IFJ December 2013 Edition
description
Transcript of IFJ December 2013 Edition
intercollegiate finance journal
The
Twitter vs. Facebook:IPO StyleBy Alon Galor, page 20
DECEMBER 2013
Some free advice about free stuffBy Steven Adler, page 4
Speaking from experience: how to f i nd & learn from your summer internshipBy Ti!any Chang, page 12
Social entrepreneurship in the 21st centuryBy Amber Teng, page 28
BuSIneSS & STarTuPS
PerSOnal FInanceSome Free Advice about Free Stu!, by Steven Adler
careerS & InTernShIPS
MarkeTS & InveSTIng
4alSO: How to Successfully Budget in College, by Ebony McCaksill
What Are Credit Unions? by Julia Verbrugge 6
alSO: Five Reasons to Start Saving Now, by Lauren Tsai
Poker: An Art, a Lesson, or Simply Gambling? by Ana Rosenstein
7alSO: Top 3 Finance Books to Read, by Carter Johnson
Marriage & Acquisitions, by Christian Ackmann 8Ten Easy Ways to Scrimp in College, by Eric Han 9Score with Your Credit Score, by Perry Feldman 10
Beating the Bot: Why Your Resume May Never Reach Human Hands, by Kaden Lee 14
"read of Life: Doctors in Danger Zones, by Tung Nguyen 18
Student Spotlight: Laura Flanagan & Danielle Waldman, by Caroline Vexler 16
Social Entrepreneurship in the 21st Century, by
Amber Teng 28Start Me Up: Six Startups to Watch, by Michael Golz 30
alSO: The Digital Future of Marketing, by Alexandra Garcia
From Wayland to Wall Street, by Jonathan Vu 32Carnitas & Coldplay: The Chiptole Business Model, by Camila McHugh 33
"e Intercollegiate Finance Journal December 2013 Contents 3
Twitter vs. Facebook: IPO Style, by Alon Galor 20
Speaking from Experience: How to Find & Learn from Your Summer Internship, by Tiffany Chang 12
alSO: Internship, Conference, or Job in NYC? Here Are 10 Ways to Save in the City, by Mark Valdez
Bitcoin: Myth and Reality, by Shreya Bhargava 22alSO: Interview with Akash Shah from Morgan Stanley, by Kyle Law
,|b�Á���8±Ê����8O¼��n��bq8¼���V�by Sarah Park 25
Current Accounts, the Politics of Debt Ceilings, & America’s Economic Future, by Christopher Dederick 26
alSO: The Obamacare Market, by Thomas Pesce
"e IFJ Team "e Intercollegiate Finance Journal December 20132
E-Cigarettes: Smoke in Our Eyes or Shock to the Industry? by Carolyn Stichnoth 24
“Some Free Advice About Free Stu! ”We all love free things. Unfor-tunately, there really is no such thing as a free lunch. When looking at a free o!er, you may want to consider the hidden price of “free.”
On the cover...
“Twitter vs. Facebook: IPO Style”
Just before Twitter’s leap from Silicon Valley to Wall Street early last month, investors jittered at the possibility of a Facebook-like IPO debacle. When the "rst trade came in at 73% above Twitter’s IPO price, Goldman Sachs head banker perfectly articulated the market sentiment, tweeting ‘Phew’. Ex-post, many ask what allowed for the polar outcomes of the twin social media giants? Why did Facebook’s IPO tank while Twitter’s soared?
“Social Entrepreneurship in the 21st Century”
In today’s rapidly changing
world, entrepreneurs constant-
ly seek new opportunities in
answer to the diverse social
and economic questions of
the 21st century. The result is
´�O�8�� b�¼±b�±b�bÁ±´|��V� 8� ob�Y�in which innovators focus on
systemic, grassroots change in
order to achieve social progress.
“Speaking from Experience: How to Find & Learn from Your Summer Internship”
When weighing your summer options, it’s easy to lose track of the what’s most important: gaining experiences. Take a quick look at what a few Brown students have to say about choosing the right internships for you and how to best make these experiences worthwhile. Includes important and infor-mative perspectives on making it all count.
!e IFJ Online www.thei#.com
Check out additional content including:
“What Is An Index Fund?” by Alexander Behnke
“Money Saving Mistakes You Could Be Making”by Amanda Yao
“Starting Early or Starting Big?”by Joanne Low
Contact UsTo submit or become part of the team...Email: team@thei#.comFacebook: facebook.com/thei#1Twitter: @the_i#
Volume I Issue II“Serving the collegiate community with news and knowledge on !nance, econom-ics, and business topics, all at your !ngertips!”
leTTer FrOM The edITOr
We at the IFJ pose a question: Is $nance fun?
For many students, the answer is an emphatic no. Students see the word “"nance” on our cover and are instantly turned away by thoughts of long hours, te-dious spreadsheets, and screams of “buy, buy, buy” (no, we’re not referencing ‘N Sync’s 2000 chart-top-ping hit.)
We’re here to prove you wrong. As you shu#e through these pages, we hope you will "nd that these articles are entertaining, useful, relatable, and inter-esting. No matter your background – whether you’re an English concentrator hoping to balance your checkbook or an Economics concentrator hoping to ace your banking interview – we’ve got you cov-ered. You may "nd yourself chuckling or nodding your head in agreement. You may even "nd yourself having fun.
Flip through the pages and you will realize that we have broken up articles into four main sections to make it easier for students to navigate: personal "-nance, markets & investing, careers & internships, and business & startups. So, whether you’re inter-ested in improving your credit score (see page 10), hoping to "ll your wallet with bitcoins (see page 22), landing an internship this summer (see page 12), or wondering what makes Chipotle such a great busi-ness (see page 33), we’ve got an article for you.
So throw away the Wall Street Journal, turn o! CNBC, and close your Hu$ngton Post tab. Sit back and enjoy the December edition of the IFJ!
Alex L. DrechslerCo-President & Editor-In-Chief
The execuTive Board
Alex Drechsler Co-President & founderBrice Gumpel Co-President & founderMax Deutsch Co-Head of Business
Matthew Ostrow Co-Head of Business
Stephanie Hennings Head of LayoutSteven Adler Head of ContentFelicia Iyamu Head of distriButionMichele Narbonne Head of reCruitmentAlexandra Nuttbrown Head of styLeLauren Tsai Head of oPerationsWonnie Sim treasurerEmily Law Head of design
Business Team
Max Deutsch Co-Head of BusinessMatthew Ostrow Co-Head of BusinessLauren Tsai Head of oPerationsWonnie Sim treasurerChristopher Heo, Yuta Inumaru,
Kaden Lee, Nicholas Pucel, Destin
Sisemore
design & LayouT Team
Steph Hennings Co-Head of designEmily Law Co-Head of designMadeleine Johnson Head iLLustrator
Christin Aucapina, Israel Carrete,
Chandelle Heffner, Quinn Herrera,
Aleksandr Khomyakov, Kaden Lee,
Sarah Lee, Kimberly Meilun, Amy Yao
Meng, Nicholas Pucel, Kaitlyn Roth-
amer, Lorraine Salim, Mili Sanwalka,
Claire Su, Sirena Turner, Kayla Tyrrell
WeB & sociaL media Team
Yuta Inumaru Head of WeB & soCiaL mediaSara Hartse, Madeleine Johnson,
Tung Nguyen, Nicholas Pucel
ediToriaL Board
Christian Ackmann PersonaL finanCeSarah Park PersonaL finanCeAndrea Wistuba-Behrens Careers & internsHiPsAlon Galor markets & investingAlex Lloyd George markets & investingCarter Johnson Business & startuPsCaroline Vexler intervieWs & otHer Content
senior sTaff WriTers
Tiffany Chang, Eric Han, Christopher
Heo, Kaden Lee, Ebony McCaskill, Camila
McHugh, Tung Nguyen, Thomas Pesce, Ana
Rosenstein, Claire Su, Daniel Tatar, Angela
Marie Bernadette Teng, Amanda Yao
sTaff WriTers
Alexander Behnke, Shreya Bhargava,
Frances Chen, Christopher Dedrick, Perry
Feldman, Miguel Ferreira, Alexandra Garcia,
Michael Golz, Quinn Herrera, Peter Hix,
Kristina Hu, Nathan Johnson, Kyle Law,
Joanne Low, Lehm Maguire, Giuliano
Marostica, Alisa Owens, Kiera Peltz,
Christian Petroske, Ignacio Perez-Pozuelo,
Graham Rotenberg, Jordan Schochet, Kelsey
Sherman, Kjetil Stiansen, Carolyn Stichnoth,
Mark Valdez, Jonathan Vu
copy ediTors
Nathan Johnson, Elizabeth Studlick, Lauren
Sukin, Caroline Vexler
facT checkers
Christian Ackmann, Shreya Bhargava, Arielle
Schacter, Scott Schubert
inTercoLLegiaTe coordinaTors
Mohammed Atallah, Peter Chodas, Vansh
Talwar, Marisa Werner
T h e I FJ T e a m
See alSO: Interactive Features: Personality Quiz & Personal Finance Word Search, by Caroline Vexler 34
Learning to Tango: Case Interview Style, by Alisa Owens 17
Some free advice about free stuff
I’m going to let you in on a little secret: Sometimes, free things aren’t really so free. You might think that you’re getting a great deal, but sometimes free can be downright costly.
"e Intercollegiate Finance Journal December 2013 Personal Finance 5 Personal Finance "e Intercollegiate Finance Journal December 20134
PerSOnal FInance 5 Let’s Make A Budget: How to Suc-
cessfully Budget in College
6 Back to the Basics: What Are Credit Unions, and Why Should You Care?
7 Poker: An Art, a Lesson, or Simply Gambling?
7 Top 3 Finance Books to Read
8 Marriage & Acquisitions
9 Ten Easy Ways to Scrimp in College
10 Score with Your Credit Score
10 Five Reasons to Start Saving Now
Visit ¼|b�n�¡O��¹�b±´��8�~o�8�Ob for these articles:
Starting Early or Starting Big
Money Saving Mistakes You Could Be Making
also In This Section
FREE THINGS CAN COME AT A STEEP PRICE
by Steven Adler
Free Tattoos?Here is a great example from Dan Ariely, a behavioral econom-
ics professor at Duke University:
A New York City nightclub recently gave out “free tattoos”
with admission to promote an event and over 70 people signed
up for the promotion. On
the surface, this appears
to be a great outcome: the
club was able to attract cus-
tomers for its event, and
the customers who came
presumably had wanted
to get a tattoo anyway. So,
what’s the big deal?
It seems that the peo-
ple in line for tattoos were
not attracted so much by
the tattoos as they were by
their price. In fact, Ariely
found that of all the peo-
ple in line, roughly 70% of
them said that they were
only getting the tattoos be-
cause they were free.
Hidden CostsGetting a tattoo is a cost-
ly decision—even when it
is free. To start, the tattoo
will be on your skin for
life. Of course there are
removal procedures, but
they are often extremely
expensive and it can take
years to repair the skin en-
tirely. When you get a tat-
too, even a free one, you
are either committing to a
very long-term design, or
committing yourself to ex-
pensive operations down
the road. Neither one gets
labeled as a cost by the
nightclub, but each is cer-
tainly important.
Not only do “free”
transactions sometimes
|8Çb�|�YYb��o�8�O�8��O�´¼´�(think of the free furniture
Ê�Á���t|¼�o�Y�8¼� ¼|b�b�Y�of a school year and then
must pay to put into stor-
age), but they can also
have unexpected health
consequences.
In the case of the free tattoos, it seems that low price also
came with low health standards. The customers, attracted by
¼|b���Èb±��n�«n±bbV¬��±�F8F�Ê�È�Á�Y���¼�|8Çb�q�O�bY�¼��8�O�ÁF�advertising “Free HIV” or “Free Hepatitis C.” When framed as a
free good, these costs were not apparent.
