Lazy Faire October 2019 by Lazy Faire

OCTOBER 2019 Meet ASoB women of colour professors, Onita Blanketfield & Kangkang Wang

FOR BUSINESS STUDENTS BY BUSINESS STUDENTS

SUCCESS THROUGH ADVERSITY How to balance school, life and perfect sleep Time management tips and tricks

ISHA GODARA How she overcame failure, her advice and how you can be successful

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Meet the Team

We hire U of A Alumni! What are recent University Graduates saying about their Xerox Agent Sales Career? About Segue Systems

ERIKA SCHNESYUK Bachelor of Commerce , Marketing Major School of Business University of Alberta

(Edmonton & Calgary Locations)

When you work for Segue Systems, you’ll experience the autonomy offered by an independent business and the support and resources of a respected, global leader. From a diverse range of products and solutions to sales training and support that is acknowledged throughout the world as ‘best in class’, you will find working for an independent Xerox Sales Agency will lay the foundations for your career success.

Segue Systems is proud to be a Lazy Faire Magazine print sponsor. Join our winning team. Apply today at: http://www.findyourxfactor.ca

https://www.xeroxagentsales.ca https://www.xeroxagentsales.ca https://www.xeroxagentsales.ca

I like working at a Xerox agency because there is so much support, you never feel like you’re alone with any aspects of the job. There is a team mentality as well as the opportunity to work independently and meet personal as well as company goals. They push and challenge you to meet your goals and to succeed both within the job and personally. The best part is that you’re doing something new everyday, it isn’t just a routine job where you sit behind a desk. I get to interact with customers from many different industries and get to meet a lot of different people in different roles within companies and really build personal and business relationships with them.

AMY HAYWARD Bachelor of Kinesiology University of Alberta The team atmosphere really sets this job apart from all others I’ve had. Everyone wants everyone to succeed and is willing to help out in whatever way they can. And no two days are the same which keeps things fresh and exciting. You get to be a part of every stage of a sale and can really figure out what you like and what’s crucial for your future.

MAKSYM PRYMA Bachelor of Commerce Human Resources Management MacEwan University Working in the Xerox agency program has been immense for the development of my business acumen post graduation. The variety of work in this role allowed me to leverage many concepts I learned during my undergraduate program and develop new skills and have unique experiences that are unavailable to many new graduates in the City of Edmonton. Overall, this role is ideal for anyone looking to sharpen their sales, marketing, finance and accounting skills that they developed in post secondary.

ABOUT US

Lazy Faire is a magazine run for business students, by business students. Founded in 2009, we have grown from a small group of eight into a team of 11 writers, designers, photographers and other talented members.

Our goal is to provide content that is interesting, informative, and relevant to Alberta School of Business students. We showcase current and alumni student experiences and achievements, plus their take on modern topics both serious and light-hearted.

OUR SOCIALS IG: lazyfairemagazine TW: lazy_faire FB: lazyfaire www.lazyfaire.com

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Table of Contents

Contributors VP EDITORIALS Denise Nguyen Rachita Chugh

WRITER Timiro Mohamed

Miscellaneous

Thought vs Thought

Student Spotlight

External Relations

Clubs Corner

Guest Article

Events

VP ART AND DESIGN Melania Antoszko DESIGNERS Leire Domènech Karman Kaur Jazlynn Chan VP MARKETING Daniela Nadeau VP EVENTS Charlotte Grisé VP OPERATIONS AND FINANCE Erica Wee PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHER Austin Yee SPONSORED BY Xerox Canada SPECIAL THANKS TO Diana Wyley

Meet the Team

How to stay on top of everything and be organized

Networking in school vs Networking outside of school. What is more advantageous?

Isha Godara - Co-president of TEDx, PLLC Scholar and community leader. Read about what she has to say on failure.

Meet Onita Blanketfield and Kangkang Wang and learn what they think about diversity, inclusion and representation in ASoB

We sat down with the co-chairs of NEW and spoke about the conference and the interdisciplinary approach they are taking this year.

