Welcome to a new expansion of the “Business Beyond Usual” concept. Each week, a couple members of the regular “BBU” team run down the top happenings at Michigan Ross for the coming week. They’ll also feature a spotlight interview with a current student talking about their interests — this week, hear from Mike Sessine about life as a dual-degree student getting his medical degree along with his MBA. Check out the BBU “Ross Weekly” today, and watch out for the next full episode of “Business Beyond...
Feb 24, 2020•21 min
The opening days of the Michigan Ross experience often includes MTrek — a memorable trip and a great opportunity to start bonding with your classmates before the start of classes. But that’s just the beginning. Ross also offers opportunities for treks throughout the U.S. and overseas to help expand your horizons and take the next step in your career. Listen to hear about the amazing opportunities these Ross students have taken advantage of. Have thoughts about topics we should cover or just want...
Feb 19, 2020•54 min•Season 4Ep. 7
Welcome to a new expansion of the “Business Beyond Usual” concept. Each week, a couple members of the regular “BBU” team run down the top happenings at Michigan Ross for the coming week. They’ll also feature a spotlight interview with a current student, talking about their interests and a Ross club they’re involved with — this week, hear from Jake Corness about this weekend's Boyne ski trip. Check out the BBU “Ross Weekly” today, and watch out for the next full episode of “Business Beyond Usual,...
Feb 17, 2020•30 min
Welcome to a new expansion of the “Business Beyond Usual” concept. Each week, a couple members of the regular “BBU” team run down the top happenings at Michigan Ross for the coming week. They’ll also feature a spotlight interview with a current student, talking about their interests and a Ross club they’re involved with — this week, hear from Caleb Idiaghe of the Africa Business Club and its upcoming event AfroBeats . Check out the BBU “Ross Weekly” today, and watch out for the next full episode...
Feb 10, 2020•27 min
Welcome to a new expansion of the “Business Beyond Usual” concept. Each week, a couple members of the regular “BBU” team will run down the top happenings at Michigan Ross for the coming week. They’ll also feature a spotlight interview with a current student, talking about their interests and a Ross club they’re involved with — this week, hear from Roy Yewah of the Black Business Students Association about the group's upcoming Alfred L. Edwards Conference , focused on the issues, challenges, and ...
Feb 03, 2020•27 min
The time between being accepted into an MBA program and the start of orientation will fly by. You’ll want to line up housing, consider waiving out of core courses, figure out how and when to quit your job, start getting to know your future classmates, start exploring Ann Arbor, and possibly deal with visas and other international concerns. It’s a lot, but our veteran panel is here to help you navigate this time with tons of firsthand advice. Have thoughts about topics we should cover or just wan...
Jan 29, 2020•52 min•Season 4Ep. 6
Welcome to a new expansion of the “Business Beyond Usual” concept. Each week, a couple members of the regular “BBU” team will run down the top happenings at Michigan Ross for the coming week. They’ll also feature a spotlight interview with a current student, talking about their interests and a Ross club they’re involved with — this week, hear from Sonja Manning of FitX, a new club focused on companies in the mental or physical fitness space that are changing how consumers access and/or track the...
Jan 27, 2020•31 min
Welcome to a new expansion of the “Business Beyond Usual” concept. Each week, a couple members of the regular “BBU” team will run down the top happenings at Michigan Ross for the coming week. They’ll also feature a spotlight interview with a current student, talking about their interests and a Ross club they’re involved with — this week, hear from Rachel Skolnick of Women Who Launch. Check out the BBU “Ross Weekly” today, and watch out for the next full episode of “Business Beyond Usual,” going ...
Jan 20, 2020•21 min
The most intensive, immersive experience of its kind, MAP essentially puts first-year MBA students to work on a real-world consulting project full time for seven weeks. Learn how the process works, the multifaceted value of the experience, and tips to make the most of your MAP. Also, Adam conducts a one-on-one interview with Chris Tarnacki from the Office of Action-Based Learning for some background on how projects are sourced and developed. Have thoughts about topics we should cover or just wan...
Dec 17, 2019•1 hr 6 min•Season 4Ep. 5
So getting a top MBA isn’t enough of a challenge? In this episode, “Business Beyond Usual” tackles the subject of dual degrees, featuring those hardy souls who are pursuing a graduate degree in law, information, or another field in addition to their MBA. Hosts Andres and Stephanie (who is herself a dual-degree student) welcome guest panelists Chloe, Alex, and Gabe to discuss why they decided to pursue a dual degree, the application process, challenges they’ve faced along the way, and tips to hel...
