10 | Life at Williams College as a Math and Data Visualisation Student - with Arjun Kakkar
Arjun Kakkar | News App Developer, NJ.com
Graduating from DPS RK Puram in Delhi, Arjun had a valuable undergraduate experience at Williams College. Studying at a liberal arts college such as Williams allowed him to stay open to possibilities and make decisions that best suited his personal and professional growth.
Arjun and his namesake talk about the experience of transitioning from a small liberal arts college to a large university, and how important it is to introspect as you make big decisions for your career.
Episode Takeaways
Transition from DPS RK Puram to Williams
Williams integrates you into the community very well. They put you into a group of 20 students with whom you live, which inculcates a feeling of family. He was comfortable around people in India but in the US it was challenging - he had to change the way he interacted with people. He was academically prepared, showing interest in maths, philosophy, sciences, and photography. So he enjoyed taking a variety of courses, something that is typical of a liberal arts college. He enjoyed the tutorial system at Williams that helps you think about the work in depth and broadens your perspective. He used to struggle writing emails to professors but learnt to do that from friends. The social communities on campus did not feel competitive, the athletic culture is strong and the community is inclusive and welcoming. He, however, spent most of his time in academic pursuits.
Liberal Arts College vs. Large Universities
If you want to go into academia, then at a large uni you would take a large variety of courses in your major to prepare you for grad school. But at Williams you have to do only 10 courses in your major and then you are free to take whatever you want. So you would need to find a way to fill in the gaps in depth. There is a fantastic math community at Williams. He was interested in applications of math in different areas. He took courses like Computational Biology and his thesis was on vegetation patterns using applied maths. He landed up at UCLA for an Applied Math PhD straight after Williams. This was a dramatic change, much bigger than the move from DPS to Williams. UCLA has a rigorous program but professors didn’t seem to care as much or were not as invested in teaching as they had at Williams. He ended up realizing that the Applied Math PhD was too technical and not as application oriented as he had imagined. In hindsight, he should have waited a couple of years before going into grad school to see if he was right for it. So he quit grad school and thanks to his liberal arts experience he transitioned to a teaching job for a while and then found an organization that was investigating the role of pitch in music. This appealed to him as the data analysis was being used and presented in a very unique way. Though he did not have experience in web development and coding, he decided to join them because he was confident of his ability to pick up those skills on the job.
His Strengths
He is inquisitive, likes to work with people who bring different strengths to the table (at Williams he had a great experience on a research project with a large group); he is interested in people and their stories
Advice to High School Students Preparing for College
Focus on genuine introspection. Think of what you have appreciated in life until this point. Focus on what genuinely interests you. He is a big proponent of liberal arts colleges. He advises students to research their colleges - he did not do his homework on UCLA and that did not work out for him. He appreciates the fact that Edbrand encouraged him to understand himself through his personal essay when applying as an undergrad.
Advice to Young Graduates
He was in a difficult position a couple of months ago between jobs. He advises others to be free in their expression. Include all the things you are interested in in your search for a job or school. And persevere.
09 | Life as a Columbia University CS Senior Graduating During COVID-19 - with Kanishk Vashisht
Kanishk Vashisht | Software Engineer, Agora Systems
From The Shri Ram School in Gurgaon, to Columbia, Kanishk has always been a go-getter who seeks out experience wherever he can. Kanishk was one of a select group of students faced with the unique circumstance of graduating online, amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, Kanishk will be joining Agora Systems, a startup where he can apply his knowledge of machine learning and AI.
Arjun and Kanishk discuss the experience of an online graduation, his time as a Columbia CS major, and the future of education in the face of the pandemic.
Episode Takeaways
College Graduation
Graduated on Zoom due to COVID. He is looking forward to the in-person ceremony at the end of the year.
Transitioning to NYC from Gurgaon
The first 3 months were hard. NYC is very fast paced compared to Gurgaon. It helped that Columbia had a closed campus where you could take it easy. You can always step out of the campus and be part of the fast paced city of NY when you want.
Internships & Job Experience as a Student
As a senior in TSRS (The Shri Ram School), he hosted an all India hackathon in Bangalore and continued this trend in college. This has shown recruiters that he has passion and gets things done. There are plenty of resources at Columbia - he started and exited a startup in his first 3 years. There were plenty of funding opportunities at college and lots of support in terms of mentors in college and in NYC. There were also opportunities such as talks by politicians and industrialists that gave him ideas.
