Month: June 2023

Fisher Global Consulting: Corporate in Stockholm, Sweden by Emily Ettin

 

I traveled to Stockholm, Sweden through the Fisher Global Consulting: Corporate program for my STEP signature project. Our eight-person group was divided into two smaller groups, each with its own project, meaning I worked closely with three others. My peers and I consulted for BSH Appliances for three weeks, specifically Bosch and Siemens. We used data to recognize consumer pain points in their experience with their appliance and purchasing from the company. Then, we gave BSH recommendations on how to improve their products in the future.

I originally came to Ohio State as a biology major on the pre-med track and only switched to business last fall. That being said, I was anxious going into my project; I worried about successfully completing the tasks given to us since I view myself as behind on the business track. However, I realized I am more capable than I initially thought, and everyone around me was incredibly supportive and helpful, from my OSU peers to my BSH boss. These relationships assured me I was doing my work well and could approach anyone with questions. At the end of our three weeks, our boss Ulrika was beyond impressed with our presentation, which made me feel even more confident in my ability to adapt to the business world and speak publicly.

The work ethic I experienced in Sweden dramatically differs from that of America: people enter the office whenever they want, leave at what time they see fit, receive paid leave if their children are sick, etc. My peers and I wore jeans, khakis, and sweaters to the office, a much more relaxed fit than the regular attire seen here. My understanding of Swedish work culture made me realize that not everything needs to be so fast-paced, and busy work is unnecessary. The schedule flexibility allowed for a more manageable work/life balance; I talked with our boss, who mentioned she would not be able to balance her job and having kids with a strict 9am to 5pm. The relaxed lifestyle makes me want to move abroad (also for the walkability and vegetarian options everywhere).

Living in a new place with no security of family or familiarity seemed like it would be difficult, especially since this was the first time I had been to Sweden or Scandinavia. I was worried about having to juggle working a real job, planning and cooking meals, and a time to explore the city, all while living with three strangers I had never met before. However, my group made it easy. We meshed well together and helped each other grow in ourselves and our skills. I developed newfound independence after being able to live abroad for a month and barely running into difficulty.

Living in a city abroad is enough to transform a person and their view of the world, especially after closely encountering different cultures and meeting new people. We had to maneuver through a city with different social norms, like how people prefer to shove rather than say “excuse me” to get by. One weekend, my group and I took a three-day trip to Copenhagen. We worked together to plan our flight and book our hostel while holding ourselves and each other for being on time and staying together. Comparing Stockholm and Copenhagen was incredibly interesting; a significant difference being in Copenhagen, our hostel was located right in the middle of the city with everything going on around us, whereas in Stockholm, we stayed a forty-minute commute away from work and the city center. Planning and embarking on our weekend trip together may have tested our friendship, but we got through it together, and it was totally worth it.

I have wanted to study abroad for as long as I can remember. However, since coming to college, I realized a semester away might be too long and could put me far behind. So, a Maymester was a perfect blend. Being able to experience traveling abroad with a fantastic group of people is an adventure I will never forget, and I am grateful I had the opportunity to do so. I feel prepared for when I enter the real world after college. I learned how to live independently and get along with people from so many different backgrounds, whether from various places in the United States with different interests than me or from entirely other countries who do not even have the same native language. It was an honor working with my group, and I cannot wait to see what they do in the future. This project definitely pushed me out of my comfort zone, and I am excited to continue crossing off items on my bucket list; this journey is a valuable experience.

STEP Reflection

Ryan Hernandez

6 June 2023

STEP Reflection

 

My STEP Signature Project entailed a three-week consulting internship in Lisbon, Portugal. Through the Fisher College of Business, a team of 3 others and I worked as consultants for an intellectual property company abroad.

 

After completing my STEP Signature Project, my view and assumptions of the workplace changed greatly. The company we interned at was a family-oriented community that prioritized culture. The workplace environment in Portugal was very different than the United States, and I will use this experience to adapt for the better in my career. First, I noticed that the lunches took over an hour and a half every day which is much longer than the United States. Also, the hours weren’t set as 8 hours per day, it was whenever you feel you have completed valuable work for the day. My views on work changed largely because in the United States, everything is in a rush and employees will leave the second it hits 5:00 PM. I will use these concepts in my future jobs and prioritize building connections and not treating work as a set time every day.

