DIVErs are the best of our top MBA students—which is saying a lot. DIVE is also a key differentiator in our entrepreneurship program.

What do the ventures get out of it? Well, these founders typically have limited managerial “bench strength” and face a variety of barriers to launch and/or growth. Our DIVE students not only have strong training in core functional areas, but also great experience in industry—including current active connections and a network. That is one advantage of the Kelley School locating its Evening MBA program in Indy—great access to the business and venture community and associated network.

We have connected with DeveloperTown this year for a number of DIVE projects. DeveloperTown (DT) is a really cool IT and software development company based in Broad Ripple. By partnering with clients, often young high potential start-ups, DT helps develop a robust technology infrastructure necessary for growth—but takes an equity position so it doesn’t cost an arm and a leg. DT also has a unique and really interesting structure. Each Developer has his or her own “house” in DeveloperTown to decorate and call home. When projects require collaboration, the developers can literally roll their houses together. Of course, having our DIVErs work with serial entrepreneurs like Michael Cloran and John Wechsler (partners at DT) is a big bonus.

As usual, we have a great range of projects and ventures to work with this year. We have some pre-revenue true start-ups like:

•  Musical DNA, who is developing a new approach combining 3D graphics and gaming elements for music education
• uFlavor, a customized beverage company
• TransitionU, a venture helping students bridge the transition from high school to college successfully
• FAST Biotech, taking a revolutionary technology for assessing kidney function real-time to market.

In coming weeks I hope to share more about each of these projects—in the meantime, I love hearing about the cool things going on in our local venture community, and learning more about our DIVErs and how they plan to help these ventures. These companies will do great things, and we hope DIVE can play a part. So DIVErs down—and game on!

These four years of college have gone by quick! I feel like just yesterday I was a senior at Brownsburg High School, and now I will be a graduate from the Kelley School of Business Indianapolis in May. It actually seems pretty crazy to me, and a little bit scary. It feels like there are so many questions I don’t know the answer to. Will I be able to find a job? What if I don’t end up liking my job? Should I go back to school?

It was never a question of whether I would go to college or not, rather a question of where. I remember visiting several different campuses, and finally deciding on Indiana University Bloomington. I knew IU was an excellent school, and it was also a plus that a lot of my friends from high school were going there too. Unfortunately, after my first semester I decided that Bloomington was not for me. The campus was too big, and I couldn’t find my place. I moved back home and transferred to IUPUI in the spring. I figured I would finish my basic freshman courses and then transfer somewhere else. Instead, I decided I wanted to major in business and that the Kelley School of Business Indianapolis just might be what I was looking for. Turns out, it was!

I have had many great experiences at IUPUI as a Kelley student, and my M450 class is one that stands out. Taking this course has been very eye opening for me. Since I decided on a marketing major, I have not been exactly sure what my purpose as a marketer will be. I never even considered the opportunities in the field of social entrepreneurship. Finally, I began to understand the importance of marketing and the impact it can have. My first impression of M450 was that it would just be another marketing class with another group project to worry about. I was wrong! I don’t feel like I’m just working on a group project as a student in M450. I feel like I am actually working as a marketer. This class has allowed me to gain real life experience, and I look forward to using these experiences as I further my marketing career.

This post was written by Ashley Patterson as an assignment in M450 Fall 2011.

I have a love-hate relationship with many things…sleeping in, watching the Colts play this season, autocorrect on my phone, and last but not least my marketing strategy class.

It has been very exciting this being my last semester of undergrad at the Kelley School of Business, but it has also been my most challenging one. I decided to take Marketing Strategy this semester and when I first saw the syllabus I was actually very excited. I saw the focus of the class would be a project where we would get to do all the marketing for an event called Homeward Bound, which is a walk to raise money for organizations that help the homeless in Indianapolis. (For more info on this event check out this link: http://homewardboundindiana.org/central) It sounded like an awesome idea and something that could be fun, especially considering how much I love planning events.

As the semester began, I suddenly started to realize that the project was actually going to take a lot of work. As we began planning, we just kept running into more and more obstacles and I began to get a little overwhelmed with it all. I had never really gotten an opportunity in a class that allowed the students to participate in the marketing and planning of something real. I went from making marketing decisions for a made up company to making them for an event that was actually going to happen and several organizations were dependent on the outcome and how well we perform. It was a scary change, but also a much needed reality check, because after this year when I go and work for a company, my decisions will matter, and if something doesn’t work there will be real consequences not only for myself, but for others also.

Marketing Strategy has been one of my classes that has required more of my time, but it also one that I will be able to put on my resume and look back and say that I made a difference in my community because of the work I had done in that class. Ya know that’s just about how all love-hate relationships work isn’t it? Even though auto correct on my phone drives me insane some days and I’ll just want to be done with it, I know most days it makes my life easier. Same with my Marketing Strategy class, even though some days I feel like it could be a full time job within itself, I know that the real world experience I am getting from it is just want it need especially in my last year of school. And the purpose behind the whole project-the idea coming together to help others-is what I love.

