The BottomLine March 2014

BottomLineMarch 2014

The

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Could you sleep outside in this weather? What if you had to?

March 2014

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday

1 2

3 4 5 6 7 8 9 5 Days for the

Homeless Starts

10 11 12 13 14 15 16 - 5 Days for the

Homeless ends - St. Patrick’s Day Pub Crawl

17 18 19 20 21 22 23 UMFO Banquet

24 25 26 27 28 29 30 CEO 2014 Start-Up

Crawl AIMS Farwell Gala

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EVENTS

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April 2014

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday

1 2 3 4 5 6

7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Last Day of Classes

14 15 16 17 18 19 20 Good Friday –

University Closed

21 22 23 24 25 26 27 Last Day of Exams

28 29 30

EVENTS




In This Issue

5 Days for the Homeless

Greetings from the New CSA Executive Council

JDC West 2014 in Review

Business Humor: Bored Meetings

“Things I Wish I’d Done this Term...”

The Co-op Experience

The Bold and the Bordeaux

The Popcorn Theory of Success

Asper Alumni with Scott Angus

The Art of Business: Public Speaking Club

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Subscribe to the CSA Biweekly Newletter to stay up-to-date on events and oppurtunities

www.csaweb.ca@CSAAsper @csaasper

CommerceStudents’ Association

Commerce Students’ Association

There are approximately 65000

homeless youth in Canada

5 Things To Know About The 5 Days for the Homeless Campaign

1. The basics: 5 Days for the Homeless is a nationwide fundraiser that is supported by many universities across Canada. The main objective of the campaign is to raise awareness about youth living in poverty, and revolves around a group of students sleeping outside on campus for five nights to experience what these individuals are up against on a regular basis. They are not given any access to a shower or electronic devices during this time, and are only allowed to accept food items that are donated to them by third parties. These restricted resources prove to be a real eye opener to the things that we take for granted – clean water, a comfortable bed, warm meals – that people right here in Winnipeg do not always have access to.!

2. RaY: Each campaign has a local charity that they support through their efforts. In Winnipeg, ours is RaY. They provide a range of services for homeless youth, including medical assistance from an in-house nurse, counseling and support, finding odd jobs to help gain income and develop working skills, and most importantly being a safe go-to place to warm up, have your clothes washed and grab something to eat.!

!“Resource Assistance for Youth, Inc. (RaY) is a non-‐profit street-‐level agency working with street-‐entrenched and homeless youth up to the age of 29. RaY is non-‐judgmental and non-‐parDsan, employing a harm reducDon approach to all interacDons with youth in need.” h"p://www.rayinc.ca/Default.aspx !

3. What we’re doing: Although the campaign runs from March 9th -14th, the 5D4H team has been hard at work for the last two months. We will be collecting gently used clothing items, non-perishable food items and other donations during the week of the campaign. There will be cardboard-style donation boxes in Drake, Armes, and the Arts buildings – you won’t miss them! On Sunday March 9th we will be holding our opening ceremonies in Drake to introduce the campaign and sleepers. The closing ceremonies will be in Drake as well on Friday March 14th to wrap up the campaign with some speeches, snacks and well deserved thank you’s to everyone who volunteered with us. Throughout the week we will be holding taco in a bag sales, a BBQ and a silent auction; all proceeds going to RaY. Keep your eyes out for posters notifying everyone what is happening during each of the 5 days! By the way, our candy grams and bake sale went awesome. Thank you to all who bought and made our first fundraiser a success!!

4. 5 Acts: The 5 Acts for the Homeless (formerly known as “The Coffeehouse”) is the campaigns primary fundraising event. This year it will be taking place at 7:30 PM on Thursday March 13th at The Hub. 5 Acts is a night that brings students from all over the university together for some good food and drinks while watching classmates showcase their musical talents – coffe-house style. This event is a great way to connect with the 5D4H crew and sleepers, learn about the campaign and RaY, and find out how to lend a hand for the rest of this year or how to get involved in the future!!

5. How to get involved: Get in contact with our volunteer coordinators - Michelle Arentsen, Janelle Lafantaisie and Mike Goose. Shoot them an email at [email protected] with your name and contact info, or scope out one of the posters around Drake that has a sign up sheet attached. There will also be a sign up booth in the fishbowl with information up about what you’re able to do. Recruit some friends to come out and help us make a difference for members of the RaY community!!