Read more about B.Com Alumni Patrick Li’s innovative boxer design and the technology behind it

Which business events will you attend this month? These are a couple that you should definately check out!

Want to be on the cover of Lazy Faire Magazine? Nominate yourself or a friend under “Contact Us” on www.lazyfaire.com

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Editor’s

t’s all too easy to celebrate the successes of those around us when things also happen to be going well in our own lives. However, going out for drinks to toast to your friend landing their dream co-op job while you’re on academic probation, or helping your sibling pack up to move in with their significant other while you’re on the verge of yet another awful breakup - now, that’s much harder. Again, it’s all too easy to fall prey to the nagging voice of inferiority and self-doubt in the back of your mind, especially when everywhere you look, everyone seems to be doing much better relative to you. That’s why, this month, Lazy Faire would like to acknowledge all the failures that constantly happen behind the camera: the ones that no one brags about in public, or posts on social media for the world to see. When the online personas

Editor’s Note

Note

of people you’re comparing yourself to are carefully-crafted, with each little flaw purposefully omitted - well, that’s not a fair comparison at all to reality, or to your own situation, now is it? Our theme this month is SUCCESS THROUGH ADVERSITY, where we want to celebrate every little f*ck up that got us to where we are today, and every little f*ck up that will get us to where we are going to be in the future. In this issue, we’re going to be sharing some tips on how to be more productive, debating between the best networking methods, sitting down with some women of colour in the business faculty, and more. Read on!

VALERIE LEOW Editor-in-Chief

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Meet the Team

MEET THE TEAM

Leire Domènech

Rachita Chugh

Designer

VP Editorial

Favorite song right now? Señorita by Shawn Mendes and Camila Cabello

Favorite song right now? Caught Up by Majid Jordan (feat. Khalid)

Favorite song in junior high? Counting Stars by OneRepublic

Favorite song in junior high? Apologize by One Republic

Have you read anything good recently? I would 100% recommend “The Silent Patient” by Alex Michaelides

Have you read anything good recently? Becoming by Michelle Obama; ended up being a longer read than expected but was absolutely worth it.

What’s something not a lot of people know about your major? SMO helps you learn the interpersonal skills you will need in any job/situation in your life, not just learning about how to manage a workforce or how to be an entrepreneur.

What’s something not a lot of people know about your major? I’m a Marketing major and I typically find that it’s highly misunderstood and underestimated. Marketing’s easy in theory but much more difficult in application and execution.

What’s something not a lot of people know about you? I’ve lived in 3 countries and I speak 4 languages (I’m currently learning my fifth one – American Sign Language).

What’s something not a lot of people know about you? I am only child, pour my milk in before my cereal, and read textbooks for fun.

If you could learn any skills instantly what would it be? Reading Body Language

If you could learn any skills instantly what would it be? Singing

Best advice you’ve ever received? Just be yourself and act according to your values and beliefs

Best advice you’ve ever received? My dad always tells me to focus on building an extremely sturdy and strong foundation based on education and hard work - the rest will follow.

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Miscellaneous

PRODUCTIVITY HACKS WRITTEN BY: Rachita Chugh

So, it’s already midterm season and you’re probably wondering where all the time has gone. Week of Welcome, orientation, beer gardens…it all seems like it happened yesterday.Yet all of a sudden, you find yourself in the midst of crunch time and struggling to keep up. How does one achieve high grades in school, successfully contribute to clubs and other extracurriculars, sleep, AND maintain some semblance of a social life? The answer is time management. And the foundation of good time management is productive habits. LF consolidated a list of productivity hacks for a smoother academic year; continue reading and apply the ones that work best for you!

Create a schedule and stick to it: it may be hard to build an agenda for everyday (as things pop up sporadically). However, creating a schedule can be a life saver. Although it’s October, it’s not too late to look at the syllabi provided by your professors and mark key dates in your calendar. Take it a step further and set reminders a week prior to each deadline.

Have a reason for working faster: oftentimes, the only way to get anything accomplished is by giving yourself an incentive. Schedule a fun activity after studying and use it as motivation to work harder.

