The Innovation

Immersion
Experience

-Gopal Srinivasan

Introduction:
Prior to being chosen to partake in the innovation immersion experience, you asked
me why I am interested and what I would like to gain from the trip. Following is my
answer:
I have always been intrigued by the culture of innovation in Silicon
Valley and other places. I want to know what it is about the area that
fosters the creative thinking that has lead to so many success stories. I
have wondered if the success of companies would differ if they started
somewhere else. I hope to learn, or at least gain a better
understanding of how Silicon Valley and other areas differ from other
centers of technology and industry. Other than the area itself, I want
to gain knowledge of how certain companies work for their success. It
is one thing to read articles and hear about what they do, and another
thing to actually witness it. I want to see how the unique business
environments work in the real world.
Over the course of the trip, I can safely say that I was able to accomplish everything I
wanted to, and much more. I came on this trip to really understand the area that is
Silicon Valley, and I feel as though I have done just that. There seems to be a magic
in the region that no other can imitate.
Memories are a plenty when looking back on the last two weeks of August. On the
purely personal side, I will never forget looking down at Seattle from the Space
Needle, the weekend spent on the beach, taking a very risky boat ride out to get a
better look of Alcatraz, and the secret (or now not so secret) trip down Lombard
Street five of us took in the car. The trip really built a sense of camaraderie and
community, and helped build some friendships that I dont see ending any time
soon. It was my second time out to west coast, the second time I have been outside
of the east coast (disregarding my trips to India) and it was one of the best decisions
I made in my soon to be twenty year old life.
The company visits were amazing- a word that you will see much of in the pages
below because there really is no other word for it. The word amazing is overused
in general, as it really should only be used when you have experienced something
that left you in awe, something that made your jaw drop. I dont believe I misused it
once throughout my journal. The Boeing plant was immaculate, Adidas and Nike
were like walking through history, Tesla immediately reminded me that I needed to
get my license, and Pixar brought me back years and years into my past, when I had
no responsibilities. This was nothing short of a trip to remember.

Day 1
Seattle- Starbucks
The trip started out with a visit to Starbucks. Paul Sheets, the Manger of Advanced
Analytics within Customer Analytics gave us a presentation on data science. Data
science pulled all analytic intelligence together so that companies can make
informed decisions that will result in marked improvement in all facets of their
operation.
Drew Conway- Data Science Venn Diagram

Hacking
Skills

Machine
Learning Math/Statistical
Knowledge
Data
Science

DANGER
ZONE

Traditional
Research

Substantive
Expertise

Sheets explained that there were two types of Starbucks in operation- one being
company owned, and the other being company operated. In each type of operation,
there are many ways to track the behavior (transactions) of customers over time.
Using digital channels such as ads, social media, web and mobile, and loyalty, they
are able to do a detailed Market Basket Analysis of what common product pairings
customers buy.
Sheets went on to explain
that Starbucks doesnt
like to keep things
hidden from
their
shareholders, so they release their
plans to their shareholders, forcing their workers to
follow through.

Business Understanding

Deployment

Data Understanding

Data
Evaluation

Data Prep
Modeling

In the end, Sheets wants to build a model based on collected data that could predict
on data that has not yet been seen.
Key Takeaways:
1. Immersion is important. Everyone at Starbucks would take part in coffee
tastings, and be allowed to take a few free bags off the shelf every so often.
Many people that didnt like coffee before coming would change their minds.
On a larger scope, it speaks to the idea to really feel invested in your work,
you must do everything associated with it and not confine yourself to just
your duties. It is good to be the best at your job, but to contribute means to
understand what a company stands for. I can use this idea in the future to
make myself a well-rounded person and worker.
2. Data management is the new trend of business. I have the ability to do
quantitative work, but I have never fallen in love with it. Business seems to
have a good balance of quantitative and qualitative work, but the new trend
seems to be data analytics, which is highly quantitative. I need to embrace
the change and make sure I am proficient in whatever is trending, or I will be
outdated. I have considered pursing a business analytics minor at the Smith
School, and I am even closer to making it definite due to what I have learned.
Day 1
Seattle- Boeing
The only fitting description of our trip to the Everett Boeing plant is impressive.
Before our tour, we sat through a small presentation in which workers, such as
Roger Chen, and Chip F., told us about what Boeing does. While 60% of the business
is in the commercial side, Boeing also is involved in many defense, satellite, and
launch systems. Operating in 65 countries, Boeing was able to achieve 5% traffic
growth (passengers x miles) in the in the past few years. The most impressive thing
about Boeing, other than their plant, was how they still made sure to stay current
and expand where they fly. They have started to move outside of main hubs, and fly
to lesser-populated airports to get more customers. Another thing that stood out
was the supply chain excellence displayed. While walking through the plant, it was
extraordinary to know that the parts are built all around the world and put together
in that one location. Combine that with the fact that some plants are putting
together more than one plane a day, and it is very clear that Boeing has an amazing
process.
The plant itself was incredible. You get a completely different perspective being up
close to a plane than when you are sitting comfortably inside it. It was amazing to
see the material that seemed so thin and light, yet would protect thousands of
passengers from the dangers of the environment at 30,000 feet in the air.

