Sheetal Mehra’s Post

From Wine Tasting to Grant Writing, Local College Courses Provide Fresh Opportunities for Students For new college students, many concerns are top of mind: the pressure of making new friends, the rigor of higher education and adjusting to dorm life. While these worries often subside within months, the juggling act of course enrollment. Students should not fret, however, because with 80 majors and 70 majors respectively, @CornellUniversity and Ithaca College have no shortage of courses for them to choose.. HADM 4300: Introduction to Wines at Cornell University #1 fave class MGMT 21300: Hidden Entrepreneurs at @IthacaCollege Taught by Instructor #EdwardCatto, MGMT 21300: Hidden Entrepreneurs isn’t your typical business course. Rather than the typical crunching of numbers and close studies of graphs, MGMT 21300 at Ithaca College is a celebration of entrepreneurship and its many avenues for success. “When you think about entrepreneurs, many times people think of Shark Tank and they'll think of those start-up-y entrepreneurs,” Catto said. “But in reality, there's a lot of entrepreneurs who have very different paths, and this is what we celebrate in [MGMT 21300].” In line with that ethos, each week Catto introduces students to a new batch of successful entrepreneurs who act as guest speakers. Past guest speakers, which run the gamut of industries, include freelance and nbook editor, Will Dennis, a recent recipient of an Eisner Award at San Diego Comic-Con and Brad White, the founder of New England Burials at Sea ,a company that provides ash scattering ceremonies and burials at sea, among others. “Hidden Entrepreneurs is full of guest speakers, people who I've met over the years who come in and speak about all the different things that they are doing, really fostering a mindset of looking at the world a little differently and understanding what makes an entrepreneur great and then what makes them succeed,” Catto said. Guest speakers are further supplemented by readings and projects, along with occasional field trips that keep the attention of students, according to the course’s instructor. “[MGMT 21300] is full of cool guest speakers, cool projects, unusual readings and real experiences that kind of make you sit up a little straighter and say ‘Yeah, I hadn't thought of that, but it's kinda cool,’” Catto said. “I hope that [students] learn that the traits and the abilities of entrepreneurs can take many forms in a professional career. If you say, gee, ‘I want to understand how entrepreneurs operate,’ they're not necessarily thinking ‘Oh, wait a minute, I got to drop out of whatever I'm doing and raise money, [and] come up with a prototype.’” Catto said. “[Entrepreneurs] can do a lot of things. You can do it as a side hustle. You can do it later in your career. You can do it early in your career” https://lnkd.in/eegkgMic

Many thanks to Alec Hendrickx from bol for providing our students with a glimpse behind the scenes of the platform economy and making concepts like revenue models and advertisement services more tangible. It's always inspiring to witness the impressive evolution from an online bookstore in 1999 to the thriving marketplace bol is today. #platformeconomy #ecommerce #guestlecture University of Antwerp - Faculty of Business and Economics

As Mauro Porcini so elegantly puts it in his fantastic book "the human side side of innovation the power of people in love with people", companies which offer poor products will quickly fall behind in this hyper competitive world. And I certainly believe that this same logic applies to services, even if they are less tangible and hence not as easily measurable. Furthermore, at the end of the day a service has more than transactional value. How you deliver it matters a whole lot and this is well known in the hotel industry for example. The smallest of details such as leaving a chocolate on top of a pillow will make people smile and more likely to come back. But of course that sensitivity cannot be embedded in a spreadsheet. Being empathetic, kind and comforting is not in the exclusive domain of parents and grandparents. Even though it is not something that will give you extra credits at school, it is the foundation of civic society, let alone the basis of any Organisation trying to deliver something of value to fellow human beings. But I guess more importantly is the fact that it is personally gratifying! Even if a cut throat mentality empowers some people to grow professionally that comes at the expense of others which means that there will be no one left around to enjoy it with.

Just completed this course.

When we think about education, we often picture formal settings like classrooms or corporate training seminars. We might even consider books and successful people/their vedios as go-to sources for learning. But if we keep our eyes and ears open, the most profound lessons can come from unexpected places and people. I travel alot and personally like to interact with shop keepers , workers, little business owners and drivers of thriving businesses whenever possible because sometimes you find really unique fresh perspectives from them .These individuals may not have MBAs or impressive education behind them, but what they do have is hands-on experience and hard-earned wisdom. I once met a local shop owner who made all his family, friends and circle to get on offer groceries (Sale allows only a few Kgs per person) from a near by hyper mart. He is then reselling them at approximately same price with no margin ensuring there is no churn with his regular customers. (He could sell at that price despite not having a big bargaining power or volumes to negotiate with suppliers). He is okay to take a margin hit on a few skus and I am sure he would have adjusted his margins on other products which are not at sale by the big guy nearby. Then there's the roadside hotel owner who is passionate about every aspect of his business, from ingredient sourcing to customer service. For him, delivering a memorable meal and experience holds greater value than simply maximizing profits. Needless to say, his business is thriving with people round the clock. These folks viewpoints are cultivated from day-to-day interactions, customer feedback, and the nitty-gritty of running a business. In today's fast-paced world, we often forget the value of slowing down and engaging in open conversations with those around us. Whether you're in a professional setting or exploring a new city, take the time to talk to people. Listen to what they have to say, learn from their experiences, and you might just walk away with something truly worthwhile. #business #people #learnings