The Columbia CS Department
A lot of CS concepts were invented or discovered at Columbia. It can be overwhelming to be part of something really big. Many CS professors are Indian.
His Advice to Current High School Students
Stop thinking - start doing. Find a problem and solve it. Don't try to study every topic and then write a blog post. For example, he saw a need for the visually impaired. So he built a cap with ultra sonic sensors. His advice is to start building things.
Find seniors to discuss your project ideas with. He is available for this so students can write to him.
Presentation is super important to get people interested in you. Go the extra mile. Make a pamphlet of your work and send it to the colleges with your application number on it. Go beyond the Common App.
His 3 Biggest Strengths
Go-getter, Shameless (he will email anyone and everyone if he needs anything), Hardworking
Future Career
Last summer, he had a fellowship. Through that community he met a lot of venture capitalists and joined a startup called Agora. Agora helps construction companies have better control of their supply chain. As a software engineer he will use his knowledge of machine learning and AI to work with data there.
Advice to Students During COVID
Use this time to go deep into the two or three things you find interesting. Don't focus on being an expert on only one thing. Use this time at home to study and work on your academics and college applications. Don't worry about the COVID situation. Let your parents do that.
Future of College Education post COVID
He doesn't think campuses will open soon as colleges can be a breeding ground for infections since students will be coming from different places and then living close together. In the long run colleges will open since they have spent a lot of money on their facilities. Education will become more about applying what you have learnt rather than rote learning.
08 | College and Career in Canada - with Nachiket Bhatia
Nachiket Bhatia | Sales Director, Sterling Capital
Nachiket graduated from Mount Allison University in Canada, concentrating in Economics, Business and Anthropology. He knew from the get go that he wanted to get into the financial healthcare industry. After exploring different opportunities, Nachiket is now working at Sterling Capital, a cutting edge healthcare tech firm that espouses everything he was working towards.
Nachiket and Arjun discuss the differences between Canadian and US higher education, the opportunities that are available to a student in Canada, and Nachiket’s own journey in going after the job he wanted.
Episode Takeaways
Decision to Study Abroad
Nachiket always knew he wanted a small liberal arts college, where the largest class size would be 40 students. So he chose Mount Allison University in Canada. This is the learning environment that best suited him. A few friends from high school attended with him and this helped him adjust and stay close to his roots. His 2 younger brothers also attended Mount Allison.
Education
He studied economics and finance at Mount Allison. Though small liberal arts colleges might not have state of the art equipment for some STEM fields, the professors were all from well reputed universities such as Harvard and Yale and were always very generous with their time. The Mount Allison Alumni group is also very active.
Canadian Job Market
A disadvantage of a liberal arts college is that it does not have as many resources to help students find a job. Nachiket knew early on that he wanted to get into the financial healthcare industry but finding a job took a lot of tries and rejections. He applied to almost 250 jobs and only heard back for interviews from a handful. Now he leads a large team across continents and he meets many people who are scared about the job market because of COVID-19 but he does believe that it all works out in the end. Canada has less job opportunities compared to the US but the competition for the jobs is also much lower. The economy thrives on immigrants and students and you can work in most jobs for 3 years without any visa issues before applying for a PR. Canada has a lot of opportunities in the finance sector and jobs have really good labour laws, better hours and better healthcare with the same salary as compared to the US.
Building a Resume
Nachiket worked as a research assistant every summer in college, where he worked on publications for environmental economics. He was also a teacher’s assistant for 7 courses in his third year and enjoyed teaching and public speaking. He wanted to focus on building a resume before applying for a masters degree.
Professional Journey
He worked in a traditional finance banking job until he made the move to tech start ups and working to scale up companies around 4 years ago. He worked with companies such as KPMG and Lush. He has just started working at a cutting edge healthcare tech firm in the last few months.
Strengths
Smooth talker, Empathetic, Ambitious
High School Experience
Nachiket studied in Rishi Valley, and he believes the school instilled in him a lot of his core values, such as how to stay grounded and live life simply. He moved to The Shri Ram School Aravali and made some great friends, few of whom also studied at Mount Allison with him.
Learning From a Failure
“Don't let it get you down and don’t think you’re stupid. The later in life it happens the harder it hits you. Don't doubt your instinct to survive.”
Future of Education
“There is so much ambiguity for students in university. It's hard to take a step back and be rational. Many companies are moving completely online. The future is going to be more virtual. It's going to get people to communicate more efficiently. Practice these new modes of learning, and adapt because that is what will set you apart in the job market.”