Key Takeaways:
1. There is no such thing as staying the course. Boeing is arguable the most
well known name in the many industries it serves in. To say that they are a
big company is an understatement,
as the Everett plant was essentially a
small, self-reliant city, and the
biggest building in the world by
volume. Instead of keeping their
strategy steady and letting the cash
flow in, they have made the effort to
expand and change. By making
flights from and to smaller airports,
they are able increase their business
and fit even more customers needs.
Another takeaway from this act is
that you are never too big to fail. I
could see that they wanted to be at
the cutting edge of technology and
service, and believed that a small
slipup would result in their
downfall- there didnt seem to be an
in-between. It is that drive and
passion, which can be translated in a
personal level, something I hope to
have in the years to come.
Day 2
Seattle- Tableau
The presentation put together by the Tableau team was very interesting. Lucia Qian,
a corporate development associate (hybrid between finance and strategy) first
spoke to us about her career path and how she helped launch Tableaus IPO. Now,
she is focused on strategy, and the company is focused on research and
development.
The product itself was remarkable- the demo showed that it was a very simple
software that could be used to visualize data. It was easily one of the best pieces of
technology that I saw on the trip. It was very clear that Tableau had made a name
for itself when we visited Tesla and saw that they used Tableaus software..
Next, Francois Ajenstat, the Senior Director of Product Management, came to
presented to us. He believes that product manager is the voice of the customer. He
also believes that customer service is most important, personal touch needs to be

scaled, and doesnt need to be changed to being less personal. He also mentioned
how he saw Tableau as a disruptor. This statement interested me because
everything that I had learned about disruption was about how one product would
take over another. I saw Tableau as being a company that fills a niche very well, but I
never saw them overtaking an incumbent, but that may be because of my lack of
understanding the industry.
Key Takeaways:
1. Uncertainty is okay. Lucia Qian went from working in some capacity or
another at Aflac, to McCormick and Company, to Goldman Sachs, and then to
UBS. It was after one and a half years that she decided to work for Tableau
and help them through their IPO. She worked at a myriad of companies until
she found her calling. As a student, I have heard quite a few different takes on
where we should be in our career paths. For example, our visitor from Vice
Media last was worried that a vast majority of the class had no idea what
they wanted to do. It is good to know that somebody can be successful while
not knowing what she wanted to do through [her] junior year of college. I
feel myself as being in the same position, and while it doesnt completely
absolve me from my worries, it does relieve me from some of my stress.
From her story I can also understand that I should try out many different
things to see what I love the best.
2. Play is important. Tableau had one of the best mixes of a corporate and free
environment. It was balanced. It was amusing to hear that every Friday they
would jump into the lake that was just outside their windows. A sense of
camaraderie is
important to the
overall success of a
company. During
group projects, I
sometimes feel bad
for socializing for a
good portion of the
time, but I now I see
that it can end up
leading to a better
outcome.
Day 2
Seattle- Starbucks Again!
In a series of unfortunate
events, I missed the majority of the tour. However, I joined the group near its
completion, where we saw the different layouts of the floors along with the shop
that was located inside the building. Afterward we met up with former students who
worked in the supply chain field. They explained the intricacy involved in finding

suppliers, making sure that they conform to certain standards, and that they have
enough resources on a daily basis. Following their talk, a member of the financial
team came and briefed what his position was, and how closely they must work with
supply chain team.
Key Takeaways:
1. Travel. One of the most amazing things I had heard over the trip was from
the mouth of the supply chain worker at Starbucks. She said that she had
traveled to over 60 countries already in her life! Most of it was done
backpacking through Europe and into Asia, but the fact that she was able to
go by herself in a strange land was just fascinating. Travel like hers is
composed of things I am afraid of- risk and unfamiliar territories. She came
back with a worldview that not only helps her in the business world, but her
own personal life. It was yet another person that stressed enjoyment, and it
is something I can definitely take to heart. If I travel, I may find myself just as
the former student did.
Day 2
Seattle- Alaska Airlines
A few days before we were set to fly to San Francisco via Alaska Airlines, we had the
privilege of visiting their corporate headquarters. We met with Curtis Kopf, the Vice
President of Customer Innovation. He explained the concept of innovation in a
variety of ways.
INNOVATION
Solving a problem or providing value in a new way
Not done by lone genius
Born form constraint or dissatisfaction with the status quo
Examples of Alaska Airlines dedication to Innovation in Customer Development
1st to use Google Wallet
7 consecutive JD Power Awards for best Customer satisfaction
Consumer Research and Development Team
Innovation Lab
Mantra- startup within a big company
Kopf went on to explain Alaska Airlines dedication to having the best customer
relationships required them to adapt and change their culture. Some key
components of this change included hackathons, Workshop Wednesdays, opening
up the physical space of the office by tearing down the cubicles, engaging
employees, and building executive support. This has all culminated in a company
that has led the industry in on time performance.

Key Takeaways:
1. Innovation is an experience. After taking a course on how innovation and
entrepreneurship is not just about creating the next best product, it was nice
to see a company actually embody that aspect in the real world. Alaska Air
did not create something revolutionary- they just decided to change things
well enough to capture an audience. I dont see myself as a man that will
revolutionize the world with a product, but it is nice to know that somebody
more business minded like me can make as big a difference. If I want to make
an impact, I should be on solving a problem, or heightening an experience.
Day 3
Seattle- Microsoft
The visit to Microsoft was one of my most anticipated ones on the trip. What was
interesting was that Microsoft was not the most exciting company to visit, but it was
one of the most informative.
Our first speaker was Lev Novik, a Software Architect Engineer. While his role was
clearly on the technical side, there were many things that he spoke about
management and the different paths and goals of a company. As a development
leader, Lev said that he had to care about the career of his team members, much like
what was found in Googles Project Oxygen research. While he was a technical
leader, he needed to be able to effectively manage.
Lev Novik went on to explain the differences in culture that exist in a company like
Microsoft. There is always two schools of thoughts battling it out. For example:

Incremental Delivery vs. Big-Bang Delivery

o Versions of a product need to be rare and bring many new features.
However, in the last few years of Microsoft, upgrades have been
incremental after focusing on being customer-centric
Well-defined roles vs. Engineers
Centralized vs. Localized Decision Making
o Decision-making used to be very local- administrators stayed away,
but that doesnt work when you are trying to move the company in a
specific direction.
Geo-distributed vs. Concentrated

He further explained the importance of internal competition to create the best

product, independence helping a lot, and how the groups that he has worked with
tolerate failure and think of it as a learning experience. The presentation ended with
Toni Boyd, who works in customer service, and Asaph, who is a recent grad. We
then went to the Microsoft store, and what stood out was the history that Microsoft
took part in with gaming systems and just the personal computer in general.