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A Look Back: 5 Days for the Homeless 2013

Meet your New CSA Executive Council!Hi there! I’m Dale Camuyong, the incoming CSA President. Though the year is winding down, the CSA Exec (and the soon to be selected General Council) are all excited to get started on another action-packed year! We all have unique experiences at the Asper School, so this year we hope to engage and inspire every Asper Student (including YOU!). Find us on social media, stop us in the halls, or drop us a text/email, because we promise there is an experience out there for every student!

My name is Adam Owczar, and I’m excited to be the incoming Vice President of Operations for the CSA! I am finishing my second year of Asper, majoring in accounting, and in the co-op program. Come talk to me, or anyone else on the new Executive if you have any questions or comments. We’ve got an awesome year ahead of us, and I can’t wait to share it with you!

Hey, I’m Tommy and I am thrilled to be your Vice President of Finance for the CSA next year. I’m entering my final year at the Asper School and will be graduating with a major in accounting. If you have any questions about myself, or the VPF position, toss me an e-mail at [email protected]. It’s going to be an intense, fast-paced year, and I look forward to sharing it with you guys. Oh I forgot to mention, my favourite food is free pizza.

The corporate relations team is looking forward to help improve the CSA events for this year. “Work hard & play hard” as cliche as it is-have some fun throughout the year when balancing your course load.

Dale CamuyongPresident

Adam OwzcarVice President of Operations

Thomas NykolukVice President of Finance

Troy MatarazzoDirector of Coporate Relations

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My name is Matt Odger and I am a marketing and entrepreneurship major. My goal as incoming Director of Student Services is to ensure a continuous effort is made to bring value-added experiences to your degree. I am enthusiastic about demonstrating a “work hard, play hard” mentality and am looking forward to an eventful year. Fun fact: Eggo’s are the key to my heart.

I’m looking forward to being your Director of Programming for the upcoming year! We’ve got a rock star incoming CSA Exec and a lot of great ideas. Look out for some stellar Commerce Socials, some great charity ideas, great athletic events, and much more!

Hi Everyone! For those of you who don’t know me my name is Ashley-Anne Schmidt, and I’m a third year student here at Asper, majoring in Marketing and International Business. I’m thrilled to have been chosen as the Director of Marketing and Communications for the Commerce Students’ Association next year. I can’t wait to develop some great marketing and social media ideas, and ensure that you are all up to speed with the latest events around Asper! Let me know if you have anything you would like to see happen, and make sure you follow the CSA on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Heidi DerasDirector of Programming

Matt OdgerDirector of Student Services

Ashley-Anne SchmidtDirector of Marketing and Communications

Subscribe to the CSA Biweekly Newletter to stay up-to-date on events and oppurtunities

www.csaweb.ca@CSAAsper @csaasper

CommerceStudents’ Association

Commerce Students’ Association

Look out for CSA General Council

sign-ups from the 5th to 11th!

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JDC West 2014 in ReviewBy Emily Ashley

With the sound of the TSN Spengler Cup theme to accompany their entrance, Team Toba made an unforgettable impression this year at JDC West 2014. JDC West or Jeux de Commerce is Western Canada’s premier case competition where the most prominent Western business schools compete in the areas of academics, athletics, debate, charity and social to vie for the “School of the Year” title.

The 2014 theme of JDC West was, “Beyond Profits” and Team Toba made sure to incorporate the theme in their social, academic and team efforts. JDC West 2014 was hosted at the Paul J. Hill School of Business in Regina, Saskatchewan from January 17th-19th. Team Toba Academics and Social were selected in April 2013 while the remaining Academics, Debate and Athletics were chosen in September 2013. Over the past several months, teams practiced their case analysis, floor hockey skills, made endless costumes and ensured a great deal of team bonding along the way.

