The A, B, Cs of Happiness

This article originally ran in our Summer 2017 Magazine,

check our archives on the website or the following link to see the publication. 

By Govindan K., Deputy Publisher with Packt Mumbai

How many times have you heard, “Find that thing you love, do it for the rest of your life, and be happy”? Absolute nonsense if you ask me.

I believe that the key to happiness is finding three things that you are passionate about. One for self-Actualisation, one Business plan, and one for Conditioning your body.

Let’s start with B. Your B plan is the passion that will get you money. This one is important because it will feed the other two. Now, if you think having what you love as a job is the best thing that can happen to you, read what Mike Rowe has to say. The bottom line is, know that this need not be something you absolutely love doing all day long, it is something that you love just enough.

A is the most important. This one will help you jump straight to the top of Maslow’s pyramid. Find that one thing that you truly love doing for fun. I like writing (duh!); it is the one thing that I do to keep me sane. You will have something of the sort too; playing the guitar, sketching…anything. And the best part is, you don’t even have to be good at it!

Conditioning your body is the third and final part of the puzzle. Last week, a friend and I had a conversation about how it is harder to find healthy food. Shouldn’t it be the other way around? Unfortunately, it isn’t, and you have to put in some extra effort to stay healthy. So make sure that you eat right (follow the rule of thirds) and set some time aside for exercise.

How does all this lead to happiness? A will help you become the most you can be. B will put food on your plate, a roof over your head, and pay for the things you want. C will help you stay in shape to do the other two.

And oh, these three need not stay the same. They can change as and when your interests change. But incorporate all three in your life; the rule of thirds is valid here too.

This article originally ran in our Summer 2017 Magazine,

check our archives on the website or the following link to see the publication. 

Hultian Coffee Talks: Chloe Thornton

HULTIAN: So, Chloe, what’s is your story?

CHLOE: I have been a wardrobe stylist for a Couple years, working on commercials, music videos, and short films. I love being able to create outfits and work with new people. I have always had an eye for mixing colors, trend forecasting and thinking out of the box.

H: What’s your industry and your company?

C: I’m currently a freelance wardrobe stylist and work and travel around the world for commercials, short films, editorials, and e-commerce. My mission is to gain exposure through my work and continue to maintain relationships with people in the fashion/film industry. I love what I do and am excited to see what the future holds.

H: How did you get your idea for your business?

C: I started working as a production assistant on commercials and fell in love with the wardrobe department. I started assisting on commercials and knew that it was my calling. I love being able to make someone feel and look good.

H: What’s unique about your business?

C: The best thing about my business is getting to work with new people and work on new locations. I love traveling and gaining inspiration with people I work with on each job.

H: What are some of your hobbies when you’re not working?

C: I love to produce test shoots and in my free time I go to music shows and flea markets!

H: What are your future plans and what advice do you have for current/future students in entrepreneurship?

C: Always keep an open mind!

H: Also, how can you relate your business to the business field?

C: You really have to know how to market yourself and network in the industry. That’s how I get a lot of my jobs.

H: What have been some of your major event, and or major clients?

C: I recently worked on a Samsung commercial, which was a lot of fun! I love working with fashion brands and helping them bring their products to life.

H: What is your experience in the Bay Area compared to LA? What are some cool events? And interesting things to do in the bay area that most don’t know about?

C: I love being in the Bay Area because people are so down to earth. I’m really able to connect with people on a deeper level and have had so many amazing moments. I’m a part of the art community and go to a bunch of burning man camp fundraisers. My favorite venues in SF are Great Northern, Mezzanine, Public Works and F8.

H: Now time for a little fun. What’s your favorite 90’s jam?

C: Hmmm so many! No Dignity ft. Dr. Dre, Queen Pen

H: What are some of your favorite designers? 

C: Gucci (Alessandro Michele), Libertine, Rag & Bone

H: What is your philosophy on teamwork, and how have you valued it in your personal or professional life?

C: Teamwork is so important in my daily life and work. You always have to maintain and create positive work relationships because things will always come around. I think it’s extremely important to have an amazing work ethic and hard working reputation.

H: What three things do you need to succeed in your industry or whatever field you pursue? 

