Down to a Science

It is amazing how influential my one week as a volunteer at C2-MTL truly was. It led me to my current job and helped me to develop strong business contacts and friendships. In fact, I have kept in touch with many of the people I met there, including neuropsychologist Dr. Rex Jung. When he sent an email saying that he was featured on Nova Science NOW's "How Smart Can We Get?" I had no idea what a treat I was in for!

If you watch the program via the link above, you can find Dr. Jung from about the 25-minute point until 30 minutes in (Note that the entire show is 57 minutes long). It was great to learn more about his work, but it also gave me even more of a reason to be happy that I learned to juggle many years ago. Watch the video to find out why! Also, the program delves into the human ability to be a calendar calculator, a talent my own mother possesses.

Lastly, the show focused on anxiety and stress, especially during test-taking. The act of journaling before an exam or any stressful situation is something that every MBA student can easily adopt and the amazing result is that it can boost the final score by two grades, on average. Now that I am working in the stress reduction space, it is especially important for me to note all of these anxiety-reducing tactics.

Giving Thanks

I have now completed one and a half weeks (the half due to American Thanksgiving) at my new job as Operations Manager at bLife. I'm happy to report that I absolutely love my position and the employees are great to work with. There are many fun aspects to my role, including planning our business trips and team-building activities. I also feel so honored to be working in Silicon Beach, the heart of LA's startup community.

As I settle into my new apartment, I'm looking forward to the stage when I'll be hanging artwork and coordinating the final touches. In fact, my friend Shane Turner who is an artist in Montreal will be creating a painting for me, which he hinted at in a recent interview with 102.7 FM, LA's number one hit music station.

I have been keeping in touch with other friends in Montreal, too, especially members of my MBA cohort. As a matter of fact, the video above was created by a classmate from my MBA who launched a video editing business. You'll see clips of me peppered throughout the video! Canadian Business also released "The MBA programs that lead to the biggest pay raises" and HEC Montreal is highly ranked on the list. 

Obviously, I'm still following the news in Canada and was happy to see the Fast Company article "This is Canada, by Canadians, for Americans (and Everyone Else)." The consumer-generated video that bucks the Canadian stereotype was facilitated by Tourism Canada can be viewed below.

I've certainly had some interesting and exciting experiences since I've moved here. For example, I had my first celebrity sighting (John Slattery of Mad Men). Also, since my driver's license was from Quebec (and even though I originally passed my driving tests in New Jersey), I had to take both a written and behind-the-wheel driving test. I'm glad to say that I passed the tests the first time around.

In the spirit of this week's Thanksgiving holiday, I also wanted to say that I am grateful for my close friend Lior (a friend from McGill), who has been so amazing in inviting me to so many activities here in LA. I went to an album release party with her, as well as a Thanksgiving potluck. I'm also thankful for the sunny weather and all that I get to experience here in Los Angeles in my new life on the west coast.

Home Sweet Home

Returning to my home country has proven to be more challenging than one might think, on an administrative level. Between shifting bank accounts to getting a new driver's license, I am considered a foreigner as far as most institutions are concerned. I have discovered that people in LA have generally been extremely welcoming, though, and they're excited to hear that I moved all the way from Montreal!

I have been spending these past few days procuring an apartment lease and then spending the remainder of my time establishing myself at my new place. Fortunately, I have also had some free time, which I've spent along the beach and with friends. In fact, I met up with a friend who is launching his startup next week and I reviewed his executive summary in preparation for the impending date. I was pleased that insight from my MBA provided me with a critical eye to review his document.

I also managed to attend the Drinking Liberally Election Night Watch Party, as well as the first-ever Daily Muse meet-up (see photos from the 10 city event here). As always, these events provided me with a great opportunity to meet new people and learn about my new neighborhood. Additionally, I got to see a familiar face today when one of my fellow MBA graduates stopped by on his way to San Francisco. I'm looking forward to welcoming more friends as they pass through LA!

A Dream Come True

For anyone who has been following my blog for the past year, you may be wondering what my next step will be after the MBA. After all, the sole purpose of getting an MBA is to land a job afterwards, isn't it? Well, I am happy to report that I have landed a dream position! I will be Operations Manager for bLife, a tech startup that focuses on health and wellness services. As the company is based in Los Angeles, I will be relocating in only a few days to begin the job soon.

The Importance of Networking
I am also happy to say that I was able to secure this position through my networking efforts. I met one of the co-founders of bLife in May while I was volunteering for C2-MTL and we kept in touch ever since. I know that I have often mentioned the importance of networking, but I cannot emphasize it enough.

In fact, I kept a spreadsheet of my job search process and I've recorded the successful methods through which I nabbed an interview. They include only the following: LinkedIn, HEC Montreal Career Management Services job posting, friends, and networking. While networking was not the only way I was able to score an interview, it was certainly the most fun!

Last week's McGill Young Alumni "Welcome Back" Cocktail

The MBA
You may also be wondering how much influence the MBA had on my job hunt. First of all, I had access to a wide array of resources and people (i.e. professors, Career Management Services employees, courses, etc.) who contributed to my job search and helped me to narrow down my focus. I had actually met with my Managing Products and Brands and Responsible Marketing professor Yannik St-James at the very end of the program to obtain insight regarding health-focused companies in Los Angeles. Due to my meeting with my professor, I was able to identify that bLife was a perfect fit!

