I’m not ready to leave, but I’m ready to go

Posted on May 13, 2010 by ryan brown

So this is it. Projects are completed and presented. Papers are written and turned in. Classes are done and finals are taken. Disorientation activities start on Sunday leading up to graduation on Friday. Where has the time gone? It feels like only a short time ago I got the email from Sharon telling me I had been admitted to the class of 2010. At that point, sitting in my office in London I was very excited to be heading back to school and of course back to Texas, but I had no idea what the next two years would entail. All I knew was that this could possibly be a life changing event. Looking back on my two years I can say that I was right. In my last blog as an MBA candidate, I wanted to look back on the past two years and the events that have shaped my experience here.

MAP Argentina – 16 people, 7 days, many cows eaten, many bottles of wine consumed, endless memories and laughter. Bonds created for life. Our MAP trip to Argentina can me described as nothing less than amazing. It set the tone for what was going to be a great two years.

The crew at the Independiente contra Estudiantes

The crew at the Independientes contra Estudiantes

Explore McCombs 2008 – With Danielle and Digo, I helped to organize our diversity weekend, shedding some light on McCombs to a group of prospective students. I really enjoyed being a part of this event for multiple reasons, but mostly because I really do love talking to prospective students about my expereince and this was just the first step in what was going to be two years of trying my best to help them out.

MBA Finance Challenge - I know that I am going into investment banking and I’m supposed to know finance, but back in November of my first year I still had a of learning to do. Luckily I was a part of a great team that worked well together and we won the challenge (and the $10k prize). Shouts to Tide, Mike, and John for a job well done.

Midterm week 2008 – One of the most painful and gratifying weeks ever. Five exams in five days. Little sleep, studying all day. By Friday the last exam seems almost irrelavent as your brain is fried and all you can think about is either the post midterm party or sleeping for next 3 days. I thankfully chose the party. Sleeping is overrated.

Wall Street Trek 2008 – 3 days in New York allowing me to make the connections that led to my internship, and ultimately my full time job. Enough said.

Super Week 2009 – So this was the 8 interviews in 2 days that changed my life, giving me an opportunity I never thought I’d have just 2 years ago. It just speaks to the power of business school and if you want something and put your mind to it, you can do it. Click the link to read the recollection of it. I actually laugh reading it now but as I sit here remembering it, it was brutal and exhausting, but something I can always look back on as “worth it”.

Summer internship at JPM – My summer reflection blog is here (Summer reflection). I just wanted to say that after my experience I’m looking forward to the next couple years, am a little scared, but know that I have gained the knowledge and experience here at McCombs to be successful as well as a strong support system to help me through the tough times that are sure to come.

Fall semester 2009 – Wow. And I thought first semester was tough. I didn’t even have to search for a job given my full time offer after my internship, but I was ridiculously busy. 6 classes, a Plus project, and leadership roles in two on-campus organizations kept me busy to say the least. But if you know me, that’s the only way I can live.

Global Connections 2010 – Dubai, India, Goa. An amazing 2 week trip full of professional and personal development as well as a whole lot of fun.

And now what is left? Well, the rest of my life I guess. It’s been a good ride. No, scratch that, an amazing ride. I have had the time of my life, while at the same time learning and experiencing things I never thought I would, with people I will know forever and that have impressed me endlessly. If I had to start over and choose where I could have gone to school, I would choose McCombs every time. I would not change a thing. I’ve loved my time here and come May 21st I will be crying like a baby because you just can’t get this time back, but it has afforded me the opportunity to create more memories in the future. And for that, I cannot wait. I wish you all luck in your search for the right school, but I know it would be hard to go wrong with McCombs. It was perfect for me.

And I’ll leave you with this gem: some photos of me as I entered the program and some recent ones as I left it. Hope you find it as funny as I do! Has it been 5 years or 2?!