The results of JDC West 2014 were absolutely stellar and the success could not have been achieved without the help of our amazing sponsors, particularly Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries and our dedicated faculty/alumni and industry coaches. Below are the official 2014 JDC West Team Toba results:

1st Place Social - Luke McKim, Daria Lukie, Rachel Dufresne, Austin Coombes

2nd Place Athletics - Alex Crawford, Blake Dechka, Chad Deprez, Lucas Szczepanski, Billy Pigden, Alana Schellenberg, Nikki Bell, Breanne Marcon-Lajeunesse

1st Place Business Strategy - Jaysa Nachtigall, Victoria Shaski, Samantha Allen

2nd Place Management Information Systems - Julia Gudmundson, Cameron Teschuk, Heidi Deras

2nd Place Taxation - Jennifer Solman, Eben Rawluk, Leah Inglis

3rd Place Finance - Cameron Smart, Mike How, Josh Ristau

3RD PLACE SCHOOL OF THE YEAR – TEAM TOBA

JDC West is an indescribable program that challenges students to be holistic business professionals with an unmistakable blend of competition and team atmosphere. It allows the opportunity for competition while enhances the pride one has to their school and their teammates. From screaming TOBA at the top of our lungs while

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our social team ate prairie oysters to running out onto the floor hockey court after an undefeated TOBA hockey tournament, the weekend was truly life changing for those who participated. There is also a major charity component to JDC West, where teams are expected to volunteer and raise money for charities of their choice. Team Toba is proud to announce that they volunteered a total of 2,120.63 hours and raised $17,520.00 for United Way of Winnipeg. This is the highest amount of volunteer hours Team Toba has raised and was only beaten by the University of Regina’s total hours.

Below is a collection of quotes from some of Team Toba’s 2014 members explaining their final thoughts on JDC West:

“I’ve been involved with a lot of things throughout my time at Asper, but nothing compares to the feeling you get at JDCWest. If you do not do it before you graduate you are truly missing out” – Tyler Clegg (Entrepreneurship)

“JDCW is the true university experience! Not only does it test your intelligence and your stamina, it pushes you to be the best person you can be and challenges you to exceed your own expectations.” – Amy Guenther (Human Resources)

“Guys, I can’t find my shoes” - Rachel Dufresne (2 mins before every Social challenge)

“AUSTIN!!!” - Rachel and Daria (maybe only once or twice...)

“Cell phone suicide.” – Anonymous

“The indescribable moment when you walk out of your presentation knowing you were the best version of yourself and you left it all out on the floor.” – Dale Camuyong (HR)

“To reduce our environmental impact, we decided to not print out our presentation notes for you today. You will see the presentation slides in your email today.” – Dale Camuyong (HR)

“The final hockey game victory, off of a spin-o-rama back hand. I think that was a great moment in all of our minds.” – Brian Hood (Debate)

As a Co-Captain, there will never be enough words to describe how much Andre Cadieux (Co-Captain) and I are proud of every individual on Team Toba. It was a long road to School of the Year 2014 and we truly enjoyed every minute of it. It is significant to know that because of all the efforts

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from each member, Team Toba was able to represent the Asper School of Business to a School of the Year placing. In fact, out of the top 3 schools we are the only school to not have four-credit courses on case analysis, which means all of the preparation we do for the competition is strictly volunteer and extracurricular. If you are reading this article and

are curious about JDC West and how you could get involved, PLEASE contact me at [email protected], I promise it will change the way you look at your post-secondary education.

Last but not least, “It’s JDCW everybody, let’s have a great day!” - Chad Deprez

Hey Asper Students! We’re your BottomLine co-editors and we’ve had a great time informing and entertaining you this year. Next year, we hope more of you will get involved in writing articles! If you’re

What does it mean to be a PRO? It means building the knowledge, skills and confidence to succeed in business. Expanding your network and opening the door to exciting opportunities across the country and around the world. Join the ranks of Canada’s top strategic and financial decision-makers - become a Chartered Professional Accountant.

DO YOU HAVE WHAT IT TAKES TO BE A PRO?

go.CPAmb.ca

interested in contributing email [email protected]. Good luck on exams and enjoy summer!

Illustration by Katrina Barkwell

Business Humor: Bored Meetings

Special Thanks to Shelby Ludlow (cartoon extraordinar)

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“Things I Wish I’d Done this Term”

“Things I Want to do this Summer”

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I wish I had participated in the JDC West Competition!

This summer I really want to spend time with my friends who left Winnipeg for University.