1
2
3
4
5
LeT’s MaKe A BuDgEt!How To Successfully Budget in College
College is a balance between academic and social life. How-ever, it can be hard to have fun without any funds. Luckily, it is not hard to create a balanced budget on your own. Here are
some tips for creating a successful college budget.
Creating a budget is an important skill that can be per-fected while in college. Well planned budgets can erase
the past, secure the present, and ensure the future.
Be realistic. When developing a budget, estimate how much in-
come you expect to earn. Do you work? Does your family give you an allowance? This step is the foundation of your budget. The more honest you are with yourself, the more effective your budget will be.
Understand your needs versus wants.Do you pay rent? Are you off meal plan? Is tuition
due? Rent, food, and tuition are necessary for your survival at school. That new crewneck? Not so much. You could still buy the sweater, but an effective budget takes care of necessary expenses first. Wants are always secondary.
Prioritize your wants.Know yourself. If you value eating out more than
having the newest technology, make sure your budget reflects that. Great budgets prioritize the allocation of funds. It keeps the budget consistent and realistic. Most importantly, it is more likely to keep you happier as well.
Treat savings like a necessary expense, not a luxury.
Creating an emergency fund can help you when unex-pected expenses arise, such as car repairs or medical fees. You can also create a non-emergency fund for expenses in the future like a new down coat or spending cash for spring break. If having different accounts is a bit over-whelming, you can combine them, but make sure that you can differentiate between the two.
Make sure that you budget is balanced. After all of the expenses are paid, the goal is to
break even or have cash left over. If your budget turns out to be unbalanced, it is time to reflect, readjust, cut expenses, or increase your income.
By Ebony McCaksill
What to Do?��È�O�Á�Y�¼|b�¼8¼¼���±bO���b�¼´�|8Çb���Y�obY�¼|b�±�Fb|8Ç��±�¼��prevent falling for the promotion? Perhaps the simplest recom-
mendation is to pretend that the item is not free, but is instead
very cheap. For instance, Ariely suggests imagining that the tat-
too costs $1. At that price,
it is certainly below market
value, but it no longer has
the same effect as a prod-
ÁO¼�È�¼|����o�8�O�8��O�´¼¡In the above case, if
the customer would still
want the tattoo merely at
a cheap price, then choos-
ing the free option might
be the right choice. There
is still the chance of future
costs, but at least the cus-
tomer is making a sound
O|��Ob� F8´bY� ��� o�8�O�8��incentives and not sole-
ly because the tattoo is a
giveaway.
Reframing the CostsAnother suggestion is to
outline the hidden costs
of a transaction. This can
Fb� Y�noOÁ�¼� FbO8Á´b� ¼|b�costs are often disguised.
For example, if you re-
ceive a coupon for a free
soda with the purchase of
a hamburger, you might
tend to overlook that the
soda is not free; you still
have to pay for the ham-
burger. Similarly, if you
o�Y�n±bb�´b¼��n�´�b8�b±´����the basement of a dorm,
the cost of keeping and
maintaining these “free
speakers” includes pur-
chasing a bunch of con-
nector wires. The deal may
not be so great after all.
ConclusionNone of this is to sug-
gest that you should al-
ways turn down “free.”
Sometimes free is a great
��¼���¶� Ê�Á� o�Y� bÉ8O¼�Ê�what you are looking for at
�����8��o�8�O�8��O�´¼¡�Á¼�other times, the power of free can cause us to make decisions
we would otherwise not make.
In many cases, it can be helpful to consider what hidden
costs there might be. If the item still seems desirable, then go
ahead. If it doesn’t, free is not really free.
Back to the Basics: WHAT are Credit Unions, and Why Should you Care?
�¼|�Át|���́ ¼ÁYÊ� O�����O´V��¼�È8´���¼�Á�¼���¼|b�o±´¼�Y8Ê��n��Ê�́ Á��b±���¼b±�-
´|���8¼�8�o�8�O�8��¼bO|����tÊ�O���8�Ê�¼|8¼���O8�b�¼��8��Á�O��n�±¼8F�b�±b8�-ization: I did not really understand what a credit union was. While I initially assumed
that I must be the only one in the dark, after many of my peers responded with similar
O��nÁ´����È|b����8´�bY�¼|b��n�±�8�Ybo��¼���V���±b8��ÍbY�¼|8¼��8�Ê��b�~5b±´��Á´¼���Y�and smile whenever the term is mentioned without actually comprehending it. After
overcoming my initial embarrassment, learning everything I could, and interviewing
some credit union executives, I made two important discoveries: 1) credit unions are
actually really cool, and 2) many other people are in the dark just as I once was.
For those of you who have always nodded and smiled, it is time for Credit Union
101. What are credit unions, how are they different from banks, and why should you
O8±b�8¼�8��§�ϼ�o±´¼�t�8�ObV�O±bY�¼�Á����´�8±b�8O¼Á8��Ê�Çb±Ê�´����8±�¼��F8��´����¼|8¼�F�¼|�o�8�O�8����´¼�¼Á¼���´�|��Y�Yb��´�¼´V��8�b���8�´V�8�Y��nnb±���Çb´¼�b�¼�́ b±Ç�Ob´¡�bÊ��Y�this framework, they operate very differently:
Benjamin Graham, The
Intelligent Investor
A classical treatise on value in-
vesting, Graham’s 1949 book
has high praise from the Oracle
of Omaha himself: Warren Buf-
fett calls it “by far the best book
on investing ever written.”
John von Neumann and
Oskar Morganstern, The-
ory of Games and Economic
Behavior
The 1944 publication was in
b´´b�Ob�¼|b�F�±¼|��n�¼|b�ob�Y��n�t8�b�¼|b�±ÊV���qÁb�O��t�FÁ´�-ness and political strategy for
years to come.
Daniel Kahneman, Think-
ing Fast and Slow
A more recent publication writ-
ten by Nobel laureate Daniel
Kahneman in 2011 examines
dual modes of thinking and
delves into the question of why
humans are not always rational
thinkers.
ountless successful hedge fund
managers, investors, and busi-
ness magnates from Warren Buffett to
Bill Gates have praised the game of pok-
er and its positive implications on their
professional lives. Harry Truman used to
hold nearly nightly poker games where
he would invite members of Congress
and Supreme Court Justices to the White
House to play. He always paid his poker
debts by check, cognizant that anyone
who received one of his checks would
likely frame it, never cashing it.
However, this hobby is not exclusive
¼��¼|b�o�8�O�8���±�����¼�O8��b��¼b¡�+¼ÁYb�¼´�at Brown University have taken to playing
poker not only as a leisure activity, but
also to enhance skills integral to careers
��� ¼|b� o�8�O�8�� ´bO¼�±¡� +bÇb±8�� ´¼ÁYb�¼´�|����t� ¼��È�±�� ���o�8�Ob�Á����t±8YÁ-
ation invest in the stock market and in
their poker skills – the latter sometimes
outperforming the former. Some have
even come to view trips to the casino as a
dependable source of income.
Jonathan Greb, a junior at Brown
and an avid enthusiast of the game, cal-
culated that he earns an average of forty
dollars an hour during each trip to the
casino. He began playing poker at age
thirteen purely for recreation; he had no
�Yb8��¼�O�Á�Y��±�Çb�Fb�boO�8�¡�,�Y8ÊV����-
athan does not think of poker as crucial
¼��́ ÁOOb´´����¼|b���Çb´¼�b�¼�8�Y�o�8�O�8��spheres but he believes that it undeni-
ably bolsters experience with risk man-
8tb�b�¼� ¼|8¼� �´� Y�noOÁ�¼� ¼�� �F¼8��� �±��±�to managing a considerable amount of
money. He recommends poker as a hob-
by for people who strive to go into the
��Çb´¼��t�FÁ´��b´´�FÁ¼� O�8��´� �¼� �´� «Ybo-
nitely not a prerequisite.”
Hunter Massad, also a junior at
Brown, began playing poker at a young
age, initially taught by his father, and
quickly developed a penchant for the
game. He played online, engaged in
family-wide tournaments, and soon real-
ized that there was more to poker than
gambling for the sake of enjoyment or
poKer An Art, A Lesson, or Simply Gambling?
bÇb�� �±�o¼¡� (��b±� �±�Ç�Yb´� ��±b� ¼|8��8� �Á±b�Ê� o´O8�� Y�Ç�Yb�Y¶� �¼� �±�Ç�Yb´� ��-
valuable experience for a future career
��� o�8�Ob¡� �b� Á�Yb±´¼8�Y´� ¼|8¼� È|��b�it must be treated as an educational ex-
�b±�b�ObV� ¼|b� o�8�O�8�� ±�´�� �´� ��¼� ¼�� Fb�disregarded. Hunter has dedicated time
and effort to improving his technique, a
commitment he deems fundamental to
success. Playing consistently is not good
enough for him. In order to be good, to
perfect the craft, and to actually reap the
Fb�bo¼´V���8Êb±´��Á´¼�±b8Y�F���´����¼|b�art of poker and learn from the absolute
Fb´¼¡� «(��b±� �´�®¼� �Á´¼� 8F�Á¼� o�8�ObV� �¼�is about emotional control in the sense
that you disobey your emotions to obey
rationality.” Poker has taught him to val-
ue logic above emotion not only from an
investing standpoint but in various facets
of his life as well.
While there is value in the game, we
must not lose sight of the fact that it per-
petuates a habit of gambling. Can aspir-
ing investors legitimately gain invaluable
skills by playing poker? Keeping in mind
of the possibility of loss is critical. A play-
er has to be willing and comfortable with
the prospect of going into a game and
leaving with nothing but regret. Poker –
particularly in a casino where the stakes,
competition, and pres-
sure are very high – is not
for the timid. Ultimately
there is value in the game
n�±�¼|�´b�È�¼|�o�8�O�8��8´-pirations, though playing
is not a necessity. Poker
teaches risk, strategy,
probability, human behav-
��±V� 8�Y� F�Áno�t¡� �¼� O±b-ates the unique rush that
comes from gambling,
having money on the ta-
ble, and the possibility of
winning or losing it all.
But beyond the thrill and
the Wall Street ambition,
the educational impera-
tive trumps all.
1. ��¼~n�±~�±�o¼: While banks operate as
n�±~�±�o¼� FÁ´��b´´� O�±��±8¼���´� �È�bY�by private investors, credit unions are
��¼~n�±~�±�o¼� o�8�O�8�� O���b±8¼�Çb´¡�This means that at the end of the year,
banks pay out declared earnings only
to stockholders, whereas credit unions
pay back their earnings to members (ac-
count-holders) directly in the form of
lower loan rates and higher savings rates.
2. Members, not Customers: Unlike
banks, which are open to the general
public, credit unions serve the interests
�n�8� ´�bO�oO��b�Fb±´|��V�È|�O|� �´� ¼Ê��-cally based on a common bond, such as
locality (New England FCU) or industry
(Navy Federal CU.) When you become a
member and deposit money, you are not
a customer; rather, you are actually buy-
ing shares in the company and becom-
ing part-owner. As a co-operative, cred-
it unions are run by the members, for
the members.
3. Favorable Rates: Compared to banks,
credit unions have lower rates on loans
and higher rates on savings on average.
The higher rates of return apply to both
savings accounts and to more complex
´8Ç��t´� �±�YÁO¼´V� ´ÁO|� 8´� Ob±¼�oO8¼b´�of deposit. Additionally, credit unions
typically have lower banking fees than
large commercial banks when it comes to
checking account fees or penalty fees for
overdrawing your account.
4. Customer Service: Credit unions
struggle to match the convenience of-
fered by larger banks like Bank of Ameri-
ca, but they do challenge the larger banks
when it comes to customer service and
customer satisfaction. Known for their
outstanding customer service, credit
unions go beyond commercial banking
in their commitment to their members
and community.