Cohort games during first year orientation

First semester fun

MBA Formal 2010

Legacy Bash 2010

India Global Connections 2010 – Part 1, Dubai

Posted on March 7, 2010 by ryan brown

All semester we have been waiting for this trip and after a stressful week of midterms, papers, projects, and immunizations we were finally ready to get on the long flight to India…but not without a weekend trip to Dubai via Emirates Airlines. You would think that a nearly 15 hour flight would be horrible, but thanks to Emirates, it was a GREAT trip. Three movies (Up in the Air, Blind Side, and The Fantastic Mr. Fox) and incredible service – less the availability of water! – made me never want to take another airline. Ever.

So a weekend in Dubai probably would have meant an expensive hotel room but lucky enough I have a friend who has a sister who was a friend whose father lives in Dubai and is generous enough to host us for a couple days. Come to find out they live on The Palm Jumeirah on one of the palms (namely).

So the first night we are greeted with huge smiles and parental instincts: After giving us a tour of the place, we are each given a beer and a sit down meal which they prepared specifically for us. They didn’t even eat! After dinner we head out to meet up with someone that Morgan knows who is currently living here. We head out to a place called Barasti, which is a huge bar right on the beach. Pretty cool place but everyone noted that it could have been anywhere in the world given the lack natives, strong British contingency, and pumping music (mostly American songs turned into house beats). Getting there at 11pm, having a few drinks and very enjoyable people watching, 2:30am came up on us quickly. We wanted to get an early start to the day, so we decided to head home instead of heading to another bar or even staying til close. Getting into bed felt oh so good after a long day of traveling and losing 10 hours in the process.

The next morning our temporary parents had for us a pot of coffee and a breakfast casserole (which I’ve never had before, but loved!). It was a great start to the day. On the agenda was a trip to the Gold souk, a famous market known for its jewelry and textiles, so that I could barter for a digital camera. Not known for them but they were available and I was able to get a camera and a memory card bundle that constituted a 45 dollar discount to what I would have paid for it in the states. I say job well done, if I do say so myself!

Next was lunch in the Dubai mall (the biggest mall in the world) and then on to the Desert Safari in a 4×4 doing some Dune bashing. This safari was not your typical safari, but basically just a whole bunch of 4x4s in the desert driving vertically and sideways, spinning out and above all making people sick (well only saw ONE lady hunched over losing her lunch). During the trip we did some sand boarding, rode a camel and watched some belly dancing. It was a pretty eventful day and is hard to believe that we’ve only been in the City for 24 hours and have already done so much.

After a long day everyone heads to bed early, knowing that tomorrow will be another long day filled with a city tour, indoor snowboarding, dinner with the temp ‘rents, and then a flight to Delhi at 10:30pm landing at 2:40 am. And then the real experience begins. 10 days of non-stop madness in India before a 4 day break in Goa. Bring. It. On.

Highlights of Dubai

It’s been a while, but I’m back

Posted on February 8, 2010 by ryan brown

I know, I know. It’s been a while since I’ve written so from the outset I apologize, but hey, I’ve been busy!

Since the Christmas break I’ve been very busy and have traveled quite a bit. I started the break in London visiting some old friends. It was great to be back and see everyone but not all was good: On the FIRST night I lost my beloved iPhone by leaving it on the table of the Chinese restaurant we ate at. Luckily, it’s easy and cheap to pick up a phone and a pay as you go plan, so I wasn’t without a phone for long. That said, the phone I got compared to the iPhone was laughable - but hey, I had a phone right? Another good thing is that I was up for an upgrade on my AT&T account so I could buy the new 3GS for the discounted price. At least I had that to look forward to.

: Great food. A curry for breakfast!

After London I went home to Houston and spent the next 2 weeks with the fam, which was very relaxing and a needed break mostly consisting of reading, eating, and running. Yeah running…I hate running but when your mom, your best friend and London boys you haven’t seen in 18 months tell you you’ve gained weight, it’s about time you do something about it. So pretty much every day I strapped on my new Nike plus running gear and hit the road. Compared to the rigors of my last christmas break, which consisted of me studying for Super Week and Investment Banking interviews, running was easy – as much as i do hate it.