Furthermore, during an interview process, I was asked to prepare one PowerPoint slide identifying my fit with the company. For this file, I was able to pull from a framework that we learned in Strategic Management II entitled the SAFe criteria (suitability, acceptability, feasibility). The MBA certainly provided me with excellent tools to synthesize information and better contribute in a business environment.

The Future
However, the majority of my lessons from the MBA will probably only become apparent in the future, once I am faced with major decisions and difficult situations. I am looking forward to approaching these realities in a more equipped way. Moreover, I know that the business cases, discussions, and lessons that were raised during the year will allow me to be a more well-rounded employee with diverse knowledge to bring to the office. I can't wait to step into this next phase of my life!

How to Develop a Network in a New City

As someone who recently traversed the continent to explore job opportunities in Los Angeles (LA) in a limited period of only two weeks, I feel that I am qualified to provide advice on networking in a new city. This is my ultimate how-to guide for building a network in a new city, with explanations as to how I did it.

Reconnect With Friends
I am a fearless communicator who is not afraid to contact someone from my distant past. Before my trip to LA, I contacted everyone I knew in the area, including a previous colleague, college friends, high school friends, friends of friends, etc. In general, people are more than happy to help you in navigating the new city. An added bonus is that some of these friends can provide you with career advice or connections!

Do Your Homework
I did not just want to see friends, as it was important during my trip to focus on my job hunt. I was lucky enough to connect with someone in LA beforehand who could introduce me to individuals who I could meet with once I arrived. Since I knew I would be meeting them soon, I was able to review their LinkedIn profiles and learn about them before arriving in LA. I also reconnected with business contacts who I had met previously in Montreal.

Find Events in the Area
This was probably the most important aspect of my trip. Since I am interested in women's issues, startups, tech, and social media, I actively sought events that focused on these topics. To find events, I used the searches on Eventbrite and Meetup, asked my friends, and even just Googled "free Los Angeles" plus the specific date I was looking to schedule for. By using this technique, I discovered and attended the following events, in chronological order:

• TechZulu Tech Crawl Santa Monica
• Women 2.0 Founder Friday - Los Angeles
• Social Media Mixer
• Empowering Women Every Day Happy Hour
• Drink with The Webbys + What's Trending in L.A.
• MBA Women Connect - Santa Monica
• Intro to the LA Startup Community
• Eric Reiss Workshop: Putting the content into content strategy – effective writing for interactive media

Me and Celia Ward-Wallace, organizer of the Empowering Women Every Day Happy Hour

MBA Women Connect - Santa Monica

Yes, it was exhausting, but I needed to maximize the success of my trip by meeting as many people as possible. Importantly, these were people with common interests, so I was already placing myself in an effective environment.

Have Fun

It is hard to believe, but I also managed to fit in activities that were not career-related. I spent a day on the set of Glee, went to two comedy shows, walked along the beach, etc. This downtime was critical in giving me a bit of a break in my busy schedule and helping me to gather my thoughts and relax. It also gave me something else to talk about with people besides my job search!

La-La Land

My first LA week was capped off with a variety of activities. On Friday night, I attended Women 2.0 Founder Friday - Los Angeles, where I heard Holden Steinberg, founder of PageWoo, speak about her experience as a female startup founder. It was a great event to network with a vast array of people (not just women!), including the couple featured in this 2005 New York Times article about Carnet, a luxury lifestyle business.

Throughout the weekend, I walked along the beach and made the most of the sunny time outdoors. I got the requisite visitor sunburn and took photos during the daylight and sunset (pictured above).

Although I'm on east coast time, I've managed to stay up for nighttime festivities. On Saturday night, I went to the Laugh Factory Hollywood with my free ticket from comedian Sunda Croonquist. Since I had already reviewed the all-star comedy lineup, I was shocked when Sunda announced that Dane Cook was there to make a surprise visit and perform his latest material. During the evening, I had a chance to briefly speak with Dane Cook and Anosh Sheytan, an up-and-coming comedian from Sweden (photo below).

Dane Cook and Anosh Sheytan (Swedish comedian and actor)

My weekend concluded with a delicious Italian meal along the beach. Now I'm off to make the most of my second week in La-La Land.

Silicon Beach

Santa Monica Pier

It's been a week since I last blogged, but I have a really good reason: I've been scoping out the LA scene, to pursue job opportunities here. While in Los Angeles, I have enjoyed a day on the set of Glee, a meeting and tour at the DreamWorks Animation offices, a walk along the Santa Monica Pier, and a TechZulu Tech Crawl in Santa Monica. While at the Tech Crawl, I felt that I was very much in my element, as it reminded me of startup and tech events that I've attended back in Montreal. I met a variety of people at the event, from UCLA Anderson MBA students to first-time entrepreneurs.

In Silicon Beach, the startup founders and techies grapple with the fact that they are working hard while their friends lie out on the beach. North of the border, though, the Quebec tech sector seems to be worried about the PQ's plan to bolster the use of French in their offices (see the Montreal Gazette article here). Meanwhile, in New York City, the program Girls Who Code is equipping young females with skills to succeed in the male-dominated tech industry, as reported by Fast Company at this link. Though I'm not yet sure whether I will end up in Montreal, New York, LA, or another location, I do know that if I'm in Montreal, I hope to participate in next year's C2-MTL event. The 2013 lineup was announced and it looks like there will be some great speakers!

I have to say, though, the weather in LA has been beautiful and my trip has already been a lot of fun, making it feel as though living out here would be a dream come true. (There are, of course, downsides which include traffic and unreliable people.) We shall see what happens as I continue to network and pursue employment opportunities here.