2009 was about getting the website built, the team in place and proving that business school students could successfully launch a student-driven news publication. 2010 will be about refining the process and getting more of the student body actively involved.

The first stop for the MBAM team will be Montreal to cover the John Molson School of Business MBA Case Competition from January 4th to 9th. Make sure to check back here for updates on the team’s progress and offer words of encouragement.

While more information will become available in the coming weeks, if you have any feedback or would like to get involved, please send me an email: Frankie.Warren@MBAM.tv

-Frankie

This video highlights an organization founded by Pepperdine Graziadio School MSAF ‘09 graduate Jerry Darko.

You should head over to http://playjustlikeyou.com and check these guys out on the web.

Just Like You from MBAM.tv on Vimeo.

Last Friday was Pepperdine’s annual VCLL case competition. I decided to participate in this ethics-focused case competition to support a friend and because there was the possibility of winning up to $2,000. Why not, right?

So three of my friends and I showed up at school at the painfully early hour of 7:45am on Friday, dressed in business suits and heels. Why did I think this was a good idea? Once we were given the case, we had two hours to read it and prepare our presentation. As most of you know, two hours to do all this is what makes the competition so challenging. To add to it, we were transported back to 1980 – no cell phones, computers or anything beyond a basic calculator allowed. We were given overhead projectors, transparencies and markers. A far cry from the PowerPoint and Keynote that I’m used to.

While my friends and I will all admit to being uber competitive, we were really just doing this for fun. So at the end of the day, we were not upset that we didn’t advance to the second round. In fact, no second-year teams advanced. Instead, two first-year teams and the lone FEMBA team advanced. Props to the first years!

However, we were a bit upset at a few other aspects of the case comp. There were some really prominent volunteer judges. However, some showed up late, some left early, and some clearly did not understand the point of the competition. I heard one team comment that one of their judges had not even read the case. One of our judges criticized us for bringing up ethics when it was clearly “a business case.” Hmmm.

I guess I was just disappointed at the lack of commitment from some of the judges. I appreciate that they were willing to give up a Friday afternoon and come to Malibu to listen to a bunch of case presentations. But, in my opinion, one who volunteers for something should do the appropriate prep work and allot the necessary time to complete the commitment. But maybe that’s just me.

On another note, it was interesting to spend some time with the FEMBAs. It’s a shame that the full-timers and the FEMBAs don’t get to spend more time with each other. During a break, the FEMBAs explained to us how different the FEMBA program is from our program, especially in regard to the lack of professor feedback and support they receive.  Additionally, they lamented the lack of information and inclusion from the full-time program — they don’t get invites to panels or mixers or career treks. Shame. Especially if they pay the same exorbitant amount of tuition that we do.

So, all in all, it was a good experience. I honestly do not understand why more students don’t participate in the case competition. It’s a one afternoon commitment with the possibility to win $500, $1,000 or $2,000. It’s challenging and it’s fun. You can meet new people and network with business leaders. And who doesn’t love some free cafeteria food?

A special thanks to Jessica Grewal, Charlie Ombres, and the other volunteers for putting on a great case competition!

Last Friday, November 7th, many of us were lucky enough to attend an all-day event called, “The Entrepreneur’s Journey: Finding, Launching and Growing the Next Big Thing.”  Several panels, lots of networking, pretty decent food (I went back for seconds), and me working on only three hours sleep.  No excuses; play like a champion, I always say.  Let’s dive in.

The Keynote Address

After a few introductory speeches by some of our professors, we were treated to a talk by Rodrigo Veloso, co-creator of the “ONE” line of coconut water drinks that are poised to take the nation by storm.  I certainly hope so because I’m a fan; they are really tasty, and really good after a night out of “networking!”

The big takeaway: a purpose and passion are what make an entrepreneur successful.  No doubt this fella (and his wife, who is his business partner) have so much passion for their products that it is nothing short of inspirational.  There was a lot of that going around that day.

The four big panel talks consisted of the following:

Great Idea, Now What?

Several successful Entrepreneurs discussed what makes them tick and what makes them succeed.