Nov 26, 2019•23 min•Season 4Ep. 4
In this episode, “Business Beyond Usual” takes an insightful look at the issue of being part of a couple while getting your MBA. Hosts Adam and Katie, along with guest panelists (and married couple) Becca and Peter, discuss the challenges and benefits of having a partner as part of your MBA journey, whether or not they are in the program too. The panelists offer valuable tips and advice if you’re considering doing an MBA as part of a couple, including the importance of “no friends allowed” time....
Nov 12, 2019•37 min•Season 4Ep. 3
In this episode, the “Business Beyond Usual” team looks at how to use an MBA education to pivot into a new industry or career function. A wide-ranging discussion with first- and second-year students, as well as one recent graduate, covers the reasons you may want to pivot in your career, common hurdles you might face, and insider tips on how to go about actually making the change. Have thoughts about topics we should cover or just want to get in touch? Send us an email at bbupodcast@umich.edu. -...
Oct 29, 2019•58 min•Season 4Ep. 2
The group takes turns answering some burning questions on topics like whether their career ambitions changed since starting B-school, what most surprised them about coming to Michigan Ross, and what is their most-used emoji. They also chat about what they’re looking forward to covering in the upcoming season of the show. Have thoughts about topics we should cover or just want to get in touch? Send us an email at bbupodcast@umich.edu . Business Beyond Usual is brought to you by the Ross School of...
Oct 08, 2019•47 min•Season 4Ep. 1
In this episode, Marjace and Sheela sign off from Business Beyond Usual with an exit interview featuring fellow recent MBA grad Kashay Sanders, who has been described as “one of the most quotable people at Michigan Ross.” We agree! The group reflects on their MBA education, what they’ve learned about being leaders, the battle between intuition and the ‘should’, and what they’re excited about moving forward. Business Beyond Usual will return in the fall with new episodes, and fresh crew of new an...
Jun 06, 2019•31 min•Season 3Ep. 11
Strap in, this is a wild one. In this episode, Marjace visits the offices of two Michigan Ross professors to talk about everything from marketing research and rebuilding old cars from scratch to algorithmically finding lead pipes in Flint, Michigan, and fronting a band with the craziest name you’ve ever heard. You hear from a lot of students on this show about their experience and what it’s like to be in an MBA program. But you don’t hear a lot from the professors who make the educational part o...
May 09, 2019•46 min•Season 3Ep. 10
The entrepreneurial spirit is strong in top MBA programs, with a fair number of MBA students entering business school each year with the intention of starting a business of their own — but what is that experience really like? In this episode, hear entrepreneurs and MBA students Holly Meyers, Chima Mbadugha, and Sheela Lal as they take you through their respective entrepreneurial journeys and why business school is both the best time (free to fail!) and the worst time (stress is high!) to start a...
Apr 03, 2019•49 min•Season 3Ep. 9
It’s our first partners-only episode! We’ve kicked out (most of) our regular crew and have asked the partners of current MBA students to come together and dish on what it’s like to move across the world to be with your significant other while they pursue their MBA. Pursuing an MBA can mean big changes for students -- and partners. As a partner of an MBA student, it’s natural to wonder what lies ahead as you prepare for this new chapter. Is it hard to make friends? Will you miss your ‘home’? Can ...
Mar 06, 2019•50 min•Season 3Ep. 8
Blockchain. Brand Management. Machine Learning. Marketing. AI. Supply Chain. Predictive Analytics. Finance. Growth Strategy. With so many business functions mixed with industry crossovers, it’s hard to nail down exactly what a career in tech for MBA graduates looks like. If you think about it hard enough, it begs the question: “Does Tech Even Know What Tech Is?” In this episode, we break it down. Leslie Chang and Adam Fasher gather a few tech-focused classmates to discuss how to identify which t...
Feb 05, 2019•46 min•Season 3Ep. 7
For the majority of students, choosing to pursue an MBA at Michigan Ross means leaving home and moving to Ann Arbor for at least two years. But, what is that really like? Are there even any fun things to do in Michigan? Jamell Culler is joined by fellow Ross MBA students Ivan Aragon, Sabaina Kamara, and Gaurav Dhir to discuss their experiences in Ann Arbor. They came to Ross from different parts of the U.S. (and the world), but can all agree on one thing: Ann Arbor is a great city. Ok, two thing...
Jan 16, 2019•58 min•Season 3Ep. 6
Former Michigan Ross Student Jack Kramer started the popular daily email newsletter MarketSnacks while he was still working in the corporate world, and before starting his MBA at Michigan. Since then, together with his co-founding partner Nick Martell, Jack has been featured on CBS, CNN, Fortune, Fox Business, Fast Company — and they were both selected to the Forbes 30 Under 30 list this past year for their work on MarketSnacks. This incredible recognition led to a podcast deal, the podcast led ...