Key Takeaways:
1. It is important to acknowledge faults. Lev Novik, while not the most
enthusiastic speaker, was one of the most humble ones we have met. He had
been working at Microsoft for years, and went out of his way to explain how
the company had grown complacent in the years past. The problem,
however, was that Microsoft did nothing to amend their ways. So while Novik
was very honest, he either wasnt heard or was quiet. From his story, I can
identify the need to be reflective and critical of your performance and
direction, but that it is also important to make your voice heard. I should be
prepared in the future to speak freely. Being proactive is much easier than
being reactive, and while Microsoft has been able to find themselves a pretty
large niche, they could have been much more.
2. Dont drink the Kool-Aid. Toni Boyd met us briefly- she was the Director of
online support. The only thing that stood out during her talk was that Bing
was apparently a far superior product than Google. I believe that it is okay
to champion the products and services that your company puts out, but at
the same time, you need to be critical- just like Lev. Over-valuing your assets
can easily lead you to overstating the position your company is in. If the
majority of workers at Microsoft think like Toni Boyd, it is reasonable to see
where the company is in the minds of the consumers relative to companies
like Apple. Like the point above, I need to be critical of both myself and those
I work for in order to be in the best position possible.
3. Lateral movement is taking the place of vertical movement. Asaph, a
former student spoke about how Microsoft has turned into a very flat
organization. Like any other college student, I have dreams of getting into a
company and being on the fast-track to upper management. But these days,
companies are starting to understand the value of a flatter structure,
therefore reducing the number of chances one has at moving up. What I can
do, however, is embrace the ability to learn new skills within a company
by moving to different departments. I shouldnt see the new trend as being
a detriment to my growth, but an opportunity for it. I can be more valuable if
I take the opportunity to learn many different skills.
Day 3
Seattle- Amazon
The visit to Amazon was very interesting. We started off by meeting Michael George,
the Vice President of apps, games, cloud drive, and mechanical turk. He was one of
the earliest employees of the company, working there for 16 years, and had an
enthusiasm that struck me. It didnt seem as though he worked there, but more as
though he came into the building to play.
Mr. George explained that Amazons mission was to be the earths most customercentric company where people can find and discover anything they want online. He

explained that they wanted to know who the customers are, and have a bar raising
team. Speaking of which, there was the idea of having a 2 pizza team. The reasoning
behind this would be to have a team small enough to be fed by two pizzas. They
would be independent, not needing help or permission from other people. The
teams were viewed as a startup within Amazon. They would invent, and simplify,
focusing on their pillars:
1. Price
2. Selection
3. Convenience
At the end of the day, there was a map that Amazon followed to follow their
mission.

Lower cost-structure

Lower prices

Selection

Sellers

Growth

Customer experience

Traffic

Towards the end of the presentation, Mr. George spoke about the importance of
raising the execution and operations for data capture. With more data being made
available, Amazon could capitalize and make sure that customers truly are the
center.
Key Takeaways:
1. Enthusiasm breeds winners. Our meeting at Amazon started off in a most
uncommon fashion. We were greeted my Mr. George, who was standing in
the aisle and would high-five us as we walked down. The entire presentation
was nothing but a testament to how much he loved working at Amazon.
There was little formality, and it seemed as though he was a kid at a candy
shop as he showed us the features of the Amazon Fire Phone. I hope to find a
job where I can be that happy. Another interesting part of the Amazon
experience was the game they played that would end up leaving workers
bloodied and with broken bones. To be that enthralled with your work that

you are more than willing to take part in something that will land you in the
hospital is actually all you can wish for. The pure love and joy for Amazon has
led them to be one of the most respected companies in the world. If I follow
my passions with such enthusiasm, it makes me believe that I can succeed
because others have done it before me.
2. Success is not always monetary. Its hard not to think of success in terms of
dollars when you see your classmates doing some amazing things and getting
paid heftily for it. But at the end of the day, Amazon embodies the idea that
success is not just about profit. Their market capitalization may be off the
charts, but they have actually been losing money recently, but if you just
observed the workers you wouldnt be able to guess that at all. They have a
very clear mission, and they seem to be going to the ends of the earth to
make sure they succeed in accomplishing that mission. I need to understand
that money isnt everything. If I am allowed to get a little existential here, it is
more about the experience- or life. If I enjoy life, good things will end up
happening.
3. In some ways, I had the same perception of Michael that I got from Toni Boyd
of Microsoft. Both were passionate, maybe a little too much so, about their
work and believed that they were the gold standard in the industry.
Confidence is okay, but it depends on your standing. It is okay to be very
confident when your company has the support of consumers and many other
entities, but not when you are looking up. Status is more important than we
think. Its a simple lesson that can keep me humble and from looking
ridiculous.
Day 4
Portland- Adidas
Two of the most highly anticipated visits on the trip were in Portland. A certain, let
us say, benefit, was definitely on the minds of my peers and I, but our expectations
were far exceeded when we started out at Adidas.
The unique experience started off with an
experiential presentation from Rich Roberson, a
patent lawyer for Adidas. He explained how in his
position, he must be deeply immersed in the
technology around which he works. You must
know the technicals. He showcased a new ball
that was capable or capturing its own trajectory,
spin, speed, and other factors when paired with a
smartphone application. Rich then turned over the
rest of the tour to Tom, someone who had been
with Adidas since it first entered the US Market. He
was part of the sports marketing company that was
bought out at the time, and has stayed there ever
since.