Big takeaway: Be flexible with your ideas, but be attached to the problem that you are trying to solve.  What we are learning in the entrepreneurship concentration (Shout out to Dean Livingstone for the quote) is to “be a creative problem FINDER and creative solution BRINGER.”  All this time I thought starting a business was all about solutions.  Nope.  Not the case.  The way that my brain is being re-trained (shout out to Larry Cox, my 662 professor) is nothing short of, well, mind changing.  Thanks Larry!

Oh, and one other thing; someone in the audience asked the question of transitioning from an employee to an Entrepreneur.  The panel’s answer?

SAY IT: I AM AN ENTREPRENEUR!  SAY IT LOUD AND OFTEN!

A dream is one thing.  But if you have a dream, only to decide to jump on the couch and play Nintendo instead of getting out there and kicking some tail and taking some names, you are wasting all of our time.

The Business Plan: Write it for the Right Reasons

Various business folks discussed the importance of writing an effective business plan.

Big takeaway: To paraphrase General Eisenhower, “in preparing for battle, plans are useless, but planning is indispensable.  Once the first shot is fired, the plan goes out the window… but have a plan.”  The point here is that a business plan is a fluid, ever-changing thing. But you better have one, and craft it from the point of view of who will be reading it (i.e. someone who will give you money).

The Legal Landscape – Navigating Start Up Issues

Several lawyers (including our own Gia Weisdorn) discussed the legal issues that we all face as entrepreneurs starting our own businesses.

Big takeaway: The devil is in the details.  Do your research.  Friends and business shouldn’t necessarily mix.  Forming a partnership is like getting a prenup. Yeah, you’re hoping for the best, but you’re preparing for the worst.  The form of business depends on your initial strategy.

Okay that’s just the tip of the iceberg.  I only have 1000 words.  They are lawyers, what do you want?  They love to talk.  And these ones talk well.

Access to Capital: The Investor Perspective

Near the end of the event, some Venture Capitalists discussed, well, what they do. By this point, we were all running on fumes.  It was 4:30 and most of us had been there since 8am.  And they were VC’s. They know dollars and cents, not stand-up comedy.

Big takeaway: They did have a few good points. Mainly that they look at 500 ideas a year and they pick about ten to actually fund.  THINK ABOUT THAT.  Once again, you must never forget the mindset of the investor!

But I must also not forget:

NETWORKING

Let’s admit it; it can be a drag.  It seems phony to many of us.  It seems like we are only buttering the person up because we want something from them.  And now for the good news: That’s how the world works.  Barack Obama is where he is today because he networked the living heck out of Chicago, and then Washington.  Remember: No one gets ANYWHERE in life without networking.  Ever.

Watching all of the successful Entrepreneurs up on stage, especially Rodrigo, they know how to pull this off.  We stress it so much here at Pepperdine, perhaps we should have a required class dedicated to it, hint hin… oh the heck with it WE NEED AN ENTIRE CLASS DEDICATED TO THIS SKILL.  Dean Livingstone, you listening?

In Closing

Learning about Entrepreneurship and what it takes to be a successful Entrepreneur has taught me more about life and how I am meant to live it than any other educational endeavor.  As I drove home that night, exhausted but alert, sleep deprived but excited, I realized then that this just might be my true calling in life.  Maybe it’s yours too.  If you attended this event, it probably is.

And if I can leave you all with one big takeaway, it is this: don’t worry about money.  Find your passions, follow them with a healthy dose of logic and reason, and the money and the happiness will follow.  Find out what drives you and don’t waste any time getting behind the driver’s seat and driving IT.

One last thing: my name is Jordan Rockwell, and I am an Entrepreneur.  I can even spell “Entrepreneur” now without spell check smacking me on the wrist.

Onward and upward we all go.  Let’s follow our passions into the sky, pass through the clouds, touch the stars, and never look back.

Special thanks to Rimas Silkaitis for putting this wonderful event together.  Like I said before, you did a man’s job sir!  Well done!