Establish an arbitrary deadline for your workday: set a deadline for every day. For example, tell yourself you will complete all your tasks before 5PM. This allows you to work against the clock and may potentially motivate you to stay on task throughout the day.

Disable notifications on your phone, laptop, etc.: we know it’s a long shot to deactivate social media altogether, but putting your phone on ‘Do Not Disturb’ or airplane mode is an excellent way to keep distractions at bay. If you don’t receive alerts for an hour, you won’t feel the urgency to abandon work for the sake of checking social media!

Step outside for a walk: the outdoors has a way of energizing you. Strolling through campus and watching the leaves change color might be exactly what you need to reboot your brain.

Surviving the semester is no easy feat, but success lies somewhere between being dedicated to academics and pampering yourself (either through extracurriculars or taking time to relax). Spend some time to discover your perfect balance and allow the semester to take its course. Good luck!

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Thought vs Thought

THOUGHT VS NAY

Networking outside of business school is more advantageous

For many of us the thought of entering the business world is a daunting task. Stepping out from underneath the illustrious wing of academia, and leaving behind the monotony of exams, quizzes, late submissions and all nighters. Having been students for the better part of our lives, real world responsibility is far removed from the everyday reality of campus life. Often, we exist within defined social spheres: our clubs, our friends, or jobs, our majors; we all have our own circles. In many ways, networking acts as a bridge between ourselves and the broader groups we need to interact with. Be it the gatekeepers for the ivory towers we hope to one day climb or the forming of close personal relationships, networking allows us to access untapped social capital. While it may be difficult for many of us to step out of our comfort zone, we do have access to a wide variety of resources on campus. The possibilities on and off campus are nearly endless, and now well into post-secondary “Oh the Places You’ll Go,” feels like the title to an unwritten memoir. The real challenge lies in going beyond the halls of the Alberta School of Business building and forming connections in other spaces.

But how can we make contact with the outside world when we spend an average of 17 hours a week studying (Maclean’s 2016)? In addition to time spent in lectures and labs, students also attend industry mixers, compete in case competitions, attend club meetings, hold a part-time job and (if time permits) sleep. Admittedly, it can feel impossible to network with internal stakeholders at the university, let alone reach out to a broader community. As difficult as this may be...there is value in establishing a diverse network of contacts. If sacrificing a few solid hours of sleep is the price you are willing to pay to attend to yet another networking opportunity, then so be it. Whether you do so by volunteering at local events, attending business conferences or reaching out to key industry players it begins with stepping out of your comfort zone. Some of my most meaningful mentorship relationships began with simply approaching someone and asking for guidance. Ultimately, networking allows us to tap into diverse mindsets rather than affirming our existing beliefs. By accessing our larger community we expand our social network and benefit from a roster of contacts, mentors, and friends.

WRITTEN BY: Denise Nguyen

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Thought vs Thought

THOUGHT YAY

The word ‘networking’ is tossed out by everyone, every day, and everywhere in ASOB. The first visual that comes to mind when I hear ‘networking’ is an unpleasant one. Looking slightly stuffy and unlike my usual self, I give a polite grin at a joke made by some corporate associate in an attempt to impress them, even if I never see them again. Then, another dressed-up student casually makes their way to stand next to me, seamlessly joining into the not-so-seamless conversation. I use this chance to break away and grab an appetizer at a table in the opposite end of the room. I’ll admit it: networking events are definitely not my thing. And that’s okay. That doesn’t mean I avoid them like the plague, but they are far from my favourite way to spend my evenings. However, in due diligence, I make the effort to attend them once in a while, and am trying to change my perspective on them. Networking is only truly effective if both partners are engaged and actually feel connected with each other. It’s quite obvious if someone is being insincere and trying too hard to be agreeable, which I find is often my struggle when I reach out to professionals. On the other hand, I have been described as a “people person” - so what’s the deal? Why do I just never click with these industry professionals?