07 | Life of a SAIC Painting Student - Portfolio Preparation and more with Devishi Seth
Devishi Seth | Student at School of the Art Institute of Chicago
Devishi Seth graduated from The International School Bangalore and is now studying Art at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC).
Arjun and Devishi discuss her transition from IB to a fine arts college, her adjustment process and her experience at college. They also talk about the importance of Art in these times and how to make the most of the lockdown.
Episode Takeaways
SAIC Experience
Though the college is in a small part of town, Devishi talks about the many helpful communities around campus. However, she didn’t expect that there would only be a small indian community and that most students make their friends through the residence halls.
Transition from IB
Devishi moved from a school in Gurgaon to TISB in Bangalore to pursue IB Art, where she expanded her knowledge on the subject, learnt how to create concepts and study artists, which helped her a lot in college.
Studies at SAIC
Devishi focused on painting, as well as her foundation courses on research and art history during her first year. As SAIC is interdisciplinary, you don’t need to pick a major (you can if you like) and have the freedom to explore different mediums. She also experimented with sculpture and hopes to branch out into fibre and ceramics in the future. She transferred her IB English HL credits to fulfill her college requirements, but enjoys her academic classes in social sciences and the humanities and even got to take a course on Philosophy and Carl Marx with a professor from UChicago. These classes help inspire her art as she draws inspiration from society and the environment.
A Wow Moment
Devishi truly enjoys being immersed in an environment where she is surrounded by artists and she says that she has learnt a lot from her teachers, most of whom are full time artists. SAIC is also linked to the Art Institute, and exploring the artwork is also a learning experience.
Advice for 2020 Students
“Make the most of this time. Do online courses, work on building your skills. Everything has a silver lining so don’t lose hope. Art can really affect how people will view this pandemic in the future.”
Peers in College
Peer reviews and feedback sessions are common at SAIC and this really helps students improve. A lot of her classmates are designing masks for the pandemic and sharing their work on social media.
Advice to Students Pursuing Art
“Think about your possibilities broadly. Do what you love, but also try and learn more practical skills to balance it out and have a back up plan. However, when it comes to Art, be as experimental as possible, think about the impact you want to create through your art and demonstrate your drive.”
Her 3 Strengths
wise, perceptive and determined.
A Lesson from a Failure
She regrets not reaching out and interacting with people and felt quite lonely, which affected her art as well. However, she managed to turn this around in her second semester.
Her Time at Edbrand
She really enjoyed working on essays and meeting other students from all over the country. The essay writing process pushed her to think outside the box.
06 | Settling in at a Liberal Arts Campus - with Tanushree Pendharkar
Tanushree Pendharkar | Incoming Junior at Emory University
Tanushree graduated from high school in Gurgaon in 2018 and then went to Oxford College, Emory University, an hour from Atlanta. The two-year, small residential campus fostered in her a love of human connection and learning. Having chosen to do a double major in Economics and Psychology, she will be continuing her studies this fall (2020), at the larger Emory University campus in Atlanta.
Arjun and Tanushree discuss her early days at such a small campus, how her academic journey and the guidance of incredible professors led her to choose her major, and what she thinks of the future of online education during these times.
Episode Takeaways
Settling in and Finding Community at Oxford College
She actually had a pretty strange entry into college life. She had been very excited and felt prepared to explore a new environment, but the week before she was to leave for college, her mom was admitted into the hospital (she’s fine now!). Her older sister ended up dropping her to college and couldn’t stay long. The whole situation put her in a bad headspace and despite having spoken to so many people and having listed so many things she wanted to do, she suddenly found the 1,000 people campus claustrophobic. However, it was that very community that reached out to her in whatever way they could even if they couldn’t relate to her situation. The intimacy of the campus, combined with how approachable and supportive the faculty and deans were - she’s on texting terms with many of them! - made her see that people are not that different no matter where you are, and that helped her settle in and move forward.
Finding Her Major
She had applied undecided, but even then, she had been fond of Economics and Psychology, both subjects she’d studied in school. In college, she surprisingly started enjoying Math a lot because of the way they taught it there - focusing more on the critical aspect of Math rather than just sums made her temporarily consider concentrating in Math. But it was really the professors that drew her back to Econ and Psych. This past semester, she took a course - Drugs and Behaviour - with an eccentric professor who peppered the class with anecdotes and firsthand experiences rather than strictly sticking to the syllabus. She learnt a lot in that class and realised that what she was attached to was the human aspect compared to the analytical/academic aspect of Math. She understood that everything she was interested in had to do with how humans think, behave, react etc. and so she decided to double major in Econ and Psych.