Work a sweet job!

Gone to class.

Get an A in Corporate Finance.

Studied more!

Joined a STAG!

Osheaga. Vegas. Or lolapalooza.

Sleep for 2 days straight!

Raise my GPA.

Plan to go on exchange.

Party!

Have a social life again.

Road trip! Doesn’t even matter where!

Wish I’d kept on top of things more! Stuff piles up fast...

Planned my extra-curriculars to fit together better.

Spent more time at the university actually studying

Stayed awake in class.

Wish I would’ve applied to summer jobs earlier.

Do a good job in my new co-op position.

The Co-op Experience

Most students go to university to get a career, but for many of us teenagers the idea of being locked in one job field for the rest of our lives is a very scary prospect. Students tend to be a bit clueless about ‘the real world’, and might think that if their future career is anywhere near as boring as their current, mundane part-time job than they might as well just drop out now. But don’t fret my young padawans, Asper’s Career Development Centre has just the solution: the Asper Co-op Program.

The Asper Co-op Program allows students to go through the application process for multiple job positions with the goal of having students work each a summer, fall, and winter term at designated co-op positions. Students have a variety of different fields to choose jobs from, ranging from being a clerk/assistant to accountants and supply chain positions.

We caught up with Asper students Jennifer Seo and Corrine Klekta who both participate in the Co-op program and could not say enough good things about it.

Jennifer Seo, currently awaiting her first work term coming up this summer, will be working at Deloitte as an accountant student. As a 19

year-old student with the goal of becoming a CPA, Jennifer went through the application process in November for accounting positions.

“You hear of OB and financial accounting and other courses but what are they actually like in the workplace?” A very valid question she raised, considering very few Asper students know how their courses will be useful

for a job after they graduate. Jennifer feels her co-op experience will answer all of these questions by the time she graduates.

But even before she has started her first co-op term, the co-op application process has been a great learning experience for Jennifer. Having to apply for

a minimum of 7 jobs, Jennifer valued the experience she got from the significant time and effort she had to put into the application processes because as she acknowledges, it often takes much longer to find a job after graduation than it does as a student.

The co-op program also requires students to attend various resume and cover letter

workshops. A relatively recent high school grad herself, Jennifer says these workshops are amazingly helpful for young university students who have never made a professional resume.

And if gaining valuable workplace experience isn’t enough, Jennifer was amazed at how much fun applying for accounting positions was. Apparently if you pass the first round of interviews with a firm, they all invite applicants to their events that range from open bar parties to a pizza-making class at DeLuca’s.

Better yet, during second round interviews,

many firms take students out for meals at Winnipeg’s finest restaurants such as Hy’s and Deer & Almond. “It’s a fun two weeks that is nice on your wallet!”

But the Co-op program will be more for Jennifer than just ritzy interview processes and creating better resumes.

Jennifer Seo & fellow co-op students at Deloitte’s Christmas party

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“First of all, they are paying you, you can’t go wrong with that. Second is that they are teaching you what it is like to be in the business world.” Isn’t that the exact goal of every business student?

“Business is all about who you know and experience” and Jennifer feels the experience you gain in the Co-op program puts you ahead of other students.

Corrine Klekta is on the other end of the spectrum, having completed all three co-op terms, separated between two different employers. Corrine’s co-op experience saw her not only change jobs, but also change majors in Asper.

Coming from a small town, Corrine moved into the city and entered Asper with the goal of becoming a CPA after graduating with a double major in accounting and finance.

The application process for accounting jobs was slightly different for Corrine than it was for Jennifer because she applied back in 2011. But like Jennifer, she found the interview processes fun and exciting.

Corrine had a great experience applying for jobs and firmly believes that the preparation that the co-op program gives students by attending different workshops

is extremely valuable, even if it seems tedious at the time.

After only a short time at her first co-op placement she realized accounting was not for her. “One month in I turned to a fellow employee and said ‘I’m lonely!’”

“I was really distraught about this. I had these big aspirations to work at a Big 4 firm that at the time were what I wanted.”

This was where the Asper Co-op Program and the Co-op coordinators worked their magic

to get Corrine back on track to a fulfilling career.