Networking in school is more advantageous

A part of networking that sometimes gets forgotten as students become more jaded throughout the school year is networking internally - getting to know your peers within the school. “Isn’t that just making friends?” Exactly. Networking with your peers is that much easier- chances are, you’re all about the same position level, likely the same age (if you’re a student), and also have a similar interest. Networking within the school professionally and personally takes a load of pressure off students who, such as myself, struggle to find commonality with higher-ranking professionals. The difference is, networking means bringing up the topics of careers and future ambitions. And if you are mature enough to do so, it’s really not that hard. In my humble opinion, professional networking events, if you’re good at them, are fruitful. Reaching out on LinkedIn has given my friends opportunities to find mentors. Networking beyond your school peers are certainly great opportunities to diversify your portfolio. But these are presumably on a professional basis. And that’s where the struggle is - a lot of the times, it’s hard to not feel like you’re brown-nosing for a job. The setting often feels artificial.

Take the formalities away and you’ve got instructors, alumni, underclassmen - all who you decide to meet on your terms, on your own time, with no ulterior motive of trying to land a job with them (unless you’ve been explicit with your intentions; if not, you’d better say something soon). This is where the connections begin. This is where you’re more likely to be remembered- for being that classmate who had big goals, who didn’t hide their authenticity, and made some good memories.

Kudos to those who do decide to reach out beyond school peers to network - it must be hard. However far you decide to take that initiative during your undergraduate years, remember that networking isn’t just about showing up to please people. Show up with genuine interest, express clear motivations, and be approachable. But most importantly, show up for yourself.

WRITTEN BY: Timiro Mohamed

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ISHA GODARA WRITTEN AND DESIGNED BY: Melania Antoszko

PHOTOS BY: Erica Wee

Student Spotlight

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sha Godara is a 3rd year international student at ASoB, pursuing a major in Finance along with the Certificate in Interdisciplinary Leadership Studies at Peter Lougheed Leadership College. Through her involvement in the local community she is bringing awareness to issues she is passionate about. Her success in extracurriculars and academics didn’t come without setbacks and challenges. We took some time to talk about Isha’s setbacks, what she learnt from them, and advice on how to accept failure. M: What extracurriculars have you been involved in while at ASoB? I: I have been involved with two not-forprofits in governance-related projects, PLLC Students' Union in various roles, a research project related to Responsible Investment, and participated in a few case competitions. I’m also the Co-President of TEDxUAlberta. M: You are quite successful in everything you’re involved in but there have been some setbacks. In your opinion, how do you define failure? I: In my first year of business I wasn’t doing as well academically as I wanted to, and I got rejected from some student clubs. At the time, that was a failure for me. Now, failure is not making realistic steps or goals towards something that I want to achieve for myself. It is not taking the time to reflect and learn from my mistakes. M: Can you tell me when you experienced some setbacks, whether in academics or extracurriculars? I: I think my first year of business was full of setbacks. We are always told to prioritize our health, but I completely ignored that. I dealt with a couple of health issues during the first year of business. It hindered my ability to do well academically and socially. I got rejected from a few student clubs that I applied to. Back in

the first year, I was intimidated by all the LinkedIn profiles and got carried away with trying to do everything. At that point, I was doing things just for the sake of doing them. I wanted to be one of those students who were involved with 5 student clubs, had the perfect social life, had a 4.0, and had perfect sleep. Looking back, I set unrealistic personal expectations and was losing perspective. But I am thankful that because it was those experiences that gave me the opportunity to grow at a personal level. M: How did you overcome these setbacks? I: First thing that I did after my first year of business was to go back home to India and take time off to relax, spend time with family and old friends, and think about what I was passionate about. I reflected on what my interests were and what I should be doing. Once I came back for second year, I started prioritizing my health, spent time with friends, did things that I cared about and made realistic goals for myself. M: How have these experiences contributed to your success today? I: First thing I learnt was self care. I went to a boarding school and prior to that lived in a joint family, so I always had friends/family members take care of me. It was a learning curve to take care of myself in university. Second thing I learned was how to set realistic goals and their importance. Third, was becoming more comfortable with seeking advice. Looking back, if I reached out to students in advanced years of studies for their advice I would have dealt with certain situations more effectively. Seek advice, seek help. Also, I learnt about resilience and how failing early on is important for success. I read about people I admired and talked to my family and friends, and I realized that everyone has failed professionally or personally at some point or another, so why not me.