Her Internship
Of course, having just finished her second year, she is still studying vs. actively applying her learnings to the world around her. However, she’s found an internship with a virtual executive coaching firm where they help their clients grow as leaders. She has understood that no matter how you’re interacting, whether it’s online or in person, the basic need for human connection will always be there. This is what makes what she’s studying relevant, because she’s able to foster those connections. Her mentor at the internship is very supportive and encourages her to be involved in projects, so Tanushree actually feels like she’s gaining industry insight rather than being bogged down with busy work. Through her internship she’s learnt that every leader is different, you don’t have to be powerful or have a strong following to be a good leader, you just need to focus on your strengths and develop the skills you have.
Her 3 Strengths
Good at communication, positive, active (loves learning, improving)
Biggest Lesson From a Failure or a Mistake
Her closed attitude going into college, though driven by circumstance, really pulled her back from being as engaged as she wish she had been. She wishes she could go back and take more advantage of the things that were available to her at Oxford. However, now no matter what situation she’s thrown into, even if it’s unfamiliar, she’ll be able to adapt.
Advice for High School Students Applying or Going to College
Be excited! Be excited for the future and all the new people and freedom and experiences you will gain. She feels like there were so many things that she missed out on because she wasn’t excited, so be excited. Talk to as many people as you can, those older than you, learn about how they’re reacting to this. Nobody is sure, but when she’s faced with uncertainty, talking to others gives her perspective. To those applying, don’t put all your eggs in one basket. Apply to more than one country, places like New Zealand and Australia responded really well to the crisis and might be worth considering, because you want your first year to be in person and not virtual.
The Future of Online Education
She doesn’t think everything will go online, eventually we will start having smaller meetings, restrictions are already loosening. While there might be virtual lectures for large classes, you might have 1-1 meetings with professors or small group meetings to foster discussion and maintain that in-person connection.
Her Experience with the Application Process and Edbrand
She remembers strongly focusing on rankings and grades, which clouded her decision making. Looking back, her initial college list included colleges that were definitely not the best fit for her. She wishes she had done more introspection then. She enjoyed her time with Edbrand, she even interned with Edbrand last summer. Since everyone on the team is just around 5 years older than her, it felt very natural and she made friends.
05 | Broadcast Journalism and How a Liberal Arts Education Prepares You For It - with Toya Singh
Toya Singh | Broadcast Journalist & TV Anchor
Toya Singh graduated from Sarah Lawrence College in 2016. Since then, she carefully sought out the jobs that she felt would enrich her growth and help her reach her goals. From a coveted internship at NPR, to a News Anchor position at CNN-News18, Toya settled only for the best. Now, after two years at News18, she is taking another courageous plunge to explore the various ways in which news media can be made more engaging to a whole new generation through a venture of her own.
Arjun and Toya discuss just how invaluable her liberal arts education at Sarah Lawrence was and how it shaped her into the confident, empowered woman she is today. During this episode, you’ll learn that it’s not always the things you expect that define a successful college experience.
Episode Takeaways
Experience at Sarah Lawrence College (SLC)
It’s a magical place that taught her how to question and be a strong curious woman. She had to unlearn a lot of stuff from school, in a good way. At SLC, there are 10 students in a class compared to the huge class size at her brother’s college UCB where you can skip class and watch them online. SLC made her love learning. She remembers looking forward to showing up at class at 8am after spending 4 hours reading for it. She studied Jazz vocals, Economics, Middle Eastern politics - anything that she was curious about was available to her.
Tutoring System at SLC
There are 2 unique aspects to this. SLC follows a tutoring system where, from the first day you have a “don” or “parent figure" who will check in with you for all of your 4 years at the college. The second is your class professor. You take only 3 classes a semester and for every class you meet your professor every 2 weeks to discuss your specialised project. You meet one on one and they tell you what books to read for that project and you build a relationship with them. As a result, they get to know you really well and can write you excellent grad school letters of recommendation.
Career Prep at SLC
SLC’s goal is not to prepare you for a job. It’s a place you go to build your character and it’s a great place for learning. She had plenty of friends who did find jobs and earn money but that should not be your goal for choosing SLC. She was Class President there but did not have a job in hand when she graduated. That’s unlike UCB where they are already preparing you for a career in your first year. So it depends on your priorities - what you want out of your college.
