Hi Jack! Listen, there is not a lot to say about the past week in the MBA, as I had exams. So let me ask you some questions to get to know the interviewer behind this blog.

Sure! That sounds fair!

Tell me a bit about yourself and how you came to work for IE.

Ok, it all started in London, where my parents moved to from New Zealand. Then, I moved to Brussels as a kid and once I finished college, I studied International Relations at Birmingham University. After that, I did an internship in Brussels at the American Chamber of Commerce, and went traveling for some time until I met my girlfriend in Barcelona. Since she lived in Madrid, I decided to go there and applied for a position at IE!

Interesting. So what type of work do you do at IE?

It varies. In the beginning I was involved in the Marketing department and after that, I changed to dealing with the Admissions side of things. I like it more because of the personal interaction with our applicants and the Admissions team is a pleasure to work with! We have just over 2500 applications per year for the fulltime programs so there is a lot of work all year round. Besides screening the applications and conducting interviews, I also do many presentations and campus tours. I like to take an informal approach and I try to help the applicants to see what we are really looking for.

So you must have some nice stories for us…

Well, of course, but that is all confidential unfortunately! The most common mistake I see from applicants is not providing enough information and evidence about who they really are. A good application should be able to clearly present who the applicant is, what they want to achieve, what their strongest professional and personal achievements have been and how these experiences have shaped them. It’s all about telling a story of yourself which is coherent and adheres to IE’s core values of entrepreneurship and diversity.

Great feedback! I’m sure some applicants will find that useful. Finally, what keeps you going in the weekends?

Besides a bit of reading and enjoying the wonderful Madrid nightlife, I’m an Atletico Madrid fan and I go to their home games as often as possible. They aren’t as glamorous as their rivals Real Madrid, but the atmosphere certainly is more boisterous! Atletiii!

Ceiling high bonfires, loud chants and noises and the smell of smoke and spirit in the air! No, this isn’t the scene of another protest. This is typical of the weekend party following the end of first term at IE.

Less than 3 months into the program, everyone was forced to face, what has come to be known as, the dreaded CURVE! The only thing people could talk about for the last 2 weeks was decision trees and bonds and maslow hierarchy and what not. From the basic Debit-Credit theory to the most complicated forms of Markov chains, people stepped and stumbled at all different points in between. And with just a weekend of sigh and relief before everyone dives head first into Term 2, this gives me a perfect opportunity to recap.

So, what’ve we learnt so far? We now know how some of the biggest accounting scandals took place in the last decade. From the Enrons and Worldcoms of the world we have but one lesson to learn – Know thy balance sheet! And the best way to test the ethical and moral standards of your actions – The Phone Test i.e. how would your friends and family react when you give them the news about your proceedings. While it may be difficult for some to comprehend, but if one’s true to themselves, at the least, this test should give a fair bit of warning when you take your business and accounting decisions.

While most accounting scandals take place because someone in the management didn’t have the right ethical outlook, most strategic blunders take place when people are ill-informed. We have seen how some of the most thought after strategies have that innate flaw in them that somehow people miss out on. Look at the new Coke of the ’80s or the Nike ERP failure of 2000. And though we have seen these failures and learned from them, there is no guarantee that we won’t see such disasters in the future. In fact we know that we’re bound to see even bigger ones as companies get bigger and start taking more and more expensive projects. While this is the story for every company in the world, this is also the basis on which the consulting industry runs and has become so big. But one needs to remember that consultants have limited information compared to the industry tycoons but they know exactly what to look for.

And finally the mother of all industries. This is an industry that single handedly accounts for almost everything that we know and buy and use in the world. Every firm was once a part of this industry and thousands more become a part of this year after year. This is the reason why IE is amongst the top B-schools in the world. This is the era of Entrepreneurship! While most people would agree that this industry creates more employment in the world than other other still there are not enough governments that are willing to invest in this heavily. This is the only sure shot solution to resolve the world economic crisis yet not many people are willing to take this up. The reason behind this is what people call in Game Theory – Belling the Cat! That’s right. Though the industry has much to offer, the owners have much to lose as well. And its not just the failure of the business associated with it but the Economic effect of opportunity cost. Why would one give up a perfectly comfortable 9-5 job and the opportunity to earn hundreds of thousands a year for a career path that offers years of hard-work, sleepless nights, loss of health, loss of family connection and very little chance of ending up in a zero-profit situation?