She was amazed at the detailed response she got when she asked them for some guidance. They informed her that Asper students change jobs and majors on a regular basis and it was no biggy.

After some soul-searching, Corrine has changed her majors to Human Resources and Marketing and worked as

a learning and development intern at The North West Company for her final two Co-op work terms. Corrine loves her job at The North West Company because it is much more interactive and she has come to love the HR field.

Corrine will be ever-thankful for the opportunity to try out an accounting job because otherwise she would have waited another three years until graduation to realize that accounting was not for her. To

her, the ability to be paid to try out jobs to see if you will like them gives the Co-op program a risk-free advantage that all students should take advantage of.One pointer that Corrine gave was that especially non-accounting majors should enter into the Co-op program. Having applied for both accounting positions and human resources positions, she found non Co-op

students had an easier time landing an accounting position than an HR position. Many companies only have Co-op positions, not just summer interns so the Co-op program exclusively has access to most of the HR positions available to students.

Visit the Career Development Office or their website for more infomation on how to make co-op work for you.

Corrine Klektra, HR major and completed co-op student

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The Bold and the BordeauxBy Scott Kukelko

For Asper students who are lucky enough to go on an exchange, the experience is guaranteed to be the highlight of their university career. And why not!? “Studying” abroad is a magical time; everyday is full of new experiences, everyone you meet has a sexy accent and school is the last thing on your mind.

A big question for students looking to go on an exchange is where to go. Every destination offers different experiences, but most students realize that any of Asper’s partner schools would be amazing to skip on a daily basis.

The majority of outgoing students choose a European school because Europe is not significantly different than

North America and it provides many close travel destinations. Although destinations on different continents vary greatly, the European schools all provide similar travel opportunities and similar cultures.

Yet with all of the similar European exchange destinations, one school clearly stands out as the favourite destination for Asper students. It is the Kedge Business School in Bordeaux, France. There are currently six Asper students in Bordeaux for the 2014 winter semester, last winter semester saw seven Asper students study at Kedge and five more will study there for the upcoming 2014 fall semester.

What is it about Bordeaux that draws so many Asper students to Bordeaux? It’s

certainly not the rainy, damp winters.

The downtown historic area of Bordeaux that resembles a miniature Paris is a major part of why students choose Bordeaux. It is full of centuries old buildings all four stories high and connected, creating a uniform look throughout the downtown region. Hundreds of restaurants and bars give students the opportunity to taste France’s world famous food and wine, all within an area that is completely walking friendly. Adding to the centre’s beauty and accessibility is the way that most of the streets and squares are completely car free, creating lively, narrow streets that are perfect for pub-crawls with friends.

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The French language also appeals to exchange students. Learning a language is not easy, especially for North Americans. As a student in Bordeaux in 2013, I was ashamed of my uni-lingualism when I learned my friends from Germany could speak six different languages. However most students are still looking for an adventure by diving into a different culture with a different language and at the end of the day, the choice between learning Canada’s second official language versus learning a language they may never use again is a plus for Bordeaux.

Sure, walking around the romantic Bordeaux streets with a glass of the finest wine in the world legally in your hand and learning French pickup lines draws most people to the city, but neither is Bordeaux’s best feature. The biggest reason why everyone chooses Bordeaux has nothing to do with the city, the wine or the French women.

The main reason why so many students choose Bordeaux and I recommend that you do is because of the Kedge Business School. Formerly known as Bordeaux Ecole de Management, or BEM, Kedge is the perfect exchange school. Everything is done last minute, its parties put our commerce socials to shame and you have more free time than one can

handle. Why is it a benefit that a

school that teaches management does everything so last minute? You’re on exchange! Relax, go with the flow and you will appreciate not having your entire semester planned out by the end of the first week of school. Kedge classes constantly change classrooms, professors and class-times by the day. As much as this appears to be a hassle when planning travelling ahead, in the long run you will realize that all of the best trips are planned last minute.

Kedge parties put commerce socials to shame!? Is that possible!? Does an open bar party for 7 euro sound like fun? Put on your ugliest clothes, prepare to get soaked in alcohol and get a little tipsy in the club in what every ex-exchange student from Asper recalls as some of the craziest parties ever. Liquor laws have recently outlawed these open bar parties that were exclusive to BEM, so instead now all drinks at most Kedge parties are 1 euro. Oh

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the madness! Cheap parties combined with the higher sense of school spirit present at Kedge create parties that ruin most Asper events forever.