Career Path to Broadcast Journalism (TV Anchor)
In college she did Jazz vocals and she was singing in high school too. She loved the feeling of being on stage and the energy of that communication. When she graduated from SLC she moved to Brooklyn and spent 6 months looking for a job and eventually got an internship at National Public Radio. The job taught her about the rigour and professionalism of a work environment in America. For their quiz program, she would spend a whole day researching the answer to one quiz question. Then, she worked for Discovery Channel and interned at Shark Tank. She loved working in media - but started missing India and the sense of community here. She also wanted to be in front of the camera. She came back to India in 2018 with the idea of using what she had learnt about media in the US. She had many chunks of unemployment in the US and India but she could afford that since she had the support of her parents. Her advice to students in similar positions is to use that privilege well and be as intellectually curious as possible during those periods. People pushed her to take up any job in any media company but she waited it out. The company she wanted to join was not ready to hire her. After 6 months of applying and waiting, she finally started with a few months of training as an anchor. A lot of time was spent on editorial work, which she didn’t find very engaging. However, she enjoyed anchoring for the first year and a half - she had to sleep at 8pm and wake up at 3:30 am to make it to Noida for the morning shift. She had to get her makeup done and then study the news and arguments for 3 hours before she got on air at 7am. For 2 years she had no social life. She quit this job just 10 days ago but is very happy with the decision as she is starting her own venture now.
Advice to Current Graduates
The inevitable is going to happen. Many days you will not know what’s going to happen. Try not to settle for any job you get just because it’s “comfortable". Once she got a job interview at Newsweek. They talked about how many digital hits she needed to get on her articles and that put her off. She had been unemployed for 3 months and made it through all the interview rounds but suddenly it clicked that she did not want to do this. You can’t compare being an anchor for one of India’s biggest channels to writing articles that don’t get you excited even if it’s for a big name magazine. She feels her job in India was worth it even though she did not have a social life working as the early morning anchor.
Her 3 Strengths
Persistence, Curiosity, Optimism
College Application Experience
She did it all online with Edbrand because she was in Manila. She remembers her essays were really cool. It was stimulating and frustrating at the same time. It was fun but she would not go through it again.
Advice to Current College Applicants
Indians tend to look for brand schools and which ones will lead to a job. But you need to find a college that also leaves you intellectually curious. Look into the lives of the colleges’ alumni to see if they inspire you. SLC is full of alum who are “renaissance” people - Vera Wang for example who was a science student and then became a fashion designer is an example. These are people who are constantly reinventing themselves which appealed to her.
Her New Venture
While working as an anchor, she felt the news was not being presented in a way that so much of India was consuming - i.e. on their phones. There is so much scope for news on the internet. Privileged Indians are not involved enough in what’s going on in India but it’s not their fault since the news is not being presented to them in an exciting format. She wants to spend the next 3 months with what media can look like. She wants to play around with other formats and try a variety of them. It’s a privilege to sit at home and afford to try this. She has launched her first episode on Youtube for millennials which is philosophical and about current affairs. But now she wants to create something newsy.
04 | Operations Research at Columbia University - with Shivani Dharmadhikary
Shivani Dharmadhikary |
Analyst, Cornerstone Research
Shivani Dharmadhikary graduated from the American Embassy School in Delhi and then majored in Operations Research at Columbia University. She currently works as an analyst at Cornerstone Research, where she does economic and legal consulting.
Arjun and Shivani discuss her unique major and the opportunities it presents, as well as the benefits of networking and reaching out to alumni. They also spend some time discussing the potential changes in education as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Episode Takeaways
Early Days at Columbia
Shivani took time to adjust in her first year, but found her groove in the second semester, making friends through clubs and exploring NYC. She believes that Columbia was a great fit for her and she can’t imagine her life studying anywhere else.
Major
She went in expecting to study chemical engineering, but decided against it. She majored in operational research, a field where you use mathematical tools to optimise processes and analyse financial markets. It’s a very data driven subject, and falls under the engineering school at Columbia. It is extremely applicable to the fields of finance, math and data science.
Career at Cornerstone
She works in a niche industry, at the intersection of economic consulting and law. There is a temporary slowdown due to the lockdown right now, but she expects work to pick up soon, as the fall in the economy will lead to more legal action being taken in the financial sector.
Advice for Graduating Students
“Everything is temporary so don’t give up hope. It’s important to network and tell your story and to reach out to Alumni from your college. This makes a big difference. Applying for a job is similar to the college application process, you need to put your best foot forward.”