C: Trust, Leadership, and Intuition

H: How do you define success, and how do measure up to your own definition?

C: Being able to work to your best potential. Always try your absolute best!

H: Describe to me your ideal work environment?

C: People who are like-minded and positive about what they’re aiming for.

H: Tell me about a project or accomplishment that you consider to be the most significant in your career.

C: I would have to say working on an editorial for the first time for VVV magazine was a huge learning opportunity for me. I was able to assist one of the biggest stylists and she showed me techniques and showrooms she pulls from.

Succeeding in today’s global economy: Are we utilizing the right tools?

By Raul Sanchez, San Francisco MBA 

It is fact: technology is disrupting existing industries worldwide. Innosight, a growth strategy consulting firm, predicts that about 50% of the companies in the S&P500 will be replaced within the next 10 years. With industries constantly changing, what competencies must students and employees embrace to succeed today’s global economy? Can these competencies be developed? And if so, is training widely accessible?  Advances in technology and studies in both neuroscience and psychology, provide people from all over the world, and from any background, with the opportunity to be equally prepared to succeed in today’s economic market.

Research done by Carol S. Dweck, psychologist at Sandford University, explores the role of mindset in student’s motivation, development, and overall school achievement. According to Dweck, having a growth mindset, the belief that intelligence can be developed, is directly correlated to the potential of a student’s success when learning. Moreover, students with a growth mindset go through school and life embracing challenges and accepting failures as a key component of learning.  During a study, where the mindset of students entering the 7^th grade was analyzed, researchers attempted to determine whether students had a fixed (the belief that intelligence cannot be developed) or a growth mindset. Grades, as well as student attitude towards learning was monitored during the two consecutive years. The findings created a huge surprise, as the only difference between the two group of students was their mindset. Furthermore, the students with the growth mindset had significantly better grades and overall attitude during their school years. K. Anders Ericson, from Florida State University, has done extensive research on the psychology of expertise and human performance. His research negates the common belief that a high level of expertise in almost any domain can only be achieved by a few, innately talented people. Moreover, his studies show that performance is closely related to skills acquired during the practice of a particular domain rather than by innate intelligence, memory capacity, or perceptual functioning. As a conclusion of these studies, the psychologists suggest that human potential can be unleashed through the power of proper training.

 

Image sourced from BrainPickings

 

With 3.7 billion internet users, half of the world’s population now has access to the World Wide Web. Moreover, it is estimated that by 2020, over 4.2 billion people will be online. It is true that not everything found on the internet features valuable content, however the number of high quality online education providers has increased dramatically over the past couple of years. With the growth of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOC), lectures from renown professors and industry professionals are now accessible to millions of people. Moreover, there is availability of a variety of subjects and disciplines to study; from Computer Science to Finance, Arts and Psychology. Critics of MOOC argue that the completion rate of online courses is very low, thus diminishing the potential impact that these platforms may have. However, with the amount of information available online, people use different sources to learn about a specific subject without the need for a grade or a certificate of completion.

In conclusion, with 50% of the S&P500 being disrupted within the next 10 years, millions of people will be displaced out of their current occupations. No one knows what the jobs of the future may look like. However, to remain relevant in today’s global economy, interest parties must engage in continuous learning. As such, if the tools available nowadays are properly combined, a new generation of passionate, driven, and innovative citizens can emerge.

 

 

 

This article originally ran in our Summer 2017 Magazine,

check our archives on the website or the following link to see the publication. 

The Hultian Summer 2017

The Summer 2017 edition of the magazine is now live,

we hope you enjoy it, and cannot wait to hear your thoughts.

 

The Hultian Summer 2017

Hultian Coffee Talks with Jeremy Herte

HULTIAN: So, Jeremy, what’s is your story?

JEREMY: My story until 2016 followed the typical path any parent would want for their child. I grew up in a suburb outside of Chicago, got decent grades, went to Hampton University, graduated and started a career I thought I was supposed to have. It wasn’t until March of 2016 that I took control of my career. I quit my job as a management consultant with no job lined up. I was tired of driving to work every day, traveling to New Jersey and Wisconsin for projects and being miserable every single day.  From that moment I began to be more intentional about my career, started FTCRadio and invested in myself by taking classes at General Assembly to change my career.