More free time than one can handle? But I love free time! Say goodbye to almost all homework and get ready for random week-long breaks. The best way to put it is that Kedge classes are completely different than classes in Asper.

My favourite difference is that emphasis is put on work in class, so students have very little homework. Also, the school year is broken down into ten 3-week sequences where students take one class per sequence. On average students only have classes for 10 out of the possible 15 school days per sequence, so you attend school for only two-thirds of the sequence, write the final exam at the end of the three weeks and have one-third of the sequence off. This could mean you have a week off or 5 random days off throughout the sequence, something that students only find out the week

before each sequence starts. This is exactly what I mean

by Kedge does everything last minute. Although you never know more than three weeks ahead where, when or more importantly if you have class on any given day, it forces you to be spontaneous and turns your exchange in Bordeaux into a series of last-minute trips throughout Europe.

Why is Bordeaux Asper’s clear-cut favourite exchange destination? Well one thing I haven’t mentioned is that many Kedge courses transfer back as substitutes for core Asper courses. But nobody cares about school on exchange. Simply put, the little bit of school you have to attend is a nice break from all of the free time you will have to travel, drink wine and eat baguettes if you choose Bordeaux, France as your exchange destination.

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I heard an analogy a few years ago that has had a strong influence on me. The analogy likens success to eating popcorn. If I were hungry for popcorn, I would throw a whole bag of popcorn in the microwave, and eat whichever kernels pop. Its impossible to know which kernels will pop first, or how long it will take for the kernels to pop. Some kernels won’t pop at all. Rest assured though, in a few minutes time I will be eating delicious popcorn.

The idea follows that success works in the same way. Except, each kernel could be a different interest, passion, or plan that a person has. It is unclear which of these will blossom into a big opportunity, and often it is difficult to imagine how. The important thing is that success can come in many forms, and from all types of opportunities.

I find this whole idea to be very liberating. It encourages a person to have and develop a wide range of interests. Yes, a person might be a business student, but he might also teach dance classes in his spare time. Yes, a person might be studying engineering, but she may also be a member of a rock band that practices twice a week. My favourite people to be around are the ones who actively pursue their dreams.

So you might be wondering, why is this important? Well,

I feel like it stands in contrast with some of the assumptions people bring to university. I feel like many of us share the goal of finding a job by graduation. This leads to taking certain classes, studying hard to get the next big grade, and networking at formal

events. These are all necessary things that we all do. However, I would lump all academic activity into the same popcorn kernel. Pursuing a specific career while neglecting

other aspects of one’s life risks hurting both. This would be the equivalent of dropping a single popcorn kernel into a bowl and staring at the microwave until it pops; even if it pops quickly it is still a silly choice.

To wrap up the popcorn analogy I want to explain its source. It was an idea I heard live on the web stream of Sean “Day[9]” Plott, a rather inspirational guy who built a career out of his favourite computer game series. He is a world-class Starcraft player who created a daily educational show to teach other players. He has been one of the most influential persons in the world for bringing competitive strategic gaming to a North American audience. No, it is not a mainstream hobby. No, it may never be popular with the majority of people. And yet, his passion and personality allowed him to invent a career niche that

didn’t previously exist. This is the spirit of entrepreneurship at its finest, and I believe this will be a key element in the future of the job market.

It was in this spirit that I recently wrote the Bloomberg Aptitude Test, and why I will continue to pursue as many of my distinct interests as I can. I will continue to study actuarial math, finance, and accounting. I will continue to dance and exercise regularly. I will continue to spend my days off playing video games and practicing my guitar. I will strive to enhance relationships with friends, networking contacts, and acquaintances alike. I don’t know which popcorn kernel will pop next, but I know I won’t be going hungry.

Stefan Baluta is in his fifth year at Asper majoring in Actuarial Science and Finance. He was recently added to the Bloomberg Hall of Fame for his phenominal score on the Bloomberg Aptitude Test (BAT). Stefan’s score was in the top 99th percentile worldwide.

