B School Adventures

Farewell

noreply@blogger.com (Saul) — Sun, 01 Jun 2008 19:13:00 +0000

At a recent family gathering a relative that I had not seen for several years commented, "Graduate school has really given you a sense of confidence." That and so much more.

For over two years I've been logging my thoughts, experiences and feelings during my journey from start to finish at Darden. I can still remember how excited I was to begin this new chapter of my career. I remember how nervous I was leaving my old career behind in favor of a two-year pursuit of an MBA. Much has changed in the last two years. In just the last year and a half I've watched as a new couple met and got engaged, babies born, marriages happen (and end), lifelong friendships form and leaders molded. I won't soon forget the many happy experiences I've had but I also won't forget the fact that one of my good friends didn't get to complete his degree for academic reasons, struggles to maintain my composure under pressure, arguments and heated discussions.

I consider myself lucky in that I never faced significant long-term difficulties during my time in school. Michele truly dedicated herself during this time in school. I am in awe of those who left their spouses in other parts of their globe in order to spend time furthering their education. Getting to know many of my international classmates has really helped me appreciate differences in culture and perspective. While I struggled to read three cases a day, other struggled in addition to understand a second language, spend time with new babies, or connect with others who shared cultural differences.

I began my MBA experience with a notion that I was going to learn to be a leader by acquiring skills, learn techniques to influence others and impact the world of business. On the contrary, what I am most proud of after graduating is that I've learned to be influenced by others, to understand conflicting ideas, to accept that I am often wrong. The confidence I've gained has ironically allowed me to engage in more fruitful discussions because I'm less afraid to discover flaws in my ideas. Where does this new confidence come from? Instead of looking to prove that I am correct, I now seek to find the best solutions. Instead of avoiding areas where I lack knowledge, I seek them out to help better understand the nature of problems. In short, my confidence comes from standing on the shoulders of my peers.

I will truly miss the daily discussions with my Darden classmates. I have developed friendships that will last a lifetime. I mentioned to a friend recently that if I had never attended a single class in the last two years but still developed the same connections and network my tuition would have been well worth it. To supplement this experience with an MBA from one of the world's best programs is really a remarkable accomplishment.

To those who have followed and supported me over the last two years I thank you. Your encouragement has meant a tremendous amount and allowed me to get the most out of my experience.

To those who might be reading in efforts to understand if getting and MBA is a good decision for you I hope you will look deep inside to decide where and when you are willing to make your greatest contribution rather than simply what place can offer you the most opportunity.

The Final Chapter

noreply@blogger.com (Saul) — Sat, 31 May 2008 21:40:00 +0000

The last couple weeks have really been a blur. Graduation, a new job and lots of family and friends have been all part of an exciting time recently. I look forward to writing more and reflecting on these great times.

I have quit frankly been putting all my energy into seeing off our friends as they pack and move out of Charlottesville. It is an emotional time and I excited to be part of their transitions.

The Final Steps

noreply@blogger.com (Saul) — Thu, 15 May 2008 16:21:00 +0000

The days to graduation are short. I'm excited, nervous and ready for change. I expect many of my Darden classmates are in the same boat which is why Beach Week was invented. During the week between our final exams and graduation day on May 18th there is a mass migration of Darden students to the Outer Banks of NC.

While is isn't typically my style to wear shirts with poodles on them, this week gave me a change to hang out with some of my great friends before they all leave for their new homes. It's really a great time but also sad to know that the folks you've shared the last two intense years with are soon to be many miles away.

I'm also facing the reality of soon ending my writing on this blog. For the 2.5 of you that ready this every day this may or may not be a good thing. This has been a great chance for me to distill and share my thoughts during my Darden experience. I'll be working on a couple more posts to include some final reflections but soon my two years and business school career will be over.

Foxfield

noreply@blogger.com (Saul) — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 22:07:00 +0000

Saturday was Foxfield Race Day in Charlottesville. This event is universally known in the Virginia area but not so well known elsewhere. This horse race is much more of a social event and fashion show than sporting in nature but nonetheless there were in fact horse races going on. Sever of my friends who have attended before commented that while they had hear that there were races, they had never actually seen them.

After waking up early and preparing appropriate derby food and beverage I suited up in khakis, white shirt and dress shoes. You see, this event is very formal; seersucker suits, sun dresses and derby hats are standard attire. I'm amazed at the amount of white pants and whale patterned shorts that make there way to this scene.
Publish Post
Despite a 4pm rain storm I had an awesome time at Foxfield. It will be one of the last chances I get to see many of my friends all in one place before graduation.

One week of classes left to go before final exams.