After Houston, I headed to LA to visit some college friends that live in Hermosa Beach for a few days and then on to Vegas for the weekend to meet up with some MBAs. It was my first time in LA in a long time and my chance to pay back my friends who came to visit me in London and kept me out all hours of the night while I had to go to work, and they had could sleep in. That week caused me a lot of pain. Now the shoe was on the other foot and definitely got that chance our last night where we all went out until the wee hours of the morning knowing that I could sleep in but they had to wake up early for work.

Then it was off to Vegas. It was a pretty standard Vegas trip: Nights out, eating, and gambling – all done in excess of course. The highlights of the weekend were:
1. XS Nightclub – Incredible. A must see.
2. The Mix @ Mandalay Bay – The view and the food was amazing.

Probably the best $12 appetizer ever

3. Losing my iPhone…again (I have since cancelled my AT&T account due to me being iPhone cursed and have switched to the Nexus One by Google. I have not lost this phone yet.)

Being able to travel and have a six week break without ANYTHING to be responsible for (except my iPhone, which i obviously failed at) is something i will not see for a VERY long time. With that long of a break, coming back to school was bittersweet. On the one hand, I would be back amongst my friends in the program, but on the other hand I would be entering my last semester of the MBA program meaning this incredible ride would be coming to an end. As much as you think that getting back into the real world is what you want to do and start making money again, Business school is where its at. The things you learn in the classroom are one thing, but the connections i have made here will last a lifetime. From my classmates to the faculty to the MBA program staff, I believe that i have taken full advantage of this opportunity and used it to foster lasting relationships, which was my goal from the start. Eventually this ride has to end…but not yet my friends, not yet.

Back to Business

Wall Street Trek 2009

Posted on October 16, 2009 by ryan brown

One of the great things about business school is the exposure afforded to you as an MBA student to just about anyone in any industry you are interested in. If you have kept up with my blog, you know I’m a finance guy so last year when the opportunity arose to travel up to New York to visit the banks on Wall Street to get a better insight on what exactly those guys do, I took it. Obviously, it had a positive effect on me as now I am heading down that road myself starting next summer.

Class of 2011 Wall Street Trekkers

With that experience behind me last year, in my second year I wanted to be able to help the first years looking to head down the road of investment banking. So, my classmate and I who are both officers in the Graduate Finance Association (each of us are titled “Vice President – Investment Banking”) decided take a multi-step approach in preparing the next class of those interested in investment banking. While the trip just ended on Wednesday, there was plenty of work that needed to be done in the lead up to the 3-day trip. The initial meeting started over a month ago with the kick off meeting and continued weekly with different requirements for both the 1^st years as well as the organizers, including my classmate and I as well as the career services office. The meetings were mostly built around the goal of informing and preparing 1^st years for the trip, many of which are career switchers and not quite clear of what exactly investment banking is and what types of people are drawn to the industry.

The basic idea of the actual trip is to have as many visits to as many banks in the limited amount of time we have in New York. This year the trip allowed for 9 banks in three days where each bank, with their own distinct style, presented their bank’s platform, bank culture, what they expect out of MBA hires, and/or the recruitment process. From the student perspective, they are required to come loaded with questions to help them answer the following questions for themselves: 1) Do I have the required skills to do this for the summer/ full time? 2) Do I have the desire to take on lifestyle change required to be an investment banker? 3) Am I willing to make the sacrifices necessary in the recruiting process to make an internship possible?

Continue reading →

First Texas MBA Friday

Posted on September 18, 2009 by ryan brown

I haven’t written in a while and to those who care what I have to say from time to time I apologize. My first few weeks of school have been packed to say the least. Of course this is not meant to complain, as we make our own bed (figuratively of course - literally we all know is a lie as I currently have 3 loads of laundry on the side of the non sleeping side of my bed) in lives and this is how I choose to lead mine.

This semester I’m taking on 5 classes (4 finance, 1 accounting), am a MAC cochair, and am co-leading the Wall Street and Houston career treks. I also decided to take on the Energy Finance Challenge (I know nothing about energy) and a Dell Plus Project (even though I already have a job – I just want the experience). Again, this is how I perform at my best.