H: What’s your industry, and your company?

J: Digital Media, Entertainment, and People.

H: How did you get your idea for your business?

J: I digest a lot of online content, specifically podcasts and interviews. I wanted to create a platform for artists and creatives to showcase their talent and truly tell their story in ways that mainstream media outlets don’t allow in addition to playing the dopest music out.   I saw how others had created similar platforms and I wanted to create something for my people.

H: What’s unique about your business?

J: Many popular black podcasts follow a typical, 2 hosts and a mic, format and with FTCRadio it is my goal to bring more diversity to the black podcast space.  FTCRadio is a space for artists to tell their stories in their own words, creatives come together to discuss and debate issues in hip-hop and the black community, as well as an opportunity to uncover and rediscover stories that have been lost over time. There is plenty room for innovation in the podcast space and FTCRadio plans to be at the forefront of it.

H: Are you hiring for any positions

J: I’m definitely looking to expand and have FTCRadio hosts in all of the major cities. Chicago, NY, LA, Atlanta etc.

H: How is your work life balance now that you aren’t full time corporate?

J: Although I did quit my job in March I recently started working a new job in July doing digital marketing. I still find time to balance now because my work hours now are much more manageable than before. I no longer work from 9am-10pm as a consultant.  My availability after 5 pm and the weekends allow me to the opportunity to work on the show.

H: What are your future plans for FTCRadio in the coming New Year and what advice do you have for current/future students in entrepreneurship and business field?

J: I’m looking to expand FTCRadio to cities across the country and definitely looking to collaborate with more podcasts, influencers, and brands in the next year.  For me, it’s important to innovate the way I think about content in an audio format as well as other forms.  As far as advice, I can only say what works for me. First, pursue something that makes you happy and something you enjoy doing.  From there, write down your goals. Don’t just think about them, write them down. Be intentional about them. Visualize them and be specific as possible about them. When you’re starting from scratch it’s also so important to ask for help and surround yourself with like-minded individuals who are smarter than you.  Lastly, don’t let the planning get ahead of the execution. Always reinvent. Take time to reflect and assess what’s working and how you can get better.

H: How do you define success, and how do measure up to your own definition?

J: Success for me is being happy. And being happy is a choice and a journey.  I think it’s important to have goals for your business and it’s important to have a plan to achieve those goals. But whatever success you obtain from that business it will only bring you temporary happiness. And at the end of the day if you do great work, you’ll be rewarded with…. more work.  If you’re not happy with who you are as a person it means nothing.   It’s not about competing or measuring yourself to others; it’s about staying in your lane and being the best version of you possible.

H: Tell me about a project or accomplishment that you consider to be the most significant in your career.

J: Quitting my job on March 11, 2016, was the biggest accomplishment of my career thus far.

Who is Nemo?

By Lauranne Reynaert, MIB San Francisco

Clownfish is none other than the little Nemo, main character in the movie “Finding Nemo”.

If you want to see clown fish you must look at coral reefs in the Indo-Pacific Ocean where they live in small groups in symbiosis with a sea anemone. They need this mutual co-operation to survive. Clown fish cannot swim very well so they spend most of their time in an adequate refuge to protect themselves.

Clown fish find the best refuge is sea anemones because they use their tentacles to paralyze the invaders and indeed, clown fish are immunized against sting attacks, unlike their predators.

Interesting Fact:

It is the female clown fish who is the boss in the relationship, simply because she changes sex. So, if the female dies or disappears for any other reason, then her official and dominant husband becomes a female.

Around the most important couple, a few immature fish are waiting in line for their turn to reproduce as a dominant male and then as a female.

It sounds complicated but it is not. So, in the sea anemone, there is a male and a female clown fish as well as a few other immature ones. If the female disappears, the male becomes the female and the bigger (in size) immature fish becomes the new dominant male. If you consider the opposite scenario, if the male disappears, the female will have a new partner and it will be the bigger sized immature fish. Got it?

And Nemo?