Reunion?

noreply@blogger.com (Saul) — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 23:07:00 +0000

I read that NKOTB is reuniting for a tour. Seriously? These guys are closer to retirement age than I am. What will the concert audiences look like? Guys, sometimes retirement is the better answer. I remember a quote form the movie American Gangster, "Quitting while you're ahead is not the same a quitting."

BHAGs

noreply@blogger.com (Saul) — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 20:31:00 +0000

I had an opportunity to hear Jim Collins speak last week. Collins is famous in the corporate world for his research and suggested applications for leadership. Collins also coined the term BHAG (Big Hairy Audacious Goal) which is one of the key ideas in setting a long-term goal or vision. It occurred to me that as graduation approaches it has become difficult to see very far past graduation. For the past two years I've been living almost day-to-day and that is soon to change.

Setting a long-term strategy is a challenging transition from living class-to-class. I'm forced to re-think what is really important to me and why I cam to business school in the first place. I've noticed so many of my classmated getting drawn back in the their previous fields of expertise but I really wonder how long they will last before getting burned out.

Handoffs

noreply@blogger.com (Saul) — Sun, 30 Mar 2008 22:25:00 +0000

As my class nears graduation we're in the process of handing off many of our responsibilities to the class of 2009. This includes club leadership, traditions and even a few tidbits of wisdom we inherited from the class of 2007.

I find that sometimes less is more in this process. There's a temptation to try to help them avoid some of the pitfalls we encountered but I also feel that much of what I've picked up over the last two years was a result of mistakes. Saying silly things in class, over- or under-preparing cases, and poor time management have all forces me to adapt. Mistakes are a great stimulus for learning.

Happy Easter

noreply@blogger.com (Saul) — Sun, 23 Mar 2008 15:56:00 +0000

Easter weekend is an exciting time. This year we're hosting a big dinner party on Sunday and we had a chance to visit with some friends out to a local winery this weekend. One of the hidden advantages that Charlottesville offers is a plethora of sightseeing and tourist opportunities within 30 minutes. These mini-vacations are a great break from routine and really help me appreciate being here.

Happy Easter to all.

Becoming a Graduate

noreply@blogger.com (Saul) — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 01:52:00 +0000

Today my class attended a graduation information session. It's really hard to imagine that in a couple months we'll be graduating. I'm beginning to reflect quite a bit on the changes that have transpired in my class as a whole since we sat in the welcome session in the fall of 2006. I had a professor remark yesterday, "you don't look anything like your profile photo." Likely not, it was taken over two years ago!

Changes

noreply@blogger.com (Saul) — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 14:41:00 +0000

Last weekend I got a chance to visit my old hometown in North Carolina. It was really amazing to see how much had changes in two years. The landscape was really unrecognizable in my old neighborhood, full of planned developments, CVS drugstores and new gas stations. Sprawl, relocations and expansion have really changed the area I used to call home.

I also had a chance to visit with many old friends. Many of them were carrying around new babies, engagement rings or even new hair colors. Since most of my friends are non-MBAs, they asked me with some hesitation how school was. I could see some fear in their eye that I might start spouting off accounting formulas. In fact I haven't visited NC in two years other than a quick drive-through a year ago. Why hadn't I visited? What was keeping me so busy? I didn't have many good answers but it became clear to me that the landscape wasn't the only thing that had changed in the last two years, I've succeeded in changing my perspective during the last 18 months at Darden. Despite what you might think would happen in a business school, talking about business everyday has removed the mystery and allure of uber-wealth and Fortune 100 companies. It's really the people and ideas that are the most intriguing.

With only one quarter of school remaining the pulse of the classroom is decidedly different. Motivations have moved from textbooks to golf courses. Many of my classmates just completed GBEs (Global Business Experiences) where they went to various global destinations for a week or two during our spring break. I look forward to catching up with all of them and hearing about life and business outside of Charlottesville.

Faith in the World View

noreply@blogger.com (Saul) — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 18:56:00 +0000

One of the highlights of by business school experience was being part of the organization and presentation an event titled Faith in the World View. Weather forced the cancellation of one of the scheduled speakers Steven Reinemund but NASA CFO Cyprian Ejiasa led a fascinating discussion about the complexities that occur at the intersection of Faith and business.

This presentation can be heard here or downloaded directly here.

Hoping for a Swish

noreply@blogger.com (Saul) — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 16:22:00 +0000

Quarter 3 finals are over and I'm excited to have a bit of a break. Life and school have been fairly hectic the lest couple weeks with preparation for exams and then Michele catching a bug for a few days.

