Back to the Office
This week has brought three interesting stories, all with a common theme. The takeaway: it is time to get back to the office. The Stories The first big story is that Taylor Swift is wrapping up the first leg of her Eras Tour. It has been a stunning entertainment spectacle. Her performances have brought joy, […]
Financial Advice for Graduates – 2023
It is commencement week at Kellogg. Yesterday, I processed into the commencement ceremony with my faculty colleagues and watched the graduates receive their degrees. It was a terrific event. Seeing young, talented people embark on a new phase of life with energy and excitement is inspirational. Each year I offer graduates some financial advice. I’m […]
The Key to Career Success: Learn to Present Well
It is a time of new beginnings in the business world. College and MBA students are graduating and getting ready to start new jobs. Interns are trying to figure out where to show up and what to wear in the office. Even people who have been working for several years are finding new opportunities. Here […]
Investing in a Tumultous World
The financial world is falling apart. Stocks are slumping, bonds – the “safe investment” – are doing almost as poorly. Bitcoin is down. Even gold, which should definitely be rising at a time of war and disruption, isn’t doing a lot. I was particularly struck by this chart from Bloomberg. Interest rates in the UK […]
Advice for New MBAs: Build Your Personal Brand
This week I had the opportunity to speak to the incoming class of Kellogg MBAs about personal branding. It was a fun event; there is nothing like seeing 600+ young people embarking on a new life adventure. I highlighted three things in my talk. Your Personal Brand Matters Brands are the associations linked to a […]
Building a Strong Personal Brand
This week I’m giving a talk to Kellogg MBA students about building a strong personal brand during their summer internship. I’m looking forward to the session. Here are some of my main points. Personal Branding A lot of things need to come together to have a successful run at a company. You must have supportive […]
Learning from the 2022 Healthcare Case Competition
Last weekend we hosted the 19th annual Kellogg Biotech and Healthcare Case Competition, sponsored by Moderna. It was a terrific event. More than sixty teams applied and eleven gathered in Evanston for the final round. It was an in-person competition, complete with masks and vaccination cards and tests. It would have been easy to take […]
Financial Advice for Graduates – 2021
Last week I attended the Kellogg School of Management’s commencement ceremony. It was a spectacular event: a beautiful day with blue skies and pleasant temperatures, inspiring speeches and enthusiastic graduates. Simply being there in-person felt like a gift. Each year I provide some financial advice to graduates. I am a marketing professor, not a finance […]
Financial Advice for Graduates – 2020
If you follow my blog, you know that each year about this time I post some financial advice. It is primarily for the new Kellogg MBAs about to graduate, but I think it is relevant for anyone starting out on a new career. The advice is based more on hard-learned lessons than advanced financial modeling. […]
Making the Transition to Online Teaching
I am a few days away from teaching my first official online class. The past week has been a blur of webinars and Zoom discussions. I am not ready for the new quarter, but I am getting there. Here are four things I’ve learned. Online Teaching is Better Online teaching is an improvement, at least […]
Time to Update the Marketing Plan
Many companies develop annual marketing plans. This is a natural approach – it aligns with the fiscal calendar of most firms, and it matches the natural pace of the year. Sometimes, however, it is necessary to revise the plan mid-stream. This is one of those times. A Different World Things have changed dramatically for companies […]
Financial Advice for Graduates – 2019
It is graduation week at Kellogg! Later today, students will walk across the stage, receive their degrees and head into the working world. For the past few years, I’ve posted some words of advice for the graduates, and I’m continuing the tradition. Today, I’m focusing on finances (I posted some similar financial advance in 2017). […]