Mentors
She received a lot of help from a friend of hers in college who was also a year above her but in the same major. She stresses the importance of open communication with friends, as they are also a part of your network.
College Application Process
Working with Edbrand helped her stay on track and finish her application ahead of time, without the last minute rush. She feels that Edbrand really helped her put her best foot forward, especially in terms of the brainstorming and essay writing process.
The Future of Education
Even though education and college life might be virtual for the next few months it’s important to help people stay connected even through small steps, such as video call over audio call.
03 | Studying in India vs. Studying Abroad - with Nihaar Kuthiala
Nihaar Kuthiala |
Brand Manager, Adidas Group
Nihaar Kuthiala graduated from The Shri Ram School Aravali in 2013 and unlike most Edbrand alums, chose to remain in India, studying Eco Honours at Delhi University’s Lady Shri Ram College for Women. She is currently a Brand Manager at Adidas Group.
Arjun and Nihaar discuss the benefits and disadvantages of studying in India, the mentors that helped shape her approach and how she discovered her strengths that led her to brand management and marketing.
Episode Takeaways
Major
Nihaar studied Eco Honours at Delhi University’s prestigious Lady Shri Ram College for Women. Ever since early high school, Nihaar had been preparing to study abroad, and had only applied to LSR as a back up - a ‘let’s see’ option. She had already paid up for her admission into Singapore Management University when she got into LSR. Although hesitant at first, Nihaar was convinced by everyone around her to study at the coveted college.
Early Adjustment at LSR
The first few months were a culture shock. From studying at The Shri Ram School Aravali, a co-ed school, to an all girls college was an adjustment. She also had to get comfortable with the fact that she would continue to stay at home! Slowly, however, she was drawn in by the environment of the college - the initiatives and clubs and the people that came from all over. Once she figured out how to connect with different people and get involved in different projects, she began to love the place. She came into her own and gained confidence.
Academics at LSR
How was the academics compared to a liberal arts education and the flexibility? Nihaar studied Economics, which is something that LSR focuses a lot on. Even internships and opportunities are geared towards Econ students. Compared to a liberal arts education, it was perhaps not as academically engaging. The teachers and the teaching style often felt archaic and uninviting. However, it was the extracurriculars, the leadership opportunities and internships etc. that kept her going. The academics at LSR has much room for improvement. They need to focus more on experiential learning rather than textbooks and exams.
Career - Discovering Marketing
In school, Nihaar had the habit of committing half her winter and summer vacations to internships because she wanted to figure out her trajectory through a process of elimination. At LSR, on-campus placements tended to focus on students from Business Studies and Economics/Math backgrounds, which gave her an advantage. AB InBev came to recruit for an 11 month Global Management Training Program, and they caught her eye. The energy they brought as an innovative and progressive company felt like a great culture fit. Each of the 11 months, she was exposed to a new department. Marketing was where she instantly felt like she was able to add value to the team. It kept her on her feet, kept her fascinated. She was then hired for marketing at AB InBev, where she headed Experiential Marketing for the alcohol industry. The law restrictions on marketing alcoholic products helped her be creative with ways to engage the company’s audience. After 3 years, her passion for marketing had only grown, but she didn’t want to stay in just one place. Adidas came along and as sport had always been a big part of her life, it seemed like the perfect fit.
Her Mentors
Nihaar was always someone who sought mentorship. There is nothing more valuable than someone who is invested in your growth along with you. A senior from school, Ishita, was great at sports and academics, they had a good bond and Ishita was always someone she looked up to. In her second year of college, Ishita started her own venture and asked Nihaar if she wanted to help. Working with her for 3 months part time, doing field research and attending meetings etc. gave her a lot of experience.
At AB InBev, Vineet Sharma, the Brand Director for Buddweiser, was genuinely invested in new talent and wanted them to learn, allowing them to falter. He gave open and candid feedback in a friendly way. Even after he moved to another department, he would check in on her progress, which was invaluable.
Her dad has been one of her biggest mentors. He always encouraged her to remain out of her comfort zone. He ingrained in her that a balanced life is more important than focusing on one track. Nihaar still consults him on everything.
Advice for Students Interested in Marketing
You cannot just fall into it, if you’re interested in it, you should read up and seek practical experience before you study it. It’s important to know which aspect you want to focus on as marketing is very vast. Channels of marketing vary and so it’s important to explore.
Her Three Strengths
Hardworking, Collaborative, Creative
Advice to students just graduating college or going into college
These are the most productive and energetic years of your life, a few months will not define what you’ll do later on. Take the initiative and make the effort to reach out to people and work on self development to be prepared for a different tomorrow. Everyone’s going through the same thing. Stay positive.