Student Spotlight

M: Fear of failure can stop students from trying something new or achieving their goals. How do you overcome this fear? I: If I fail, I self-reflect. It entails thinking about the reasons that led to failure and what I could do in the future to avoid similar mistakes - Being more comfortable with failure let me overcome this fear. Personally, talking to people who have failed like colleagues, parents, professors and learning how they coped with it, helps me alot. I find comfort in their advice and knowing that failure is normal. Failure is just like getting the flu, you’re going to get over it and you’re going to be okay - it’s just a part of life. I think we need to be better at embracing failure. M: What has been your most meaningful experience while at ASoB? I: Two things come to mind when I think of this. First is TEDx Ualberta. TEDx is the first student group that I joined when I transferred to North Campus. I think it is a great opportunity to showcase the innovative and socially conscious leaders who are doing amazing work in our local community. Secondly, I am working on a project related to responsible investment. This project has given me clarity that there’s a significant potential in the field of finance to do social good. I used the PLLC project as an opportunity to reflect on my goals and what I want to do. Now I am really happy that I got an opportunity to create something new, to learn about a field that I am interested in and hopefully create something that other students can find helpful. It's something that is going to help me personally, but also something that I can leave behind at ASoB. To read the rest of the interview go to https://www.lazyfaire.com/articles

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External Relations

WOC of the business faculty WRITTEN BY: Timiro Mohamed

In my time at the University of Alberta’s business school, three of my twelve professors have been women of color. For this month’s external affairs, I had the chance to sit down with two of the three. I interviewed Onita Blanketfield, a lecturer in the marketing department as well as Kangkang Wang, an assistant professor in the marketing department. 1. Can you tell me about your role in the business faculty and how you came into it? Kangkang: Similar to the journey of many business faculty members, I began by working towards my PhD. My undergrad was in finance and economics, because there was no marketing major at my school. However, at the graduate level I had access to more choice. The purpose of having a doctoral program in business schools is to train students to acquire the basic skills to become a faculty member later on. To be an instructor in both undergrad and MBA courses for both teachers and students has been very meaningful. I believe education is important for everyone so I take this position seriously.

2. What have been some of the most meaningful roles in your career in marketing and teaching? Onita: It always comes down to the people; you’re either learning from someone or teaching. I think of all the people that helped and guided me, and I try to be what I had or what I needed in young people’s lives.

3. Did you have access to mentorship as you navigated academia and the industry? Kangkang: As a junior faculty member, I have access to mentorship. Mentally, it is a large support. It gives you peace of mind. Onita: One of my first work experiences was working at an engineering firm in Calgary in the 80s. To be honest, I’ve predominantly been in male-dominated environments. I was in a workplace with very few women in professional roles. I met someone who I’m still friends with today. She was the communications director for this company. The fight then- it wasn’t even that long ago because this was in 1989; it was so different.At work, you were allowed to have playboy centrefolds in your cubicle.The communications director had said “it’s time to clean up our act”. We’re having clients come in, some of whom are young female engineers. I remember it had caused such a wave, and I had never really thought about it. I wasn’t very comfortable, but I’m the type of person to just go with the flow, so I didn’t make a big deal of it. But there are people like that have made me look at things differently. There are people like that who have been quiet mentors in my life.

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External Relations

4. Was that a culture shock for you? Onita: I’m the kind of person where I fit in and I’m not offended easily. If it’s not materially hurting me I don’t feel like I need to comment on everything.

5. You say you’re someone who always fits in. Do you think it has also been about adapting for the ways in which those spaces don’t accommodate you? Onita: I agree, I’ve always had a personal objective in my life and career, and I realized that my path to success would be faster if I maneuvered around obstacles rather than go through them. Sometimes, you realize it is easier for some people, or that it isn’t a linear path for you. [In those cases,] I said to myself, my strategy will not be to go on the same path, and maybe I won’t get there as fast, but I’m going to get there.