TOP 3FINANCE BOOKS
TO READ
by Julia Verbrugge
by Ana Rosenstein
By Carter Johnson
Personal Finance "e Intercollegiate Finance Journal December 20136 7
In essence, credit unions are similar to banks in the services they offer, but different in the way that they operate. Though the
contents of this article may seem elementary, I am not ashamed of my previous ignorance because it highlights the principal pain
point that credit unions are currently confronting: Gen-Y is simply not familiar with them. Go ask a few of your friends whether they
can really explain how a credit union functions. If they cannot, spread the knowledge. I am not saying that we should all become
O±bY�¼�Á������b�Fb±´�¼�Y8ÊV�FÁ¼�Èb��Á´¼�Fb�8È8±b��n��Á±�o�8�O�8����¼���´¡
a c
�
1.
“Credit unions are similar to banks in the services they offer, but different in the way that they operate.”
"e Intercollegiate Finance Journal December 2013 Personal Finance
2.
3.
Students have to spend a lot of money without earning what most people need to survive. Expenses can quickly rack up from items
like gourmet food to textbooks, to buying winter clothes for the imminent ice age that we call “winter.” As college students, we
need to learn how to save money anywhere we can. We need to scrimp. So without further ado, here are 10 easy ways to scrimp.
marriage & ACQUISITIONS
|b�F�ttb´¼�o�8�O�8��YbO�´�����n�Ê�Á±���nb��8Ê���¼�Fb�o-
nancial at all. As much as marriage is about love and
O����¼�b�¼V��8±±�8tb�O8��8�´��Fb�O��´�Yb±bY�8�o´O8���b±tb±�between two people and should be approached with the same
O8Á¼����8´�È�¼|�8�Ê��¼|b±�o�8�O�8��YbO�´���¡� �,|b±b�8±b��8�Ê�o�8�O�8��Fb�bo¼´�¼��F�¼|��8±±�8tb�8�Y��b±tb±´V�FÁ¼�b8O|�O��b´�with risks. Here are some ways to ensure your post-marriage
o�8�O�8����¼bt±8¼�����´�8´�´���¼|�8´���´´�F�b¡
Revis! You" BudgetÏ�Ê�´ÁOOb´´nÁ���b±tb±�È����|8Çb�¼���8�b�o�8�O�8��8Y�Á´¼�b�¼´�for the new addition to the company. The easiest way to im-
�±�Çb�Ê�Á±�o�8�O�8����8�� �´� ¼��±bÇ�´b�Ê�Á±�FÁYtb¼¡� � �¼� �´� n8�±�Ê�simple to create a budget for yourself, but budgeting for both
you and your partner presents a
completely new challenge. You
È���� �±�F8F�Ê� o��´|� n8´¼b±� ¼|8��Congress, but it will take some
time to carefully create a budget
that accommodates the needs of
each person. Understand that
you will be varying degrees of “spenders” or “savers” and make
8�FÁYtb¼�¼|8¼�±bqbO¼´�¼|b´b�Y�nnb±b�Ob´¡
Disclosur! of A##ets and LiabilitiesA savvy business owner would never enter a business contract
without analyzing its strengths and weaknesses and the same
holds true for marriage. The emphasis here is to disclose your
liabilities. As potentially recent college students, your liabilities
will likely be more pressing than your assets. It is particularly
important to fully discuss any student loan debt you may have
accumulated. Each person may have varying amounts of debt,
which means you should work together to create a manageable
payment plan.
Separat! AccountsMergers are all about sharing and shareholders. Sharing is an
important part of any relationship, but immediately signing up
for joint credit with your spouse can be dangerous. For exam-
��bV��n���b��8±¼�b±�|8´�8�́ �t��oO8�¼�Ê�È�±´b�O±bY�¼�|�´¼�±ÊV�n8����t�
to make payments on a joint account can lower the other per-
son’s credit score. Another reason to maintain separate credit
cards and bank accounts is to help monitor spending habits and
optimize your budget. Having an individual spending record
O8��Fb�Çb±Ê�Ç8�Á8F�b�È|b��8�8�ÊÍ��t�Ê�Á±�O���bO¼�Çb�o�8�Ob´¡��However, there are some instances when sharing an account
is more logical. For example, if you want to secure a mortgage
based on the income of both you and your spouse, it may be
��±b�Fb�boO�8��¼��´�t��8�����¼�8t±bb�b�¼�i�bÇb��8¼�¼|b�±�´���n�adverse effects to your credit score. You will suffer with higher
interest rates if your spouse has a lower credit score than yours,
but you will be eligible for a larger loan amount.
Understand th! RisksAs with any merger or acqui-
sition, marriage comes with
both risks and rewards. The
risk of divorce is more than just
emotional. In the unfortunate
event of a divorce, both parties
È���� n8Ob� O�´¼´V� ±bt8±Y�b´´��n� ¼|b�o�8���Á¼O��b¡� � Çb��8´´Á�-
ing the most equitable allocation of assets, there will still be
´�t��oO8�¼��bt8��nbb´�8´´�O�8¼bY�È�¼|�8�Y�Ç�±Ob¡���n�8´´b¼´�8±b�Y�´-tributed unevenly, there is an even greater cost to divorce. To
hedge against this risk, it can be helpful to create a prenuptial
agreement. Nobody gets married and expects a divorce, but it is
in your best interest to protect yourself. Any big merger always
runs the risk of falling through, so it is important to understand
these risks and take steps to avoid them.
Integration�8±±�8tb��8Ê���¼�´bb�����b�8�o�8�O�8��YbO�´����8¼�o±´¼V�FÁ¼��¼´�o-
nancial implications should be evaluated with the same thought
process as any other investment. By carefully analyzing your
spending habits, you can create a budget that works for both
people. You can also make intelligent investment choices if you
have a full understanding of each other’s debt and credit his-
¼�±Ê¡��3|��b��8±±�8tb�|8´�o�8�O�8��8�Y�b��¼���8��±�´�´V��n�Ê�Á�follow these guidelines, your merger will have a much smooth-
er integration.
by Christian Ackmann
Name: Eric Han
10 Easy Ways to Scrimp in College
"e Intercollegiate Finance Journal December 2013 Personal Finance 9
“The biggest financial decision of your life may not be financial at all.”
Do not buy textbooks from the University Bookstore.
5�Á�o�8��Ê�otÁ±bY��Á¼�Ê�Á±�´O|bYÁ�b�n�±�¼|b�´b�b´¼b±�8�Y���È�Ê�Á�have to buy all the required texts. Cool. There goes another $1000.
There is no point in buying a new and overpriced textbook from the
Bookstore. Instead, ask friends and peers who have already taken the
course and get that “friend discount.” At the very least, buy or rent it
online for a third of the price. You can even use a comparison shop-
���t�ÈbF´�¼b����b�F�tÈ�±Y´¡O���¼��o�Y�¼|b�Fb´¼�Yb8�´�8Ç8��8F�b¡
1
Get the meal plan that is right for you.
Your friend runs 5 miles a day, benches 450 pounds, and weighs 320
pounds of raw muscle. He is on the highest meal plan your university
offers and is devouring 30 egg whites a meal (those poor chickens).
But the real question is, “Do you even lift, Bro?” No. So save your
money and pick the right meal plan.
2
Limit how much you eat out.I know restaurant food is delicious, but you are already on a
prepaid meal plan. You still want to go out with your friends. I get it.
Just try to limit yourself.
3
Amazon and Ebay.You need a new winter jacket, jeans, bed risers, and the list
goes on. Going to the mall leaves you with a receipt of $368.65. On
top of that, $50 of the bill came from tax. Utilize Amazon and Ebay
where the retail prices are cheaper and there is no tax. Shop from
home instead. You will save money and you will not have to waste
those precious calories walking around the mall.
4
In your leisure time, do something free.Read a book from the library (if you are not already burned
out from reading all those Economics books), play pick-up soccer, or
enjoy the company of friends at the park. Movie theaters are over-
rated anyways.
5
Be smart about traveling.Walk anywhere you can. Walking is free. If it is too far, see
if your university has student discounts for the bus, trolley, or other
public transportation. You paid for that tuition, so you might as well
take advantage of cheaper transportation for the next four years.
6
Create a budget.+b¼�8�o±��8��Á�¼��n����bÊ�¼��8���È�Ê�Á±´b�n�¼��´�b�Y�n�±�
the week or month and stick to it. Discipline is key.
7
Save on the little things.This means drinking tap water over expensive soda (you
would not want the freshman 15 anyway). Do not buy music. Utilize
Spotify, Pandora, YouTube, or the actual radio if you are feeling old-
school. When you need caffeine, make your own tea or coffee. The
possibilities are endless.
8
Split.A gorgeous girl or boy is in front of you. You want to impress,
but the bill at the end of dinner is $150 (Did you have to get steak?).
If you pay for it all yourself, you will be in tears later, pulling your hair
out, and questioning the cruel laws of the world and universe. Just
split it. No shame.
9
If all else fails, date a generous sig-nificant other.
If you are lucky, he or she will buy you expensive, gourmet meals,
unless your date is like you and follows number 9 of this list. Keep
“forgetting” to bring that wallet to dinner. This is your coupon to at
�b8´¼�oÇb�n±bb��b8�´¡�Ï�Y�È|b��|b��±�´|b�O8¼O|b´���V�Y��¼|b��8Ê~7V�8�Y�go “On To The Next One.” Who needs love when you have food?
10
T
Personal Finance "e Intercollegiate Finance Journal December 20138
score with your credit score
ypically, we associate credit
scores with borrowing money,
but today, insurance companies
and even employers are making use of
credit scores. Credit scores are good in-
dicators of a person’s behavior and pro-
spective employers can use this informa-
tion to determine whether an applicant
might be a risky employee. Having a high
credit score can allow you to acquire low-
er insurance premiums, more favorable
credit card terms, and higher credit lines.
A credit
score is de-
termined by
a complicat-
ed formula
that is not
made public.
The generic FICO score can range from
300 to 850 and is based mainly on your
payment history (35%) and credit utili-
zation (30%). Other factors include the
length of your credit history (15%), types
of credit used (10%), and recent searches
for credit (10%). The three credit bureaus
(Experian, TransUnion and Equifax) are
responsible for calculating this score.
Generally, a score of 680 or higher is con-
sidered to be a good credit score. A high-
er score is indicative of less risk. Lenders
are more inclined to lend to individuals
with high credit scores since they are less
likely to default on payments.
Here are a few things you can do
to improve or maintain your high
credit score:
Check Your Credit Report For ErrorsYou are responsible for ensuring the
accuracy of your credit report. Every
twelve months, you can go to www.an-
nualcreditreport.com and obtain a free
credit report from Experian, TransUnion,
and Equifax. These reports will not pro-
vide your exact credit score, but they will
±bqbO¼� Ê�Á±� b�¼�±b� O±bY�¼� |�´¼�±Ê¡� +��Ob�35 percent of your credit score is based
on the payment history of your credit
accounts, it is import-
ant to make sure that
this information is ac-
curate. Although cas-
es of identity theft do
occur, these can be
avoided by checking your credit reports
for errors or by placing a security freeze
on all of your credit reports.
Make Timely PaymentsMaking payments on time will result in
a positive credit history which is an im-
portant factor in calculating your credit
score. And if you do miss a payment, pay
it off quickly so that the harm does not
accumulate.
Do Not Apply For Too Many Credit Cards�Á�¼���b�8����O8¼���´�´�t�8��o�8�O�8��trouble and can actually hurt your credit
score. Even applications for retail credit
cards, such as department and specialty
stores, can have this effect.
Keep Old Credit Cards Active Simply having old unused credit cards
will not positively affect your credit his-
tory. It is important to use those cards
periodically so that they will be reported.
A longer credit history is always a positive
factor when calculating a credit score.
Closing an account will remove that cred-
it history from your report. Additionally,
once that card and its associated credit
���b� �´� ±b��ÇbY� n±���Ê�Á±��±�o�bV� Ê�Á±�credit utilization ratio (total outstanding
balance divided by total credit limit on all
your cards) will increase and negatively
impact your credit score.
Use Only 30 Percent Of Your Credit LimitExperts recommend that you use
around 30 percent of your credit limit
each month on each credit card and
never carry a large balance. Should
you need more credit, utilize another
card. You can also make more than one
payment a month in order to use less
than 30 percent of your credit limit.