02 | Entrepreneurship Journeys with Two Edbrand Students
Anand Virmani | Co-Founder, NAO Spirits
Anand Virmani graduated from Babson in 2009 with a B.S. in Economics and Marketing. Having initially gone in to study Finance, Anand paved an inspiring path, following through with whatever he was interested in (hint: it wasn’t Finance). For the past several years, he’s been dedicated to providing people with unique experiences in the spirits industry. After setting up the successful Perch Wine & Coffee Bar, he ventured out to co-found NAO Spirits, a company that focuses on producing and distributing artisanal gin.
Mallika Kapur | Founder, Onism
Mallika Kapur graduated from Denison in 2018 with a B.A. in Communication & Mass Media. Mallika’s experience at Denison gave her the room to exercise her remarkable ability to do outreach and create community wherever she went. As she moved away from college, she was struck by the fact that people are increasingly seeking experiences over material objects. This is why she founded Onism, a company that curates unique collective experiences, where people can get together to experience something meaningful together.
Episode Takeaways
Anand Virmani
Babson Experience
Anand applied ED to Babson under Arjun's guidance because of their Investment Banking Program. During his first year he learnt a lot from the group work experience which was completely new compared to CBSE. His best class in the first year was Rhetoric - a non business class on public speaking which has helped him throughout his career so far. During his first year he took a class where he had to pitch a business, start it and sell it - he handled the finance for the business. It was a great learning experience but he realized that finance is NOT what he wants to do for the rest of his life. In his 2nd year he did a case study on the Wine Industry and spent time with his Professor during office hours trying to figure out how to experience this in real life. He was guided to spend a semester in New Zealand at a vineyard. He graduated in 2009, at the height of the recession, but still managed to get a job in consulting that he did not enjoy. Soon after, he got a job in the Spirits Industry, which is where his professional journey began. Three years ago he was able to launch his own business - a wine bar. He never thought going into Babson that he was going to be an entrepreneur.
His Business
Anand makes an Artisanal Gin called NAO. When he first began, he did not think there was a market for Gin as most people preferred Whiskey or Wine. When he started a wine bar in 2015, he received a lot of feedback from customers, primarily millennials. Realising that there was a demand for Gin in the market, he created a product catered towards millenials. His customers helped through word of mouth marketing. They got involved with the brand and advocated it as they engaged with the owners. He feels regular customers want to talk about the gin they are having with their friends to justify their choice. Customers are passionate about the product and the way it is made - He feels millennials are drinking less but better.
How he built a community that is invested in his product
It's impossible to deliberately build a community. He feels you should be true to what you believe and this will inspire people to believe in it as well. He wanted to create an authentic experience without any shortcuts. He allows people to come visit his distillery. It's a journey they like to share and talk about. However he feels he is not yet doing justice to his social media marketing. Inherently he likes living under a rock but he can’t do the same for his brand and so he is making an effort to get out there and talk about it. For example he is hosting Zoom sessions on what people can do with their bottles of Gin during the lockdown, such as making cocktails with whatever they have lying at home. He believes that before building a community you have to be a part of it. He tended the bar thrice a week to understand the pain points and opportunities of the business and to feel legitimate and he thinks experiencing the service yourself helps his connection with bartenders, as they won’t take you seriously until you understand all aspects of the work.
His Entrepreneurial Journey
Anand’s entrepreneurial journey started at Babson, even though entrepreneurship was the one thing he didn’t try. Luck brought him to the spirits industry. He took a lot of brand building classes and majored in marketing and made sure that he followed through with whatever he was interested in. He always tried to look for opportunities in the wine world and this brought him to the whisky business. He had done his masters in the wine business in France but came back to Delhi for a marketing job with a champagne brand. The company suddenly pulled out of India after a year so he was without a job. That gave him the push to start his own wine bar "Perch" and from that came the idea to launch his own Gin.
His Three Strengths
Anand is supportive, passionate, thinks outside the box and has a good liver!
Advice to students just graduating college or going into college
Be resilient. Put blinders on. Don't worry about what others are doing, their lifestyle or salaries; Even if you are not sure just follow your path - sometimes you can't plan everything - there is a lot of chance involved in your journey; Just keep doing what you think is right.