According to the syllabus, the Management Communications class “focuses on developing critical awareness, skills and strategies for effective writing, and presentation skills at the graduate and professional level.”

The first week, we doodled, the second week, we played with blocks, the third week we learned not to plagiarize, the fourth week we were taught subject/verb agreements, the fifth week we were taught cumulative writing, and most recently, we learned how to proofread. This was the curriculum for the first six weeks of business school and it angered many of my fellow classmates.

Each of these assignments taught us something useful that we can apply in business and in life. However, the sentiment of a large portion of my fellow classmates was that they would rather be doing something else with their time and money.

Despite the fact that many of my classmates feel we could be doing something more productive, I do see some benefits to taking this class. The compilation of a portfolio is a great idea and could prove highly beneficial in the future. I also like Professor Grimes’ joi de vivre attitude. Her penchant for coming up with innovative ways to help us learn is a great way to keep the class involved and attentive.

Many students believe this class is designed for students who lack the high level of English communication skills necessary to succeed in the US business world. Current second-years have stated that they were only required to take this course last year if they were International students or if they scored below a “5” on the writing portion of the GMAT. They were also given the option to test out of the class.

Recently, a dozen of my classmates met with MGBS president JC Garrett to prompt him to bring this issue to the University and allow students to test out of the class.

The students voiced their displeasure and the University listened. With his help, students are no longer required to attend class, but are “strongly encouraged” to do so. All first-year students must hand in a complete portfolio at the end of the term, and class is still held during its regularly scheduled hours for students who wish to receive the help of professor Grimes.

At times it feels like students do not have a voice or the ability to voice an opinion in how things should be done at Pepperdine, but this is not always the case. Thanks to a few vocal students and the help of JC Garrett, the University took note and appropriate changes were made.

Last Wednesday at noon, the MGBS officers held a town hall meeting in the auditorium that was open to all students and closed to all faculty and staff. The purpose of the meeting was to promote transparency and open the lines of communication between MGBS and their fellow students.

The promise of free pizza was a likely contributor to the number of students that showed up. This number was obviously underestimated by the MGBS team as the pizza ran out before all attendees arrived. The majority of attending students were first-years, which did not surprise me. However, they also seemed to be the most vocal, which did surprise me. I figured that those who had been at Pepperdine the longest would have the most to say. President JC Garrett led (dominated) the discussion on the MGBS side, with a couple other officers speaking up once or twice.

Some questions, such as “how do you get a professor fired?” were outside the scope of MGBS. However, suggestions such as incorporating the incoming five-year MBAs into orientation were well received. A few students voiced their concerns with getting pertinent information from administration in regard to internships, career counseling, and scholarship opportunities. One student mentioned how it has been clearly and continually stated that Pepperdine is alcohol free, however, who to talk to about internships has not been made clear at all.

One current hot-button topic brought up by a second-year was the issue of too many 6pm-10pm classes offered this term. Some second-year students are taking three to four of these evening classes despite the fact that this is a full-time program. MGBS reassured the group that the administration was aware of the issue, however, rumor has it that the same problem is occurring in spring term. Maybe they’ll fix it by next fall?

One student asked each officer to discuss what they feel they have done well and what they feel they could improve upon and to state any goals they had. This would be one way for the officers to be held accountable to the students and inform us of progress at the next town hall meeting.  One MGBS officer attempted to answer (without actually answering any of the questions posed) and then the subject was quickly changed. I personally thought this was one of the best questions asked at the meeting, though it never was answered. Shame.

After the meeting officially ended, a few second-year students discussed the fact that it was mostly first-year students speaking up. One student said that it was probably better to let the less-jaded first-years express themselves. Another said they felt that it might be too late at this point to change anything that they are upset about.

Another town hall meeting should be taking place in the next couple of weeks. I encourage everyone to attend, as it is a great opportunity to get your voice heard. Maybe this time everyone will get pizza.

I know that many of you have just survived your first round of finals and are light-years away from thinking about the inevitable job search. The rest of you are still a solid six months away from graduation and probably still in job-search denial. But for a select few of us (about 25 to be exact), our looming December 5^th graduation date is all too real.

