Be Our Guest...
The World According to Marty
Marty Ringlein was one of the first speakers we had in BMGT289B, and one of my favorites due to his countless pop culture references. Who doesn’t love a guy that talks about Silicon Valley and Friends, two of the greatest shows of all time, in the same lecture. Genius. Anyway, Marty zoomed in on his idea that innovation doesn’t start anywhere because it all evolves from ideas that previously existed. This was a huge relief to me because I never really understood how people just CREATED things. Innovation is such a daunting topic and Marty’s approach made it more relatable and graspable. It made me think, “Hey! I could do that!”
Innovation may derive from other ideas, but innovators are unlike average people. They can take products and make them revolutionary through risk. He defines innovation as unresearchable, unpredictable, and untested. In the end, Marty’s parting words of wisdom were that if two great men agree, one of them is irrelevant. So basically, surround yourself with people who think differently than and one day you could be Steve Jobs (or Leonardo DiCaprio being mauled by a bear).
THE POINT: First, I was amazed by Marty’s marketing skills and his ability to tailor a lecture so closely to his audience that it was not boring for one second. I learned a lot about innovation, but ultimately it was his presence as he spoke that stuck with me. His multiple references to relevant icons and movements in teenage culture made him feel approachable and relatable, and made his message stick. For me, I think that I am great at taking what I’ve learned and bringing it to new areas of my life. An example of this is taking the social media skills I’ve been using at CAVA and bringing them first to my own platforms and now to Spoon UMD’s. I know strategies to gain followers and create a sense of community online that has helped up Spoon’s follower count. Over the summer I worked as a social media specialist for a sleepaway camp and I created content for them that derived from work I’d done previously with CAVA. It was comforting to know that being innovative doesn’t require a completely new idea, it can also sprinkle out of experiences.
Marty Ringlein was one of the first speakers we had in BMGT289B, and one of my favorites due to his countless pop culture references. Who doesn’t love a guy that talks about Silicon Valley and Friends, two of the greatest shows of all time, in the same lecture. Genius. Anyway, Marty zoomed in on his idea that innovation doesn’t start anywhere because it all evolves from ideas that previously existed. This was a huge relief to me because I never really understood how people just CREATED things. Innovation is such a daunting topic and Marty’s approach made it more relatable and graspable. It made me think, “Hey! I could do that!”
Innovation may derive from other ideas, but innovators are unlike average people. They can take products and make them revolutionary through risk. He defines innovation as unresearchable, unpredictable, and untested. In the end, Marty’s parting words of wisdom were that if two great men agree, one of them is irrelevant. So basically, surround yourself with people who think differently than and one day you could be Steve Jobs (or Leonardo DiCaprio being mauled by a bear).
THE POINT: First, I was amazed by Marty’s marketing skills and his ability to tailor a lecture so closely to his audience that it was not boring for one second. I learned a lot about innovation, but ultimately it was his presence as he spoke that stuck with me. His multiple references to relevant icons and movements in teenage culture made him feel approachable and relatable, and made his message stick. For me, I think that I am great at taking what I’ve learned and bringing it to new areas of my life. An example of this is taking the social media skills I’ve been using at CAVA and bringing them first to my own platforms and now to Spoon UMD’s. I know strategies to gain followers and create a sense of community online that has helped up Spoon’s follower count. Over the summer I worked as a social media specialist for a sleepaway camp and I created content for them that derived from work I’d done previously with CAVA. It was comforting to know that being innovative doesn’t require a completely new idea, it can also sprinkle out of experiences.
A Trip to the Cirque-us
First, let me say that I now aspire to be a contortionist because that was the most amazing thing I’ve ever seen and I totally loved their outfits. So chic. Okay, now down to business. Besides being the number one example of Blue Ocean Strategy, Cirque is memorable for their company values and platform. In order to maintain a creative work environment they stress developing connections, actively communicating, being trustworthy and trusting, and showing consistency. This is necessary for success in all aspects of the show, from creative to performance. In order to create a competitive advantage they reduce environmental impact, create an inspiring, healthy, and safe workplace, make responsible partnerships and procurement, and behave as a responsible agent of change. Talk about going the extra mile, the traditional circus was definitely more focused on popcorn sales.