Dec 05, 2018•35 min•Season 3Ep. 5
From resumés and admissions essays to recommendation letters and interviews, the application process for MBA programs is a gauntlet. There’s a lot of advice out there about how to navigate it and put your best foot forward, but the real experts are the ones making the final decisions. So in this episode, we ask those very experts the questions that really matter. Leslie Chang sits down with the leaders of the MBA admissions committee at Michigan Ross to take a deep dive into the MBA application....
Nov 21, 2018•55 min•Season 3Ep. 4
In this episode, we take a look into a common way mental health issues manifest in business school students, and some strategies for how to deal with it. First, Business Beyond Usual Producers Marjace Miles and Adam Fasher are joined by fellow students to share stories about how they’ve approached managing their own mental health during their Ross MBA. Then, Marjace and Adam will talk with Dr. Ariana Tart-Zelvin, a post-doctoral fellow and neuropsychology expert from the Prechter Bipolar Researc...
Nov 09, 2018•1 hr 4 min•Season 3Ep. 3
Business Beyond Usual Producer Sheela Lal has some questions about what it’s like to study and recruit for finance jobs while in business school. Luckily, she’s surrounded by people who know a lot about that. Sheela is joined by Michigan Ross MBA students Dana Miller and Rebecca Toth to talk about what “finance” really means, how recruiting for finance jobs varies wildly depending on the field you’re interested in, and why you shouldn’t be eating the food at networking events. NEXT EPISODE SURVE...
Oct 26, 2018•28 min•Season 3Ep. 2
It’s a fresh start for Business Beyond Usual as a new team of producers takes the reins and offers thoughts on what’s in-store for the podcast this season. There’s a lot on deck this year, including episodes focusing on mental health, career switching, industry-specific recruiting panels, interviews with alumni doing interesting things, and a few surprises along the way. Have thoughts on what you’d like to hear discussed on BBU this year? Send us an email at BBUPodcast@umich.edu Learn more about...
Oct 09, 2018•43 min•Season 3Ep. 1
In this episode, Ramu signs off from Business Beyond Usual with an exit interview featuring fellow recent MBA grad Daryl Brown. They met earlier this summer at one of Daryl’s local haunts, The Beaver Trap, to have a chat about their time at Michigan Ross. The two reflect on their MBA education, how an era of social and political change impacted life on campus, and how those experiences will stay with them throughout their careers. Business Beyond Usual will return in the fall with new episodes, ...
Jul 27, 2018•37 min•Season 2Ep. 12
In this episode, Michigan Ross MBA student Sheela Lal sits down with Ross Alum Nicaila Matthews, MBA ‘15, the founder of Side Hustle Pro, a successful podcast and entrepreneurship community. The two have a wide-ranging discussion touching on Matthews’ successful podcast and company, the ways in which Matthews is looking to reshape the narrative of entrepreneurship, and the reality and dangers of impostor syndrome among business school students in minority communities. Subscribe to Side Hustle Pr...
Jun 21, 2018•26 min•Season 2Ep. 11
“Perhaps the real Open Road was the friends we made along the way.” In this episode, Ava Damri hits the road with fellow students Ariana Almas and Chris Owen to visit Merit Goodness, a Detroit-based small business with a social mission at its heart. They’ll chat about their experiences with Open Road, a four-week road trip across America where MBA students team up to visit with entrepreneurs and partner with them to solve complex business issues. Hear about what it’s like to spend the summer liv...
May 15, 2018•29 min•Season 2Ep. 10
The students who manage the student-led investment funds at Michigan Ross are just like normal students, except they carry an extra burden: They are giving actual money to actual businesses, and the school has a real stake in those businesses’ success because of their decisions. In this episode, Ramu talks with three of those leaders about what it’s like to manage actual multimillion-dollar investment funds while studying for their MBA, what deals they’ve regretted, how they approach potential i...
Apr 02, 2018•40 min•Season 2Ep. 9
“We know we have cinnamon rolls the size of your face, and we’re innovating around that.” In this episode we sit down with the President and CEO of Cinnabon, Joe Guith. Guith graduated from the Michigan Ross MBA Program in 2001 and guest host Marjace Miles talks to him about his MBA experience, how he’s successfully grown a company built around indulgence when there’s a health craze sweeping the nation, and how the infamous Cinnabon partnership with AMC’s Better Call Saul came to be. Guith provi...
Mar 08, 2018•32 min•Season 2Ep. 8
In the first ever episode of Business Beyond Usual recorded with a live audience, Host Ramu Annamalai chats with classmates about some of the most challenging conversations happening in America right now. How has the #MeToo movement and recent news about DACA and the dreamers impacted the world of business? How has the climate on college campuses, and among students in MBA programs, changed in recent months? Students and admissions staff from the Michigan Ross School of Business join Ramu on sta...
Feb 14, 2018•40 min•Season 2Ep. 7
