Greetings from the Deloitte Branch Milano

Before departing for an Italian adventure, I interviewed with the Big Four accounting firms in the hopes of obtaining a summer internship. Luckily, after a couple of “Big” offers and one extremely “Big” decision, I chose Deloitte & Touche as the place to commence my career. A tremendous factor in my decision-making process lies in the fact that Deloitte is a cohesive company that offers expansive opportunities for growth – opportunities that can only exist within an international firm.

The view from the outdoors, the red building consists mostly of tax assistants.

Upon arriving in Italy, I was aware of the fact that Deloitte had a branch located in the city of Milan. After speaking to my recruiter, Matthew Ryder, and expressing my interest in exploring the office, Matt went out of his way to put me in contact with Michael Montanti, a US matters consultant currently working abroad in Deloitte Milan. This arrangement is a perfect example of how Deloitte truly facilitates in opening doors and expanding upon my personal potential as a successful businesswoman.

Entering the Milan office truly was an exciting experience; located in Porta Genova, one of the most old-fashioned districts in Milan, the branch consisted of two brightly colored buildings.

Michael met me in the yellow building of the two, and within a few short hours had managed to accurately convey both the knowledge and insight it had taken him years to gain. We touched upon the importance of time management and honesty; Michael opened my eyes to the future and the true power within my own personal decisions. He emphasized the fact that it is all about the way you utilize your time; you don’t have to be the first one in the office and the last one to leave – however you must remain efficient, committed, and focused.

It’s true; there have been plenty of times when I have failed to maintain consistent attention in class – dazing off in lectures partly because the material is somewhat dry and partly because the teachers manage to repeat the same five phrases over and over again (one major flaw in attending a school where English is the second language). Yet, in the world of business, and in most firms throughout the US, behavior like this will keep you stagnant.

After meeting with Michael, I left the office feeling invigorated; enlightened by the knowledge I had just gained, and the two of us met with a few of his colleagues for lunch at the restaurant Boccino. After un pesce spada alla grigliata, un espresso, and a brief conversation with one of the partners, I was on my way home, with a metro ride left to reflect on my experience.

Speaking with Michael, a man who has been with Deloitte for over eight years, allowed me to gain practical insight into the world of business. When entering the workforce, it is crucial to go in with a clear understanding of your own personal goals and objectives in regards to both your career and life in general. Without this as a sturdy basis, one can easily fail to establish a strong work-life balance and as a result, can easily become swallowed by the industry. In addition, maintaining a positive energy and affirmative outlook are necessary, especially when the work you are embarking on can at times seem tedious.

The view from the foyer

When it comes to progressing as a professional it is essential to remain aware of your personal goals and stay focused in regards to timing. There is a “sweet spot” for everything, and when it comes to a firm as fast paced as Deloitte this moment in time arises for a few brief seconds at most. Therefore it is crucial to observe the situation, consistently work towards your goals, and yet find the right moment to act upon them – taking advantage of this “sweet spot.” When I think of such a prestigious international firm such as Deloitte I think of opportunity. Unfortunately, without the proper focus these opportunities will drift right by without stopping to look back.

Overall, Deloitte has established an amazing sense of brand awareness which has in turn allowed the company to infiltrate a majority of areas across the globe. The firm has an amazing sense of community, and it is Deloitte’s sense of connectivity that has allowed the firm to successfully act upon the true potential behind establishing an international network. 

Racing into the Future

There are many noticeable differences between classes at UCSB and at Bocconi. As an Economics and Accounting major, the first few years at UCSB are dedicated towards fulfilling your prerequisites, and the path is for the most part laid out for you. There is not much room for interpretation when planning your schedule, and if you fail to pass a course, it does nothing but set you back at least a quarter.  In coming to Bocconi I was excited to delve into subjects that allow for practical application. Luckily, I chose a wide range of courses at Bocconi that have surprisingly correlated between one another. Especially at this point in the semester, I have begun to make my own personal comparisons between each of the subjects – merging sustainable operations with corporate social responsibility for the personal goal of consulting businesses; brainstorming techniques allowing for short and long term success.