This post was written by Tom Mitrani as an assignment in M450 Fall 2011.

Going to IUPUI has been one of the best experiences in my life. I have learned more from my teachers and students that I thought possible.

Going into M450 has been a life altering, mind challenging journey that was both unexpected and exciting. I went into this class thinking it was going to be just another everyday grind reading textbooks and taking exams week after week. Boy was I totally wrong.

M450 is unique because we actually have a project that seriously affects people in our community. Our whole class has a goal or should I say mission to raise has much money and support for a very good cause. We are in charge of designing a walk for the homeless. When I say designing I really mean that we are responsible for every single aspect that goes into creating a CHARITY WALK It sounds simple, just get some people together and donate some money and go walk around for a bit….not that easy!!! For my own experience it has been challenging and also fun. I started out in a group that was supposed to generate money from sponsorships. That means calling different companies up and meeting with them and trying them to be our lead sponsor or simply a sponsor that gives our cause a little money for their name on a t-shirt. Next I heard of a different group that was in charge of e-mail and data marketing. My teacher (Kim Saxton) who is great by the way said this was a new group where you could learn the ins and outs of this new and exciting trade. So I was hooked I wanted to learn something new. I joined this group and my work schedule did not coincide with my other group members. Professor Saxton realized this and she noticed that I was taking the initiative with some of the resources at work by creating by own corporate team so she decided that it would be better for me to go solo.

Very GOOD decision! Right know I have created my own team with my company and I am recruiting new members as we speak. I am using the resources from some of our customers and different charity organizations to spread the word of our charity walk. The flexibility awarded to me by Professor Saxton is one of the main reasons that IUPUI Kelley School of Business is so great! They don’t treat you as just a student, they know that you are an adult and they have the trust that the skills and hard work that you but into your college career will shine with whatever obstacles that you might encounter.

This post was written by Natalie Davis as an assignment in M450 Fall 2011.

You know, when I first came to IUPUI I had little interest in being involved in the community and definitely didn’t expect to get college credit for it. Now, four years later, I have a different outlook on working with not-for-profit organizations, thanks to the Kelley School. And you’d never believe the number of ways participating in bettering the community has benefited me. My first year here, I worked with a group at the Dayspring Center to provide shelter, clothing, and meals to homeless families in Indianapolis. It was the first time I had seen the homeless situation in Indianapolis or lended a hand to those suffering from it. In M450, a senior marketing class, I’m working on a larger scale to help the homeless individuals of Indianapolis. We’re organizing and promoting the Homeward Bound Central Indiana walk as an effort to end homelessness. These and other community activities through IUPUI have truly opened my eyes to a world I had never seen before.

When you join IUPUI you can definitely expect to become active in the local community. While the out-of-class work sometimes seems dreadful, it really has enabled me to learn so much. From my experiences I have benefited internal and in the business world.

Internal Benefits:

·         Opens mind to a world not formally familiar with

·         Become part of a much larger movement

·         Personally contribute to bettering my community

·         Evokes a good feeling in a sometimes dark world

External Benefits:

·         Work with people and face real world problems

·         Broaden network for future for through meeting people

·         Looks great on resumes

·         Develop skills as a leader, in communicating and with organization

With such busy schedules, we often don’t have time to gain work experience while in school; these community activities have given me the opportunity to gain experience outside class work. You’d be shocked at the number of times I have referred back to these community services in interviews for internships and jobs. Joining the Kelley school or IUPUI provides students with a gateway to a better education through great schooling, culture and community involvement.

This post was written by Kelly Brown as an assignment in M450 Fall 2011.

I vividly remember being in high school, sitting through lectures and thinking to myself, “I will never use any of this information in real life!” I often dreamed about college classes, and how what I was learning would actually be relevant to my career…or at least interesting. My educational experience at the Kelley School of Business has been everything I’d hoped for and then some.

As a graduate, you have thousands of colleges to choose from, so why not choose one that values teaching its students skills that you can actually use in real life?

With spring graduation rapidly approaching, I have chosen four things I have taken from my experience at Kelley:

#1-You Get Out of the Experience What You Put Into It

One of my biggest regrets during my time at Kelley was that I did not get involved with any student organizations. Student organizations are a great way to meet other students outside of the classroom in a fun, social setting, while gaining leadership skills and experience as an organization member.

#2-You Can Make a Difference

For those of you who think social entrepreneurs are only the Bill Gates’ of the world, think again. A required class for marketing majors, M450 takes seniors and turns them into social entrepreneurs. You and your classmates are given the reins to plan a fundraising event that will greatly impact the lives of less fortunate within your community.  

#3-Not For the Faint of Heart

Countless hours in the library, studying on Saturdays, group meetings, pulling all-nighters to write papers…all things that occurred on a regular basis during my time at Kelley. Juggling work, school and a social life is definitely frustrating, but seeing all your hard work pay off at graduation makes it all worth it.