Being a senior member, Tom was very knowledgeable about the culture, which was
arguably the most important factor in Adidas success. There was a bar in every
building, lending to the idea that they work hard, and play hard. One of the most
interesting parts of Adidas was the fact that they call the campus the Village, in
reference to the Olympic Village. Each building is named after the country in which
the Olympics were held. At Adidas, they immerse themselves in the sports they
represent. In many ways, companies like Adidas are as much a part of the sport they
make products for as the athletes that play them. In fact, Adidas considers their
employees to be business athletes. Effort and movement is everything, to the point
where people are chided for failing to take the stairs in favor of the elevator.
Employees also have the opportunity to play against professional athletes in
competitions prepared by Adidas.
One of the most questionable things about the visit was how the company was
clearly worried about product secrets being leaked, but was very relaxed in letting a
group of college students roam through their halls. It was only after pictures were
taken in restricted areas that they would tell us that they werent allowed. There
was no confiscation, nor was there any scolding. It was almost as if they used the
access to peak our interest.
At the end of the day, Adidas is a company driven by making the best product. They
believe that they make the superior product in the market, and that other
companies, specifically Nike, fall below their standards.
Key Takeaways:
While the visit to Adidas was fantastic, there werent too many messages I could
take away from the experience.
1. Relationships have a tipping point. Rich Roberson and Tom both spoke of
their relationship with teams. Notre Dame was upset by their deal with the
University of Michigan, and wanted to get paid an amount that was far
greater than their current deal. Adidas wouldnt stand for that, and
essentially told them to shut the door on the way out. You cant be upset at a
colleague or a friend for partnering with someone you dont like. Youll ruin
the strong relationship you have. Earlier in middle school days I was angry
with my friends who befriended my worst enemy. I learned very quickly
that it didnt make sense to ask more of them, and that it strained my
relationship when I would use my disgust for the other person to ask my
friends to cut their ties with him, among other things. You cannot take
advantage of things that are important to you. This is a timeless piece of
advice I hope to follow to my deathbed.

Day 4
Seattle- Nike
Following our visit to Adidas was our visit
to Nike headquarters, where we had our
most structured visit. The five-hour
presentation started out with Mark
Pilkenton, the Director of Global Brand
Culture. He spoke of the culture around
Nike, and showed us the video that new
hires are shown to integrate them quickly.
He explained how important story- telling
is to Nike, and how they like to think of
themselves as an athlete company rather than a product company. They serve the
athlete, and help as a team to compete to win. This idea was broken down into
different factors:
Innovate
Dare to risk Phil Knight put everything he earned back into his company
You need to bet your job, and not the company
Trust
Next to speak was Roland Olfram, who worked in marketing to emerging markets.
Roland was able to work on the World Cup. He explained that emerging markets are
more lucrative than Western Europe, and so there was a recent surge in attempting
to gain an audience in those places. The difference between Nike and Adidas, he
explained, was that Nike wanted to
revolutionize the game while Adidas is
happy with the status quo. For example,
Rolands marketing campaign in the
emerging markets leading up to the World
Cup was focused on risking everything.
There were soccer tournaments tailored to
a specific region, but the nature of some of
the events was true to the new war cry for
Nike. A military coup in Thailand didnt stop
the team from setting up a soccer
tournament on a ship off the coast. They
believed that even with a curfew, kids will always find a way to play, and they were
correct. The event was successful.
Before our meeting with Howard White, we had the great opportunity to be taken
around the campus. While the official tour guide was not available, Kenny Cohen
took us around. We saw many different buildings and got a feeling of what it was
like to work there. What I saw was a company that was much more corporate than

Adidas, but still knew how to have fun. In fact, that very day Phil Knight came to
participate in the Ice Bucket Challenge in front on his employees.
The visit by Howard White was easily one of the most memorable on the trip. Simply
put, he had a presence about him that few can hope to have. There was nothing but
passion in the mans voice, and while I wanted to know more about his ability to
work with all these famous athletes, I wasnt disappointed at all to see him just talk
about being the best person you can be. The moments that still resonate are as
follow:

Timeliness is great
Have an upper-hand in the real world
When you give the world you all, it resonates with people
o Need enthusiasm
o Have commitment
o Discipline, habit, and instruction are all needed to do anything in the
world
o What we choose to believe in our minds is what turns out to be true
o Even a dog can wag its tail when it passes you on the street
o Failure gives you a chance to reflect, afraid to fail= afraid to succeed

Key Takeaways:
1. Dare to risk. One of my favorite quotes is by Jon Stewart, where he states- if
you dont stick to your values when theyre being tested, theyre not values:
theyre hobbies. I believe that a variation of this quote can be applied to Phil
Knights story. Phil Knight was proving that his business wasnt just a hobby;
it was something more than that. He was willing to put all his money right
back into his company. I need insert this type of decision making in my life.
Who do I want to be, and how do I want to do it? I need to reevaluate my
passions and goals and see if they really are hobbies. If I can take a risk and
be happy with whatever the consequence, at the very least I will know that I
stand for something.
2. Timeliness is great. Howard Whites words are both very simple, but
powerful. He explained that a single act could leave a great impression with
somebody. Getting off on the right foot can go a long way. I always try to
make it early to events, but there are certain times where I dont care
whether or not I make it on time. I know that I can stand out if I make the
extra effort.
3. Discipline, habit, and instruction are all needed to do anything in the
world. Its good to have a blueprint of how to do certain things. I like having
something I can compare my actions to, to see if I am on the right path. I can
use it as sort of a checks and balances system. The second half of Whites
statement is important, because it shows that a simple enough formula to