A perfect example of this unintentional mergence occurred recently when I cruised back in time and boarded the magic school bus with my Sustainable Operations Management course for a field trip to the Yamaha factory in Milan. 

Well we may not have soared through space in order to get there, but it sure was cool to get a factory tour...

The tour was conducted by the General Manager and the Head of Communications. They began with a brief tour of the office, and in doing so they informed the class on the company's history. Giving a thorough understanding of the corporation's past in order to fully understand the future fate of the company. After a quick break where we all were allowed to hop on the bikes and snap a few photos, we headed into the conference room for a presentation on Yamaha's innovative reform for increased sustainability and  social responsibility.

The conference room was awesome, a full on motorcycle placed in the center of an ellipse like table, and uniforms that hung all throughout the room. In addition, the company treated us as professionals with a great amount of respect for each of our questions and a well-prepared presentation.


Towards the beginning of the presentation, William Favero, the Communication Manager, briefly mentioned that the company recently engaged in flash mob marketing. BOOM! My head shot up and after we were given a tour of the behind the scenes workshops (where the bikes are assembled, inspected and tested) I went to William and asked him if I could be enlightened of the details behind this flash mob. For those of you who don't know, I am going to be participating in an internship with Deloitte this coming summer in the Audit branch, however after my Management Consulting course at Bocconi I have found myself with an increased interest for Consulting and Advisory services.

For the culminating project in Introduction to Management Consulting, my team is a specialized investment fund in advertising and media companies. We are responsible for advising our clients of whether or not to invest in the flash mob phenomena. William was extremely excited to let me know of their recent endeavor with flash mob marketing and after answering a couple of questions I had drafted up during the conference, he began to show me multiple videos of the event. Taking place in front of la Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, Spain the event was a tremendous success with over 10 million views on YouTube. Consisting of 8 cameras, 100 team members, 6 minutes, and Jorge Lorenzo, the self-sponsored event was of virtually no cost to Yamaha. The firm successfully achieved their goal of creating vibration throughout the environment and evoking a sense of involvement for the company's admirers.

Yours truly chillin by the MotoGP World Champion bike, costing between €3 - €3.5 million, the machine  has a 250 hp and requires  two engineers and one mechanic to turn it on.

By the wizay, the sustainability project about plastic water bottles was a tremendous success! :)

Bringing SB Back to Bocconi

It is quite a drastic culture shock, transitioning from such a sustainable, "green-friendly" place like Santa Barbara to getting placed smack dab in the center of a bustling city such as Milan. It really is hard to watch someone throw their cigarette butts on the ground when there is a specific disposal for cigarettes right next to them, or witness lines in the grocery store the size of the Nile River and then watch Italians throw away food that could so easily be composted for their gardens, located on their apartment balcony.

One issue that I can no longer sit back and accept is the consumption of bottled water at Bocconi. Students will line up as though the vending machine is the front door of Wal-Mart on Black Friday just to get their daily dose of bottled water. Then, these same students will continue to throw their empty bottles in the trash, rather than placing them in the recycling baskets located on the ground floor of our student buildings. I have been here for 4 months now and have not once seen a nalgene, glass bottle, or any other type of reusable canteen. Oh and water fountains in class buildings are definitely non-existent.

Upon arriving at Bocconi, one of my friends, Mariana, asked a full-time student if it was okay to drink the tap water in Italy. The student quickly responded by saying that although the tap water was perfectly fine, “it’s not considered fashionable to refill your bottle.” As preposterous as this may sound, the mentality of most Italians is strongly fixated on the fact that drinking bottled water is considered to be chic, high-class, and the most “pure” option; however, when it comes to plastic bottles, the environmental costs strongly outweigh the industry’s monetary benefits. 

It may not seem like a big deal to most Bocconi students, however bottled water is an industry that continues to grow rapidly each year. Despite the fact that Italian consumers already have access to clean drinking water for free, Italy is the largest consumer of acqua minerale, drinking more than 3 billion gallons countrywide. According to researchers, between the years of 2001 and 2007, world consumption of bottled water has increased by 70%. 


