Fall semester is by far the busiest semester for everyone at Johnson school. Not only do we have to keep up with our coursework but we have an option of attending various corporate briefings followed by interviews, speaker events and not to forget the fun filled Sage socials :)
It began with Andy Paul, who was the guest speaker in our “Law for High Growth Businesses” class. Andy helped us tie in various concepts learned in our class by talking about his approach and views on term sheets. In addition, he introduced us to the CAPCO program and gave us a quick run down on some of his favorite investments.
Ginnie Bonker, VC from Blue Rock and Sienna Venture and Jane Schuchinski, CEO LockStar -
Then there was Ginnie Bonker and Jane Schuchinski, this week’s guest speakers in “Cases in VC Financing”, who talked about the LockStar venture. A PKI-to-Legacy market focused company, Lockstar had a strong management team and solid technology. But things don't go as planed in a startup and in spite of having the much needed talent and focus, LockStar failed. Jane Schuchinski presented her heart-wrenching story, where she was diagnosed with breast cancer just a few hours after Lockstar’s team had agreed to meet their first Beta customer – Wal-mart. She didn't make it to Wal-mart as she immediately hospitalized to begin her path to recovery. But Lockstar never recovered after her loss...
Anand Chandrasekher, SVP and GM of Intel’s Ultra Mobility -
Being a VP of High-Tech Club, I also got an opportunity to host a breakfast for Anand Chandrasekher on Friday. It was an open discussion and Anand demonstrated his true passion for Intel and pointed out the compatibility issues faced in today’s mobile industry. When asked about what skills he used the most, he stressed on critical thinking abilities that has helped him analyze the business opportunity in the Mobile industry.
Irene Rosenfeld, CEO and Chairman of Kraft foods -
And then there are times when you feel great about being women. Thursday was just the day for me, as I was able to attend the Women’s Power Lunch with Irene Rosenfeld! It was truly an amazing opportunity to listen to a powerful personality like hers. Irene did not perceive corporate life to be any different for a women, but believed that it’s all about getting things done. However, she did mention that at times women need to take an extra step to clear any preconceived assumptions made by management.
By the end of the week, I had filled my notepad and I hope to sit on the other side of the table someday.... But for now, it's back to incorporating these learning into my coursework and startup gig.