understand can lead to amazing things. I need to truly believe this in order to
make it come true.
4. Afraid to fail= Afraid to succeed. I too often think about failure when I
make a decision, rather than seeing that failure is not exactly the worst thing
that can happen. Failure just means that I tried, and sometimes what I can
learn from that failure is more valuable than whatever success I could have
had. I need to get over the fear of failure, and whenever I hear something like
I heard from Mr. White, I take one more step in the right direction.
Day 5
Bay Area- Polaris Partners- Gary Swart
Our meeting with Gary Swart at his home was one of the best personal experiences
during the trip. We sat down in his backyard and he explained his career path. He
first worked as a middleman for selling metal, the same as his father, and realized
that he wanted to do more. He worked at IBM where received great training and
development in Armonk, NY. He then decided to work at Intellibank, which he
explained as DropBox done wrong. He then followed up by moving to oDesk, and
will shortly be joining the Polaris Partners who dont currently have much of a
presence in the Bay Area. What was great about Garys talk was that it was less of a
presentation on what he had done, and more about how he got where he wanted to
be.
Key Takeaways:
Gary Swarts story and his view on life were very valuable. There were many things
that stood out to me.
1. Excitement is as much a part of success and happiness as ones technical
ability. Gary couldnt get excited for Allstate or Toys R Us, so he left them.
You may be good at your job, but you need more than that. Job security might
be attractive, but you need to do something that makes you happy. The
problem I have is deciding on whether to go all in on passion, or settling for
something more grounded and safe. I have taken a step into Swarts line of
thinking however, because I decided to stop pursuing accounting as a degree,
because I was not excited by it.
2. Impact, growth and development of self, financial reward, and balance
(what keeps you busy outside of work) are the most important factors
in deciding on a job or career. I had never thought of having a formula to
my career- I thought it was more of just falling in love with the circumstances
around you. It was helpful to hear a different perspective of how one should
dictate their circumstances. The formula seems so simple, and yet it really
does cover everything in your life. You can bet that I will be using this when
making decisions about work and about activities at school.
3. Second-guessing is natural. Gary gave up an opportunity to be employee #3
at Netflix because he wasnt passionate about it. Looking back, Gary felt

obvious pain that he didnt get to enjoy in the success of Netflix, but Reid
Hastings told him that he should be proud of what he has accomplished.
When it comes to decision-making, I should be decisive and not be upset by
what could have been. I should just look in one direction, and make sure that
I am happy with what did happen.
4. Risk is necessary. Risk is not something that happens out of thin air- it
happens because you need to take charge the way you live your life. Gary
switched from job to job because he wasnt being fulfilled. I have always
thought of risk as taking leaps of faith. Instead it is more about taking a
necessary step that is different from what you are currently doing- that is the
risk. This train of thought helps me lower the fear factor of what risk is.
5. Get more responsibility. This idea was very straightforward, but still
something that resonates. The only way to prove yourself is to set lofty goals,
and to capitalize when someone trusts you to get something done. I have
tried to prove myself by being involved in extra-curricular activities.
However, I need to continue to push my limits, and take on more
responsibility in both quantity and quality. Proving self-worth is the only
way to get far.
Day 5
Bay Area- WePay
I would by lying if I said that WePay was a highlight of the trip. I didnt know who or
what the company was prior to the visit, and the presentation didnt help to peak my
interest. Craig Zamer, the Director of Product, spoke to us, and his work experience
was pretty interesting. He worked at HP, Apple, and Intuit (for 17 years!). He
essentially jumped from big company to big company, and found a standing with
one before deciding to help a startup. Craigs responsibility at WePay was to make
sure that the user experience was the best it could be. He explained that WePay
helps groups put together money for whatever reason, and one of the main
components of the service was its fraud detection. WePay is able to gather a vast
amount of information about a person through social media and verify that they are
in fact a person. Craig later described more about the product, much of which I
didnt understand due to the prevalent use of technical terms and the rest I
admittedly tuned out of. The most polite way to put it was that the presentation was
not the most appealing.
Key Takeaways:
1. Presentation and delivery are important. Content can be what you rely
on- delivery is important. Whenever I have to put together a presentation, I
tend to make sure that my content is of the utmost standards, and sometimes
rely very much on the material to carry me. I rarely approach the delivery
with as much fervor, but more effort needs to be directed so as to get the
audience actually interested in what the content is.

2. Follow your interests. Craig had worked for a long time in some of the most
successful companies in his industry. At the end of the day, he left for
something that was new and something that peaked his interest. It is another
way for me to look at my career- it doesnt have to be spent at one company
however great the security is. Craigs career path has also proved that even
late in your career, you can still be unsatisfied by something.
Day 5
Bay Area- Greylock
Day five of our trip was one of the busiest. After visiting Gary Swart and WePay, we
moved on to Greylock Partners, a venture capital firm that has had a great amount of
success. We were met by Jeff Markowitz, a partner at Greylock, who explained what
one of his most important duties was. He helps recruit top executives for companies
in their portfolio. Regarding the companies in their portfolio, they tend to be
product and technology driven. The job he does is very important, considering the
biggest risk is hiring executives- CEOs can tank a company. The trip was very
informative, as we learned new terms such as an acquisition (or acqua) hire- hiring
a team (if they fail) because sometimes the product is just horrible.
Key Takeaways:
1. Your can always get to your dream job. Jeff Markowitz described his
journey to becoming a partner at Greylock, and it started off with
uncertainty. He didnt know what he wanted to do, so he ended up choosing
to be an accounting major to have a good background. He worked at Deloitte
as the account manager for Comcast, and learned very quickly that he could
use his position to get a job of his choosing. He became more focused on
getting out of Deloitte, and was able to parlay his relationships to become a
corporate recruiter, something that he loves to do. Many times I have thought
that my dream job is unrealistic, but now I know that I can always get
somewhere that I enjoy by working my way up from the bottom. There is no
need for me to be miserable, because there is always hope.
Day 5
Bay Area- Google
Google was one my most anticipated visits. It was unfortunate that we didnt get a
chance to meet with Matias Duarte, but the trip was nonetheless memorable.
The most noticeable thing about our visit was the culture embodied by the Google
Bikes. Google Bikes are plenty and were all around campus. They are not owned by
any individual employees, and are available to anyone that needs to travel
somewhere else on campus. The employee would pick it up, use it, and leave it

