Nicole Smith

Candyland, Chutes n Ladders, and Watches

Part of the required Tepper curriculum is to participate in a game (this is no Candyland...I would more appropriately call it a simulation) where we run our own watch business and compete for market share among other things with our classmates and teams worldwide.  After the first couple of weeks I cannot believe the intensity and work required to develop a compelling strategy.  Our program is largely collaborative and analytical in order to prepare us for the business world and this whole game is really the conglomeration of everything we have learned.  I believe the largest lesson I have gleaned so far is the importance of finding a team comprised of members whose skills complement each other and a positive culture reigns.  I am finally coming to terms with Jim Collin's advice to "get the right people on the bus" or sustainability is out of the question.  In my undergraduate program, I participated in a similar capstone simulation and definitely was not aware of all these regression tools and financial equations that dictate this game, but the idea was the same.  The largest contrast would be the international cultural twist that is so much more challenging from a managment and strategy perspective.

This whole game has helped me to appreciate the excitement and allure of discovery and emerging technologies.  I prefer working in a more sexy industry where the question is not how to differentiate but how to educate and find gaps in customer preferences and needs.  Perhaps it is my entrepreneurial interpretation of business that drives me to want to transform our watch company into an entirely different concept and industry just to avoid the trite nature of the business.  I do believe that some of the least desired and trying activities are those we learn the most from, however, so I do see value.  This whole game is a fantastic learning experience; yet, imagine if we extrapolated this concept into our community and used this same technique to change a real business in need.  That's when I think things would start to get exciting.

Career Goals and Challenges

My future career goals are constantly being revised as I find more out about my interests, strengths, and opportunities in this program.  I may find consulting to be the best venue to improve my core understanding of operations in business, moreover, it would allow me to build a stronger base of individuals I could pick from to work with.  I am currently a Swartz Fellow on the Entrepreneurship Track and have every intention of improving the American education system, specifically grades K-12.  My desire is to create a school that incorporates innovation and technology at an early age in addition to many different international practices of education (language, arts, meditation, etc.) that I have learned about through people in my class and will continue to discover as I research for this project.  The number of students that dropout of public high schools is alarming and preventable with a stronger educational support system and it is my goal to create a system that is replicable and possibly linked to the public school system. 

For all those budding Entrepreneurs, I highly recommend the Tepper Swartz Fellows program (Entreprenuership Track).  Professors Art Boni and Tom Emerson lead this program and do an incredible job mentoring the students and connecting them with individuals and corporations across the country in areas of interest.  We have had numerous opportunities to speak with highly successful entrepreneurs, VCs, angel investors, professors, and individuals within the community who will undoubtedly help to shape our future careers.  I'd be interested in fielding any questions related to this program or those with business ideas looking for a place to start building a business.

One of the challenges I will face in the creation of my own business and creating a scalable model is balancing my desire to have a family and an active lifestyle.  Family has always been the priority in my life and I know in the future I will face many decisions that test this; fortunately, listening to several speakers in my Entrepreneurship courses has emphasized that this balance may be achieved with success if the right model and partners are involved.

About Me

I am a full-time MBA student the Tepper School of Business on the Entrepreneurship Track with concentrations in Strategy and Finance. My undergraduate studies at the University of Colorado in Finance and pre-med provided a solid foundation for my business endeavors.

My work experience involves strategic analysis, planning, and implementation at a for-profit entity within the Mayo Clinic. I initiated and participated in several financial analyses to assess gaps within the organization to improve business practices, and in effect, the bottom line. Communicating directly with the executive team and understanding the high-level impact on cross-functional teams enabled me to serve as an unbiased member of a strategic team that facilitated change. My group served as a medium of communication between the management team, employees, and Mayo Foundation to improve the company’s strategic direction.

My passion for business development, social entrepreneurship, and bridging technology with education has shaped the crux of my studies and research. Education and healthcare serve as my primary industry interests for business development; however, the strong push towards technology and social enterprise at CMU has broadened my scope.