Yet, I fondly remember the “real world.” Not that Pepperdine hasn’t been fun. I enjoy financial accounting group projects as much as the next person. But at the end of the workday, I was done. No homework, no group meetings, no studying for midterms. And the weekends were mine! I’m sure many of you can commiserate with spending Friday or Saturday nights studying confidence intervals when you would much rather be studying the late-night bar menu.

However, the real world is also scary. This whole job hunt expedition has definitely caused some panic stricken moments of self-doubt. Any self-confidence I had is struggling to stay alive while I peruse meager job offerings and desperately apply for positions for which I am under qualified and overqualified.

Pick up any newspaper or visit any online news source and you’ll read countless stories about our distressed economy, rising unemployment rates and cheerful anecdotes from destitute families offering helpful money-saving tips! I don’t know whether to ramp up the job searching or drown my sorrows at happy hour.

Maybe I’m being too dramatic. Maybe graduating in December rather than April gives me a leg up. Maybe the perfect job for me is out there and I haven’t found it yet. Maybe Career Services will come through for me in the next couple weeks? And maybe a magic fairy will come along and present me with a million dollars in gold bullion.

Stay tuned for future installments…

Each year, the Graziadio Alumni Network (GAN) organizes networking and charitable events for students, alumni, and business professionals. GAN organizes social events, speaker events, and charity events with the intention of connecting alumni and current students across the globe. On Thursday October 15^th, 2009, GAN organized its first social networking event of the school year at the elegant Stone Rose lounge in Beverly Hills.

The vibe at the Stone Rose was sophisticated and intimate and allowed students, alumni, and friends to network with ease.  Designated industry sections made it possible for guests to network with industry professionals in their specific fields of interest. Thanks to one of GAN LA’s newest council members, Ms. Gisela Rojas, and alumni coordinators Santiago Giraldo and Jesse Torres, the event was a complete success.

Council chair Nick Mitchell describes GAN as “our alumni network”. He further details “Pepperdine’s commitment to develop and cultivate three GAN Alumni Councils located in Northern California, Orange County, and LA County allow the vast majority of GSBM graduates to have a voice in developing alumni activities that most accurately represent our professional and personal long term goals and dreams as fellow graduates of the Graziadio School of Business and Management and Pepperdine University.”

GAN membership includes discounted admittance to speaker events with prominent business leaders and the opportunity to take part in charitable events organized with local and national charities alike. In accordance with Pepperdine University’s aim at straightening students for “lives of purpose, service, and leadership,” GAN encourages helping those in need.

Through a partnership with the “Reading to Kids” organization, on November 14^th, GAN members will have the opportunity to read to kids in East Los Angeles.

Current students and first year graduates are offered a discounted annual membership fee of $25 and $50 respectively, while it costs general members $200 annually. Throughout the year, members are offered several opportunities to expand their network and take advantage of benefits only available to GAN members. According to Santiago Giraldo, current students are simply “alumni who have not yet graduated.”

For more information on GAN and to get involved, please visit (http://bschool.pepperdine.edu/alumni/network/) or contact Mr. Jesse Torres (Jesse.Torres@pepperdine.edu) Director of Alumni Services, Graziadio School of Business and Management, Mr. Chris Wicker (christopherwicker@gmail.com), Director of Membership, GAN LA Council, or Mr. Nick Mitchell (nmitchell@sohve.com), Chair, GAN LA Council.

Author: Maria Harutyunyan

Over the last few weeks, I keep finding myself with more work than I have the time to do, and virtually no social life outside of lunch breaks and Taco Tuesdays.  I’ve also noticed that I’m not the only one without free time. So I decided to ask the second years how they managed to get through their first year with their sanity in tact.

My main question of the week was how they were able to prioritize between their classes without feeling as though they were abandoning work.  The consensus seems to be that one should prioritize based on deadlines, importance, and work that needs to be completed first.  However, working first on the subjects in which you have the least experience is helpful as well since doing so will allow you more time to seek help if needed.