The answer lies in human psyche. What is the one thing people value more than greed? The one thing that you can’t get in any other job? The one thing that will make that loss of money worth it?

FREEDOM!

It’s about freedom. Not just for yourself, but also for the whole world. Where would the world be without the Steve Jobs, the Bill Gates, the Einsteins and even the Zuckerbergs? We not only want the entrepreneurs, we need them.

So, I hail to all theses people. Those who gave meaning to our life, progress to our civilization and better future to us and our generations. For to be an entrepreneur is nothing shy of being a rebel and to break the shackles so often that the rule breaking itself becomes a norm!

Gracias, por favor!

Hey guys! Tell us about yourselves…

Malai

Malai: Hi! I am Malai Srinivasan, originally from Chennai, India, but had been living in England, UK for about 10 years before moving over to Madrid recently. I am starting my International MBA course at IE from April. My educational background is in Mathematics and Environmental Engineering. My professional background is in a variety of fields with experience in – Utilities, Retail, Leisure and Entertainment, Food & Beverages – business sectors. Just prior to my IMBA at IE, I was the Assurance Manager for Veolia Water and Barista at Starbucks Coffee Company, in England.

Koichi

Koichi: I am Koichi from Tokyo, Japan.  I have 8 years’ experience in finance and investment; lender for gambling industries and lesure hotels in a non-bank, arranger of securitizaitno in a security firm, and investor for Japanese hotels in an investment fund.

Why did you choose to come to IE?

M: I chose IE for its excellent faculty that is known for its impressive subject knowledge as well as for its pratical business world expertise, its student diversity, and its reputation around the globe.

K: I was drawn to IE’s reputation for entrepreneurship. In addition, IE’s power of diversity and the opportunity to learn Spanish were deciding factors.

What are the issues grabbing your attention in the news at the moment? 

M: Syria, Facebook IPO, Sarkozy and Obama re-election, the Oscars, and Real Madrid FC!

K: European sovereign credit risk, Faceook IPO, TPP talks between Japan and US.

Finally, what things have you been up to since arriving in Madrid? 

M: Since arriving in Madrid, I have been taking Spanish classes where I have had the opportunity to meet some of my future MBA classmates and getting to know a bit about my professors. I have found Madrid to be an absolutely spell-binding place to live! The city is filled with many wonderful museums, eye-catching public squares, and amazing places to eat out! In the past few days, I have had the opportunity to try my first Tapas and I have been left with longing for more! Together with that, Spanish people are absolutely friendly, social, and very outgoing in nature – so it´s all promising to be a great MBA experience!

K: I have also been taking the Spanish classes, and I already feel a very diverse environment. Discussing with intelligent people from different countries and backgrounds enables me to acquire a global perspective. I feel excited that I could potentially find my future business partner at IE!

Click here to view the embedded video.

Steven has applied for an internship at BCG

Hi Steven! Part of the IMBA program gives you the opportunity to go on internships. Have you been looking into this at all?

Yes I have! Last week I sent my application to BCG and Bain through the Careers Management Center. Although I want to start up my own company, it’s never a bad idea to apply and see what happens. The internships will be starting in the summer so I will lose my holidays, but it’s something that I think I could quite enjoy. I would also love the opportunity to go to the US for a bit. Another option would be to do an exchange program in the US.

Click here to download the app!

IE Business School has launched an iPhone App for teaching the Supply and Demand Model.

The purpose of this app is to help students understand the effects of changes in variables of supply and demand, in a microeconomic market under perfect competition.

With this app students can interact with both curves and see the equilibrium point in terms of price and quantity demanded. This tool allows students to complete exercises relating to the subject and put into practice their knowledge. All of this in a very user-friendly manner and through mobile devices: iPhone, and iPod touch (iOS 5.0 or later).

If you are interested in downloading the app click here and contact multimedia@ie.edu to enable access. It will soon be available in the Apple Store.

Sokho

Hi Sokho! First of all, tell us about yourself, your professional background and why you decided to come to IE.