It is time to educate Bocconi students of their personal environmental impact, and what better way to do that than pair a Santa Barbarian with an Australian, New Zealander, and two Brazilians. For our Sustainable Operations Management course, the five of us are taking charge and showing students the truth behind the bottled water industry. In addition to explaining the corruption behind each process of the supply chain: production, transportation and disposal - we are taking an interactive approach on the matter. During our presentation we are first planning to take the building trash cans into class, pouring out their contents into a clear bag and actually showing students how many recyclable bottles are being thrown away as "waste." After a good amount of information and of course a powerpoint presentation, we are then going to be getting crafty by re-using the water bottles as plant holders. This will allow students to get their hands dirty while learning how to utilize their resources. I will make sure to keep you all updated on how the assignment goes, we will be presenting this coming Monday. 


For now, I will leave you with a video that will be incorporated into our presentation. It is about a well-known Italian comedian, Luciana Littizzetto, documenting her journey through the congested streets in order to bring a glass of "pure" water home. The co-op commercial then culminates with her filling a glass from the tap with the simple message: drinking tap water pollutes less. 

"Internet of Things"

Today I woke up to a peculiar site; after four snooze alarms and two elongated stretches in bed, I opened my bedroom window and experienced what I can only describe as a Springtime Snowstorm. Puffed up cotton balls of white pollen were floating lightly in the air. Lightly drifting, their destination did not seem apparent, but they were calmly moving through the sky. To admit, it was quite beautiful as they exemplified the beginning of a new season: spring.

After a quick cappuccino I eased my way into the front row seat of Management Consulting 15 minutes late – otherwise known in Italian as perfectly on time. Marco Salvadori, a consultant of Internet Business Solutions Group (IBSG), spoke as a guest on behalf of Cisco. When examining Cisco at a quick glance, the company’s purpose is to provide “a variety of technological devices and systems that enable Internet and digital communication among companies and among people,” states Salvadori as he further delved into the company’s vision and overall strategy from the IBSG point of view. For those of you who don’t know, IBSG is Cisco’s global executive consulting organization. Consisting of 180 consultants in 20 countries, IBSG works with the head executives of Cisco to help transform the utilization of digital technologies.

As the lecture progressed, Salvadori spoke of a key phrase that instantly took hold of my attention, the “Internet of Things.” He described it to be a scale up of everything, the newest, innovative leap into the technological evolution of the future. The Internet of Things all starts with a nearly invisible network of radio frequency identification tags (RFID) that are deployed on almost every type of consumer item. These tiny chips have the ability to scan wirelessly and create a global network of physical objects. Now this topic is still seen as extremely controversial, particularly since these chips are being produced in the billions, yet they have not managed to gather much public knowledge of consent.

The ultimate convenience in supply-chain management, RFID tags could allow for a better track of inventories and consumer demand. Companies would not run out of stock, and stolen items would be much more easily tracked and located. In addition, once RFID technology is used, you can place all the products you wish to purchase in one basket, in which these products can be detected instantly and the billing process can be faster. Wal-Mart, the nation’s largest retail, has recently announced that it will begin placing item-level RFID tracking tags on clothing sold in its stores. This allows large corporations  the ability to increase their power in the market, by being able to track all items and the consumers who purchase them. In addition, I conducted some personal research and this technology has been used with human beings in addition to things. Many people advocate its usage by saying it is a better way to curb theft, identify disaster victims and improve medical care. However, critics exclaim that this procedure would be a widespread invasion of privacy, making it easier for government agencies to track a person’s every move. 

Regardless of the consensus, I think the subject is an interesting topic to note upon – especially since Cisco’s consulting team is advising them to utilize this new form of technology. I advise you all to look into the subject and create your own personal decision on the ethics behind the “Internet of Things” and RFID chip implantation. It is each individuals right to be informed of this procedure, and as a human race would this evolution in technology soon allow us to experience the true meaning of interconnectedness? Or shall we remain free from these Orwellian concerns, and experience life like the light balls of pollen, without a straight path, yet within a beautiful journey?