6. How do you think your presence in the faculty provides representation, assurance, and support for students of color in your classes? Kangkang: We have a number of students from all over the world, [so my presence] may make them feel closer if there is something they want to talk about. Some students are from China or other parts of Asia. It makes them feel closer. If there’s something they want to talk about, because they feel emotionally connected to you. Onita: By sharing my knowledge and experiences, someone may be encouraged or be more confident to move forward. Whether they are in marketing or finance, they can hear from a real person what potential business environment may be like, and that they have a place in those environments.

7. In what ways can we begin to change the face of academia and the business world at large in the years to come? Kangkang: More diversity in our admission decisions of future PhD students, because they go on to become faculty members in the future. We should take [diversity] into account as we admit new doctoral students. It can also be in the recruiting decisions of faculty . Onita: To have more diversity could bring a lot of value. There is no one right way of doing something or looking at the world, so I enjoy having multiple viewpoints.

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NETWORK OF EMPOWERED WOMEN With Cleo Williams and Emma Wickenheiser

Every year, the Network of Empowered Women (NEW) gathers empowered individuals to attend the annual NEW conference, hosted at the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise over the course of 4 days. Not only is it an opportunity to discuss what it means to be a woman in professional development, but also a time to socialize and dine with corporates and fellow students. From game night to keynote speakers, every second of NEW is designed to be one of the most meaningful and unforgettable weekends a student can have. To be selected as a NEW delegate, students must complete an application on why they feel NEW would be of valuable experience. The form prompts students to discuss their support for women empowerment and the ability to connect with NEW’s mission. While a majority of candidates come from the University of Alberta, a small number of external ambassadors from across the country also contest for a spot in NEW. It is a competitive process, as only about half the applicants become candidates. “We look for passion,” said CoChair Emma Wickenheiser, “and passion beats experience every single time. [The executives] didn’t get to where we were if we didn’t truly believe in NEW

Clubs Corner

and stood for what it represents. We want to see people who share the same passion as us, rally behind NEW, and have genuine stories.” “We don’t choose based on gender, school, or number of experiences.You can tell when answers come from a genuine place,” Wickenheiser continued. “We look for personality and how well you would fit in with what we’re trying to achieve. One big thing is to push for more applicants and it helps spread awareness across Canada. That’s generally our number one priority every year. We want good speakers, because it’s not a good conference without good speakers.” A goal of this year’s NEW team is to become more interdisciplinary. “In the past, most of our speakers have been from a business background,” said Cleo Williams, the other half of the Co-Chair team. “This year, we’re trying to reach out to people who have a career in law, sciences, something

different. Students outside of business will relate more, and it shows that a successful woman doesn’t necessarily mean ‘successful in business’. Lots of industries are dominated by men, but women can be successful in any industry.” Of course, NEW is just as committed to equality and diversity. “Even our name scares men away sometimes. In clubs fairs, guys come up to us and ask, ‘can I even go?’ I think it’s a big misconception about what NEW is and what we do,” Williams said. “We are very accepting of men. It’s not just a female conversation, or a girls’ group who thinks that we’re better. Everyone is involved.”

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“Having to be part of that conversation, men are put out of their comfort zone,” Wickenheiser added, “but they find so much value because the conference teaches them a lot and for them to do better. Kudos to them- they’re taking responsibility, they’re being proactive, and they’re engaging. We love seeing males apply.” Regardless of who attends, the legacy of NEW continues with a new focus point. This year’s theme is to “Inspire: Lead With Purpose.” Delegates will be able to look forward to learning from breakout sessions, which pertain to the theme. “The theme speaks to the journey you take to become a leader,” explained Williams. “As you start finding your purpose and lead your own journey, you inspire the people around you.” Another change the dynamic duo is bringing to the table this year is a new twist on a participant challenge that delegates compete in. “We’re going to change it up this year,” said Wickenheiser. “We had a case competition and we’re changing it to a ‘board-of-directors’ style. It appeals to a broader audience. In a board of directors, you usually have someone to cover every aspect of expertise, so it’s important to have students from engineering and science on that board.” The planning for the upcoming NEW conference started shortly after the conference was held last year for the 15-member executive team. Divided under

6 portfolios, the group’s secret to success is a strong bond and an annual exec trip. “We’re going to New York in the first week of October to attend The Business of WE Summit, ‘WE’ standing for ‘women entrepreneurs,” said Williams. “It’s going to be such a good trip.”

