Conclusion
This trip did more for my career and outlook on my future than any other experience I have ever had. This trip did such a great job of educating us on what it is actually like to work for companies that we read about in the news for their ingenuity. We saw, with speakers like Gary Swart, what it is actually like to launch a startup. For aspiring entrepreneurs like myself, it was a very unique experience having the opportunity to ask our questions to someone who has actually been apart of a variety of startups from the ground up. While other students would only have access to the answers of our questions from the internet or teachers, we got to talk to people who could speak from experience.
​
As mentioned, I previously worked in a NYC hedge fund, seeing what intense trading looks like. While this previously excited me, I now realize that that excitement rooted from lack of exposure. Seeing the inside of the fund was the only real exposure that I had to what the inside of a business looks like, so it seemed amazing. After getting an inside look at companies that are paving the way for innovation, I now realize that I would thrive most in a company with a culture that encourages collaboration, freedom, and creativity.
​
Educationally, I feel as though I learned how to apply what we learn in the classroom to the real-world. When I am in Information Systems, I understand what Professor Karake is talking about when she talks about the struggle of managing big data from our Tableau visit. In Marketing, I understand how the marketing efforts that we learn about have a consumer-centric approach from listening to Amazon, Nike, and Gary Swart in particular. Every company we went to discussed aspects of business that we learn about in the classroom, and having that practical knowledge really enhances my ability to learn at Maryland.
​
Reflecting on the trip, there are countless stories that I can refer to to express the educational value of the trip. While talking to a recruiter, I can reference one visit that really stood out to me, with that visit being Tableau. The Tableau visit because that was one of the few visits that included a company that I was entirely unfamiliar with. After the visit, in which we learned about big data and the challenges associated with it, as well as the functionality of Tableau and how it could visualize data in such a useful way, I had a new perspective on decision making and saw the value in data-driven decision making.
​
Another parallel I would make is Apple vs. Intel. Intel was a leader in technology and such an influential company for so long, but today it stands in the shadow of new giants like Apple. While Apple thrives on an atmosphere of innovation and collaboration, Intel sits behind the competition with a collection of PhDs. While an intelligent workforce is important, in such a competitive industry, if you are not constantly innovating and looking forward, that it will not be long before a newcomer takes you over.
​
After the trip, I have decided that I want to pursue consulting. I loved hearing about the insides of different companies that we visited and learning about their history/ challenges they overcame. As a consultant, I would have the opportunity to be intimate with a company that I am working with, gaining a solid understanding for the way they operate, before helping them solve complex, real-world problems that have the potential to revolutionize them and make them more profitable. As someone who has about three different ideas for new products/ businesses on a daily basis, I would love to gain a solid background in business through consulting and use this understanding of business to create one of my own. I have been a leader my entire life, and nothing sounds more exciting than having the opportunity to launch my own company and watch it flourish from the ground up.
​
I walk away from this trip and this course a much more intelligent man than when I entered, and I credit this new knowledge to a few key takeaways. First of all, it is vital to constantly have a mindset that is seeking out opportunity. Being immersed in such a thorough and competitive educational environment at the Smith School, I am constantly surrounded by new ideas and concepts. Whenever I hear an interesting idea, I now reflect on that idea unlike ever before, and think about how that idea can be grown or transformed. If Amazon was never thought of as anything more than a seller of books, then they never would have developed into the giant they are today. Similarly, it took an innovative, reflective mind to conceptualize a mini-golf course inside of an abandoned Victorian mansion like Urban Putt. I am surrounded by potential opportunities, I have the tools and knowledge to act on such opportunities, now it is up to me to actually act on such opportunities.
​
Another big takeaway that I had was to always put the consumer first when designing a product/ startup. Having a great idea for a new product is only great if consumers really want that product. This message was enforced time and time again by Amazon, Nike, Gary Swart, and so many others, proving the value in being dedicated to enhancing the consumer experience.
​
This course also gave me a new perspective on failure, more specifically on failing fast and failing forward. There was not one company that we visited that had a smooth ride to where they are today. Every company persevered through adversity and turned challenges to opportunities quickly in order to make the most of their business. The difference between 2 companies with similar concepts could very well be which one capitalizes on failure, and which one accepts it. This takeaway was summarized perfectly in the exercise with Brad Margolis at EA with the electric maze where we had two options: fail fast and learn to succeed, or continue failing methods and watch failure after failure.
​
When I reflect on my time at Smith, this course will be one aspect of my experience that stands out above all else. Not only did I create amazing friends, but I also gained a new perspective on my own career goals, grew immensely as a person, and had the opportunity to gain an inside look at the companies that play such an integral part in the world we live in.