Bobinoooooo

Nothing puts a smile on my face like meeting people who have not only established themselves to the world, but know how to have a good time! Before I embarked on a train voyage to the South of France, I met up with a fellow UC student, Amanda, for aperitivo with her parents.

For those of you who don't know, aperitivo is a typical Milanese custom that began to take shape over the 1920's. It was created as a tactic by local bars to bring in business, while getting the party started just a little earlier than usual. Long story short, it's the Italian version of happy hour, plus plates of food....

Translated as appetizer, aperitivo is a chance for exchange students (particularly Americans) to slightly take advantage of this tradition, and utilize the 10 euro entry as a chance to enjoy a nice cocktail, while succumbing to the endless buffet. This time I was heading to a beautiful venue located along the Navigli, otherwise knows as the canals in Milan.

Bobino is most commonly known as a club, however, before the clock strikes midnight the stage is filled with tables and sofas, reserved for the more serious customers. Needless to say it was Amanda's parents last night out, we were seated up in VIP, and they wanted to go out with a bang. What better way to live up your last night in Milan than with mojitos! Or shall I say mojito? Not sure whose genius idea it was, but we ended up ordering a Grande Mojito...that is 15 liters of pure citrusy, sugary mayhem.

It soon became apparent that this was not just any occasion, but a time to celebrate! I mean.... the drink did come fully equipped with a good 25 straws and sparklers for each and every one of us.......

Don't worry though, despite all the colorful straws, slices of lime, and crazy fireworks, we still managed to keep it classy and ended the night with a trip to Michelle's house for fresh pasta marinara. Everyone got home safe, and with the exception of Luis' delayed trip to Copenhagen, Bobino was possibly the best way to commence our 5 day weekend, courtesy of Italian's national holiday.

Gotta love partying with the parents.

Viaggio da solo

I knew after my travels in Israel that throughout my time in Europe there would come a time where I would fly solo and embark on my own personal voyage. I didn't know where nor when, rather I was planning to wait for the moment to strike. It was the beginning of break and instead of going straight back to Milan after my time in Budapest, I would look up tickets elsewhere. It took nineteen euros, and a whole lot of courage to book my one-way flight from Budapest, Hungary to Paris, France.

In return for spending an extra night in Budapest, I promised to head with my friend Travis to the airport in the morning for his flight. Little did I know I was going to be in the airport from 4 am until my flight departed at 10... so after a sleepless night, and intense day of traveling, I finally made it to the city of romance.

Traveling alone is an invaluable experience, one that allowed for an introspective examination of my own personal strengths and weaknesses. It took a little for me to get used to flying solo, but once the ball started rolling I began to get the hang of things. The day started with a quick trip to Sacre Cour, one of the highest points in Paris, the monument offers a Panoramic view of the entire city. It was absolutely breathtaking, and after passing out on the slightly sloping lawn for a good few hours, I let the day take me where it wanted. A small sign pivoted out from behind the church and my eyes instantly caught hold of it's message, a Salvador Dali exhibit had just opened. After three hours and eleven euros I left the venue with a mind overflowing about theories on the innate nature of time. It was at that moment I realized the benefits of traveling by yourself. Not many people would stand and stare at each composition in their entirety and read the sculptures descriptions one by one. This also leads into my first weakness: art. Between Van Gogh and Salvador Dali it has officially been decided that once I establish myself in the professional world, I will equip my house with ornate masterpieces of art, and surround myself with colors and compositions which allow oneself to question concepts much more grandiose than the individual. 

I continued my day with a short rest along the Seine and before I knew it, I wound up at the Notre Dame. One of the coolest things about Parigi is the fact that the majority of its historical markings are dotted all along the River, allowing for easy navigation through the city and a surprise lurking around every corner.

Two younger girls on a class field trip sketching their own drawings of the Notre Dame.