Not going to lie, Yannick Spierkel’s talk had me wanting to run away and join Cirque ASAP. No, I don’t have any special skills, but I do have some of their key characteristics in being a valuable member of their team. They love team players that are responsible, committed, passionate, and creative. So basically me. Well, except that I really am not a huge circus fan, I’m more of a city girl. So, maybe not me…
THE POINT: The show itself was spectacular and it was insane to see everything we’ve learned about come to life. The dynamic theme and incorporation of art captured the audience and was riveting. On the business side, the visit to Cirque and the guest speaker, Yannick Spierkel, communicated how the company defines a creative individual. A huge takeaway for me was learning what is valuable to a company, especially a big one like Cirque, and how I can express some of the traits they hold dear. Their definition has four parts: questioning and improving what’s in place, identifying problems and identifying solutions, exchanging views and being open to new ideas, and proposing solutions to improve the teamwork. I feel like throughout my work experience I’ve exhibited all of these. For questioning and improving what’s in place, I always strive to leave my mark on whatever project I’m taking on. At the CAVA office I ask questions about other people’s projects to see if I have any ideas that would fit nicely. I write bi-weekly emails about new Instagram and Snapchat strategies and create content that offers different value from things previously posted. When I work with the Snapchat it’s all fast-paced and requires quick problem solving. This practices my ability to identifying problems and identifying solutions. To address exchanging views and being open to new ideas and proposing solutions to improve the teamwork I think I exercise this through my close work with my mentor, Marissa. We communicate a lot and share ideas about everything from good camera angles to Facebook caption ideas. We also work closely with the copywriter and photographers. Collaboration is one of my favorite parts of working in the real world and I think it exemplifies Cirque’s values to a T.
Raise your hand if you're on way to joining the Cirque team.
First, let me say that I now aspire to be a contortionist because that was the most amazing thing I’ve ever seen and I totally loved their outfits. So chic. Okay, now down to business. Besides being the number one example of Blue Ocean Strategy, Cirque is memorable for their company values and platform. In order to maintain a creative work environment they stress developing connections, actively communicating, being trustworthy and trusting, and showing consistency. This is necessary for success in all aspects of the show, from creative to performance. In order to create a competitive advantage they reduce environmental impact, create an inspiring, healthy, and safe workplace, make responsible partnerships and procurement, and behave as a responsible agent of change. Talk about going the extra mile, the traditional circus was definitely more focused on popcorn sales.
Not going to lie, Yannick Spierkel’s talk had me wanting to run away and join Cirque ASAP. No, I don’t have any special skills, but I do have some of their key characteristics in being a valuable member of their team. They love team players that are responsible, committed, passionate, and creative. So basically me. Well, except that I really am not a huge circus fan, I’m more of a city girl. So, maybe not me…
THE POINT: The show itself was spectacular and it was insane to see everything we’ve learned about come to life. The dynamic theme and incorporation of art captured the audience and was riveting. On the business side, the visit to Cirque and the guest speaker, Yannick Spierkel, communicated how the company defines a creative individual. A huge takeaway for me was learning what is valuable to a company, especially a big one like Cirque, and how I can express some of the traits they hold dear. Their definition has four parts: questioning and improving what’s in place, identifying problems and identifying solutions, exchanging views and being open to new ideas, and proposing solutions to improve the teamwork. I feel like throughout my work experience I’ve exhibited all of these. For questioning and improving what’s in place, I always strive to leave my mark on whatever project I’m taking on. At the CAVA office I ask questions about other people’s projects to see if I have any ideas that would fit nicely. I write bi-weekly emails about new Instagram and Snapchat strategies and create content that offers different value from things previously posted. When I work with the Snapchat it’s all fast-paced and requires quick problem solving. This practices my ability to identifying problems and identifying solutions. To address exchanging views and being open to new ideas and proposing solutions to improve the teamwork I think I exercise this through my close work with my mentor, Marissa. We communicate a lot and share ideas about everything from good camera angles to Facebook caption ideas. We also work closely with the copywriter and photographers. Collaboration is one of my favorite parts of working in the real world and I think it exemplifies Cirque’s values to a T.
Raise your hand if you're on way to joining the Cirque team.