 

Throughout the entirety of the trip, there were several times in which I realized my views and assumptions of the world and workplace were changing. On the very first day, our manager took our team to lunch at a restaurant near the office. It lasted over an hour and a half and the conversions were almost never related to work. When I asked how lunches usually go every day, he said it was similar to the lunch that we just had. Every day, our team would go to different places for lunch and the environment was extremely laid back. In the United States, some lunches only last 15 minutes before it is expected you return to your work. I thoroughly enjoyed these lunches every day as they reminded me of the culture that is stressed in Portugal.

 

Another event that changed my views on the world was during the final week of the internship. The CEO and the CFO of the company took the day off and took us to the countryside of Portugal. This was over a 3-hour train ride in which the CEO gave us a tour of his family-owned flour mill. This trip was a surprise to us and gave us a new view of Portugal outside of the city. We were very grateful for this trip and it reinforced the laid-back work environment of the country. In the United States, it is difficult for executives to take an entire day off. The CEO and CFO of our company went out of their way to spend time with us and make the most out of our internship.

 

The final experience that changed my view of the world was the interaction with our manager throughout the internship. As I stated previously, there weren’t a “set” amount of hours in which he wanted us to work. He ensured that he wanted valuable work completed every day and for the final consulting project to be useful for both the company as well as us. To guarantee we were doing valuable work, we ended up working for 8-9 hours each day, which is a typical work day. However, because the hours weren’t set, it didn’t feel as contained as a typical workday. In addition, we had daily check-ins with him to update him on our progress. This style of work was very beneficial for us and works very well for the company culture.

 

This change in my views is extremely valuable in my life. As I progress through my career, I will use these new views I experienced in Portugal and stress the importance of them. First, the laid-back work environment created a much less stressful place for the employees to work. The longer lunches and flexible hours are far more effective in boosting company culture than what is currently being used in the United States. In addition, I will make time for new employees and interns and help acclimate them to the company, just like the CEO and CFO did for us.

 

 

Fisher Global Consulting: Corporate in Frankfurt Germany, by Colette Skruck

I took part in the Fisher Global Consulting: Corporate program located in Frankfurt, Germany. A group of four students, including myself, worked with the European Federation of Financial Analysts Societies (EFFAS) to develop the first draft of the 2022 European Capital Markets Yearbook. Throughout the spring 2023 semester, we met with EFFAS to develop a template for collecting data on each of the EU member states, then in May while we were in-country, we gathered data through credible sources and presented the first draft to the EFFAS Capital Markets Commission (CMC).

Through my STEP Signature Project, I completely stepped out of my comfort zone, both academically and personally. From an academic perspective, most of my education thus far was centered on the United States. Through my work with EFFAS, the United States was barely thought of. It gave me a chance to learn about the Capital Markets of much smaller countries in the EU that I would not have even given much of a thought while residing in the United States. Without this experience, I would not have been able to see how smaller countries, such as Estonia or Latvia, implement policies to develop a stronger economy, compared to the US economy.  From a personal perspective, my confidence in myself post-trip has never been higher. I have taken classes on the German language since middle school. This experience was my first chance to put my education to the test. Along with this, my critical thinking in tough situations has greatly improved. I am much more level-headed when making quick decisions and do not rely on others for ensuring my safety.

  While in Germany, I had to confront difficult situations where I was responsible for getting myself out of the situation. On days off from working, my group would take trains to different cities in Europe. I was responsible for myself in these situations, which was not something I had ever experienced prior to my trip. From my experience living in the US, the stakes for my personal safety were always lower. In Europe, I was completely responsible for my wellbeing.  I had to book trains, find safe sleeping arrangements, decide our plans for the day, manage anything that happened to come up, all while balancing sightseeing with our consulting project. After this experience, I feel much more equipped to manage all aspects of my wellbeing.

Another difficult situation was tackling the language barrier. While most of the people spoke at least broken English, I found myself in several situations where I had to put my German language skills to the test in Germany. Throughout this experience, my confidence in the language grew greatly, as I had no other choice to use German in some instances.

Along with this, I was greatly humbled by the number of languages people from other countries knew. In America, it is very rare for a person to be fluent in more than just English. While working with EFFAS, I learned that everyone in the office spoke at least three languages: Spanish, English, and German. Going through the course of my day, I would hear minimum of four languages. This is something very normal in other parts of the world, but not the US. In fact, people are sometimes ridiculed when they do not speak English. But in other countries, it is just a way of life.

            Going forward, I would like to prioritize traveling outside of the United States. Going to Germany has help me understand that it is important to experience and understand other cultures and their respective ideas.

In relation to my education, I would like to work in the supply chain industry. Part of this is understanding the different natures of other countries’ supply chains. Just focusing on the United States supply chain is almost useless, when so much of our supply comes from imports. By learning and understanding the nature of other countries, I will be able to excel at my future job and be a more worldly student.