Micropayments will lower your credit
utilization ratio, which accounts for 30
percent of your credit score.
Keep in mind that building a credit score
and credit history is an active process.
Following these steps will lead to greater
control over your credit score, lines of
credit, insurance rates, and even career
prospects.
by Perry Feldman
Personal Finance "e Intercollegiate Finance Journal December 2013 "e Intercollegiate Finance Journal December 2013 Personal Finance10 11
Your investment has a longer time to grow.
Even though the annual rate of
return may be small, the com-
pounded return over many years
can translate into large gains. Set
aside a little money now, and
reap great rewards in the future.
,8É�Fb�bo¼´¡If a portion of income
is placed in a Roth IRA (Individ-
ual Retirement Account), as op-
posed to a traditional IRA where
earnings are subject to tax, all
future distributions are tax free.
Because the account balance will
grow, it is typically better to pay
taxes now rather than on a larger
amount of money in the future.
You will have more o�8�O�8�� ±b´���´�F���-ties in the future.
There might be student loans
and textbooks to buy, but it is
even harder to set aside money
to save once you leave school
and will have even larger living
expenses.
Gain saving experience.ÏY��¼��t� o�8�O�8��Ê�
responsible habits at a young
age translates into a higher like-
lihood of keeping a balanced
budget, paying bills on time, and
being motivated to contribute to
retirement funds in the future.
Financial security in old age.The future of social se-
curity at present appears
uncertain, so it is important to
´8Çb� ��È� ��� �±Yb±� ¼�� ±b�8��� o-
nancially stable in old age.
5 Reasons to Start
Saving Now
by Lauren Tsai
“Building a credit score and credit history is an active process.”
The digits
300 - 850generic FIcO score range
35% Percent of total credit score
use this percent of your credit card
limit a month
payment history
30%
15%
10%
10%
how often you use credit cards
length of history
Types of credit used
amount of recent credit searches
<30%
>680considered a good
credit score
}t
Speaking from Experience: How to Find and Learn from your Summer Internship
Internship, Conference, or Job in NYC? Here Are 10 Ways to Save in the City
Careers & Finance "e Intercollegiate Finance Journal December 201312 "e Intercollegiate Finance Journal December 2013 Careers & Internships 13
careerS & InTernShIPS 13 Internship, Conference, or Job in
NYC? Here Are Ten Ways to Save in the City
14 Beating the Bot: Why Your Resume May Never Reach Human Hands
16 Student Spotlight: Laura Flanagan & Danielle Waldman
17 Learning to Tango: Case Interview Style
18 Thread of Life: Doctors in Danger 7��b´
Visit theifj.com/careers--internships for these articles:
Why Everyone Should Attend Conferences
The Five People You’ll See At An Info Session
Five Things A Company’s Website Won’t Teach You
also In This Section
by Tiffany Chang
major part of the fall semester for any sophomore or
junior is spent in the grueling and browbeating search
for the perfect summer internship. With the abundance of ap-
plications, info sessions and other recruiting events on campus,
it is easy to get overwhelmed and lose sight of the goal: get-
ting an experience in which you can learn, grow, and—if you’re
lucky—discover what exactly it is you want to do with your life.
To gain more insight, I spoke with three Brown students who
have had incredible summer internship opportunities.
Learning from the Job«K�Ê� ��¼b±�´|��L�o��bY� ¼|b�t8��Fb¼Èbb���Ê�Á�Yb±´¼8�Y��t��n�banking and what banking is in the real world,” Clarence stated,
8YY��t� ¼|8¼� �¼� ±b8��Ê� ´���Y�obY�|�´� ��¼b±b´¼� ���F8����t� 8�Y�|�´�
wish to pursue it full-time.
Angel agreed—while attending information sessions are a
great way to get an initial introduction to a company, “[there’s]
nothing like actually being on the job, even for the summer, to
see what it is like…there is only so much information sessions
can tell you about a job,” she says. She adds that interning is
¼|b�b8´�b´¼�È8Ê� ¼��otÁ±b��Á¼�È|8¼� �¼� �´� ¼|8¼� Ê�Á� ��Çb��±�|8¼bV�8�Y�b�O�Á±8tb´�´¼ÁYb�¼´�¼|8¼�bÇb���n�Ê�Á�Y�Y�®¼�b���Ê�8�´�bO�oO�internship, you can still gain insight on what you don’t want to
do—which helps narrow your future job search.
Myron realized after interning at IBM that he did not enjoy
working at such a large corporation. “I felt that my contribution
was lost—I couldn’t see the results of what I was doing.” He
instead hopes to intern at a start-up this coming summer.
Finding the “Right” Internship for YouAngel advises students to “look widely” beyond the obvious
O|��Ob´V�´ÁO|�8´�¼|b�o±�´�È|�O|�O��´�Yb±�±�È��8�O�±b�´O|���¡�«�¼��´�±b8��Ê�b8´Ê�¼��tb¼�´¼ÁO��¼|�����t�¼|b�|8�YnÁ���n�o±�´�¼|8¼�come recruit on campus are the only options… But there are
actually tons of opportunities outside of that.” She instead ad-
vocates students on the internship search to take initiative in
researching different career paths and internship options.
Myron says that you should look past the name of a compa-
ny when applying for internships, as what you truly enjoy may
turn out to be different from initially expected.
Clarence echoed this view by advising students to remember
to “diversify their applications” by applying to a large variety of
o±�´¡���ÈbÇb±V�|�È�Y��Ê�Á�otÁ±b��Á¼�Ê�Á±���¼b±b´¼´§�«,8���¼��as many people as possible. Make connections,” says Clarence—
through hearing others’ experiences, you can more easily gauge
what you would like to spend your summer, and future, doing.
�������Ï�tb��Fb��bÇb´�¼|8¼�¼8����t�¼���b���b�n±���Y�nnb±b�¼�ob�Y´V��Á¼´�Yb��n�¼|b�o±�´�È|�O|�±bO±Á�¼����O8��Á´V��´�|b��nÁ�U�«Ï�Á�´�are a great place to start—they are usually happy to chat!”
a
clarence ho '14concenTraTion: Applied Mathematics – Economics
inTernship: Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Invest-
ment Banking
angel lee '14concenTraTion: Economics
inTernship (1): Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Invest-
ment Banking and Sales & Trading
inTernship (2): McKinsey & Company
Myron lam '14concenTraTion: Economics and Development Studies
inTernship: IBM, Business Intern
“Interning is the easiest way to figure out what it is that you love or hate.”
“Look past the name of the company when applying for internships.”
For the giggles:
The Upright Cit-
izen’s Brigade has
weekly shows that
range from free to $15
dollars. Chances are
you’ll see one of your
favorite comedians. I
saw Amy Poehler four
times…for free!
For commuting:
Buy a monthly
MetroCard to com-
mute. For $113 dol-
lars a month, you can
ride any subway train
as many times as you
want without hav-
ing to rack up hefty
taxi charges.
For living: Sub-
lease instead of
spending on university
housing. With a sublet,
you’ll probably have
air-conditioning and
won’t have to pay for a
meal plan with the uni-
versity you’re living in.
For the Broad-way - inc l ined :
Want to see the hottest
musical on Broadway?
Camp outside for Stu-
dent Rush tickets on
a Saturday morning.
Feeling lucky? Enter
the musical’s daily lot-
tery ticketing system
for discounted tickets!
For those over 21: Buy your bev-
erages before heading
out on the town! New
York City bars are no-
toriously expensive.
Spend $20 dollars for a
couple of weeks rather
than on one drink.
For food: Bring
your lunch to
work. Buying lunch in
midtown every day can
rack up some serious
charges. Head to the
supermarket and pack
your lunches to eat
with co-workers who
are doing the same.
For shopping:
If you’re an im-
pulse spender, head
to trendy thrift stores
like Beacon’s Closet or
try your hand at a sam-
ple sale.
For general life:
Start saving mon-
ey now if you’re look-
ing to be in the city this
summer. It’ll help you
cover initial moving
costs and possibly your
o±´¼����¼|®´�±b�¼¡
G r o u p o n s :
If you’re looking
for a neat weekend ad-
venture or a fancy meal
at half the cost, New
York City Groupons
have tons of discount-
ed packages.
For an o c e a n
view: Take a free boat
trip. Visits to Gover-
nor’s Island by boat
are free. Pack a cheap
lunch and enjoy a
lunch on an island
for free.
by Mark Valdez
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Beating the Bot: Why Your Resume May Never Reach Human Hands
e have all heard the super-urban myth that a recruiter will on average spend no more than
6-10 seconds looking at a resume; alright, so what’s new? The truth is, even that estimate is being generous. Statistically speaking, the average time spent on a re-sume is probably closer to 0 seconds because there’s a high chance that most resumes will never even reach the recruiter.
Large companies receive thousands of resumes a month, sometimes just for one position. Even at 6 sec-onds a resume, it’s doubtful that anyone has the pa-tience or compassion to go through every resume. Re-cruiters are people, too— and as we know: ain’t nobody got time for that.
That’s why over 90% of large companies use resume screening softwares (called Applicant Tracking Sys-tems—creepy) to make preliminary cuts to the applicant pool. And if you’ve ever been improperly/awkwardly au-to-corrected, or struggled with a temperamental printer, then you know that technology has its limits.
Most of these software packages use parsers, pro-grams that attempt to make sense of human language for computational analysis. These buggers go into your resume, strip it of all of its pretty formatting, chop up the content into strings of text, sort the pieces into rel-evant categories like contact information, education, and technical skills, and spit out a score based on pre-´b¼�´�bO�oO8¼���´¡�+��b¼��b´�bÇb�� ¼|b�´�8��b´¼�Yb¼8��´�can ruin your resume’s chances of survival, so it doesn’t hurt to know the system and play by its rules. Here are some tips to make sure your resume—and you—gets a ot|¼��t�O|8�ObU
A picture’s worth a thousand… errors. Images, graphics, and logos can trip up a pro-
gram expecting strings of text. Instead, include the URL �n�Ê�Á±�����bY����±�o�b�È|b±b�Ê�Á�O8��Á���8Y�8�|b8Y-´|�¼V�8YY�����´V�8�Y�bÇb��8¼¼8O|�o�b´¡
Go easy on the formatting. Avoid using features like headers and footers,
tables, or columns. The software may have trouble pro-cessing the information or may ignore it altogether.
Keep the font plain and simple. This is common sense, but use conventional
fonts (some sources even recommend sticking to strictly sans-serif fonts) that are standard on common operating systems. You don’t want your amazing summer intern-
ship to become a bunch of ☐☐☐☐.
Be the match. Make sure to know the job inside out, and tailor your resume to it. A targeted approach is more likely to be effective than a one-
´�Íb~o¼´~���b�´O8¼¼b±nb´¼¡�*b´Á�b´�8±b�´O�±bY�F8´bY����±b�bÇ8�OÊV�´���8�b�´Á±b�¼��O���bO¼�Ê�Á±�bÉ�b±�b�Ob��±�Ê�Á±���¼b±b´¼´�¼��¼|b�́ �bO�oO���F¡�,8����t�to current employees is an excellent way to get a sense of exactly what the company is looking for in its new hires. Again, LinkedIn is a great resource for this.
Alternatively, if while reading this you’ve: (a) rolled your eyes, (b) groaned loudly and with lung-engaging passion, or (c) lost a little faith in the system – congratulations, you’re human! And for you, there’s some more good news: this binary-beast is not yours to slay.
You should still follow these simple resume-building rules because they’re generally good practice, but additionally and comparatively to all of the extraneous fuss and formatting issues that go alongside making a resume, putting on a suit or slipping into your power pumps for an info session shouldn’t seem so bad anymore. The recruiters are right there! In ¼|b�qb´|l�5�Á�O�Á�Y�bÇb��¼�ÁO|�¼|b���¼|�Át|�Ê�Á��±�F8F�Ê�´|�Á�Y�®¼�¡
Careers & Finance "e Intercollegiate Finance Journal December 2013 "e Intercollegiate Finance Journal December 2013 Careers & Internships14 15
by Kaden Lee
“Sometimes even the smallest details can ruin your resume’s chances of survival, so it doesn’t hurt to know the system and play
by its rules.”