wherever it seemed convenient. It represented the always forward-moving

company that is Google.
For our presentation we were met by three relatively recent graduates, Adam,
Brady, and Amy. Brady explained to us the importance of getting knowledgeable
about many different, random, opposite subjects. This helps him understand and
work with the various personalities that exist within Google. He also described the
process of dogfooding, or having a companys employees try out their product
before releasing it to the rest of the public. After all, a company must be proud of
what they release.
Adam, who was in sales, explained the interview process and how everyone works
together in Google. Since he differed from a technical worker, he said that he had
two separate twenty-minute interviews. In group interviews, everyone had their
unique niche and took leadership in that. There were also rapid-fire business
situations. When asked about what Adam got out of his time at the Smith School of
Business, he explained that their stress on networking and being a well-rounded
individual, having good grades and good work experience. Following the
presentation we had a tour around campus. Everything was heavily subsidized, so
drinks and snacks were free in the kitchens. Google was more of a city than it was
headquarters for a company.
Key Takeaways:
1. School is about experiences. I make sure that my focus is on the work that I
submit, however, I must also be able to understand that books are not the
only valuable resources at school. There are events to go to that can actually
be more formative than anything else during your terms. I believe that I have
done a good job of being a part of those experiences, but I need to make sure
that I can continue to do this. Networking events, conferences, speaker
series- like Adam, I need to be able to take advantage of my opportunities.
Days 6 and 7

Day 8
Bay Area- EBay
My idea of EBay was much different from what I saw. I didnt pay much attention to
the company, but assumed that it was irrelevant following the presence of Amazon.
Our speaker Brian Johnson was able to keep me informed.
Mr. Johnson is the Director of Engineering, working at EBay for 11 years. While
EBay used to be a heavily auction based exchange, it is now only 30% auction and
70% fixed prices, with 60% of their business coming through mobile devices and
40% coming through desktops.
I was partly right in my assumption that EBay was irrelevant with the coming of
Amazon. EBay did decline greatly, but Mr. Johnson explained that you need to
reinvent yourself to come back after shrinking. They have been able to do this with
new investments. EBay owns quite a few number of classified sites, like Craigslist,
along with PayPal. Both are growing faster than the original marketplace, so while
the marketplace is still the cash cow, they are reinvesting the money they earn back
into those companies that are growing with the current trends.
An interesting practice of EBay is their management of their investments. They tend
to allow the companies to run independently after purchasing them. For example,
Stubhub has retained close to all of its independence.
Key Takeaways:
1. Make a difference. Brian Johnson said that he decided to work for
companies rather than work in academia because he like working with good
people on good problems to make a difference. I want to make sure that I
make a difference in this world, and I need to know how to do it. Mr.
Johnsons view of how to make a difference is something that is valuable, and
something to keep in mind as I continue looking for my purpose in life.

2. Reinvention is survival. The idea of reinventing yourself as a company can

easily be applied to me as an individual. If I fail many times in a row, or suffer
a big blow, I need to understand that I am not down and out. I just need to
recognize that there are other things I can do to get back on my feet.
Day 8
Bay Area- SlidePay
The most surprising value received from a trip was from that of SlidePay.
Throughout the entire trip we had gone to companies that were major successes
and household names, and even if they had failed, they were able to get right back
up and continue to do well financially. Charlie, on the other hand, was an ambitious
and passionate, but failed businessman.
Charlie started off at Deloitte and hustled his way into WePay. Hustle seems to be
a very important trait to Charlie. When he interviews someone, he cuts off all
contact with them and waits for them to pursue him to show that they have hustle.
As a consultant, he was supposed to be a fly on the wall, but that didnt sit well at
WePay, as he ended up being told that he was not energetic enough.
After taking an engineer from WePay, he took on a variety of payment projects. In
general, he concluded that payments was a bad business to be in because there is no
branding nor is there differentiation. He then went after banks, but balked at ones
wanting to go for exclusivity. This ultimately led to the companys demise. He urged
us to find a contrarian point of view, otherwise known as a secret, which makes
people think and follow you.
Key Takeaways:
1. Hustle is important. Hustle is twofold. It both helps you get where you want
to be, and it helps others realize that you are valuable to them. As I said
before, Charlie seemed to value hustle a lot, and while he has not reached his
goals in life, it is clear that he is the sort of person that can get there. I hope
that hustle becomes a part of my life. I want people to value me.
2. Reflection allows you to move on. Charlie Pinto definitely suffered after his
business failed. However, he has decided that he will start another one, but
he needs time to reflect and write a postmortem before he moves on. It gives
him the ability to figure out where he went wrong, and what he can do
differently. When I do fail, many times I dont take the time to review what I
had done because it is too painful. Instead of truly understanding what
happened, I tend to blame everything except me. But the only way to move
on is to reflect, learn, and make fixes.
3. Advisors have value. Charlie talked about how important it was for him to
have investors on board. Their value was far beyond their money, and
Charlie explained that their guidance was probably the most important part
of their involvement. In the past I have been afraid of asking for help because

I like getting things done by myself. In a way, I want to prove myself.