Calista Ring, Spain Internship Reflection

Hi! My name is Calista Ring and I just recently wrapped up my STEP signature project. My project was a 3 week corporate internship in Madrid, Spain. I was responsible for working Monday through Friday from 9-5, on a team with three other OSU undergraduate peers. We worked for a company named Sacyr, which is a construction & engineering company that generates revenue from projects. They obtain these projects through proposals, however, their current process was long and had a lot of overlap. My team was tasked with condensing and creating a new and efficient proposal process that uses agile methodologies. We ultimately came up with a process that eliminated 43% of the steps the company was using before, and we generated ideas for two new steps as well!

I feel as though I gained a new understanding of myself now that I am home and have completed my project. When I applied to this project a few months ago, I didn’t think I would get in. Once I got in, I was so excited, but also extremely nervous. I was unsure of my own capabilities and nervous that what I would bring to the table wouldn’t measure up. However, after completing the project, I now have a new source of confidence in myself and my education that I didn’t have before. Studying aboard in college has been one of my goals ever since I was 14 years old, and I am proud that I pushed myself to do something out of my comfort zone.

My view of the world transformed as well throughout my time in Spain. This trip was my first time in Europe ever! It was a bit of a culture shock as I learned some of the differences between the culture in Spain and the culture in America. However, it was truly amazing to learn and appreciate a new culture. To get away from everything I have known my whole life and understand different values. It taught me that the world is beautiful, and I want to spend my life traveling to great places, eating great food, seeing amazing sights. It made me realize that some of the things I care so much about at home and put so much effort in too, aren’t worth my time.

While the whole project itself was transformative, one of the most influential factors was the relationships I made while I was there. There were 15 total people who were placed in Madrid. We all lived in the same apartments, and then we were divided into four separate teams for work. The people that I met on this trip truly changed my life. Ohio State is such a huge school that I didn’t know anyone coming into Spain, which made me incredibly nervous. Pretty much everyone was in the same boat, with the exception of a few people who maybe knew one or two others on the trip. But honestly, that was the greatest part of the whole trip. Meeting these new people, learning about who they are and what their life is like. Planning trips and exploring Spain when we had just met. It was a truly special experience.

The relationships I built with the people on the trip taught me a lot not only about them, but also about myself. I had mentioned earlier that I wasn’t super confident coming into this trip. My team that I worked with helped restore that confidence in me. We had barely known each other, but they appreciated my ideas and taught me to speak up for myself more. It was special to me to hear this from a group of strangers, considering I was so worried about what they would think of me and the work I would contribute. However, hearing that outside perspective from a stranger really helped me.

One activity we did that also was significant to me was when our team took a day trip to Toledo, Spain on a Saturday. We walked through the city for a few hours and then found ourselves in a museum. The museum was beautiful, and had a terrace outside one of the exhibits so we walked out to see what was there. It was the most incredible view I have ever seen in my entire life. It was absolutely breathtaking, and we all stood there and took everything in for a good thirty minutes. As I stared at the world around me in that moment, everything clicked. I realized that when everyone says the world is your oyster, they mean it. This view, as weird as it may sound, changed my life. It filled me with hope and strength. It gave me the reminder that I needed.

This change is incredibly valuable to my life. From a professional standpoint and in regards to my future goals, it taught me how rewarding, and sometimes difficult, working on a team may be. I also didn’t really know much about consulting before interning. I wasn’t too sure of what I would contribute as a consultant. However, after participating, I learned about the role of a consultant and I learned that I actually quite enjoyed it. Before this program, I didn’t really consider consulting work to be a part of my future. Now, that is different and it is something I am very interested in. And, I wouldn’t have known that unless I had this opportunity to try it.

From a personal standpoint, my life has truly changed for the better. I feel as though I rediscovered myself in these three weeks. Before embarking on this trip, I was hesitant and had kind of lost sight of the person I was and the person I wanted to become. Now, I feel as though I have learned so much about myself and the person I want to become. I had to push myself out of my comfort zone to do so, and I could not be happier that I participated in this program. It is something I will carry with me for the rest of my life.

 

Some of us in Toledo, Spain!

Real Madrid Soccer Staidum

Our first day using the metro!