THE EASY STUFF
Remember “keyword search”? Keywords: those hot, young things from 2002 have grown up,
suited up, changed their names to “buzzwords,” and are now working in the recruiting world. If a job description contains a word more than twice: O|8�Ob´�8±bV� �¼®´� ����±¼8�¼¡�*bqbO¼� ¼|b´b��bÊÈ�±Y´� ���Ê�Á±� ±b´Á�b�È|b��applicable.
Location, location, location...? Surprisingly, addresses can limit eligibility for a position! Especial-
ly for summer internships, companies that do not provide housing allow-ances may limit their search to local candidates. (If you don’t believe me, I almost got passed over for my summer position because of this very reason. Luckily, they gave me a second chance.) For this, it doesn’t hurt to note in your resume or in your cover letter that you are willing to relocate.
So take their business cards and make some noteworthy connec-tions... Go get ‘em, tiger.
1
2
3
4
5
6
NEXT LEVEL TACTICS
W
Student Spotlight
How did concentrating in Psychology prepare you for an internship at American Express?I get that question a lot, especially from bosses and job inter-
views. My internship with American Express was pretty much
straight business. I was working in operations and marketing.
I wouldn’t say that psychology as my discipline has applied
all that much as far as my classes. I would say that Brown has
prepared me for working hard, handling late nights, thinking
critically, and being a good writer more so than learning about
abnormal psychology and what schizophrenia is.
What was your day-to-day role at Amex?It was a very formally set up and structured program. Like many
�8±tb�O���8��b´V�¼|bÊ�Á´b�¼|b���¼b±�´|���8´�¼|b�±�q�È���¼��nÁ��~time positions. There were 120 interns, half undergrad and half
grad students. It was ten-weeks, and I had my own individual
�±��bO¼�¼|8¼�È8´��Ê�«F8FÊ¡¬��Ê�´�bO�oO��±��bO¼�È8´����±�Ç��t�a system, and I talked to a lot of people to ask “What’s wrong
with this process right now?” and “What slows you down?” I did
a lot of interviews in the beginning trying to learn how the sys-
tem runs. Basically, Amex puts out marketing campaigns such
as emails or “junk” mail. There are a lot of steps that go into de-
signing the mail piece and making sure that it goes to the right
address; there are a lot of checks. The system that they were
using was slow, and that was what I was trying to improve over
the summer. Day-to-day would include interviewing, thinking
8F�Á¼�|�È�¼��oÉ��¼V�Y���t��Ê��È��8�8�Ê´b´V�8�Y�¼|b��¼�È8±Y´�the second half it was about my presentation and putting my
PowerPoint together.
What advice would you give to current undergraduates for o�Y��t�8����¼b±�´|��§People hate to hear this but I would say: start early. I had this
oh-my-god-what-am-I-going-to-do-with-my-life moment as I was
going into my junior year. It stressed me out, as it stresses out
8���´b���±´¡�Á¼���|8Y�¼|8¼����b�¼�8�Êb8±�Fbn�±b�8�Y���±bqbO¼-ed, decided and did all of my applications. I had the chance
to hit all of the deadlines that were in November, December,
January and February, and I wasn’t spending that time worrying
about what I was going to do. If I had missed that opportunity
I wouldn’t be in the place where I am now, having nothing to
worry about my senior year.
laura Flanagan
Careers & Finance "e Intercollegiate Finance Journal December 201316
Now, will this method of transparency land you a job?Probably not, unless your interviewer decides to hire you on the spot simply to avoid having to hear another How I Worked on a
Team / Handled a Crisis / Demonstrated Leadership Skills anecdote. Otherwise, though, it seems our best bet to land that elusive
entry-level gig is to put on our Consultant hats with all the unabashed enthusiasm of a Broadway hopeful. And to those who call
us borderline brainwashed semi-robots: that’s Junior Analyst robot to you.
Learning to Tango: Case Interview Style
s fall interview season draws to a close, those of us who dusted off our parents’ business attire for interviews and company
presentations just last month can now raise our glasses to new jobs, new opportunities, and new appreciation for the
bizarre role-play that is the Case Interview.
+��bÈ|b±b�Fb¼Èbb��¼|b�o±´¼�È8Çb��n�8���?��¡�q�b±´�¼8�bY�¼��bÇb±Ê�bÉ��´bY�t�8´´�´Á±n8Ob����O8��Á´�8�Y�¼|b�O��O�ÁY��t�handshakes complete with a “We’ll be in touch,” we have somehow morphed into marionettes with Marc Cosentino and Victor
Cheng tugging at our wooden wrists to the tune of “market sizing,” “value-chain microanalysis,” and “management needs to hedge
currencies, stat!”
Want to know how many lavender-scented candles are sold every year in Iceland? Done. Calculate our imaginary client’s share
�n�¼|b�Yb�¼8��q�´´��8±�b¼§����´Èb8¼¡�5b¼�´��b�O�±�b±��n��Á±����Y´��¼|b�O�±�b±���¼�OÁ±±b�¼�Ê�Y����8¼bY�FÊ��b±Ob�¼8tb´V�t±�ȼ|�±8¼b´V�8�Y�«(±�o¼�k�*bÇb�Áb�j��´¼¬��´¼����Fbt´�¼|b�¦Áb´¼�����n�È|b¼|b±�¼|�´�´��Á�8¼���V�´��±�¼Á8��ÍbY�8´�¼��±b´b�F�b�8�Ob±b����8��courtship dance in verbal form, simply measures our ability to put on a show. What if we—and our interviewers—actually said what
we were thinking? Aaand, action:
"e Intercollegiate Finance Journal December 2013 Careers & Internships 17
To read more about Laura and Danielle’s experiences, including Major Do’s & Don’ts, please visit www.theifj.com
Laura Flanagan ’14 is concentrating in Psychology. She is a member of Kap-
pa Alpha Theta, a singer in Disney A Cappella, and a trained mediator. Last
summer Laura interned at American Express in Operations and Marketing.
How did you know that you wanted to go into investment F8����t�±8¼|b±�¼|8��8��¼|b±�8±b8��n�o�8�Ob§I wanted to go into investment banking because I thought it
was the best job out of college where you can make the biggest
impact on companies as a 21 year old. There is not another
industry to get exposure at a young age and so quickly. I always
knew I wanted to go into business and I felt that investment
banking would be the perfect crash course after Brown.
3|8¼�Y�Y�Ê�Á�Y��¼��Y�nnb±b�¼�8¼b�Fb¼Èbb��¼|b�o±�´����¼|b�industry? What was your due diligence process like?���8Yb� ´Á±b� ¼�� tb¼� 8� ´b�´b��n�È|8¼� ¼Ê�b��n��b���b� b8O|�o±��8¼¼±8O¼bY¡� 8O|� o±�� |8´� 8� Çb±Ê� Y�nnb±b�¼� OÁ�¼Á±b¡� ���Y��t� �Á¼�who you mesh with best and who is fun to talk to is important
because you spend a lot of time with them.
What mistakes do you see Brown students making that you think they should change?The number one thing people need to do and biggest mistake
is not networking enough. I feel that networking is ultimately
the most valuable thing. Another mistake is thinking that just
FbO8Á´b�Ê�Á®±b���¼�8�o�8�Ob��8��±V�Ê�Á�O8�®¼�t����¼��o�8�Ob¡�,|b´b� o±�´� 8±b� ������t� n�±� ´�8±¼V� ��¼b±b´¼��t� �b���bV� È|�O|�8±b��8�Ê�±�È��´¼ÁYb�¼´�FÊ�Ybo��¼���¡� �b���±b�¼|��t��´�¼|8¼�people take classes that they aren’t interested in. This is the
ultimate mistake. If you aren’t passionate about what you are
doing, you won’t have as much to say and you won’t do as well.
,8�b�8YÇ8�¼8tb��n���b��OÁ±±�OÁ�Á�¡�,|b±b� �´���¼|��t�´�bO�oO�¼|8¼�o±���´�������t�n�±V����b�n�±�bÉ8���b�¼8���t�8�´�bO�oO�bO�-
nomics class.
What was your day-to-day role at Morgan Stanley like?There was no typical day at Morgan Stanley. You get on a ton
Y�nnb±b�¼�´¼8no�t´�8�Y��±��bO¼´V�È�±���t�����Á�¼���b� ���8�Y8Ê¡�I did due diligence for an Initial Public Offering (IPO), built a
model for a Leveraged Buyout (LBO), and went to meetings
about potential pitches. Other days, I would do research for
a managing director. It really depended, and it could change
by the hour. The best part was the breadth of all the different
things you were learning and the variety of your day.
daniiele Waldman
Danielle Waldman ’14 is concentrating in History. She is the president of
Challah for Hunger and vice president of Women in Business. Last summer,
Danielle interned at Morgan Stanley in the Media, and Telecommunications
Group in the Investment Banking Division, and will start in the fall of 2014
as part of a two-year full-time analyst program.
by Alisa Owens
InTervIeWer hOPeFul aPPlIcanTCome on in! I vaguely recognize you from an info session...weren’t you the one hoarding hors d’oeuvres and SnapChatting during my presentation?
Yep! I’m hoping that gaining “face-time” there will make up for when
I mispronounce the company name during this interview.
Great, it’s a pleasure to have you here. So why are you interested in working for us?
Sounds like you’d be a great fit! Now, our company looks for ap-plicants with a broad range of applicable skills, including (a) unjam-ming the shredder, (b) tuning out your cubicle-mate, a borderline hyperactive grad named Chip, and (c) enthusiastically accepting your bonus check which leaves you at a net positive of $23 after rent for your micro-apartment in this city.
Super! On that note, let’s get started with the case. Your client is a major yogurt manufacturer that suffers from an inferior product, food poisoning allegations, and a CEO who recently spent 60% of revenue on Beyoncé tickets. Could you please tell me what 17.9% of 13,485 is?
Insightful indeed! Well, we will certainly be in touch soon. By this I mean that you should repeatedly refresh your email for the next 4-6 weeks until you receive an automated rejection detailing the “large volume of qualified applicants” when really the job went to the guy in your Econ class who booked me box seats at the Super Bowl.
To be honest, I’m not, but the people at Dropbox didn’t think my double major in Punjabi Poetry and
Ceramics reflected “relevant skills,” whatever that means.
Frankly, anything would help me out with the debt I incurred
from purchasing Case in Point.
Sure, but first I’d like to distract you by asking irrelevant questions about gas prices, mortgage rates,
and the current strength of the yen. Next, I’ll present an overly complex
framework that makes me seem like a budding consultant but is really a
regurgitation of Victor Cheng’s “Busi-ness Analysis” approach that I il legally
downloaded from YouTube.
by Caroline Vexler
a
A Thread of Life:
Doctors in Danger Zones
"e Intercollegiate Finance Journal December 2013 Careers & Internships 19
by Tung Nguyen
It is 2008, and you’re a surgeon. The
mission in Somalia you’ve been work-
ing for, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF),
has provided innumerable treatments to
Somalis in need. As the monotonous en-
gine of a car on a beaten road hums, your
thoughts wander, perhaps to your family,
your kids and wife in a different and safer
country. You are traveling down the beat-
en road, and only a split-second later—a
boom. An explosion engulfs the vehicle
in heat, and it is all over.
Such stories, those of killing, assaults
or kidnappings, are common fears of
¼|b´b� �bY�O8�� 8�Y� È�±�b±´� ��� O��q�O¼�zones. But of course, doctors sign up,
fully knowing the dangers. After all,
MSF, or more commonly known to En-
glish-speakers as Doctors Without Bor-
ders, is a Swiss-based international med-
ical aid provider for perverse regions in
the world where access to healthcare is
very limited.