Second-year exams feel a lot different than fist-year but the main difference is that we've adapted pretty well by now and the anxiety level isn't what it used to be. The other main difference is that we don't take all of our exams together. At the beginning of the week all of our exams are available and we have a week to turn them in. Some students choose to knock them out in a couple days while others (me) take their time. I've never been one to effectively take more than one exam in a day and since I'm not headed anywhere remote for spring break I took my time this quarter.

I did manage to catch a recent UVa vs. NC State basketball game thanks to some good friends sharing their tickets. A rare but great win for UVa. Go Hoos.

Passing the Torch

noreply@blogger.com (Saul) — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 18:11:00 +0000

Recently Darden organized a learning team hand off event. There are roughly 30 learning teams (study groups) assigned each year so the old teams and the new teams were paired for dinner. There weren't any formal instructions but this was clearly designed as a social event with an opportunity to exchange a bit of wisdom between teams. It was also a great chance for me to catch up a bit with my ol' pals that I spent many an hour with during the first-year experience. It's really remarkable to see how we've all changed and find out where we're all headed.

Dinner as Cassis was good and I really enjoyed hearing about some of the stories. The fun times and challenges seem remarkably consistent from year to year. As it turns out, I-banking is still hard, consulting internships are hard to find, and most of us still don't really know what we want to do with our careers.

Rock On

noreply@blogger.com (Saul) — Sun, 24 Feb 2008 17:40:00 +0000

After a last couple intense weeks of academic and career efforts I had a chance to enjoy a few events on the fun side. Coincidentally, I helped to organize an event on Friday entitled Faith in the World View where balance was a big theme of discussion. We were lucky to have a fantastic speaker who inspired a great Q&A and discussion following his presentation.

I believe that balance is a very tricky thing because it isn't simply a matter of finding a formula and sticking with it, thing change. Some weeks you need more down time and others you find you're motivated and able to make great efforts. I've been really lucky to meet some great friends during my time at Darden which has helped tremendously to keep up my motivation level but also to enjoy some great personal discussions. Saturday night we played a game called Rock Band where we rotated on vocals, guitar and drums during a mock world tour. I had no idea that the vocals for Sabotage were so tough.

It Feels Like First-Year Again

noreply@blogger.com (Saul) — Sat, 16 Feb 2008 22:33:00 +0000

I'm hammering out some work this weekend in efforts to get caught back up on course work. This quarter I'm only taking three traditional classes but I'm also involved in two electives. First is a case writing elective under the supervision of Professor Eades with a classmate and the other is an individual research elective under the guidance of Professor Bodily. Electives such as these offer a great chance to pursue interests I have but they've also provided an opportunity to procrastinate. With a busy season of job hunting an negotiations I've fallen a bit behind.

This weekend I'm spending a good deal of time on campus. Darden halls are quiet and the library is a virtual ghost town. Legendary stories of second year "vacation" time hasn't materialized for me. To be fair, I'm not all that interested in hitting cruise control on a forty-thousand dollar tuition bill but there are certainly days when I'd like to trade a day staring at books for a vacation on a beach somewhere.

You Gotta Get Low

noreply@blogger.com (Saul) — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 22:53:00 +0000

Last weekend I managed to squeeze in my first vacation in a long time. Michele and I met friends out in Vail, Colorado for a snow-filled weekend. We're all snowboarders so the fresh powdery conditions made for a fantastic experience. On the downside, I caught a serious case of altitude sickness. By far this was unexpected and unpleasant but luckily didn't have too much impact on an otherwise fantastic trip.

It was also a great chance to clear my mind with the upcoming surge of job discussions. Meeting with some great friends always reaffirms the things that are truly important. Nothing can replace enjoying good people and good times.

Darden has become fairly tense these days in anticipation of First-Years closing off internship offers and Second-Years preparing for graduation and new careers. We've also begun to realize that many of the good friends we've made will soon be spreading out across the globe. It's exciting to think about the friends I'll have all over the world but also sad to think about not seeing them often.

Let it Snow

noreply@blogger.com (Saul) — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 15:14:00 +0000

I'm prepping for accounting at noon today... wouldn't it be a shame if the snow prevented me from getting to class? This is a pretty good snowfall so far this morning -- I'm not sure if it really impacts college campuses but this is practically wait high for those little elementary kids.

Captain?

noreply@blogger.com (Saul) — Sun, 13 Jan 2008 19:11:00 +0000

Last week I took a one-week course in theatre and ethics led by Professor Ed Freeman. Certainly this isn't the typical business school course, perfect for easing back into the third quarter. We were in class from 9-5 or later each day learning a bit a about the production process and a lot about how to tell a story from a character's point of view.