The Popcorn Theory of SuccessBy Stefan Baluta

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Asper Alumniwith Scott Angus

Q: So, how did you originally decide to attend Asper?

A: To be honest, I looked at the list of faculties and Asper seemed like the least-worst one. It sounds terrible! But I just couldn’t see myself doing anything else. So, it was sort of by default, but I also knew I could do a lot of interesting things in business.

Q: What attracted you to a marketing major?

A: Well, I’m not good with numbers and I think marketing fit better with my existing skill set. It’s also translatable to many different areas. It’s nice that business, and especially marketing, aren’t very specialized. I like to try a lot of different things so I really didn’t want to pigeonhole myself. Marketing is transferable across many different businesses, industries, and sectors.

Q: I see you were involved in a number of things; most notably you were CSA Charity Co-Chair. What prompted you to get involved?

A: It took me a while to warm up to university for the first couple years. After a while a few people started saying, ‘Hey, you should try this out!’ It really just took a nudge from another person, and before I knew it I was thinking, ‘Huh, this is sort of cool!’ It makes you feel like

you’re a part of something and I found it extremely helpful in gaining some valuable skills outside the classroom. Although some may say it’s ‘just an Asper event’, you’re still practicing a lot of real world skills. You get experience while meeting new people and it gets addicting after a while! I wanted to get involved in more and more things, and next thing you know the shoe is on the other foot and you’re getting other people to join. Most of all, getting involved is really fun!

Q: How did you decide to be Charity Co-Chair? That position is a lot of work!

A: It is a lot of work! But it was very rewarding too. I was matched up with a good co-chair, he had experience with Shinerama and me with 5

Days, and we had quite a good campaign. We had an awesome committee and in the end I was really proud and happy I had the experience. There’s nothing better than putting in lots of work with your peers and getting a fantastic result.

Q: Raising about $21,000 for RaY and $39,000 for Shinerama is indeed fantastic! Since you’re working for RaY now, you’re CSA position must have had a big impact on you. Did you always have an interest in not-for-profit work?

A: Definitely not! When I was first accepted to Asper, I didn’t see myself working for a not-for-profit. It sort of built off a bunch of different things. I took a good class with Professor Reginald Litz, who passed away recently, that allowed me to combine my

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charity position and business knowledge. I chose RaY as an organization for a project. I began to see how interesting it could use business to be innovative in helping others. So that gave me some motivation and guidance to see a future in mixing business training and experience with socially conscious motives.

Q: How did you actually start working at RaY?

A: It was definitely through 5 Days for the Homeless. I volunteered, and then applied to be a sleeper, and the next year I was running the campaign. It was kind of a yearly thing where I’d see them [people at RaY] during 5 Days time, and I made a business plan for them in my previously mentioned social enterprise class. Then I started keeping in contact with Kelly Holmes, the Director, and she asked if I wanted to work part-time over the summer. It was my summer of fun employment after graduation when I worked part-time in the evenings. Come October 2012 I was working full-time in the role I have now, which involves donor relations, school engagement, third party events, and fundraising. I’ve been doing that for almost a year and a half.

Q: I take it you like it?

A: Oh yes! I’m very proud to work for such a great organization. It’s interesting that I was already connected to RaY, but I still didn’t know, just like anybody transitioning from university, that you can

prepare all you want but there are certain things you you’re just not taught.

Q: Like what?

A: Well, I’ll start with the bad news first. Once you’re out there, you start to realize how screwed up (for lack of a better term) organizations the business community can be in terms of not working together. Everybody has their own goals, which is fine, but there’s a lack of communication where there needs to be, especially in the not-for-profit sector and marginalized populations. Working through that effects my job, the staff at RaY, and the youth we help. It impacts everybody. However, it’s that same larger view that’s the good news. In university, you’re sort of in this bubble, but when you get your first job you realize just how many innovative practices, businesses, and initiatives are happening in your own city. For

instance, for me it’s interesting to learn about some new not-for-profit start-ups and what they’re doing. This learning and finding your way through things you never thought about before really opens up your horizons.

Q: What has life been like since graduation?