Disasters and Circumstances in Need Super Typhoon Haiyan, named local-
ly “Yolanda,” devastated the Philippines
with wind speeds equivalent to that
of a Category 5 hurricane as it passed
through the Southeast Asian archipel-
ago on November 8. The largest city af-
fected, with more than 200,000 people,
Tacloban on the peninsula of Leyte was
annihilated in the typhoon’s destructive
surge. While the Philippines are accus-
tomed to an average of 20 typhoons per
year, most strike north on the big island
of Luzon, but Leyte’s exposed geography
and ill preparation allowed the tsuna-
mi-like conditions to make a thunderous
amphibious landing.
“It was as if a giant hand had come
down from the sky and just crushed,” de-
scribed a CNN correspondent, still awed
at the sight of the aftermath. Corpses
Èb±b� �Á��bY� n±��� q�¼���8� �n� ȱbO�8tb´V�makeshift houses characteristic of the
surrounding villages now reduced to
heaps. The bodies salvaged by the local
population and aid workers were left
on the side of the road, accumulating in
piles of men, women and many children,
readied for mass burial.
Among the many medical teams, in-
cluding those, according to CNN, sent
from nearby Asian countries and those
from international organizations such
as AmeriCares, International Medical
Corps and Direct Relief, MSF has a team
in place. An NBC report explains the
lack of potable water, shelter and food,
demands overwhelming local hospitals,
pharmacies, and other assets, as well as
the rise of pneumonia, diarrhea and the
concerns of tetanus and dysentery caus-
ing a “public health nightmare.” This
makes the contribution of medical teams
and supplies crucial
What’s Your Motivation?Some pre-meds in college have yet
to answer the question of “Why do you
want to be a doctor?” Young pre-meds
like me once would have said, “I want to
help people,” forgoing the fact that many
other professions, such as teaching, also
aim to help people in some way or anoth-
er. Sometimes it seems to be about the
money—however, keeping in mind that
an investment banker can earn more af-
ter a fraction of the schooling makes this
motivation less powerful. And for others,
the answer may lie in wanting to aid the
advancement of health technologies, for
example, becoming a part of the team
that one day allows a rapidly fading pa-
tient with a failing liver to receive an in
vitro 3D-printed replacement.
So still, the idealism of helping peo-
��b�|8�Y´~��� �´� 8� ´b�´b��n� ´8O±�oOb� 8�Y�accomplishment that is not as easily re-
alizable through other professions as it
is through medicine. One very hands-on
approach is as a medical aid relief per-
sonnel. There are many medical relief
agencies that take in medical doctors,
nurses, and logistics support staff.
Here, we highlight MSF:
reQuIreMenTS to join msf your compensationQuoted from their website, the MSF requires from doctors
these following:
At least 2 years of relevant professional experience. Medical
residency counts for this.
Availability for a minimum of 9-12 months, shorter for sur-
geons, anesthesiologists, nurse anesthetists, and ob-gyns
for short assignments of 1-3 months due to rigor of those
specialties.
Relevant travel or work experience outside of the United
States to demonstrate effectiveness in working in foreign
environments.
Experience as a supervisor, manager, teacher, and/or train-
er, to oversee others and teach them how to administer ba-
sic treatment.
Ability to work with diverse group of professionals of all
nationalities, able to forgo language and cultural barriers.
Flexibility and adaptability to dynamic situations that hap-
�b�����¼|b�ob�Y¡Computer skills for data collection.
Commitment to MSF’s principles of organizational inde-
pendence and neutrality and also commitment to impartial
care of patients.
Furthermore, MSF recommends language skills predom-
inantly in French due to MSF’s missions in French-speaking
countries in Western Africa, while Portuguese, Russian and Ara-
F�OiÈ|�O|��´�´�bO�oO8��Ê�±b�bÇ8�¼�¼��¼|b���¼b±�8¼���8��´��¼��t|¼�with MSF missions in Syria—are also useful.
�b±b�8±b�´��b��n�¼|b�|�t|��t|¼bY�Fb�bo¼´�8´�¦Á�¼bY�n±���¼|b�±�website:
Starting gross monthly salary of $1498
Per diem during assignment in local currency
Round-trip transportation
Room and board in project country
Comprehensive medical, disability and life insurance cov-
erage
Emergency evacuation insurance
In 1999, the Nobel Peace Prize went to the MSF, as the NY
Times says of MSF staff members “[having] a reputation as
8���t�¼|b�F±8Çb´¼����¼|b�ob�YV��n¼b��¼|b�o±´¼���b´����È|b��Y�-saster strikes and the last to leave.” Whereas the life of a doc-
¼�±����8�Y��b´¼�O�|�´��¼8���´�nÁ�o����t�����±8O¼�ObV�Y�´8´¼b±�±b��bn��bY�O8��8�Y�¼8�b´����8�´�t��oO8�¼�±�´��8�Y�O|8��b�tb�±��b�¼|8¼�begs the question, “Would you be up for it?”
Where humanity has virtually lost all hope, a few extraordinary
medical volunteers risk it all.
Markets & Investing "e Intercollegiate Finance Journal December 201320 "e Intercollegiate Finance Journal December 2013 Markets & Investing 21
MarkeTS & InveSTIng 22 Bitcoin: Myth and Reality
23Interview with Akash Shah from Morgan Stanley’s Sales & Trading Division
24 E-Cigarettes: Smoke in Our Eyes or Shock to the Industry?
25 ,|b�Á���8±Ê����8O¼��n��bq8¼���25 The Obamacare Market
26Current Accounts, the Politics of Debt Ceilings, and America’s Eco-nomic Future
Visit theifj.com/markets--investing for these articles:
What Is An Index Fund?
Top 5 Recent & Upcoming Market Events
What Is Impact Investing?
Investing in Biotechnology Stocks
also In This Section
Early last month, Twitter took the leap from Silicon Valley to Wall Street in the largest U.S. technology initial
public offering (IPO) since Facebook. The social media messaging giant debuted strongly, opening at $45.10 –
up 73% from the $26 Initial Public Offering – and closed with the biggest day-one jump since 2007 for an IPO
of more than $1 billion. In light of strong market demand, with investors asking for 30 times the 70 million
shares offered in the IPO, the company raised about $1.8 billion and established a market capitalization of over
$20 billion.
Around 18 months ago, fellow tech titan Facebook also made the leap of faith, only to face a host of trading
glitches and a hefty selloff, from which shares failed to recover until a year later.
by Alon Galor
A stark undervaluation compared to the market consensus In pricing an IPO, underwriters engage in a delicate balancing
act between raising as much capital as possible for a company
8�Y��±�Ç�Y��t�´�t��oO8�¼�±bÈ8±Y�n�±���Çb´¼�±´¡��8�Ê�8�8�Ê´¼´�believe that Twitter purposefully underpriced their IPO. In
other words, it opted to forgo capital funds in exchange for a
margin of safety that would reward its investors and protect
itself from a Facebook-like debacle.
Favorable market environmentTwitter’s entrance into the public realm comes at a time of sol-
id market performance, with the S&P 500 and the Dow Jones
Industrial Average setting record highs. In particular, the S&P
was up in 16 of the 21 trading days prior to the IPO, gained
8% in the relevant two month period and is currently up 26%
year to date ( YTD). Furthermore, November has proven to be
a favorable time of year in terms of seasonal market gains. In
contrast to the market’s strong performance leading up to Twit-
ter’s IPO, in the six weeks before Facebook’s mid-May IPO (a
seasonably unfavorable period according to the old maxim “sell
in May and go away”), the S&P lost 7.5% as renewed concerns
over the European debt crisis plagued the markets.
A matter of maturityGrowth potential is attractive to investors. While Twitter went
public during a hyper-growth stage, Facebook entered the mar-
�b¼�8¼�8�´�t��oO8�¼�Ê���±b��8¼Á±b�´¼8tb��n��¼´���nb�OÊO�b¡�
Social media frenzy, “lock-up” regulations and the right exchangeSome additional factors that are speculated to have facilitated
Twitter’s successful IPO include the growing investor appetite
n�±�´�O�8���bY�8��( ´�8�Y���Çb´¼�±�O��oYb�Ob�´¼b����t�n±���the enforcement of stringent “lock-up” regulations - Twitter
instituted a 181-day mandatory lock-up period for executives,
directors and owners of substantial amounts of stock. Finally, in
comparison to Facebook’s NASDAQ debut, whose glitches cost
investors nearly $500 million, Twitter’s IPO was smooth sailing.
The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) handled the stock’s list-
ing successfully, executing the offering in an orderly and timely
manner.
What does the future hold?Twitter has held up well since its IPO, remaining in the neigh-
borhood of $40-45 per share. But how accurate is the market’s
current valuation of Twitter after all? Although annual revenue
has more than doubled in the past year to upwards of $500 mil-
lion, many skeptics point to the fact that Twitter has yet to post
8��±�o¼�8�Y��8Ê���¼�Á�¼���ÀÎ�p¡��´��¼�Ç8��Y�¼���8�b�´ÁO|�´¼±��t�assumptions about future growth despite the lack of present
o�8�O�8��´¼±b�t¼|§� ��Ê�¼��b�È����¼b��¡
So, what was the root of these two polar outcomes? Why did Facebook's IPO tank while Twitter's soared?
“Twitter has held up well since its IPO, remaining in the neighborhood of $40-45 per share. But how accurate is the market’s current valuation of Twitter after all? Although annual revenue has more than doubled in the past year to upwards of $500 million, many skeptics point to
the fact that Twitter has yet to post a profit and may not until 2015.”
facebookvs.
What is an #IPO?6 Nov
Details
Team IFJ @the_ifj
$Q� LQLWLDO� SXEOLF� RIIHULQJ� �,32�� LV� WKH� ¿UVW�HYHU� VDOH� RI�stock to the general public. An IPO is generally done through an underwriter who is typically an investment bank that works to publicize the offering, gauge investor interest and thereby determine the appropriate price for the stocks. A type of equity issuance, an IPO provides an important alternative to debt issuance by allowing companies to raise capital in support of their activities through the sale of the right to ownership in a company, rather than through the incurrence of debt. #TheIFJ
6 Nov
Details
Team IFJ @the_ifj
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"e Intercollegiate Finance Journal December 2013 Markets & Investing Markets & Investing "e Intercollegiate Finance Journal December 201322 23
MYTH & REALITYB
ITC
OIN
arlier this month, the Wall Street Jour-
nal reported that the price of Bitcoins
±�´b�´�t��oO8�¼�Ê�YÁb�¼���b���b®´�Fb��bn�¼|8¼�¼|b�currency could be used for traditional payment
methods sometime in the near future. The mo-
mentum is coming from around the world, as
amateur investors, venture capitalists and tech-
nology enthusiasts pump money into businesses
¼|8¼�8±b�¼±Ê��t�¼��otÁ±b��Á¼�|�È�¼��¼±8Yb�8�Y�Á´b�Bitcoin to buy goods and services.
A bit about Bitcoins Bitcoin is a four-year-old virtual currency that
enables two parties to transact over the Internet.
There are two ways to obtain and then utilize
�¼O���´U� o±´¼�ÊV� ��b� O8�� FÁÊ� 8�Y� ´b��� �¼O���´�at a virtual exchange like Tokyo-based Mt.Gox
where they’re sold at their market price against
the value of other currencies such as the Euro.
Secondly, one can download a special software
that’s similar to Paypal called a Bitcoin client that
allows for the transfer and stock of Bitcoins.
Bitcoin’s market price has historically been
highly volatile. For instance, on Wednesday, No-
vember 13th, its value in terms of USD was $425,
nearly double the amount it was at the start of the
month and up from roughly $13 at the beginning
of the year. The recent jump in Bitcoin prices is
also being attributed to surging demand from
China, where a local exchange is drawing trading
from around the world.
A little bit of everythingBitcoin has numerous advantages. Firstly, any-
one with an Internet connection can get involved
with Bitcoins. Moreover, within the Bitcoin net-
work, people can transact without divulging who
they are since transactions are carried out using
series of numerical digits as pseudonyms. Like-
wise, while Bitcoins can be traded on a number
of exchanges, they can be swapped amongst indi-
viduals and corporations privately. Furthermore,
Bitcoins have been recognized for having lower
transaction costs than credit or debit cards.