The Candyman Can
The Hershey trip was super fun from the Steve Jobs movie on the bus all the way until the last roller coaster we rode. Here’s how our day went:
We started out with a tour of the Milton Hershey Theater. Some interesting aspects of the theater were the clouds and stars projected on the ceiling, the painted ceiling of the entrance, and the telephone in the bathroom that gave audience members easy access to a phone during a time when it was hard to find one. The guide emphasized a few things about the theater including the business benefits of welcoming children’s shows (with each child comes up to 4 adults that have to buy tickets as well), the presence of symbols in the ceiling, such as swans, and how Hershey prioritized giving back to the community over keeping his wealth for himself, demonstrated through his major investment in building and maintaining the theater. Next, we went to a local italian restaurant where the owner elaborated on Hershey’s focus on giving back. We learned that he invested so much money into the town through his factories and the Hershey school during depression times that the Great Depression never hit Hershey, PA. After lunch, we went to hear Jeff King speak about the journey of social innovation the Hershey brand has embarked on. We learned about their work in Ghana to establish a sustainable food source, peanuts, and help aid malnutrition in youths through a program called Nourishing Minds. They also partner with other campaigns to end hunger, such as Stop Hunger Now and Working With Love Kitchens, and do community work in Haiti. After the discussion with King we had a chance to explore the Hershey museum before heading over to the park.
THE POINT: Overall, I think a major lesson here is to focus on the community and social innovation, no matter how successful you become. Hershey invested in his town and gave so many people the opportunity to succeed through his schools for underprivileged children and through hiring so many workers during the depression that he became not only a local hero, but also nationally recognized for his charity. The current day Hershey Co. preaches the value of social innovation and demonstrates what it means to use big power for big good. Their work with Vivi and Ghana inspires me to want to first, buy Hershey products to support the brand, and second, find a way to get involved in the fight to end hunger. Hershey’s process of social innovation reminds me of IDEO’s human centered approach to social problems. Right now in my life I feel like most innovation is theoretical and academic, such as “This is what I want to innovate in the future,” and studying it in BMGT289B. The Hershey trip brought to life a different kind of innovation than the one we’re normally exposed to. It was different from the world of Steve Jobs and innovative marketing campaigns at my internship, and benefitted a community more directly than a product would. Social innovation is something I never really considered myself talking interest in, not because I don’t care, but because I thought I wasn’t progressive or creative enough for it. Now, I see that social innovations are just taking the innovation strategies we learned in BMGT289B (such as discovery skills and design thinking) and applying them to a different realm. Brb, starting the brainstorming process….
The Hershey trip was super fun from the Steve Jobs movie on the bus all the way until the last roller coaster we rode. Here’s how our day went:
We started out with a tour of the Milton Hershey Theater. Some interesting aspects of the theater were the clouds and stars projected on the ceiling, the painted ceiling of the entrance, and the telephone in the bathroom that gave audience members easy access to a phone during a time when it was hard to find one. The guide emphasized a few things about the theater including the business benefits of welcoming children’s shows (with each child comes up to 4 adults that have to buy tickets as well), the presence of symbols in the ceiling, such as swans, and how Hershey prioritized giving back to the community over keeping his wealth for himself, demonstrated through his major investment in building and maintaining the theater. Next, we went to a local italian restaurant where the owner elaborated on Hershey’s focus on giving back. We learned that he invested so much money into the town through his factories and the Hershey school during depression times that the Great Depression never hit Hershey, PA. After lunch, we went to hear Jeff King speak about the journey of social innovation the Hershey brand has embarked on. We learned about their work in Ghana to establish a sustainable food source, peanuts, and help aid malnutrition in youths through a program called Nourishing Minds. They also partner with other campaigns to end hunger, such as Stop Hunger Now and Working With Love Kitchens, and do community work in Haiti. After the discussion with King we had a chance to explore the Hershey museum before heading over to the park.
THE POINT: Overall, I think a major lesson here is to focus on the community and social innovation, no matter how successful you become. Hershey invested in his town and gave so many people the opportunity to succeed through his schools for underprivileged children and through hiring so many workers during the depression that he became not only a local hero, but also nationally recognized for his charity. The current day Hershey Co. preaches the value of social innovation and demonstrates what it means to use big power for big good. Their work with Vivi and Ghana inspires me to want to first, buy Hershey products to support the brand, and second, find a way to get involved in the fight to end hunger. Hershey’s process of social innovation reminds me of IDEO’s human centered approach to social problems. Right now in my life I feel like most innovation is theoretical and academic, such as “This is what I want to innovate in the future,” and studying it in BMGT289B. The Hershey trip brought to life a different kind of innovation than the one we’re normally exposed to. It was different from the world of Steve Jobs and innovative marketing campaigns at my internship, and benefitted a community more directly than a product would. Social innovation is something I never really considered myself talking interest in, not because I don’t care, but because I thought I wasn’t progressive or creative enough for it. Now, I see that social innovations are just taking the innovation strategies we learned in BMGT289B (such as discovery skills and design thinking) and applying them to a different realm. Brb, starting the brainstorming process….