Clubs Corner

WRITTEN BY: Denise Nguyen

The ladies of the co-chair team are also personally familiar with NEW, having first attended NEW two years ago as delegates and joining the directors’ teams shortly thereafter, before finally stepping into co-chair position. “I really felt like I found my calling. It’s so rewarding,” Wickenheiser recalls, “I can’t even describe how fulfilled I feel. What made me want to do it was the impact we have on the delegates. Everyone has great feedback, including the team and the speakers. To know you’re a part of that is so incredible.” “I saw, from my own experience, what a great environment it was as a delegate,” Williams chimed in, “and I wanted to be able to provide that for somebody else. Last year’s co-chairs told us that even if we were thinking about it a little bit, we should do it. I loved NEW, and I knew I wanted to be a part of it, no matter what position I had.” Applications to become a delegate for the 2020 NEW conference close October 31. Questions? Contact uofanew@ualberta.ca.

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UALBERTA BCOM ALUMNI INNOVATING FASHION THROUGH TECHNOLOGY Two years after completing their undergrads, three University of Alberta BCOM alumni set their sights on a big entrepreneurial endeavor. Their aim was to elevate the ever growing technical apparel industry through their company, KOY Gear (KG). KOY Gear was founded in late 2017 by Alberta School of Business alumnus, Patrick Li, who developed his skill set through pursuing an entrepreneurship major and by being involved with several student groups. Toward the tail end of his degree, Patrick spent his free time working to integrate real scientific and innovative manufacturing technologies combined with a thoughtful approach to design in order to make men’s boxers that were fundamentally better. After launching his Kickstarter and moving to Toronto, Patrick had the validation for the market need. He enlisted the help of up-and-coming marketing and case competition whiz, Geoff Wong, to become his co-founder and head up strategy, marketing and branding. Together they laid the foundation to scale the business by building the company’s brand, developing new product lines and discovering new revenue streams. Later, they approached B2B salesperson Davis Riar to manage business development. It ended up being Patrick’s business school networks that resulted in him being able to find the right people to do so. Fast forward 1 year and the team has generated over $60,000 in sales and is about to launch their second and third product lines on Kickstarter. The end goal of this company: to inspire conscious consumption and reduce the market demand for fast fashion by replacing volumes of cheaply made clothes with a few quality, made-to-last products.

The KG Socks provide scientifically enhanced odour resistance through an advanced silver ionization treatment. A unique honeycomb padding, offers improved support and increased breathability. These features are combined with a super soft material for all day comfort. The KG Shirts deliver lab tested stain and odour resistance, 4 way comfort stretch and inner hyper-absorption to wick moisture away from the skin. Where competitors have failed to unite these features, KG has worked with strategic partners around the world to make it a reality.

“I gave the antimicrobial features a rather unconventional … yet unsurprisingly impressive test.” said co-founder Patrick Li. “After wearing a KG shirt around Toronto for 10 consecutive days, I asked various different people to smell my gear. Expectedly, the material innovations worked as intended, but it really surprised the testers. While it’s generally recommended to wash the clothes between uses, forgetting a shirt in a gym bag or having to wear the same shirt you biked to work in is a common pain point for many people. Today, men around the

world will no longer have to compromise between being prepared for the uncertainty of their day, and their style.”

KOY Gear sees this as just the beginning of something exciting. Now based out of Toronto, the 3 University of Alberta alumni enjoy the challenge of learning about entrepreneurship while they build their business. However, all 3 of them credit their expedited learning curve to all of their business school associations that they were a part of. Often, these student groups required them to tackle real world challenges with little to no experience. That sort of scrappy “piece it together” mentality translated perfectly into the startup world where they had to move fast and with agility

To learn more about their innovation in fashion, you can view their website at www.koygear.com/Kickstarter.