STEP Reflection Ellie Egan: German Immersion

Ellie Egan

STEP Reflection

 

For my STEP Project, I chose to pursue the Fisher Global Consulting Corporate Project. I was in Frankfurt, Germany working for the European Federation of Financial Analysts Societies. My three peers and I collected data, researched, and communicated with multiple country representatives to develop the first draft of the European Union Capital Markets 2022 Yearbook. The information collected ranged from total market capitalization, GDP, and stock market ownership structures to pension schemes, etc. We used databases including Refinitiv, Bloomberg, and also country experts within EFFAS to source information. It was presented the week after our project concluded in Bulgaria!  I was able to learn and experience so much and I feel lucky to have this experience.

Coming into this project as a Marketing and Entrepreneurship major, I was very hesitant and nervous about my knowledge and ability to bring value to this very finance-based project. I assumed that because I wasn’t a finance major I would be useless and be confused about the entirety of the project. Luckily, I was wrong. I learned that you can’t be the best at everything, and all you can do is put the time and effort into making the best of a situation. I took some time to ask questions to my peers and family, as well as do my own review of terms and ensure I could know what I was talking about. To say, I was nervous would be an understatement, but the staff at EFFAS quickly calmed my nerves!

During this project and my time in Frankfurt, my viewpoint on confidence/self-doubt in my abilities changed. The understanding that everyone must start somewhere has helped me transform my outlook on the world. I assumed because I was not a finance major that I would be unsuccessful, however, I took time to ask questions and faced it with a positive outlook which helped me be able to absorb information and be very helpful in the project. I learned to set my worries aside and place a focus on the differences I could make within my own life and within the project. It is important to understand that everyone has their strong suits and everyone has fears, and to not let that deter us from continuing to persevere and strive to be the best individual we can be.

A major part of this transformation came from meeting the other individuals in the office of EFFAS. Although being in Frankfurt everyone in the office was from a region of Spain, with Spanish as their first language. They were incredibly welcoming and took the time to get to know us and speak English to us. We got to know their backgrounds and how they all had to take a chance, move to Germany, and pick up the German language in some aspects of their life. Every one of them took it in stride and has made the most of their time working for EFFAS. This for me would’ve been a very scary transition, moving to a country without a background in the language, however, they showed that with hard work and the right attitude you can be successful, and learn quite a lot along the way. Sometimes you must take a risk to continue moving forward in life.

Furthermore, being immersed in a completely different culture played a significant role in the impact of this project. I have no background in the German language and had never traveled to Europe before this project. Let me tell you, that life is very different. The metro systems, the language barriers, and just lifestyles, in general, are different. It was very overwhelming at first, and many mistakes were made. I took it one day at a time and made it my goal to learn something new every day whether it be a new word or exploring a stop on our train ride. I took advantage of every moment abroad also getting to visit Amsterdam, Munich, and Bonn on days off. Seeing how different every place, city, and person interacted was very interesting, and showed incredible diversity and a beautiful way of life. Thanks to the help of my in-country coordinator by the end of the project, I felt much more comfortable with the city and venturing outside my comfort zone. I learned that no one can fully be prepared for any scenario they are placed in, and you can simply just do the best you can.

Finally, the relationship with the three other Ohio State students (Ben, Colette, and Ethan) that I worked and traveled with is one I am grateful to have. We all started out as complete strangers, and throughout our travels, days in the offices, our explorations, and nights out for dinner we developed a closer relationship. Although our interests varied, I learned a lot from all of them. I learned that our differences were our strengths and that together we made a very good team. Each of them taught me that it is alright to be nothing but yourself. I learned to embrace everything about me whether that be sometimes I excelled at or not. They all truly made this experience special, and I feel lucky to have them as co-workers and friends!

Overall, working on this project has given me the confidence to know that with hard work and application, you can do anything. I came into this project with a very little financial background, and I came out of it with valuable experiences and knowledge. Applying this mindset personally, academically, and professionally will undoubtedly set me apart in future situations. Attitude is everything, and I know that with a positive attitude and a hard work ethic, I can tackle any situation whether that be within my major, interests, lifestyle, or not. This project has inspired me to always take chances and not be afraid of the unknown. I am excited to continue to work towards my other goals and bucket list items with this project under my belt. I have no doubt it will be an amazing asset and experience to look back on.

Ethan, Colette, Ben, and I in Frankfurt! We had just had a traditional German lunch of schnitzel with green sauce and potatoes!

 

I got to enjoy many nice runs and walks along ‘the Main’ river! 

 

Weekend trip to Munich, Germany! Being in Germany, I was able to learn so much more and immerse myself in their rich history!

 

During one of our weekends off, we traveled to Amsterdam! Such an amazing city!

 

Hauptwache always had the most beautiful flower booths, festivals and lively atmosphere to enjoy on weekends and after work! We often got off at this train stop for dinners and activities after work!