However, asking for help does not mean that I am weak, it just means that I
understandably do not have all the information. By putting myself in the
company of many savvy and intelligent advisors, friends, or colleagues, I will
be will be better off than I would be alone.
4. Its better to start over than to fight through. Charlie explained group
dynamic, and said if a culture is toxic, fire everybody, stop the product, and
start again. If there are problems, then you need to recognize them and throw
them away instead of trying to fix them. This was contrary to things that I
had heard before- I thought that it was more important to correct problems
within team dynamic, but I guess it makes sense to throw away problems and
people, because there is no guarantee of those people being able to work
effectively. On a more personal level, I have learned that if there is problem
that I am facing, sometimes it is important to completely strip it down to its
parts, and look at it from a different perspective. I can easily apply this in my
life.
5. A final takeaway form the visit had to do with the world Charlie Pinto lived
in. When he was asked by a trip member what we all can do to succeed, he
told us to be a computer science major- to drop everything and pursue it with
a disregard for anything else. I refuse to believe that the only way to be
successful in life is to be a computer science major. Charlies world has a very
narrow focus, and so it seems to make sense to take anything and everything
he says with a grain of salt.
Day 8
Bay Area- Facebook
It was only fitting that we went from visiting a company that was in its last day at its
residence, to a company that has a market capitalization of close to $200 billion.
Kendall Beveridge, the Manager of Vertical Marketing, described her work with
global marketing solutions. She helps create relationships between Facebook and
games that are mutually beneficial.
Kendall outlined her overwhelming interview process, where she prepared
tirelessly before the process even started. She was screened by a recruiter, given a
referral, had a meeting, had a phone meeting, and then an on-site meeting.
Culture is always a big part of the companies we have visited, and it is no different
for Facebook. She explained that while the company is large, the workers want to
make it feel small. People focus on impact, and understand their responsibility.
There is only one person assigned to a job, and they view their performance as
either As or incompletes. There is no in-between. What was quite odd, yet
understandable, was the use of Facebook in a workday. Facebook is used completely
for communication, and there is no work profile. Workers must use their personal
profile for work, which I assume can get very uncomfortable.

Facebooks campus was more of a downtown to a city than it was a workplace.

Restaurants were spread throughout and the food was completely free. There were
also what looked to be street performers with instruments, to give it even more of
downtown feel. I believe that the effort was to make the area feel like home rather
than work, and it worked well.
Key Takeaways:
1. High expectations = quality results. Kendall Beveridge described the idea
that when completing a task, it has to be an A or it is an incomplete. I
always try to make sure that whatever I turn in is my best effort, but maybe I
need to consider increasing my standards even more. It shouldnt just be my
best effort, but guaranteed to be the best in the class. Those are lofty goals,
but something that is necessary when you consider what it takes to really
succeed in todays world.
Day 8
Bay Area- Pixar
It is safe for me to say that the most thrilling visit
was that to Pixar. I seemed to have made up my
mind before I even stepped in the front door, but
the visit was as great as I expected to be. It was a
combination of time travel to my younger days
and helpful instruction. My enthusiasm was
validated the moment I stepped through the
doors of the Steve Jobs building, running to try to
find the bathroom when the only voice I heard
was Good morning! Welcome to Pixar! I had
made up my decision that it was the happiest
place on earth. After asking for the directions to
the restroom, I scurried off, and seeing that there
wasnt the standard man and woman
silhouette marking the different bathrooms, but a
Woody and Bo Peep silhouette, I yelled out
this is so cool! while running into the restroom, something Im sure those using the
stalls werent expecting.
Marc Greenberg, the Vice President of Finance and Strategy gave us a great
presentation on Managing in a Creative Culture.
Environment
o Luxo lamp + ball
o Atrium is very important
All major conference rooms are visible
o Card gives you access anywhere on the campus even if you are an
intern

o People create their own workplace (like a shed) as long as it doesnt

break fire code
o Director of Brave was passionate about medieval weaponry and its
relevance to the film, so they had sword lessons
o Investment in teaching artists technical skills, and teaching
technicians artistic skills
This allows employees to better appreciate the work others do
o Really good food
Food is subsidized by 50% so that employees are content with
more than just their work
o For Toy Story 3 artists shaved their heads for a Clean Start
Made it a huge spectacle and convinced everyone to
participate- they would then grow back their hair and not cut it
to see who the last person standing is
Hiring
o Right team is paramount
A mediocre idea to a great team is better than a great idea to a
mediocre team. The great team will make the idea better, while
he mediocre team will ruin the great idea
o Hire on potential
Internships are class based
o Hire smart people
Need a team that works together- cannot be afraid of being
replaced- the hope is that people recognize your talent for
putting good people
to work
Managing an Individual
o Actively encourage
o Understand disagreements
Ask more questions,
dont jump to
conclusions, dont
shut it down
o You arent always right
o Champion candor
Managing a Team
o Creating a friction that is
healthy
o Assess and uncover (good
ideas)
o Surprise is okay
o Share problems
(downplaying problems is
dishonesty)
o Evaluate process and

outcome
o React and recover
o Safe to take risks
o Failure is OK
o Goal is not to prevent errors- the goal is excellence
o Trust under all circumstances
o Measure ability to solve problems
o Show early and often
o Problems are everybodys problems
Managing a Company
o Limits are essential- they push innovation and great problem solving
o Change takes work
o Goals are interdependent, agendas differ- you need to be a team
player
o Protect new ideas
o Inspiration can come from anywhere
o Fight fear
o Communication structure =/= organizational structure
People are encouraged to share their ideas and not be bogged
down by bureaucracy
o Rule the 95%, not the 5%
Be reasonable, dont micromanage
o Crises are formative
o Companies need humility (success is not automatic)
o Balance not stability
o Never lose sight of the REAL GOAL
Managing a Company: Driving Animation
o Those that succeeded now were the ones that failed before
We ended our trip to Pixar with a walk around the building, looking at screening
rooms and the work environment of the artists. It was amazing. One person made
the station a bar, another a little shed. I believe that I have a better appreciation for
art than others, but will never understand how they get any work done at Pixar.
Key Takeaways:
1. Never lose sight of the REAL GOAL. One of the many management tactics is
important because it means that you need to forget about the little things.
There will always be deterrents in your path, some larger than others. But if
you lose sight of the goal and focus too much on smaller issues, you may
completely forget what you set out to do. I can be one of those people that
worry about the small things, making mountains of molehills. If I look past
those problems, I can reduce my own stress on top of being more
levelheaded.
2. Immersion is important. I know that I have already mentioned this, but I
feel as though it needs to be said again. The story of the director of Brave