In the real world, Nemo would not have spent his life under his dad’s protection. His dad would have become a female and Nemo the new dominant male…

Our Time at Ashridge: A Dean Scholars Experience

By Chris Charimari, MIB London

We arrived on a cool spring evening during late March. The delayed flight from Dubai did not dampen the mood as all eight of us were excited to get to Ashridge estate and meet people from other Hult campuses. Stepping into the building was like a scene out of Harry Potter. Magical. I knew right then and there that the next three days were going to be legendary.

The next morning greeted us with a cool 6 degrees Celsius; the coldest I have ever experienced in my 24 years on earth. The Boston campus scholars told me that it was warm weather compared to the snow storm ravaging their city at the time. The delicious breakfast quickly warmed me up and turned my mind to the rest of the day. We went into our first session with a relaxed but expectant outlook. Little did we know our spring break getaway was about to be cut short with a case study for Red Bull. Imagine that.

Luckily, Hult students have an ambitious attitude so we were up for the challenge. We quickly rolled up our sleeves and began formulating solutions in our assigned teams. After intense brainstorming, we presented our creative ideas. Given the magnitude of the challenge and the brief period to come up with solutions, all teams did a solid job. All of the teams gave Red Bull valuable content on how they can make consumers fall in love with drinking Red Bull again.

Afterward, we were treated to a tour of the historic building to learn more about Ashridge’s rich 730-year history. We walked up and down the same halls that kings, queens, earls, baronesses, monks, soldiers, and scholars once did. In fact, Ashridge started off as a monastery where people came to learn and after all its history it is back to being a place of reflection and education. The facilities have come full circle.

In the evening, to loosen up from the intense work of the day we gathered in our residence lounge and enjoyed each other’s company over drinks and card games. It was fantastic. We got to know more about each other in this less formal environment and laughed the night away. Well, not the entire night. We forgot that we were in the world’s best executive education institute and were disturbing C-level executives in their slumber. We decided to behave and carried each other to bed.

Day two got off to a groggy start but it was nothing that coffee and Red Bull couldn’t solve. When the effects of the previous night wore off we began to learn about storytelling. Our facilitator gave us the opportunity to walk out in the garden and tell each other our stories. The scenery was poetic. Coming from a city environment, seeing manicured grass, trees and flowers as far as the horizon had a breath-taking effect. This exercise allowed us to gain an understanding of one another’s experiences, setbacks, and accomplishments on our respective journeys. One thing this helped me to understand is that persistence is key. You may be going through a lot but if you keep going, keep putting one foot in front of the other, you will overcome.

Most of us quickly forgot about the exercise we were sent to do and began capturing memories in photographs. The fresh air had a cleansing effect and for the first time on that trip, the sun shone down on us. The day was so beautiful we had our lunch outside. Later in the evening we sat in the bar, poured wine and had rich conversations about extra-terrestrial life, sea diving, sports and capitalism among other things. Hultians have intriguing opinions on global issues. Being surrounded by people with different views is always uniquely humbling. I understand these topics from a unique perspective which deepens my knowledge. This taught me that you must gather your classmates in an informal setting and talk. It will surprise you how much you can learn with your feet up and a cold beverage in hand.

Day three we had fallen into a routine: wake up, eat tasty food, go to class and sit with a new team. In the session, we learned about resilience but I could sense that the enthusiasm of day one had waned somewhat. We all had an idea that our trip would not be completely be in a lecture type environment but would have activities different to those we already experience at our home campuses. We ended our day with a lovely award ceremony for the winners of the Red Bull Case challenge. Deans and scholars alike performed poems and comedy for us before sat down for our last supper. Afterward, a group of us zipped off to London to experience the city before leaving the following day.

I am grateful for being chosen as a Dean’s Scholar and being allowed to rub shoulders with people from around the world. This broadened my global experience and gave me friends for life. As a group, we have formed a bond that will carry the Dean’s Scholar collective forward, even after we graduate. A committee has been formed to gather feedback from scholars on the Ashridge trip and ideas on activities and events we can do as a global collective.

This experience was rich and refreshing. I believe each one of us who attended will have different stories to tell but one theme will be the same throughout: the food was delicious.