This group of twenty year olds (participating in the most hilarious dance of all time) had decided to take a year off of school and work to devote themselves to religion. If I could point out anything it would be to embrace the fabulous mullet this dude is rocking.... Regardless of their style, I was informed of their mission from two nuns, Barbara and Ruth, two elderly women who happened to be these young adults' mentors. The three of us discussed our views on God, faith, and at the end of it all, we simply wished each other well and went on our separate ways. It was a beautiful experience.

My favorite picture thus far...

After snapping a good 192371297 shots of the city, I decided it was about time to have a picture of myself actually IN the city. One downfall to traveling alone - taking self shots aren't much of an option.. so I succumbed and asked a fellow traveler to take a picture of me in front of the Notre Dame.

If you are ever traveling alone, I would HIGHLY suggest staying in a hostel. It is a prime area to meet other travelers, especially those who want to socialize. Especially with Paris' high prices, I paid a hefty amount to stay in a room with a college student from Quebec who came to Paris because her school was on strike, a hilarious twenty year old from Rome, a backpacker from Chicago and Elena, a high school graduate from Australia who was taking three months off to teach English in the South of France.

Elena and I happened to kick it off really well and the two of us met up with fellow SB'ers Dave and Kasey for a casual picnic in front of the Eiffel Tower. The baguettes were AMAZING, the wine was savory and the tower was just as beautiful in the day as it was at night.

 

Catching a love parade outside the Eiffel Tower.

Dave doin' his thanggg

This man and his son ran into us playing frisbee outside of the eiffel tower, and after inviting them to join, the two of them quickly picked up the frisbee and gave it a go. The cutest part was the fact that the little boy had never played frisbee before, and he was beyond stoked to be playing with everyone.

For my last night in Paris, my housemate, Colleen, had contacted one of her friends from Boston College who was abroad and arranged for us to meet for dinner. It was an extremely kind gesture and after dinner, her friend Hayle she gave Elena and I a tour of the entire city at night.  Hayley was a history major and gave us a ridiculously informative purpose behind each building. Taking classes only in French, she managed to help me decode the entire menu for dinner as well. Thank goodness, because I was about to order foie gras, otherwise known as duck liver...

The tour ended at midnight in front of the Eiffel Tower. If I could explain it as anything, it was the grand finale to a series of fireworks and it definitely made my night. Sorry the footage is so shaky, to say the least I was awed by the tower's beauty.

After a long day of traveling, courtesy of Ryan Air, I made my way back to the residence in Milan around midnight on the first of April. In honor of the marvelous "pranking" tradition, I was warmly welcomed back by all my best friends to an EMPTY room...literally..

Initially I thought I was being kicked out of Arcoboleno, but I actually had received a new and state of the art set-up out on the balcony.. 

On a brighter note, at least they set out my yoga mat... how feng shui..

True Friendship.

BUDA LOVINNN... Budapest '12

I would have to cast Budapest as possibly the most underrated place I have ever been to. The city is located within the borders of Hungary and is separated into two districts. That of Buda - the historically rich center located on one side of the Danube River, Buda is fully intact with castles and an incredible view of the Parliament; and Pest - the more industrious, bustling sector that comprises about two-thirds of the city's territory.

Budapest truly was the best way to celebrate the commencement of Spring Break, and after a beautiful night of jamming out on my friends Travis and Sheret's patio, we packed our bags and head out early in the morning.

It's hard for me to describe in detail the beauty of my experience, the city was a whirlwind of amazing moments spent with some of the coolest people I know. In order to give you all a better of understanding of the trip, my friend, future entrepreneur, and fellow hall-mate Van Michael composed a video of our time spent in Budapest. The video begins with my partner in crime Colleen walking up the stairway to the Goat Hostel and continues with a series of footage: bathing in the legendary baths of Budapest, dancing in front of monuments, getting down in the open markets, singing our hearts out at the top of Pest and much more.

Unfortunately the video is too large to upload directly to this blog post so in order to access it you can find it through this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_D7dYu8i4w&feature=youtu.be

Well, have a look for yourself, turn up the volume and enjoy ...