Leeds School of Business Blogs

This is part 2 of 3 of What We've Learned So Far Creating Alumni Event Videos.

Ignite Boulder is an engaging evening of insightful and fun presentations on a variety of topics. Leeds hosted the pre-parties for Ignite 8 & 9 at the Boulder Drafthouse. We used Twitter and Facebook to bring people out for casual networking, for an opportunity to learn more about Leeds, and share in some awesome beers.

The Ignite 8 pre-party was my first live event use of the Flip cam and I focused on trying to get quick, interesting quotes. Since Ignite is about presenting your ideas, I asked people what they would present on if they made it on, and some interesting stuff came up! I also met actual presenters and they shared on their presentations and some Ignite history. We ended up getting some good quotes because I brainstormed questions beforehand with my teammates. The final video was very DIY and fun! Viewers told us they really liked it:  the quotes, and especially seeing themselves and their friends on camera. 



For Ignite 9, I followed a similar video strategy, but this Ignite was tied to Boulder Startup Week, so I interviewed people on their involvement with the week: what was informative, engaging, etc. At the Ignite event, I also shot b-roll (background footage) of the band, as well as the incredible throngs of people filling the Boulder Theater. This allowed us to give our viewers a deeper context and flavor; it put the event into a physical space, and give a visceral feel to the venue and the incredible crowds of people.



What I learned:
Ignite 8: While it is great to get quotes from a variety of people at an event, make sure find out who the important people are (like organizers, speakers) and get some quotes from them! For these people are very invested and will have interesting things to share! And the more people you interview and the more quotes you get, that will help round out your video and make it compelling.

Ignite 9: Make sure you actually hit the record button! I was looking to get a quote from Andrew Hyde, the main organizer of the event. But Ignite was packed, people everywhere, and then suddenly he was standing a few feet away from me. So I ran up and grabbed him for a quick word. It was great! Good quotes, he's a very nice person and very excited about how much the event had grown. I walked back to my seat euphoric! I got Andrew Hyde! We had rounded out our story with his great quotes. Well, on my way out I checked the camera, and what I got was me walking up the stairs toward Andrew, and he getting ready for me to turn the camera on. Then it cuts to the camera coming away from Andrew, sliding down the wall and me thanking him for his time. What? Where was the interview? Turns out I hit record accidentally on the way up, turned it off when I interviewed him, and turned it back on after we were done. Ouch!

Lesson? Ignite is pretty rowdy and action-packed event. People are everywhere, it is dimly lit and loud. This can be true for many events. So if you see something you want to record, you really need to slow down and double, double check that your little red record light is going! Cause the brutal truth about video is always the same (just like the old saw supposedly asked at weddings): Get it now, or forever hold your peace.

Right now Leeds School students are moving in, picking up textbooks and preparing for the fall semester. We are excited to welcome them for the 2010-11 academic year.  

I have frequent and recurring conversations with students about how to build an entrepreneurial career path. In other words, I'm frequently put on the spot to answer the question: "How do I go from being a student at the Leeds School of Business to being an entrepreneur?" I've come to answer that question in two parts.

The first part is understanding and leveraging the value of the entrepreneurship courses that students can take in the program, and that the fundamental importance of entrepreneurship education is two-fold: It teaches students how to identify, validate and act on an idea. And it also teaches students how to draw on all disciplines of business - management, strategy, marketing, finance, operations and project management, and more - and to integrate them all into a business model that one can articulate to experienced investors and entrepreneurs in the form of a business plan.

The second part is every bit as important, and answers the question "how can students build networks of trusted advisers, potential team members and a variety of other resources that will prove crucial to their project or business success?" It also predicts what happens when proven entrepreneurial achievers and leaders gather in close proximity for any length of time. We call these outcomes "productive collisions." It's also referred to by others as the power of place.

The Deming Center places enormous emphasis on helping our students to plant themselves in the entrepreneurial laboratory that is Boulder and our surrounding region. We can open the doors, but our students must be proactive and relentless in taking advantage of the networks which we can help them to join. The work is then up to them. I've been encouraged by how well our students "get it," and how well that visibility within and access to our dynamic business community serves our mission and the aspirations of our students.

This enthusiasm for creating these productive collisions creates a challenge for me and my colleagues to keep track of students, as many of them are simultaneously steeped in 2 or 3 projects or internships - and testing different sectors and types of businesses. We at the Deming Center are rewarded most for our work when we witness those opportunities opening themselves to students.

In the end, I've come to the conclusion that the surest track to launching a career as an entrepreneur is to position yourself in a community of entrepreneurs - people who have a shared energy and passion to play a role in creating something; people who thrive on creative and innovative projects and who have a high capacity for ambiguity, challenge and risk. So if there's any recommendation to be made, it's to live in the right community, the right neighborhood. Hang around in a group of like-minded, self-described entrepreneurs and it will be almost impossible to not become one. It's clear - the path to entrepreneurial career opportunities is all about the "hood".

There are a number of social events in the MBA program at Leeds School of Business such as: Net Impact Case Competition, Winter Social, Barney Ford Diversity Benefit and Auction, holiday parties, Career Fair, BBQs, MBA Clubs' events, birthday parties, and much more. There are a number of informal events too, such as the weekly TNO (Thursday Night Out), where we just relax and hang out. These social events provide a great opportunity to get to know my classmates and their significant others.

Barney Ford Diversity Benefit and Auction

The Barney Ford Diversity Benefit and Auction, organized by students in support of other students, brings together MBA faculty and staff, current MBA students, alumni, and friends - all with the common goal of promoting diversity within the CU-Leeds MBA program.

There are many ways to get involved which include donating items for the silent and/or live auction, promoting the event with friends and colleagues, contributing to the Barney Ford Student Fellowship, and also attending the actual event. Net proceeds from the auction are the primary method of raising fellowship dollars.

I was on a Barney Ford Donations Team which encouraged companies or individuals to donate to the event. I also donated two Chinese lessons for bidding and invited my friends to join the auction. I placed bids on a number of items up for auction and the most fun one is that I got a private ski lesson from my classmate Brad. We plan to meet at the mountain when the Vail resort is open. I am very excited about it.

 At the 5 hours action, everyone was impressed that the Leeds' faculty, staff, and students all rallied together for such a great cause. Approximately $10,000 was raised. Proceeds will directly fund MBA scholarships.

 

 

 

 

 

Net Impact

The Leeds Net Impact Case Competition is the premier case format competition built around businesses facing sustainability challenges, while succeeding financially. This competition attracts the top rated business schools and future industry leaders to Boulder, Colorado, for a two-day event. The competition is an opportunity to bring together students, executives and businesses who share a common commitment to sustainable business practices and financial returns. (http://leeds.colorado.edu/MBA/interior.aspx?id=9042&ekmensel=c580fa7b_154_602_btnlink)

For the Net Impact Competition, I volunteered as a judge liaison, responsible for coordinating their time while involved with the competition. In my session, I worked with 5 judges. I also made friends from different business schools.

 

 

 

Holiday Party

As an international student, it is always great experience to go to see how American's celebrate some holidays which we do not have in Taiwan. At the Halloween Party, we got together at a bar, danced in our awesome customs, and laughed a lot. We also went to the Irish bar to celebrate the St. Patrick's day and watched our classmate, Jordan, sing and play guitar. I also got invited to my teammate Adam's house to have a turkey dinner with his family. These experiences have expanded my world, and my understanding of life in the US.