Nonetheless, Bitcoin has certain disadvantag-
es too. In particular, anonymity may encourage
people to use the virtual currency for malicious
purposes. Since the Bitcoin ecosystem is com-
pletely decentralized and not backed by a central
F8��V� �¼� �´� Çb±Ê� Y�noOÁ�¼� ¼�� ±bÇb±´b� ¼±8�´8O¼���´�and easy to carry out fraudulent activities. Thus,
Bitcoin’s unregulated status makes it ideal for
money laundering and the buying and selling of
illegal goods. Another major drawback of Bitcoin
usage is that capital gains incurred from using
Bitcoins cannot be monitored and hence, there
is no way to monitor tax payment on these cap-
ital gains.
Bitcoin’s merits—anonymity, decentraliza-
tion, lack of regulation—could be reasons for its
potential downfall. While the Bitcoin doesn’t of-
fer the stability or safety of a central bank-backed
currency, it can be compared to other units of
value that can be transferred between peers, such
8´�n±b¦Áb�¼~q�b±�����¼´¡�Ï�¼|�Át|��¼O���®´�n±�¼|Ê�ecosystem may be relatively small, its undeniable
value to criminals has put it high on the agenda
�n� ±btÁ�8¼�±´¡��±Át� Yb8�b±´V� ´bÉ� ¼±8noO�b±´V� 8�Y�thieves are constantly seeking methods of pay-
ment that allow them to pocket their illicit pro-
ceeds in peace. While Bitcoin hasn’t yet earned
that level of rhetoric, it has the same ability to
mask transactions.
Anyone who buys Bitcoin at $100 and uses it
to buy $110 worth of goods is technically sup-
posed to report that $10 in gains to the govern-
ment. It’s a safe bet that few, if any, Bitcoin users
do. Why bother, when both buyer and seller are
anonymous? Even Bitcoin’s creator, who oper-
ates under the pseudonym Satoshi Nakamoto,
remains unknown. With Bitcoin values produc-
ing wild gains and losses for its users, Bitcoin has
caught the attention of tax authorities, too.
Bitcoin prices also are being buoyed by a
crackdown on illegal activities that have been
tied to the virtual currency and increased reg-
ulatory scrutiny. Such measures help make Bit-
coin more legitimate. Federal agents last month
closed an online mart where customers allegedly
could use Bitcoin to buy anything from heroin
to forged passports, according to a criminal com-
plaint. And over the summer, the Securities and
Exchange Commission charged a Texas man with
raising more than $4.5 million worth of Bitcoin
from investors who were “falsely” promised a
weekly interest rate of 7%. Mystery still surrounds
Bitcoin. Its creator -– or creators -– has remained
8���Ê��Á´�8�Y�´�bO�oO�Yb¼8��´�´Á±±�Á�Y��t�¼|b�history of the virtual currency remain fuzzy. Yet,
the buzz is growing.
Biting the dust?The rise of this virtual currency has piqued the
��¼b±b´¼��n��8�Ê�O��´Á�b±´¡��´��¼�8�Fb�boO�8����-
novation that makes online transactions easier?
Or is there more to the issue than that? Should
Bitcoin be regulated? Is its volatility a threat to
the world economy? Is Bitcoin’s use in markets
for illicit goods a reason to doubt the currency
overall? How much should the Bitcoin currency
be expanded? Could it ever be a predominant
currency around the world?
by Shreya Bhargava
Interview with Akash Shah: Morgan Stanley Sales & Trading
Was there anything in particular that made you decide that Ê�Á�È8�¼bY� ¼��t�� ��¼��o�8�Ob§�Ï�Y�È|Ê�Y�Y�Ê�Á�O|��´b�sales and trading?
I gue´´�Ê�Á�O�Á�Y�´8Ê��®��b�¼±b�±b�bÁ±�8�U���´¼8±¼bY�8����~�±�o¼�organization in high school and also had a business during my
time at Brown, so sort of that combination and those aspects of
o�8�Ob�8�Y��8�8t��t�|8Çb�8�È8Ê´�Fbb�� ����b¡�,|8¼�È8´���b�of the reasons why I wanted to go into the business realm, and
then I think I got the information on sales and trading because I
have my own portfolio and I was trading stocks and I was talking
with other people. So
that combination of
having my own port-
folio whether it was a
real one or a practice
one combined with
me being entrepre-
�bÁ±�8�V��8Yb��b�È8�¼�¼��n�OÁ´����FÁ´��b´´�8�Y�o�8�Ob¡
How would sales and trading differ from investment banking?
The biggest difference is going to be the hours. Sales and trad-
ing, you work 11 and 12 hours but it is literally constant work;
when the markets are open it’s literally non stop. Sometimes
you barely have time to get up and get a glass of water. It’s re-
ally busy. And I’m the type of person that likes to stay busy and
when I’m not, I just get frustrated because I feel like I should be
doing something. I think that investment banking is a little slow
at times and then picks up and it’s irregular, but I’m the kind of
person who likes to stay busy all the time so that’s why I chose
sales and trading. Also, I like seeing how sales and trading is
affected by legislation or the government shutdown right now,
whereas I don’t think investment banking sees as much of that.
What best prepared you for working at Morgan Stanley?
I think t|b�F�ttb´¼�¼±8�¼�¼|8¼�Ybo��¼b�Ê�Fb´¼��±b�8±bY��b�È8´��Á´¼�the ability to multitask, and I can’t stress that enough. Because
I’m so active during the day, I get multiple client requests at
the same time and you have to be able to prioritize and manage
your work. I think I learned that from Brown just because a
lot of the work is challenging; even if you only have 3 or 4 or
5 classes it is very intensive and it is a lot of work and if you
can put the time in and develop study habits, then I think that
will best prepare you. In terms of material, I think a lot of the
courses at Brown prepared me for basics of what I needed to
know whether if it was for interviews or just for generally how
the markets work. So yeah, I would say multitasking is the most
important skill.
From your perspective at Morgan Stanley, how challeng-ing would changing divisions or career paths be for people È|��8±b��Á´¼�´¼8±¼��t�¼|b�±�o±´¼���F§I don’t think it’s too hard. I mean, Morgan Stanley always en-
courages mobility. If you’re not happy with your job, then I
think people are
okay with you mov-
��t� 8±�Á�Y� ¼|b� o±��¼±Ê��t� ¼�� o�Y� È|b±b�Ê�Á� o¼¡� Ï�Y� �� ¼|����È�¼|� o�8�Ob� ¼|b±b®´�something and some
job for every person
that wants the opportunity. I think it’s our job as people in the
o±��¼��¼±Ê�8�Y�o�Y��Á±���8Ob����¼|b�o±��8�Y�¼���8�b�´Á±b��¼|b±�people feel happy and comfortable. Obviously, it’s hard and dif-
oOÁ�¼�¼��O|8�tb���F´�FbO8Á´b�Ê�Á�|8Çb�b´¼8F��´|bY�O���bO¼���´V�but I think if you want to you have the ability to.
What are your plans for the future? Do you plan on staying at Morgan Stanley?
What I want to do right now is just learn as much as possible.
For me now, I’m learning so much and I get that mixture of Lat-
in America, which I think is unique because most people don’t
get that exposure. So for me right now, I think I’m getting exact-
ly what I wanted to get out of working here. Who knows what
the future holds but right now I’m happy where I am.
by Kyle Law
Akash Shah went to Brown and concentrated in Economics with a Political Science focus. He studied abroad junior year at
Oxford and interned at Morgan Stanley, where he got a full-time position and has been working for over two years.
“The combination of having my own portfolio whether it was a real one or a practice one combined with me being entrepre-
neurial, made me want to focus on business and finance.”
e
Markets & Investing "e Intercollegiate Finance Journal December 2013 "e Intercollegiate Finance Journal December 2013 Markets & Investing24 25
E-Cigarettes: Smoke in our Eyes or Shock to the Industry?
lectronic cigarettes, or e-cigarettes, are battery powered devices which
deliver nicotine to the user in the form of a vapor. They gained popularity
in China in 2004, and were introduced to the United States a few years later. Their
popularity has soared, with some predicting that e-cigarette sales will overtake sales
of traditional cigarettes by 2021. E-cigarettes are currently not subject to regulation
FÊ�¼|b���ÏV�È|�O|��b8�´�¼|8¼�¼|bÊ�8±b���¼�|b8Ç��Ê�¼8ÉbYV�O8��|8Çb�q8Ç�±��tV�8�Y�O8��be sold online.
by Carolyn Stichnoth
Consumer Appeal Their popularity can be at-
tributed to their wide appeal.
They appeal to new smokers,
mostly teenagers and young
8YÁ�¼´V�È|���±bnb±�¼|b�q8Ç�±´�offered in e-cigarettes since
q8Ç�±��t� �´� F8��bY� n±��� ¼±8-ditional cigarettes. Current
smokers view e-cigarettes as
a healthier alternative, and
smokers who are trying to
quit use e-cigarettes as their
o±´¼� ´¼b�¡� ,|b� �±b´b�Ob� �n�this last group may raise some
doubts about the sustainabil-
ity of the growing e-cigarette
market because much of the
tobacco industry’s success is
due to their consumers’ ad-
diction, which guarantees a
consistent source of sales. But
if people are using e-cigarettes
to quit, there will not be such
an assured market. As it turns
out, however, although many
people turn to e-cigarettes as
a means to quit, only a small
portion of those actually end
up quitting; most continue to
use e-cigarettes.
Impact on Big TobaccoDoes the rise of e-cigarettes
mark the downfall of Big To-
bacco? Of course not; the “big
three” tobacco corporations
(Reynolds American, Loril-
lard, and Altria) have noticed
the trend and are taking ac-
tion. Reynolds American and
Altria have each launched
their own lines of e-cigarettes,
while Lorillard has bought
two e-cigarette manufactur-
ers, including national mar-
ket leader Blu. For the time
being, however, e-cigarettes
represent only 1% of the $100
billion tobacco market in the
U.S. Thus, the superiority of
¼|b� F�ttb´¼� ¼�F8OO�� o±�´� �´�unlikely to be challenged in
the near future.
FDA Regulation LoomsAll eyes have been on the
FDA, which was expected to
make a decision regarding
the regulation of e-cigarettes
a few weeks ago. Whatever
regulation is put in place,
there will be positive and
negative consequences for
e-cigarette manufacturers. On
the one hand, regulation will
mean consistency and safe-
ty in terms of the purity and
amount of nicotine delivered,
which would mitigate some
concerns. On the other hand,
regulation would draw atten-
tion to the hazards of e-ciga-
rettes; they would not be seen
as such a healthy alternative.
Regulation could also take
away a lot of the unique bene-
o¼´�¼|8¼�b~O�t8±b¼¼b´�|8Çb��Çb±�traditional cigarettes, such
8´� ¼|b� Á´b� �n� q8Ç�±��t¡� ,|bÊ�È�Á�Y� Fb� ´ÁF�bO¼� ¼�� ´�t��o-
cant federal and state taxes,
and internet sales would be
discontinued.
The e-cigarette industry is an intriguing one, and one that
could see strong growth in the next few years. Despite this po-
tential, however, the industry is still very much at an embryonic
stage and it remains to be seen whether the e-cigarette can grow
enough to challenge the historical and contemporary hegemony
of the tobacco cigarette.
The Culinary impaCT of
DeflaTionby Sarah Park
fter experiencing a period of tremendous economic
growth in the late 1980s that culminated in a dramatic
stock market crash, Japan is still struggling to over-
O��b�¼|b�8YÇb±´b�bO�����O�bnnbO¼´��n�¼|b�O±8´|V���O�ÁY��t�Ybq8-tion, high unemployment, stagnant growth and a growing debt
to GDP ratio. The 2007-08 Global Financial Crisis and the 2011
Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami both greatly exacer-
bated these issues, and in the past six years alone the country
has fallen into a recession three times.