What I’d like to talk about now is specifically my first Texas MBA Friday event. As a member of the MAC co-chair triumvirate (shouts go out to Dan and Briton) I wanted the opportunity to run the Friday recruiting events and today was the first one of the year. There were about 60 prospective students in attendance, all eager to find out what the Texas MBA has to offer. My job was to make sure that we gave them as much information on the program as possible, so to that end we organized a talk from Dean Hirst, Associate Dean Dukerich, Susan Masson representing the Plus Program, Stacey Rudnick representing Career Services, Vicki Duran representing admissions and of course our fearless leader and Director of Admissions Tina Mabley.
Each of these individuals represented a different aspect of McCombs, so I believe that each of their discussions were very useful and appreciated by the attendees. Without a doubt the aforementioned people love their jobs and it shows in their passion and commitment everyday. As students we are very thankful for everyone in the program office.

That leads me to my next point about the day: We ended the day with a 2nd year student panel, each of whom were from unique backgrounds and had different stories to share. Correct me if I’m wrong but I know someone from the admissions office could tell you how great the program is till they’re blue in the face but until you hear specific details from actual students I don’t believe it truly sets in. Much appreciation goes to all of our volunteers today. The fact that they dedicated an hour of their time on campus on a day where we don’t have school is a testament to the type of people we have here. I know it’s far away but I’m already thinking about how much I’m going to miss this environment….

Anyway, enough cheerleading and Texas MBA propaganda (I just really love this place). It’s time for some soccer for the first time in months and then big day tomorrow: College Gameday is in town, then tailgating, and finally the revenge we’ve all been waiting for. Texas Tech, you are going down!!!!!

Summer Reflection

Posted on August 24, 2009 by ryan brown

Coming up on my second and final year I would like to reflect on what’s happened since I last wrote; particularly my summer and internship in NYC. After school ended I had about a month before my internship started in NYC, giving me a lot of time to chill before my expected 100+ hour weeks at the bank. I decided to spend half of that month in Austin and the second two weeks in NYC.The first two weeks in Austin consisted of hanging out by the pool at Gregory Gym by day and downtown Austin by night. It was a pretty cushy way to spend two weeks in what I consider to be one of the best cities in America, especially without any obligations – work or school. By the end of the first two weeks of the break, there were fewer and fewer of my fellow students around as many of them were off to their internships already, so once June 1st came around it was good that it was time to head to NYC.

Before starting work I had a few friends already scheduled to visit me – the first group, two days after I arrived, came in from London. The apartment I was staying in was a one bedroom apartment on the upper west side and big for 1 person, but for some reason seemed very small for 3 girls and 2 guys. It’s a good thing we spent very little time in the apartment and did a few touristy things during the day and out at night. Though it was great to see them, I was not disappointed to see them leave as I definitely needed a few days off before work started on the 15th. Unfortunately, those days off would be short-lived as the second visitor came only a day after the Londoners left. A friend from McCombs who was also doing banking, but in Houston for the summer, was in NYC for training and needed a place to stay for a couple days before his training started. The weekend wasn’t as debaucherous as the previous week of guests, in fact he forced me to go for a couple runs – which I hate to do, but was definitely good for me.

The long-awaited day finally arrived and on June 15th I started my internship with training down in the Financial District. Training was to last 4 days, and I would be at my desk in midtown at the end of the fourth day. Starting the internship I had 4 goals: 1) find out if banking was something I could do, 2) find out if banking was something I wanted to do, 3) find out if I wanted to do it in the group I was in, 4) fill out my skill set to include a technical and analytical aptitude to build complex excel models. The internship started off very slow and for the first week or so it was a “hurry up and wait” situation. As an eager intern I really wanted to get my hands dirty in some work and wasn’t given the chance until the start of the 3rd week. At that point I was given responsibility of running a project that was to be a pitch to a very large private software company that provided services to the financial services industry.