50% MBA Officially Completed!

I finished my last final examination of the quarter (and of my MBA1 experience!) today. It was a little bittersweet, to be honest. It was another indicator that the year is over which I wasn't really ready for yet. I have been helping pack up all of my friends' things over the past couple of days and watching them leave on their crazy summer expeditions all over the world. It is a bit sad as I have developed very close relationships with numerous people at the GSB and I probably won't get to see them for three months.

I am very excited for the summer, however, and possibly even more excited by the fact that I am going to have a couple of days with very little to do...something that is very rare at Stanford!

Summer Internship...

All of my GSB classmates have been getting amazing offers all over the world for their summer internships. We have about 14 weeks free and a GSB'er likes to try and fit 2 internships and maybe some traveling to truly maximize their "free time." I had been getting a bit nervous when, in late March, all of my friends seemed to be finalizing their summers and I had no clue what I was going to do. I knew I wanted to do something related to entrepreneurship and I wanted a challenge...a great team...a great idea...and something I am passionate about.

Enter Hasso Plattner Ventures - of Africa. It is a new VC startup, based in Cape Town founded by Hasso Plattner (the founder of the Stanford d.School and Founder and Former CEO of SAP Software). It focuses on Mobile, Tech and Cleantech investments. I randomly stumbled across it when searching for possible entrepreneurial opportunities for the summer. I followed up by asking my d.School colleagues if they had any connection to Hasso Plattner, of which numerous people did and they connected me with the M.D. who I hit it off with immediately. It is the epitome of a startup, opening its doors in late February. There will only be 5 of us there and we will be looking for great entrepreneurs to back. I am so excited to be working with great ideas, in a startup environment and interact with a myriad of entrepreneurs.

My thinking is that if I can figure out the elements of being a successful entrepreneur in the challenging environment that Africa offers...I can do it anywhere!

Almost the end of the 1st Year as a Stanford MBA...

I just stumbled across this blog while perusing the internet as I sit in the Schwab Residential Center (the main residence hall for 1st year MBA's). Unfortunately, I have done pretty much zero blogging since I made the decision to attend the GSB. I wish I had recorded it, however, as it has been one of the most amazing few months of my life!

Some highlights:

-Entrepreneurial Design for Extreme Affordability- traveling to Ethiopia, interviewing rural farmers and creating a product for the poor
-Meeting inspirational Classmates
-IM Sports
-Talk '08 and Talk '09
-Entrepreneurship Club
-Intimate Interaction With Faculty
-Alumni Interaction
-Study Trip to China and Study Trip to India
-Planning to Lead a study Trip next year to India
-d.School
-Great Mentors (Patell, Klaus, Saloner)
-Trip to Napa
-Being in the Heart of Silicon Valley
-LPF's
-Hearing Prof. Grousebeck Speak
-Sloshball
-and so much more!

I am really going to try and write EVERY day beginning now to continue to document and remember my days at the GSB, my upcoming summer in South Africa, and the beginning of the 2nd year.

Please feel free to contact me any time to discuss the GSB, entrepreneurship, ideas or anything else!

Cheers!