JC Garrett suggests that “you need to identify what your strengths are and which areas of improvement you want to address while you’re in the program” as a successful means of prioritizing when on time constraints.  He also mentioned that while you’re in the program you should find classes that will allow you “to develop those skills and align them with your long-term goals,” ensuring that you will be well prepared for your career after school.  So don’t waste your time and energy trying to get an A in a class that is not in an area of improvement for you, or will not help you with your goals in the long run.  Instead, be clear on what your set goals are, and focus on what is the most “relevant and necessary to achieve” them.

As we are all finding out, it’s a matter of balancing the subjects you need to improve upon and what will ultimately help you in your career.  Figure in more time for the classes that are your weaknesses and seek out a tutor.  Form study groups and call your professor if you’re really stuck on a subject.  Ask for feedback if you feel you could have done better on a project so that you improve the next time.

The same goes for the classes in your field.  Make sure you are as prepared as you can be and network with your professors when possible.  Also, as Frankie Warren suggested, “make absolutely sure you’ve doing the reading for the week” in your concentration classes.  Seeking out help here is essential, especially if you’re switching careers and do not have a background in the area.

If you haven’t decided on a concentration yet, or do not plan to have one, it seems that focusing on your weakest subjects is the most important. The classes you are taking now are just the basics and future classes will just be building on from here.

One of the first questions people ask in business school is in regard to employment history. From the faculty to fellow classmates, there might not be a day that goes by that someone doesn’t ask what we did prior to returning to school. When asked, I tell people about my most recent experience in the manufacturing industry as a finance manager and my internships at Caruso Affiliated and Playboy Enterprises.

If you are like everyone else that has heard my response, you’ve already forgotten about my first two positions and are curious about my duties working for the Bunny Ears. For my first MBAM article, I will discuss my time spent at Playboy, the “perks,” my opinion of the company, and what I learned that I’ve been able to apply to business school thus far.

I remember my interview as if it were yesterday. I drove down to Playboy’s LA office in Burbank and met with the marketing director. I had my suit dry cleaned, I got a haircut, and I left early due to the ridiculous and constant LA traffic. As I sat in the lobby waiting for the marketing director to come out and greet me, I noticed that I was the only person dressed in a suit. I didn’t think much of it until the marketing director saw me and immediately started to laugh at my getup. You could only imagine what was going through my head at that very instant. At the end of the interview she offered me the job and told me I could wear jeans and a polo shirt.

Lesson 1: Do research! If the company culture is laid-back it might not be necessary, or appropriate, to walk into an interview wearing a business suit and freshly shined shoes.

I was excited about my new job and figured I was living every man’s dream. That is, until my first day when I was presented with a laundry list of tasks to complete. I was placed in charge of doing secondary research on the gaming industry and coming up with innovative ideas to revamp the gaming/nightlife portions of Playboy.com. I compiled a list of hotel/casinos around the world and the elaborate gaming laws in their respective countries. The amount that some countries tax casinos is truly unbelievable.

I bet at this point you are a bit disappointed that I am not telling you about the dozen playmates that would walk around the office? I too was disappointed when I realized that didn’t happen. However, I did get to work on and attend the first annual Playboy pajama party.

I was given a cubicle directly in front of my boss’ office and I spent the majority of my time doing research. Truth be told, I would not have preferred it any other way. I gained valuable insight into industries I had no knowledge of and I appreciated the laid-back and friendly company culture compared to what I was used to. The best part of working for Playboy was the people and their friendly and personable attitudes. I learned to be more laid-back while still getting the job done and this new mentality has allowed me to remain calm in business school.

From doodling in my management communications course (I swear, it’s required!), to my reading assignments, to the “networking events,” there isn’t much time to do anything else but to enjoy it while it lasts.

Lesson 2: Our time at Pepperdine is already going by quickly. Stop and smell the roses. Or, in our case, stop and enjoy the beautiful view of the Pacific Ocean and spend time getting to know our amazing classmates and faculty. The bonds we make now will pay dividends in the future.