The culmination of the class is on Friday afternoon when we perform a set of scenes that were written, cast and rehearsed in 30 hours. My role was a monologue by a Casualty Notification Officer. It was a remarkable experience to undertake and a highlight of my Darden experience. The photo is of me in full Army class A uniform with the writer and director of the scene Ryan. Ryan is an Army veteran, a Captain and Ranger. It was a big honor just to wear the uniform and apparently convincing as one of the military on campus said "hello Captain" to me on campus before the show.

Classes begin in earnest tomorrow, strategy, leadership and financial statement analysis in addition to two independent research projects.

Happy Oh-Eight

noreply@blogger.com (Saul) — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 19:13:00 +0000

Well well well. 2008 has arrived. This year will likely bring about many changes. For me and my Darden classmates we will ensure career changes. It strikes me that I feel as anxious to go to work again as I did to go back to school. The grass is greener over yonder apparently.

The holiday break has been really great. I've been sick a couple times, but overall I've had a great chance to recover and get some solid sleep. Most of all I've enjoyed catching up with friends. The lest couple days have been a nice chance to talk about things other than school and spend some distraction free time. And while I am still uncertain of where we will be living next year, I am excited to talk about the possibilities and know that a year from now I'll have friends spreading all over the globe.

Happy New Year.

Fire Skills

noreply@blogger.com (Saul) — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 19:31:00 +0000

The sickness I caught this week and the downtime of holiday break have combined to give me a chance to sharpen some fireplace skills. I'm not sure I'm ready for fireplace world championships but I'm pretty sure I can take the county title. In any case, this has made for some nice reading atmosphere on the couch in the living room.

A Bad Luck Streak

noreply@blogger.com (Saul) — Wed, 19 Dec 2007 21:23:00 +0000

Sunday night at 8pm Michele and I returned home to find a new addition to our yard. Apparently the bumpy landing we felt flying home was the remnant of a big windstorm that day. The result of this storm was a giant branch which had fallen on our house. As it turns out we were extremely lucky with minimal damage only to the shingles and gutter. We even had a friendly neighbor drive by with a chainsaw to slice that bad boy up into some firewood. Apparently he must have been laughing at my attempt to clear the wood with a tiny hacksaw. It was amazing how much wood was in that branch, probably 400-500lbs.

To continue the bad luck streak I came down with a nasty bug on Monday night. It came on like a freight train and 48 hours later I'm just finding mobility again. It felt alike a year and a half worth of sicknesses all wrapped into one nasty germ attack.

Chilly in Mini

noreply@blogger.com (Saul) — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 01:14:00 +0000

After taking my last final and scrambling over to campus to hand it in, Michele and I jumped on a plane to Minneapolis for the weekend. It was a great chance to meet some old friends from last summer and spend time with the friendly Target culture. This was unofficially known as a sell weekend and I'll spare the details and mention that it's a chance for students to feel important for a change Most of out MBA careers we feel rather small and at the bottom of the totem pole but sell weekends are a nice reversal.

Despite the low temperatures we had a really nice time. The sun was out and the winds were calm making for some really nice days. The Mississippi river looks frozen over but I wouldn't be confident enough to run over it. The highs were in the low teens both days, not exactly like our summer experience but bearable. Now to spend some time pondering this norther paradise as a future home.

The Turkeys are Here

noreply@blogger.com (Saul) — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 00:33:00 +0000

Thanksgiving break has made its way to Darden. Not a moment too soon. In my International Corporate Finance class today my Professor said, "Let's hurry up, I'm trying to get outta here." I think this sentiment is consistent with most of the students and faculty. The combination of holidays, interviews and the gray season of November has many of us excited about a break from the routine.

Happy Thanksgiving and safe travels to anyone reading.

Enjoying the Moment

noreply@blogger.com (Saul) — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 01:03:00 +0000

During the tough times of the year I find myself thinking about the future. I wonder what it will be like to graduate, to start working (again), to move to a new place a meet new people. The problem is that I often forget to enjoy the present.

Classes have really started to wear me out lately. In addition to some challenging subjects, I've also been making my best effort to explore the job market. My standards are high and the search can be extremely time consuming. Contrary to intuition, it seems that the smaller the company, the harder they are to gt to know. Often after a great deal of research and networking I discover that there's something that just doesn't fit for me. This is painful, but far better than discovering it six months into a job.

I'm ready to enjoy a three-day weekend!

Relaxation Part II

noreply@blogger.com (Saul) — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 14:45:00 +0000

Coincidentally (is there such a thing?) I was asked to create a photo journal for my Product Innovation class. This assignment is intended to help us discover hidden or latent unmet needs. Discovering these unmet needs can often be quite challenging and this type of research can help uncover who others, including customers are completely unaware of. If you see any unmet needs I'm interested to know.