My name is Sokho Trinh (www.sokho-trinh.com) and I was born and raised in France from Chinese parents who were born and raised in Cambodia, and who managed to escape the Khmer Rouge during the Pol Pot Regime in the 70′s in Cambodia. I have lived and worked in 3 continents, and I can speak 7 languages: English, French, Spanish, Italian, Chinese Mandarin, Cantonese, and TeoChew, and now learning German!

When I was working for Carrefour as the China Corporate Brand Manager, I got transferred to Spain where I was the Internet and New Media Manager, launching up-to-date internet-based technologies creating new revenue streams and offering an integrated marketing solution to the Financial Services & Insurances branch of Carrefour Spain. Whilst I was living in Spain, I wanted to expand my scope of expertise so this is why I decided to study an MBA at IE Business School.

Very interesting background! What are your fondest memories of the program?

People. This is the strongest asset I gained at IE. I remember the amazing students from so many countries, who speak such a diverse range of languages. I learned a lot from them during our class at IE. The interactive group works part of the teaching methods at IE, push your learning curve to its maximum. You actually learn more from your peers during the case studies than in class!  Some of our professors were world class. I had some brilliant professors who made me like what I was learning. Most astonishing is that you learn a methodology on solving issues. And because IE is extremely entrepreneurship-oriented, you get “affected” by this overwhelming entrepreneurial spirit not only in a start-up sense of it, but also in the way you think pro actively, and with lots of initiatives.

What kind of projects have you been doing since graduation and what do you hope to achieve in the future?

I quit the company where I used to work for over 6-7 years and made a stunning jump career-wise. I joined a global technology and Loyalty marketing Canadian-listed Company present in 20 countries called Aimia ISS (www.aimia.com), as their Vice President of Business Development, EMEA & APAC. Also, I partnered with an old friend, and launched our global internet start-up which aims at helping people live their dream of moving abroad. More is to come. In the future my hope is to be able to work full time in my own business, and creating a true added value to people in the world looking to change their life by going abroad.

And finally, what tips do you have for people thinking of coming to IE?

If you are looking for a Top 10 MBA, in the heart of a EU capital, with brilliant yet humble and easy going young professionals, AND most importantly, if you want to change something in your life (Career, country, or life), then I genuinely believe that doing your International MBA at IE Business School is the right choice.

Wonderful speaking with you Sokho! Good luck on your new project!

Of course, we at IE are very pleased to be recognized as one of the best in the world. However, although looking at the rankings should be an important part of your selection process, it’s by no means the only thing to take into consideration.

For example, it is vital that you visit the schools you wish to attend in order to get a qualitative feel for what the atmosphere is like on campus. Your decision is often based on something intangible which is impossible to gain from a ranking. Attending a case study session and speaking to current students is often the best way to answer the question “is this school right for me?”.

Read a recent article on the Economist.com about the recent rankings.

Click here to read the ranking in full. 

Hi! Well, after missing the MBA Christmas party because I felt sick, I went back to Belgium and met up with some old friends and family. With a friend, I went to Ireland where we traveled around visiting the local pubs and celebrated New Year in Dublin. Back to Belgium, I did some course work to prepare for the upcoming projects.

What kinds of projects did you work on?

One of the things I was doing was for our Strategy class where we analyzed the Belgian beer market with our group. I was appointed as the leader for this one (we have a group leader for each project we do) and contacted some people in Belgium, one of which was the director of Belgian Brewers. He explained that the Belgian beer market is quite saturated (contrary to the international beer market, where Belgian beers are still very popular) so the only way to capture more market share is to differentiate or produce at low costs, which ultimately kills the market. There’s also a trend that people are consuming less beer, but when they do they want it to be something special, so many companies are trying to explore these opportunities. He gave me some contacts within the main Belgian brewers to further explore.

And how are your entrepreneurship ideas going?

Well, my team and I have been developing a new business idea called Gongolo that will help you decide what to wear for a particular occasion on the basis of what you have inside your wardrobe. The website will allow you to digitally upload your wardrobe and the software behind it will suggest appropriate outfits and related tips of what to do and what not. Of course, it’s going to require some good programming and it’s in the early stages, but according to our market research there seems to be a legitimate need. Check out our pitch below!

Click here to view the embedded video.

Good luck with that, Steven! See you next week.