Hello everyone! ❤️ The deadline for LTS coffee shop vouchers competition over on our instagram page is approaching fast! Last chance for entry! We’re giving you the chance to win a free £5 voucher for the universities coffee shop at Little Titchfield Street. Here's everything you need to know to participate and increase your chances of winning. The Competition: Check out our page on instagram to see the competition post - https://lnkd.in/eRgC2PyR Insta: @wis_studentsupportandwellbeing Win a chance to get one of the many £5 vouchers up for grabs, this will treat you to a fantastic snack at our favourite coffee shop! How to Enter: Entering the competition is simple. Just head over to our page on instagram, as linked above and look for the post announcing the competition. Once you've found it, follow these steps to enter: 1. Like the competition post. 2. Follow our Instagram account (@wls_studentsupportandwellbeing) if you're not already following us 3. Tag three friends in the comments from UoW 4. DM us on instagram to confirm! The Rules: To ensure fairness and transparency, the coffee shop has outlined a few rules for the competition. Make sure to follow these guidelines to qualify for the voucher: 1. Participants must follow the our instagram account. 2. Only one entry per person will be counted. 3. Tagged friends must be students of UoW Deadline and Winner Announcement: The competition will end on 23/02/24 at 10am . Be sure to get your entry in before the deadline, as any entries submitted after that will not be considered. The winner will be randomly selected from all eligible entries and announced on our instagram page.

In September 2021, my school hosted a commerce competition that challenged participants to create an entire cafe business. This encompassed all four aspects of business: the 4 Ps - price, place, production, and promotion. Working in a team, I learned the value of cooperation and teamwork. Our project required meticulous planning, including creating a forecast budget sheet, determining the cafe's theme and menu, identifying target audiences, devising promotion strategies, and establishing production and distribution channels. Opting for a retro theme, we targeted university campuses, aiming to provide affordable day-to-day drinks and food while also offering employment opportunities for students. Our prototype earned third place out of over 20 groups, showcasing our practical marketing skills, firsthand experience in building a business prototype, and the ability to deliver a compelling business pitch. It was a valuable learning experience that underscored the importance of practical application in business endeavors. #CommerceCompetition #BusinessPrototype #MarketingSkills

Working in a team with some younger heads awaiting their exam results has made me feel nostalgic! Fifteen years ago, I sat teary-eyed in my mum's car, my GCSE results day looming, burdened by an uncertain future. Neurodivergences in the form of dyspraxia posed classroom challenges; accepting I wasn't the academic norm was daunting. Fear of failure because of this persisted long after those exams. I stumbled through GCSEs, facing setbacks even in my re-sits. My saving grace was persistence and following intuition. Determined to get the grades I wanted I resat my exams at my local college. I enrolled on the photography GCSE course to fill up my timetable and then fell in love with the subject. back then assurances of a bright future wouldn't have convinced me. If you'd said I'd earn a place on a photography BTEC course based solely on my portfolio, let alone achieve a BA Hon's at university I could never have believed you. Reflecting on this, I've learned success comes from failures. Embracing mistakes as lessons is vital. To those awaiting results, whether celebrating or facing setbacks, remember: things will be just fine; the best is yet to come! Anyone going through this at the moment feel free to use code 'what-a-result10' to get 10% off coffee at https://ravecoffee.co.uk/ and treat yourself to a great brew!

Are you the kind of person who buys the cheapest wine on the menu or the most expensive one? Neither of those questions actually talk about the quality of the wine, just price. Price is a story. Consider colleges with similar infra that charge Rs. 10k/month and say our target audience prefers to pay less. Well, how do you value better faculty, cleaner – greener campus, professionally trained counsellors and staff, an app that gives students and parents performance data, clear and transparent communication, soft skill sessions, option to top up with micro-credentials, tie-up with local sports training camps. It’s a lot better to apologise for price rather than give excuses for small things over and over again. #marketing #pricing #highereducation #highered #ugc #universities #colleges #collegemarketing #schoolmarketing #k12marketing #pricing #degreeprograms

I really loved being a part of the Hong Kong Baptist University B-DARE business simulation competition. The students were asked to prepare a report and presentation to tackle the question of “How to make a Western brand such as Subway more popular in a market like Hong Kong?”. After a short briefing about the brand, the students went away and prepared. What they submitted was phenomenal, truly impressive insights about a market we feel we are constantly learning about. Although there could be only one winner on the day, I felt like there weren’t any losers. Every team had put their heart and soul into their work and it showed. Here are some key takeaways from the finalists presentations: 1. Localise some of the menu and marketing. Have local flavours that draw in the local consumer. Introducing the customer to the brand with a softer landing. What a great way to connect with the consumers in whatever market you are selling. Use local influencers that really understand the local people, that’s how you create a loyalty that is unique to the market. 2. Digital ordering and innovation. Online ordering, pick up, loyalty programs, self order kiosks. You name it, it was featured in these presentations. In this ever changing market, this one couldn’t be more accurate as we strive to provide greater convenience and efficiency for our consumers. 3. Snacks! Younger consumers, a lot of our consumers, snack. They eat throughout the day, lighter and more regular meals. If the population here are not buying footlongs, what can they buy with the 6-inch to increase the ticket? Bring more side items, like McDonald’s here who do it so well and watch the average ticket balloon! This includes drinks like healthy smoothies. 4. Simplify the menu and order process. Do away with some of the customisation and let the customer save time at Subway, get asked less questions, but have a sub made with all the flavours the experts recommend! Sounds like the signature series launching at Subways all around the world, watch this space! There were a good deal more but these were some that really resonated with me and the other judges. Well done to all the teams involved and thanks so much to HKBU for having me. More information can be found here: https://lnkd.in/gAvU95XD I look forward to the next competition! #Subway #HongKong #HKBU #greatinsights