1. February 2012
Could the Next Twitter Be Found In Nairobi?
Early Career Management: Becoming A Funder of Innovation (VC/PE)
Grow & Lead!
CRIMSON OAK ACADEMY
2. AGENDA – EARLY CAREER MANAGEMENT
I. The Situation
II. Introduction
III. Four (4) Industries of Tomorrow
IV. Basics: Resume & Thesis/ Independent Project
V. MBA Admissions: Which MBA?
VI. VC/PE Pathway: Industry IQ
VII. US or Global (Rest of the World)?
VIII. Evolution: Multiple Paths to Success
IX. Conclusion
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3. I. SITUATION – YOUTH UNEMPLOYMENT
● This generation has been deemed
18%
“Generation Flux” because of the
tumultuous changes
● As schools, governments are
retreating from promises of
guaranteed jobs or ongoing career
development, increasingly your
training and development is left up
to you:
22%
o Luckily AIESEC helps tremendously!
● According to the NY Times only 53%
of college graduates from the classes
2006-2010 are employed full-time.
50%
Source: NY Times, February 16, 2012, “For London Youth, Down and Out Is A Way of Life”
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4. I. SITUATION – ENTREPRENEUR OR FUNDER?
What
entrepre -
neurship
really feels
like!
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5. II. INTRODUCTION – THE COMPANY
Crimson Oak Academy is an innovative, online business academy for life-long
scholars and ambitious professionals. Our partnership with e-Cornell, Cornell
University’s online arm, provides us with access to 100 courses and 24
certificate programs.
Utilizing 21st century technology, Crimson Oak provides:
(1) Virtual Education (Apps & e-Courses)
(2) Industry Events (Seminars & Forums)
(3) Advisory (Career Services & MBA Admissions)
FEATURED IN:
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6. II. INTRODUCTION – THE FOUNDER
● AIESEC BoA - Boston
● Experience:
o Private Equity & Venture Capital
o Education
o MBA Admissions & Counseling
● Select Companies:
o Morgan Stanley
o JPMorgan
o Babcock & Brown
● Education:
o Cornell University
o Harvard Business School
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7. III. THE FOUR (4) INDUSTRIES OF TOMORROW
● Which industries are growing?
● Where can I find a lucrative and rewarding career?
● Which career paths encourage a global-minded perspective?
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8. IV. BASICS: RESUME REVIEW & THESIS
● At the center of entrepreneurship is selling and your resume is “your
marketing document”
o New trends include mass use of computers for keyword scans
o Beyond clear formatting, descriptive phrasing, there is the “feather-in-the-hat”
project
● Key Resume Review insights include
o Use the language, titles etc. in the job description and used in the industry
o Quantification and certification are big trends, use metrics wherever appropriate
o Use the bottom of your resume for your affiliations and to show your personality
● In conjunction with the resume, a thesis or independent project can be a
powerful “proof-point”
o If in college, consider an independent study that ties into your career goals
o Recent grads, consider a [pro bono] project that showcases a particular skill
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9. V. MBA ADMISSIONS: WHICH MBA?
● Venture Capital and Private Equity value the MBA degree; emphasis is
placed on a handful of the top programs
o For instance, within private equity in the U.S. , there are estimated to be 30% of
General Partners (senior management) hold Harvard MBA degrees
● Certain MBA programs excel at offering a compelling entrepreneurship
curriculum:
o Chicago School of Business
o Stanford Business School
o Dartmouth, Tuck School of Business
o INSEAD (Singapore & France campuses)
o Wharton
● MBA programs are actively seeking younger, more distinct talent:
o Consider “HBS 2+2” Program where you can guarantee your seat in HBS while
still in college!
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10. VI. PATHWAY TO VC & PE – INDUSTRY IQ
● Crimson Oak’s “Pathway Modules” addresses the lack of clarity,
assessment of fit and provides access to discrete information i.e. “industry
I.Q.”
o An executive coach partners with an industry expert utilizing e-courses and
assessment analytics to provide you a pathway to a coveted industry
● The first step to gaining “industry I.Q.” is to immerse yourself in information,
trends and become a scholar of the industry.
All Investors Private Equity Venture Capital
• The Deal.com • Pitchbook • AngelList
• Grey House • PrivateEquityFirms.com • Gust
• VentureXpert • Asia PE Research • VentureBeat
• TheFunded
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11. VII. US or GLOBAL (REST OF THE WORLD)?
● Funding innovation – venture capital and private equity – are uniquely a
United States model
o An executive coach partners with an industry expert utilizing e-courses and
assessment analytics to provide you a pathway to a coveted industry
● Within the U.S. more than 75% of assets under management for venture
capital resides in three (3) regions:
o Silicon Valley – California
o Route 138, Boston – Massachusetts
o Silicon Alley, New York City, New York
● However, the emerging markets are growing at a torrid pace – faster than
the GDP growth
o The VC/PE model is being exported and adopted widely abroad
o The eco-system for successful entrepreneurship will take some time
o Cultural stigma limits entrepreneurship and appetite for funding it.
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12. VIII. EVOLUTION: MULTIPLE PATHS TO SUCCESS
● Less than 1/ 10,000 applicants
gets accepted to a VC or PE fund
o Despite doing all the “right”
things you may have to be
entrepreneurial in your venture
capital / private equity career
● Continuous learning and
preparation needed to succeed
in these fields
o VC/PE firms use a grueling
screening process which
includes a model test, rounds of
interviews and sometime even a
session with a psychologist!
o Investments strategies and
investment regions fluctuate;
control your skillset and network
o Beyond the B.R.I.C countries,
Africa offers compelling future
investment opportunities
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13. IX. CONCLUSION
● AIESEC-ers are well placed to be leaders within the field of venture capital
and private equity
● Funding is critical to bringing innovation and entrepreneurship to fruition
on a broad scale
● COULD THE NEXT TWITTER BE FOUND IN NAIROBI
& BE FUNDED???
o Only if you as future investors fund it.
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14. GIVING BACK: REACH & Haiti Leadership Program
● Our select Giving Back Program is consistent with our values of:
1) commitment 2) leadership and 3) empathy
•Significant multi-year contribution and • Crimson Oak Haiti Leadership Program
volunteer tutors/mentors committed to established to assist young
by Crimson Oak. professionals, particularly in the Haitian
Diaspora, reconstruct the human capital
•Over 4,000 disadvantaged NYC high of Haiti.
school kids get AP test prep help for top
college admissions. •The Haitian American Chamber of
Commerce has partnered with Crimson
•“Pay-for-performance” model; merit Oak to administer the program.
scholarships to students based on
performance on AP exams. • Supported by the UN Haitian Education
Leadership Program.
•Funded by Pershing Square Foundation. 14
15. APPENDIX: Business Press Coverage
Crimson Oak’s Crimson Oak Convenes Crimson Oak’s
STRUCTURED MBA Academia and Business to Re- GMAT Test Prep for
Admissions Report imagine Health Care with BlackBerry – A
is Released Technology in Massachusetts. Welcomed First!
ADVISORY INDUSTRY EVENTS VIRTUAL EDUCATION
• MBA Admissions • Seminars • Apps
• Career Services • Forums • E-Courses
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