#4-Group Projects Actually Have a Point

Let’s face it, Kelley is big on group projects. Now if you’ve never really been a big fan of working with others…get over it. You will participate in what feels like a million group projects over your Kelley career that I guarantee you will be your greatest source of frustration, but in the end, you gain valuable critical thinking and problem solving skills that can be applied in your post-graduate career.

Photo Source: http://t1.thpservices.com/fotos/thum4/008/354/bdl-016450bl.jpg

This post was written by Sean Mccarthy as an assignment in M450 Fall 2011.

I was stumped. 

All decisions until I reached college regarding school had been selected for me: what classes I would take, who my instructors would be, and what I would learn.   When I was nearing the end of my high school career, I was cautiously selecting a university and resiliently choosing a course of study.

I realized that I could always transfer schools and select a different major if necessary, but I didn’t want to go through all of the trouble.

I knew that the Kelley School of Business Indianapolis (KSBI) was a member of the Kelley School of Business family, which ranks among one of the country’s best business schools as ranked by publications like Business Week, U.S. News & World Report, and the Wall Street Journal.

After joining, I found that the KSBI incorporates all aspects of business within each class and ultimately transformed my thinking. About everything.

As a marketing student, I am currently working on a project in a Marketing Strategies course at the KSBI that works with a local charitable organization to raise funds for homeless agencies. This organization, The Indiana Association for Community Economic Development (IACED), hosts a walk each year known as “Homeward Bound”.

As a class, we have undertaken the entire marketing campaign for Homeward Bound 2011-Central Indiana, meaning the success of this year’s walk depends completely on student efforts.

My team specifically has assumed the responsibilities for creating an email marketing campaign that will target potential walkers, donors, and volunteers. I am thrilled about the amount of invaluable real-world experience I am receiving from this project. At the same time, I am learning a ton about email marketing and making great networking connections. (Not to mention, this project will look great on my résumé)

Projects like these are only a fraction of what the KSBI has to offer. And after all, business is a large part of life. In fact, I consider myself a business.

Once I graduate college I will have to sell my product, which consists of my skills, intellect, etc. Who will buy my product? Will it be the employer I hope for? Will my product overthrow the competition?

I’ve transformed my thinking.  And by joining the KSBI, I have enabled myself to build the brightest business possible, all while strengthening my résumé and gaining real-world experience.

Unbeknownst to the man on the bench, this place will soon be a place for change. Our community will come together to acknowledge those who go to bed night after night, feeling forgotten. 

This grown man, like so many others, has no other option but lying down on a metal bench for the night. Wrapping his arms around himself with his knit cap pulled down securely as he sleeps. Eyes shut tightly, deep lines engrained in his face, revealing the many struggles he has faced. This low point in his life is all observed and captured by someone through a lens.

One can only imagine the various scenarios leading to this last resort. Has this man lost his job, his home, his loved ones? Maybe this man is mentally ill, an addict, or a forgotten vet. Maybe all three? Was he unable to find a warm bed? Were the homeless shelters full?    

The sign high above his temporary bedroom read two words, Market District – acting as a spotlight illuminating the irony of his position, unfamiliar with its promise of prosperity. Those two words reiterated the detachment between the two worlds creating a sleeping contradiction of the message portrayed. Those words indicative of success, within his own community, he no longer belonged.

Unfortunately this man is only one of many walking in these shoes. Our hope is that by highlighting this prevalent issue, we will raise awareness of homelessness and take steps to put an end to it. We’re beginning with the Homeward Bound 2011 Walk to Prevent Homelessness. Together businesses, the community, students and families will make strides to initiate this change.        

Is homelessness a rarity, as several individuals portray it to be? Or part of our everyday life and simply goes unnoticed? Have we become so used to homelessness that it has become part of the Indianapolis landscape? 

Strolling down New York Street enjoying the crisp autumn air and the familiar city scape, you come upon a man, a man pushing a shopping cart. This would be mundane and uninteresting if you were in a grocery store parking lot but in the middle of downtown Indianapolis you begin to wonder where does this man belong? Instead of stopping to help him or even to shoot the breeze, you continue on your way as he blends into the landscape. A miniscule part of your day, already fading into the past. But had you stopped to talk with him, what would you have learned? Would you have found out that he loves the Colts and wishes he had a TV to watch them on? Would he have told you his favorite food is chicken and dumplings? His grandmother used to make them every Sunday. You may have heard part of his story. That he had a family once, a job, a home, and a car but one small moment, one huge tragedy ripped all that away from him, leaving him where he is now. 

So, the question now switches to, how can I help this man regain control of his life, restoring his happiness? The answer to several remains a mystery, but to some it may be an obvious answer but lack the support of the community. Although you, personally, may not possess the ideas to change the world, but you, as an individual can support those who do and, therefore, can change the world through your actions.