Mallika Kapur
Denison Education & Experience
Mallika knew exactly what she wanted to study before she went to Denison: Communication & International Studies Double Major. She felt welcomed on campus from day one, where she connected with a large variety of students through her majors and her clubs (international & religious). Denison not only educated her academically but completed her in many other ways.
Her Business
She has just launched a website called Onism - meaning to take ownership. She has always been outgoing. In college she would host a lot of parties and bring people together through curated cultural events and networking with alumni. When she graduated she wanted to do the same thing in real life. Onism aims to build bridges, interview change makers and influencers through an interactive platform that is packaged well. She feels millennials want to invest in experiences over commodities. Kolkata offers a lot of experiences around history and culture. She wants to curate experiences such as art and dining for large groups and help people build meaningful connections and enjoy authentic experiences.
How to effectively reach out to your market
Her target audience, millennials, is curious but finicky so she needs to curate to what they want. They don't just want to drink and dine but have an experience. For example, she would have two chefs in Italy share their grandma’s recipe with a group of friends meeting over Zoom to socialize during COVID. Millennials want authentic experiences and Mallika wants to bring the world to them.
How she built her Entrepreneurial Mindset
She did this through her first job at Openhouse, an educational startup. She saw it grow from 4 to 100 as their Brand Manager. She learnt to build their brand on social media and learnt how to pitch a product. She believes that millennials will have a need for Onism. She thinks it's important to build a digital presence now, especially during COVID as millennials seek a mindful existence whether now while they are at home with COVID or once they step out after the pandemic.
Her Three Strengths
She is a Conversationalist, Creative and Compassionate
Advice to students just graduating college or going into college
Follow your heart and gut; Failures will be your own so take the plunge; Make the most of your situation; Invest in human connections and community, not just in grades.
01 | NYU's Global Liberal Studies Program
Roshy Chhillar |
Organizational Change Management, Capgemini
Roshy Chhillar graduated from Delhi Public School in Gurgaon and then majored in Economics at NYU. She currently works in Organizational Change Management at Capgemini, helping clients adjust to IT changes.
Arjun and Roshy discuss her early days of adjustment at NYU and how she made the academic choices that led her to her career. They also spend some time discussing how companies are adjusting to changes during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Episode Takeaways
Major
Roshy majored in Economics (STEM) from NYU CAS with a minor in Business Studies from Stern and a second cross school minor in Business in Entertainment, Media and Technology
Early Experience at NYU
She described how it took her time to adjust as the campus is spread across the city, which can be overwhelming. However, she was proactive and grabbed every opportunity to attend events, make friends and meet professors who helped her adjust.
Major Choice
She entered NYU through the Global Liberal Studies Program for the first 2 years. She attended Film, History and Media courses for compulsory credits which exposed her to fields that she later found interesting. GLS provided flexibility which worked for her.
Current Job
She works in Organizational Change Management at Capgemini where she helps clients adjust to IT changes.
Job Search
NYU has great partnerships with companies in NYC. Her major allowed her to work in a wide variety of industries. She has been networking throughout college with these firms and this helped her land the job.
Post COVID-19 Outlook
Her job involves technology and remote operations so adapting to COVID 19 changes was easy. Now she gives confidence to clients on using Tech and privacy policies. She sees meetings going remote even post COVID.
Higher Education Post-COVID
Roshy believes in online learning. She believes the colleges need to make more effort and have professors engaging more with students on virtual platforms. This will give students more confidence.
Growth at NYU
She learnt from her mistakes. Being in clubs and organizing events, being proactive in the community showed her that she is good with people and managing budgets. She learnt to always be prepared for classes, recruitment opportunities and job rejections. NYU is daunting - it's not just about getting up and going to class. The first time she walked past an intoxicated homeless person was scary, but she slowly started exploring other neighborhoods in NYC.
Edbrand's contribution to her journey
She is thankful for all the brainstorming sessions that helped her dive deep into her interests. She continued using this skill in college to explore her interests with advisors.
Advice to current applicants
Don't choose India over the US because of COVID. The global exposure and faculty are much better in the US. Think about starting in the Spring semester as an option. Even if the first semester is online you still have the next 3.5 years to look forward to. Remote learning and group chats will help you kick start your college experience and you would have made friends before coming to campus and learnt at your own pace before coming to the US.
On Job Search
She never had the mindset that college would not be worth it if she didn’t get a job in the US. She only thought of what was in her control - the job search, resume, recruitment and so on. There is a lot of luck that goes into finding the right job that is also the right fit. You can't control the economy. The uncertainty of getting a job in the US should not affect your decision on whether to go to college in the US or not.