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). […]
Advice to Graduates: Develop Your Presentation Skills
It is graduation week here at Northwestern. On Friday, several hundred Kellogg MBA students will walk across the stage and receive their degrees. There will be speeches and hugs and celebrations— it’s a fun time of the year. Soon enough, the graduates will get to work. Some will start in a week or two, while […]
Back to School: Advice for Students
It is back to school time! All around the world, students are organizing school supplies, looking forward to seeing old friends and becoming sleepless with the excitement of a new academic year. It is a universal experience shared by pupils of all ages. My daughter Anna started school yesterday, and my MBA students at Northwestern […]
Branding Advice for Graduates
It is graduation time, an exciting and festive part of the year. Here at the Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management, students are trying on robes and getting ready for the commencement ceremonies later this week. Recently I provided some financial advice for graduates. This article is to offer advice on building a strong personal brand. It is […]