Lets Climb
Not going to lie, when the 5 hour ropes course challenge was announced I was super annoyed. I balance a lot of things- interning, clubs, schoolwork, personal health and well being… you get the point, but once it started I was totally captured by the lessons of teamwork and the spirit in my group. We started with a get-to-know-you-game where one person stood in the middle and had to say something about themselves that no one else had in common with them. It was a lot harder than we thought but demonstrated that we’re all more similar than initially predicted. Then we played a low couple ropes games that forced us to strategize and be creative with our tactics. At the end of each game we would do a debrief and discuss pros and cons of different approaches and different attitudes during the games. We ended the night with a climb up the giant tower, being spotted and supported by our peers.
THE POINT: The takeaways from this evening activity were collaboration and positivity. With everything we encountered it was super important for the team to stay unified and communicate. When we played a game where we had to stand in a line ankle to ankle we never were able to complete the task because communication as a whole wasn’t there, it was too centralized on the opposite sides of the line. Taking that experience, on the second task we were much quicker and stronger because we understood the importance of planning and hearing each other out. In this game positivity and supporting each other came into play big time as people swung on rope swings for the first time in their lives. Even when someone was scared or failed, the team continued to be enthusiastic and encourage them to keep trying. For the high ropes we practiced trusting each other and being dependent on others because our peers held the ropes that kept us safe. I didn’t end up making it all the way to the top, but I was proud of my climb in the end because I pushed myself and went higher than I initially thought I would. I can apply these lessons to my school work, especially in group projects, and at my internship because I am part of a small marketing team where working as a cohesive unit is absolutely invaluable.
Not going to lie, when the 5 hour ropes course challenge was announced I was super annoyed. I balance a lot of things- interning, clubs, schoolwork, personal health and well being… you get the point, but once it started I was totally captured by the lessons of teamwork and the spirit in my group. We started with a get-to-know-you-game where one person stood in the middle and had to say something about themselves that no one else had in common with them. It was a lot harder than we thought but demonstrated that we’re all more similar than initially predicted. Then we played a low couple ropes games that forced us to strategize and be creative with our tactics. At the end of each game we would do a debrief and discuss pros and cons of different approaches and different attitudes during the games. We ended the night with a climb up the giant tower, being spotted and supported by our peers.
THE POINT: The takeaways from this evening activity were collaboration and positivity. With everything we encountered it was super important for the team to stay unified and communicate. When we played a game where we had to stand in a line ankle to ankle we never were able to complete the task because communication as a whole wasn’t there, it was too centralized on the opposite sides of the line. Taking that experience, on the second task we were much quicker and stronger because we understood the importance of planning and hearing each other out. In this game positivity and supporting each other came into play big time as people swung on rope swings for the first time in their lives. Even when someone was scared or failed, the team continued to be enthusiastic and encourage them to keep trying. For the high ropes we practiced trusting each other and being dependent on others because our peers held the ropes that kept us safe. I didn’t end up making it all the way to the top, but I was proud of my climb in the end because I pushed myself and went higher than I initially thought I would. I can apply these lessons to my school work, especially in group projects, and at my internship because I am part of a small marketing team where working as a cohesive unit is absolutely invaluable.
Alan Gregerman & His Love For Strangers
Yes. I've met Alan Gregerman, the acclaimed author of The Necessity of Strangers. It was empowering and engaging but my man had some amazing points that will definitely change the way I see strangers. Alan's lecture covered the power of strangers in all aspects of our lives and how innovation happens when you're curious with no purpose. Curiosity = Innovation. We discussed a bunch of examples first being the experiment run by the Washington Post where famous violinist Joshua Bell played in L’enfant Plaza metro station during rush hour. Only a few people paused to listen to the music of a man who would play at the Kennedy Center the following night. We discussed Whole Foods' approach to shopping and how they purse creating an experience for the consumer through aromatherapy and community. We did an activity where we had an aimless conversation with someone in the class that we didn't already know and we had to find 10 things in common. For my partner and I we didn't end up finding 10 things in common because we got wrapped up in the first few things we talked about (hiking, Cava, Veep, siblings, our shared love for coffee and tea because who can choose between the two). Lastly, he made the comparison that the internet is like the next big electrical outlet. The "Internet of Things," or the virtual world that connects all things, provides grounds for even further innovation. Combined with wandering, it can be used to figure out what matters and change the world. THE POINT: The main takeaways from Alan Gregerman's guest lecture are that it’s important to stretch your thinking, be curious, and explore solutions to new problems because it leads to innovation. People who are observant win in the end because according to Gregerman 99% of all new ideas have evolved from someone else's thinking. Similar to my reflection on the Necessity of Strangers DC trip, I think that I should stop seeing strangers as threats and more as outlets to expand what I know. At my internship I've been asking more questions about people's' jobs who I don't normally encounter. For example, I just went to lunch with a bunch of people from the HR department even though I'd never met any of them before. Cava just brings people together. Also, being a huge DC lover I really want to take more aimless trips into the city and just explore the different areas. I want to really get to know the city and appreciate its history by spending time wandering around museums such as the National Museum of Art and the African American History Museum. Another goal I have is to explore different cultures through food because I think that food has the power to connect and teach people. I really want to experience the world through the DC restaurant scene and get out of my taste-bud comfort zone. In the end, I think Gregerman's most important point what that there is so much to learn in the world but in order to do so we must be curious, respectful, and interested in what other people know. |
Iliad Assessment Experience or a Day on the Job?