getting his workers sword fighting lessons is the epitome of immersing

yourself in the work you are about to do. I have realized that the only way to
really get the best work out and to do the best job is to care about what you
are doing. It is not just about skill. You can become complacent very easily if
you dont appreciate what you are doing, and again that is something that
will stick with me for a while.
3. Surprise is okay. I fear the unknown, the risk, the opportunity that was
missed. However, one of the many things that I can do to get over this fear is
to continuously remind myself that surprise can be okay. Surprise is not
designated as good or bad, its just something you werent expecting. I need
to get rid of the negative connotation to live a better and less stressful life.
4. Goal is not to prevent errors, the goal is excellence. What I understand
from this management idea is that mistakes are okay. Mistakes are what
make something great because they can be fixed. Again, there is a negative
connotation around the concept of a mistake, but it can certainly be very
helpful in the long run. The path to excellence is riddled with mistakes you
must make in order to get to your goal. This alternate, or should I say better,
view is something that I can definitely utilize in the years to come.
Day 9
Bay Area- Flextronics
I had never heard of Flextronics before, and so it
was quite interesting to learn about the second
largest company in the world. They are dedicated
in manufacturing, design, and global services, and
create just about anything and everything in every
industry. Our tour was headed by a guide (or
mannequin? I couldnt quite tell the difference)
Natalia. We were taken through the various
buildings and shown the great technology. There
were friendly robots and secret rooms abound for
any of their customers. The dedication to the
customer was apparent through the story of the
President investing $100 million to please Apple
and get their polishing process correct for a
product of theirs.
Key Takeaways:
1. The customer is always right. One of the most outrageous stories I heard
on the trip is the one of the President of Flextronics investing $100 million to
change up the polishing process to one of the products it was making for
Apple. Flextronics was completely dedicated to one thing, and one thing onlymaking sure the customer is satisfied. Now it is hard for me to take a very

personal message away from this, but I will say is that it has shown me the
true depths of the importance of the customer. Products are no longer being
sold, they are being bought, and that clear distinction leads to huge decisions
that seem to make absolutely no financial sense at all at the time. If I need to
bring it to a personal level, I would say that this story taught me about the
importance of people and relationships over business (although you can
certainly argue that this was a business decision).
Day 9
Bay Area- Tesla
The Tesla visit was a spectacle. We started out with an informal tour of the
manufacturing plant, considering that there is no actual tour in place. After looking
at the different facets of the plant, we were given a small presentation by John
Spruill on the future of Tesla, which was
nothing but ambitious. The message was clear,
Tesla wanted to do more than build great cars,
it wants to build a sustainable and cheap
planet. They have a plan to build free supercharging stations that are in range of each
other at a frequency such that a person can
travel cross-country in their car for free. The
finale of our visit was fantastic, as we were all
allowed to explore a few Tesla Model Ss.
Key Takeaways:
1. Build partnerships with enemies. Tesla is the definition of a disruptor, and
by all means is not going to be loved by those that have been in the industry
forever. However, they saw a
mutually beneficial
partnership with Toyota and
Mercedes, and acted on it.
They are still competitors in
the market, but they were
able to work together
because they saw that it
could only lead to good. I can
apply this in my personal life,
to not see my competition as
enemies, but as potential
partners. The goal shouldnt
be to anger others, but to work with them when there is an opportunity for
all of us to grow.

Conclusion
What made the trip so successful was the fact that it didnt seem like a class. It didnt
feel as though you were being force fed lessons, but you were definitely learning
something all the time. There was a very clear educational value to the trip, being
that it exposed us to many trends in many different industries and gave us an idea of
what real workers do at companies that Im sure many people are very interested in
working at. The biggest educational value, however, were the personal experiences
and presentations on what makes certain companies successful. The meeting with
Charlie Pinto was one of the most informative, and something I may mention to a
recruiter, because it taught us what it takes to get into Silicon Valley, and how a
company can fail. I feel that in many cases we are desensitized to failure because we
study successes, but failure is more prevalent than success in life. I cannot speak
more highly about that visit, because it was the most realistic one we went on. We
learned about failure, but also about how to put yourself in a position where you can
actually fail meaning you had the chance of succeeding. In comparison, the visit to
Pixar gave us fantastic insights on what it takes to manage in a creative
environment. Overall, business is becoming more and more based on innovation,
and therefore creativity, and it is invaluable to know how to navigate certain
characters, and how to get the best out of your works. Every visit we had resulted in
a new piece of information that we can use to our advantage.
I appreciated the real world access, and the time that the workers took to put
together a presentation that in many ways was about how to better ourselves. The
selflessness and help given to college students is something I wish to be able to do
when I am in a good position in life.
When looking at the trip as a whole, there are certain key takeaways that must be
mentioned.
1. Culture is the most important thing in a company. There was not one
company visit we had where somebody failed to mention culture. Everyone
talked either about how their culture changed, or how their culture is unique
and keeps everyone engaged. Culture is what sets apart Silicon Valley from
anywhere else. I truly believe that if one of the major companies in Silicon
Valley had started somewhere else, they would have fallen victim to the
corporate structure and failed. Last year I learned about IDEO and how they
are actually hired many times to change in the culture in a workplace. I
couldnt understand how that could be a lucrative business, but now it makes
complete sense.
2. Embrace risk. Not one company succeeded without risk. There was no such
thing as a sure bet; everything was risked at one point or another. In order to
succeed you need to be willing to take a calculated leap of faith. The hope is
that you land on something soft (preferably a pile of money).
Looking back at a trip that happened two months ago, I realize that I cannot stop
talking about it. It only took 9 days, but I something I will never forget. It changed

me in that it made me realize that many of worries are trivial in the long run. It gave
me a boost of passion, for what- I dont know, but all of a sudden I wanted to do
something productive. It also opened me up to the idea of owning a businessbuilding something from the ground up. It was by far one of the best experiences
that I will take away from my undergraduate experience because it fit years of
lessons and hours of research down into 9 days. Getting out of my habitat- the east
coast- opened me up to different world filled with hope. In the future, I wish to go
more short-term study abroad trips, and hope to enjoy it as much as I did this one.
One thing I may miss more than all the others- the Pizookie