Guest Article

FOR BUSINESS STUDENTS, BY BUSINESS STUDENTS ™

Events

What’s Your (Power) Point? October 10th Hosted by SMO Club

What’s Your (Power) Point? is a competition for participants to have fun while improving their improvisation skills. Hosted by the SMO Club, the unique nature of What’s Your (Power) Point? makes this event our most popular, as many students enjoy testing their skills in improv situations with the chance to be recognized for it. Alongside a partner, participants will use their improvisation and quick-thinking skills to present a PowerPoint slide deck that they have never seen before to a set of judges. In business, the ability to emphasise a “powerful point” is an invaluable asset and being able to do so with little to no preparation time is what separates the good presenters from the great presenters.

However, practicing these skills isn’t always easy, which is why we offer a platform for students to develop and enhance their improv skills in a fun, engaging, yet academic and professional way. Unlike more typical business events, What’s Your (Power) Point? avoids becoming banal, by introducing annual twists to keep things fun and fresh each year.This forces contestants to be on their toes during the whole event and prevents an unfair advantage for anyone aware of previous years’ twists.

This is done to maintain a level playing field where everyone has the same chance to test and learn new skills in a safe environment. The only event of its kind at the UofA, What’s Your (Power) Point? consists of three competitive rounds in one day, and a final round for the highest scoring competitors. The top three teams will be awarded a monetary prize. So if you would like to develop your skills on how to deliver a quick and powerful point, we hope to see you on October 10th for our competition!

FOR BUSINESS STUDENTS, BY BUSINESS STUDENTS ™

Events

UAMA Mini Case Comp Monday, October 21st MBA Lounge DESIGNED BY: Leire Domènech

Countless case competitions take place within the School of Business throughout the year, which give students at all levels excellent opportunities to practice their skills; however, it can get overwhelming when deciding which ones to participate in.What sets our mini case competition apart from the others, and why should you sign up? Well, it’s in the name: it’s mini. With only a four-hour time commitment from 5PM-9PM, your team will dissect a small case about our sponsor and prepare a short presentation to propose your solution to our judges. The case may be mini, but you can still win big! This is a great opportunity for students of all case abilities, even experienced case veterans, as they’ll have to put their skills to the test in a short time frame. For beginners, this condensed format is a great introduction and serves as a taste of how case competitions are structured, plus you can apply all your newly acquired BUS201 knowledge (the winning team last year were all first-years)! The UAMA team will be tabling for sign up outside the BSA office starting the week of October 7th.

Contact UAMA VP Communications, Jill Sundquist, jsundqui@ualberta.ca with any questions!

FOR BUSINESS STUDENTS, BY BUSINESS STUDENTS ™

Events

Rocky Mountain Business Seminar Information Session October 23rd 2019 DESIGNED BY: Leire Domènech

Winter Reading Week: February 17th – 21st 2020 Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge 100 student delegates 30 corporate professionals 9 breakout sessions 7 keynotes 4 nightly themes 1 unforgettable week The Rocky Mountain Business Seminar is Canada’s longest running and most prestigious student organized business conference. Our conference inspires our student delegates by connecting them with business leaders innovating their business industries. Students get the opportunity to not only hear inspiring stories but learn and develop skills beyond any classroom setting. Envision 2020 Our theme this upcoming year is Envision: pave your way into the future. As aspiring business leaders, it is important to envision the impact that our actions will have on our community. This year at RMBS, hear from a variety of corporates how they set goals and followed their visions. Make sure to attend our Info Session: October 23rd, 2019 Hear what RMBS has to offer, meet the team behind the conference, and find out how to sign up. If you have any questions, feel free to email us at rmbs@ualberta.ca, or check our website at rmbs.ca Instagram: @rmbs2020 Facebook: Rocky Mountain Business Seminar LinkedIn: Rocky Mountain Business Seminar

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