A: Good! You kind of slowly start to go to less and less Asper events, a couple socials here and there, and before you know it you’re like, ‘This is definitely my last Christmas social!’ But it’s also cool to see the people you went to school with doing their own thing. You always have that Asper connection. I’m a proud Asper graduate, but it was definitely time to go. At first you miss it, but you move on to bigger and better things.

Q: What top pieces of advice would you give to Asper students today?

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A: It’s all about showing up. Like the Woody Allen quote, “Half of life is showing up.” It’s so true. Even if you don’t want to go to something and just have to, try and find a take away. Find one or two things to learn or form a couple connections. You never know what something will lead you towards. I never thought my CSA interview would make the trail to my first job. I know many Asper students are driven not only in their education but also in their full growth as professionals and people. Always keep that. And, although it may seem self evident, do what you want. Pursue what you’re interested in. There’s no reason why you shouldn’t.

Q: As you know, 5 Days for the Homeless is coming up at

Asper! Could you tell students about what 5 Days does and its connection to RaY?

A: 5 Days is a national campaign that the University of Manitoba takes part in, where a group of students sleep outside for 5 Days on campus. The main goal in of 5 Days in Winnipeg is to raise awareness and funds for RaY. There are a number of universities across Canada raising money for different organizations in their cities so the money stays local. There are many awesome components to 5 Days, including speaker sessions and discussions. It’s young people taking an interest in other young people’s lives, that don’t necessarily have the supports around them to be successful. The students of

University of Manitoba have been awesome in the past and I know it’ll be just as awesome this year. Q: As a volunteer ‘sleeper’, I’m just as exited as you are! Thanks so much for talking to me today Scott.

A: Thanks for listening!

The need to present oneself is incorporated into our everyday lives whether we choose to acknowledge it or not. We present ourselves to our friends, family, coworkers, employers and potential employers. How we present ourselves to others determines how they will undoubtedly view us. This feels like society 101 right? So how is it that we can utilize the tools we each have to create the best impressions on those around us?

Public speaking tends to be a feat people find difficult to master. The reasons for this can differ, but the result is the same.

Something about getting up in front of a group of people makes a person feel uncomfortable. So what kind of skills can one

hope to master to insure that whether talking to your best friend, presenting an idea to potential investors, or interviewing for a job, we make the best impression we can? Here are a few simple tips to focus on.

1. Confidence

After speaking with case competition judges,

The Art of Business: Public Speaking ClubMichael Lecomte

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employers, and using personal experience as a reference, I can tell you that, this is without a doubt, the most important criteria one can improve upon. What hinders many is the fear of failure and as a result, be judged negatively by others. What many may not realize is that very little separates them from others in the long run. Confidence is what separates a person from another and captivates those that encounter it. It is for this reason in particular that the importance of confidence cannot be undervalued.

One of the best tricks to easing the nerves and improving confidence is an understanding of whichever topic you speak upon. The greater the understanding, the better. Also, notice I say understanding as opposed to memorize facts about the issue. This method safeguards against others contradicting what you know.

Furthermore, always dress to impress. Most have heard this being preached over and over again but many do not fully grasp the concept of what this does. Appearance affects how we feel. Therefore, if we look good, we feel good. Dressing ones best helps them feel confident in themselves which is the reason why this is so important. For the optimist,

it is nice to know that if they are to make a mistake; at least they looked good doing it.

2. Master the Pause

When we speak to each other we try to avoid gaps or pauses in the conversation. Most of the time this pause is solely to collect our thoughts and decide what we intend to say next. However, due to our

nature, we try and fill that moment’s pause with words like umm and ah. This is a hard habit to break but learning how to utilize that pause is a substantial skill. By saying nothing during that half second and collecting your thoughts quietly you can build suspense, generate interest, and appear more intellectual to your

audience.

3. Know the audience

This last point can also read gauge the situation as much as know the audience. Understand what their expectations are, as well as your own. Then when you have this part mastered you can tailor what you wish to say

around these expectations.These are a few of many

ways in which to present oneself in a better light. With practice, anyone can give off the best impression.

Art of Business President

Side note: Should any wish to improve their informal/formal public speaking or presentation skills they are welcome to attend any Art of Business Public Speaking Club meeting. For information on time or whereabouts please email [email protected].

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The BottomLine March 2014

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Transcript of The BottomLine March 2014