Date of test: 11/7
Role: VP of High School Textbooks
Describe the Iliad in four words: It was an adventure.
If I'm being honest, I thought the Iliad was kind of fun. It was basically a Barbie CEO videogame (yes those were the kinds of games I played as a kid, forget Mariokart). The assessment consisted of completing memos, attending two meetings, and giving a speech. Stressful but manageable. I think for me, the assignment wasn't that intense because I love situations of collaboration and professionalism. At my internship I never really get the opportunity to give presentations because everything is done team style, so using the information given and synthesizing and presenting was refreshing and exciting. I'm sure I didn't have the best speech ever because of the time constraints, but I was proud of the way I presented myself. The meetings were build around active listening and responsible responses. I felt like my group really did well in collaborating and building off each other instead of turning the setting into a negative environment. In regards to the memos, I've been writing professional emails for over a year for my internship and school, so that experience helped me figure out the best way to respond to the different situations.
THE POINT: I think the Iliad was a good experience because it exposed me to the realities of having a high power job. I only know the work world through my internship level position at Cava, which can be stressful, but is overall enjoyable and low stakes. While I won't know my scores until after the PCR due date, I am proud of my performance compared to some of the people in my group because I think I did well with preparation. I was able to give statistical evidence for my claims and use the information given to make decisions, rather than act impulsively. After I receive my score report I can take what it says and improve the 5 categories it judges on. I am particularly interested to see how I score on the leadership portion because I describe myself as a good leader because I will take charge of a situation, but I still value others' inputs and am an active listener, and it may be eye opening to see how the assessment center evaluates me. I will definitely take steps to improve my weak areas because I want to bring those skills to my internship and step up my game in the work world.
Iliad 2017: you better watch out, I'm coming for you and this time I ain't playin' around.
Date of test: 11/7
Role: VP of High School Textbooks
Describe the Iliad in four words: It was an adventure.
If I'm being honest, I thought the Iliad was kind of fun. It was basically a Barbie CEO videogame (yes those were the kinds of games I played as a kid, forget Mariokart). The assessment consisted of completing memos, attending two meetings, and giving a speech. Stressful but manageable. I think for me, the assignment wasn't that intense because I love situations of collaboration and professionalism. At my internship I never really get the opportunity to give presentations because everything is done team style, so using the information given and synthesizing and presenting was refreshing and exciting. I'm sure I didn't have the best speech ever because of the time constraints, but I was proud of the way I presented myself. The meetings were build around active listening and responsible responses. I felt like my group really did well in collaborating and building off each other instead of turning the setting into a negative environment. In regards to the memos, I've been writing professional emails for over a year for my internship and school, so that experience helped me figure out the best way to respond to the different situations.
THE POINT: I think the Iliad was a good experience because it exposed me to the realities of having a high power job. I only know the work world through my internship level position at Cava, which can be stressful, but is overall enjoyable and low stakes. While I won't know my scores until after the PCR due date, I am proud of my performance compared to some of the people in my group because I think I did well with preparation. I was able to give statistical evidence for my claims and use the information given to make decisions, rather than act impulsively. After I receive my score report I can take what it says and improve the 5 categories it judges on. I am particularly interested to see how I score on the leadership portion because I describe myself as a good leader because I will take charge of a situation, but I still value others' inputs and am an active listener, and it may be eye opening to see how the assessment center evaluates me. I will definitely take steps to improve my weak areas because I want to bring those skills to my internship and step up my game in the work world.
Iliad 2017: you better watch out, I'm coming for you and this time I ain't playin' around.