Although several recent events, including Japan’s successful
bid to host the 2020 Summer Olympics and the implementation
of “Abenomics” (an aggressive set of economic policies intro-
duced by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe last year) have indicated
Japan’s economy may be on the road to recovery, the effects
�n��8�8�®´��±�¼±8O¼bY��b±��Y��n�bO�����O�´¼8tq8¼����Èb±b��±�-
found and widespread and continue to be felt in society. One
sector that evidently has been affected by the country’s eco-
nomic downturn recently garnered worldwide attention: the
food industry.
Origins of the Scandal A nationwide food scandal has recently erupted in Japan, result-
ing in intense public outrage and calls for heightened scrutiny
and investigation into the authenticity of menus and food la-
beling. The “deceitful labeling” scandal, as the media named it,
began in October with the Hankyu-Hanshin Hotels’ admission
that from April 2010 to July 2013, the chain of 17 hotels and
111 restaurants had mislabeled 47 different food items, affect-
ing over 78,000 customers. In addition to engendering public
anger and protest, the revelation also led to the resignation of
the President of Hankyu-Hanshin Hotels and has sparked doz-
ens of major hotels, restaurants, and department stores to come
forward with confessions over the past few weeks about their
own food mislabeling practices. Examples of these “deceptions”
range from the substitution of cheaper Whiteleg shrimp for sim-
ilar but 50% more expensive Shiba shrimp to the use of Korean
chestnuts to garnish a dessert rather than French ones.
Why the Japanese Care Although this food scandal hasn’t caused any illness or detri-
mental health effects, the revelations have ignited intense con-
troversy because of the country’s longstanding emphasis on
and adherence to “omotenashi” - the word used to describe Ja-
pan’s pride in its culinary culture and commitment to excellent
hospitality and service. Taking into account this fundamental
8´�bO¼��n��8�8�b´b�OÁ�¼Á±bV���b��8Ê�È��Yb±�È|Ê�´���8�Ê�o±�´�were willing to mislabel or misrepresent their menu items. The
answer? Japan’s economy.
The Culprit Behind the Scandal ��t|�8�Y��b±´�´¼b�¼�Ybq8¼��������8�8��|8´���Y�´�Á¼8F�Ê�8tt±8-vated the effects of its various recessions and contributed to the
country’s poor economic growth. For hotels, restaurants, and
Yb�8±¼�b�¼�´¼�±b´V�8�Èb8��bO����Ê�¼±8�´�8¼b´�¼����Èb±��±�o¼´V�forcing many to seek ways to cut costs. Because the substitu-
tions and misrepresentations were often almost impossible for
8���±�8�� OÁ´¼��b±� ¼��Y�´Ob±���±�Y�´O�Çb±V�o±�´�Èb±b�8F�b� ¼��±b8��Íb�´�t��oO8�¼�´8Ç��t´�FÊ�O|8±t��t�8��±b��Á��n�±�È|8¼�8�-
peared to be higher quality food. Apparently this practice has
been going on for over 20 years thus coinciding with the Japa-
nese stock market’s sharp plunge that launched the nation into
a recession in 1990. It will certainly be interesting to see how
and when the food industry will recover from this scandal and
regain the trust of consumers but in the meantime, be aware
that food mislabeling is by no means limited to Japan. Because
¼|b�-��¼bY�+¼8¼b´��´�8�´��´¼����±bO�Çb±��t�n±���¼|b�ÀÎÎg�o�8�O�8��crisis, be conscious of the fact that what you read on the menu
is not always what you get.
The Obamacare Market
by Thomas Pesce
The Affordable Care Act (ACA), commonly referred to as “Obamacare,” has been at the center of Washington discussion for months. While its goal of providing more Americans access to healthcare is certainly meritable, the implementation of the signup process has proven far from praiseworthy.
low enrollment rates:The White House Administration reports that in Octo-EHU� ������ 2EDPDFDUHōV� ƓUVW� PRQWK� LQ� DFWLRQ�� D� WRWDO�of 106,185 people enrolled in ACA health care plans through government exchanges. The administration had predicted and hoped for many more.
However, it may be preemptive to write off Obamacare. In 2007, Massachusetts’ universal health-care plan also suffered severely low enrollment. Al-though only 123 people in the state signed up in the SODQōV�ƓUVW�PRQWK��ŏ5RPQH\FDUHŐ�HQUROOPHQW�LQFUHDVHG�exponentially and the plan is now considered a success.
Previously insured dropped:Low enrollment rates are not Obamacare’s only prob-lem. Contrary to President Obama’s promise that “if you like your plan, you can keep it,” an estimated 4.02 million Americans’ policies have been cancelled. In re-sponse, the President declared that insurers can contin-ue providing for another year plans that did not comply with the Act. The problem remains that plans have al-ready been cancelled and insurers are not obliged to reestablish them.
While it is certainly premature to call Obamacare a failure, it has clearly had a rocky start. Expect reporters, politicians and economists to continue monitoring en-rollment numbers over the next few months.
ea
Markets & Investing "e Intercollegiate Finance Journal December 2013 "e Intercollegiate Finance Journal December 2013 Markets & Investing26 27
Current Accounts, the Politics of Debt Ceilings,and America’s Economic Future
They say the road to hell is paved with good intentions. Although many on the left and right in the United States
harbor genuine concerns about the federal government’s
indebtedness, the debt ceiling crisis nonetheless nearly
forced the U.S. Treasury to default. Some studies sug-
gest an association between high levels of central gov-
ernment debt and slower GDP growth. At the same time,
austerity policies to reduce debt adversely affect demand
and impede growth. Still, while the nation bickers over
the debt, brinksmanship is chipping away at something
�ÁO|���±b�´�t��oO8�¼U�Ï�b±�O8®´���´�¼����8¼�¼|b�Ob�¼b±�of the international monetary order. Over the past de-
cades, the U.S. has consistently imported more than it
has exported. This imbalance is nothing new. Howev-
b±V�-¡+¡�YboO�¼´�8±b���¼8F�b�n�±�¼|b�±�´�ÍbV�È|�O|��b8�bY�at 6.5% of GDP in 2005, and their frequency. Standard
¼|b�±�b´� �n� ��¼b±�8¼���8�� ¼±8Yb� ´Áttb´¼� ¼|8¼� YboO�¼´�
by Christopher Dederick
´|�Á�Y�8Y�Á´¼��8¼Á±8��ÊU� ��´ÁnoO�b�¼�Yb�8�Y� n�±�-¡+¡�bÉ-ports, denominated in dollars, should depreciate the U.S.
dollar, making exports cheaper and more desirable, thus
��O±b8´��t�Yb�8�Y�8�Y�F8�8�O��t�¼|b�YboO�¼¡
Currency and CapitalThe United States’ unique role as the world’s currency
leader distorts this adjustment process because there is
always underlying demand for the dollar. The U.S. dollar
serves as the reserve currency for the international mon-
etary system and is used in the majority of all economic
¼±8�´8O¼���´¡�,|b�-��¼bY�+¼8¼b´�o�Y´��¼´b�n����¼|�´��ÁO�Ê���-
sition for various reasons, including the size of its econo-
my, the depth and liquidity of its capital markets, and most
´�t��oO8�¼�ÊV�¼|b��b±Ob�ÇbY�´bOÁ±�¼Ê��n�Y���8±~Yb�����8¼bY�assets, particularly U.S. treasuries. Private actors, institu-
tional investors, and central banks looking for security and
dollar liquidity invest in dollar-denominated U.S. treasur-
ies. When the global economic crisis was at its worst, the
-¡+¡�b���ÊbY�|Átb���q�È´��n�O8��¼8��´bb���t�´8nb�±b¼Á±�´¡�This process even led to negative real interest rates; for
a brief moment, investors were actually paying the U.S.
Treasury to safely hold their capital.
International RelationsThe self-imposed near-default of the U.S. government was
particularly troubling for China and other major export-
ers, which reinvest their immense surpluses in the Unit-
ed States. The prospect of a U.S. default threatened their
massive holdings of U.S. treasuries. This has led some to
question the security of U.S. treasuries, and consequently,
the wisdom of U.S. currency leadership. In the wake of the
debt-ceiling crisis, China’s leading state-run editorial en-
couraged the world to “de-Americanize” the international
monetary system.
An “Exorbitant Privilege”The U.S. trade balance has improved in recent years, down
to 2.4%. Nonetheless, currency leadership continues to al-
low the U.S. to live beyond its means. Rather than have its
OÁ±±b�¼�8OO�Á�¼��8¼Á±8��Ê�F8�8�ObV�Á��¦Áb�Ê�|�t|���qÁÉb´��n� n�±b�t��O8��¼8��o�8�Ob�¼|b�t8��Fb¼Èbb��È|8¼�¼|b�-¡+¡�imports and what it exports. These investments accord the
U.S. a higher standard of living than it can fund with its
exports. Strong demand for treasuries reduces the rate of
return the U.S. Treasury needs to offer, resulting in unusu-
ally low government borrowing costs. This has led some
to call U.S. currency leadership an “exorbitant privilege”.
The loss of the dollar’s reserve status, followed by a cur-
rent account reversal, could put an end to this privilege.
The dollar would likely depreciate, making imports more
expensive, and reducing standards of living. With a small-
er pool of available capital, real interest rates would rise,
impeding investment. The resulting spike in government
borrowing costs would, ironically, further balloon the
debt. A study by Sebastian Edwards suggested that current
account reversals can reduce GDP growth by 3.5% to 5%.
ConclusionsFor now, alarmism seems premature. With Japan’s stag-
nant economy, the ongoing Eurozone crisis, and China’s
����Fb±8��o�8�O�8��´Ê´¼b�V��b�¼|b±�¼|b�Êb�V�bÁ±�V���±�ÊÁ8��could supersede the dollar. That being said, growing con-
cerns over the U.S. government’s stewardship of its econo-
my could prompt the world to move towards a multipolar
monetary system, with a basket of currencies replacing the
dollar. The unnecessary loss of U.S. currency leadership
O�Á�Y�±b�±b´b�¼���b��n�¼|b�t±b8¼b´¼�´b�n~��q�O¼bY�bO�����O�calamities of our time. The United States must ensure con-
¼��ÁbY�O��oYb�Ob����¼|b�Y���8±��±�±�´���b¼¼��t�t��Y���¼b�-
¼���´�´b¼�¼|b�o±´¼�´¼��b¡�
"e Intercollegiate Finance Journal December 2013 Business & Startups Business & Startups "e Intercollegiate Finance Journal December 201328 29
BuSIneSS & STarTuPS 28 Social Entrepreneurship in the 21st
Century
30 Start Me Up: Six Startups to Watch
31 The Digital Future of Marketing
32From Wayland to Wall Street: An Introduction to Business from a Pre-Med
33 Carnitas & Coldplay: The Chipotle Business Model
Visit theifj.com/business--startups for these articles:
��O±�o�8�ObU�3±b´¼���t�(±�o¼´��±���,|b�(��±Millenial Mentality
Valve Corporation: A Fable of Flatness
also In This Section
S cial Entrepreneurship in the 21st Centuryby Amber Teng
Types of social entrepreneurshipIn accordance with legal structures, there are three main types
�n�´�O�8��b�¼±b�±b�bÁ±´|��´U�����±�o¼´V�n�±~�±�o¼´�8�Y�|ÊF±�Y´¡����~�±�o¼��±t8��Í8¼���´�Á´b� ¼|b�±� ±bÇb�Áb� ¼�� 8O|�bÇb� ¼|b��±-ganization’s goals rather than to provide payment
or salary to the company’s employees. Despite
the misleading name of this kind of business,
���~�±�o¼��±t8��Í8¼���´V��±��( ´�n�±�́ |�±¼V�are allowed to attain surplus to sustain
the company and further its expansion.
��±~�±�o¼��±t8��Í8¼���´V����¼|b��¼|-
er hand, give their shareholders part
of the money that they make. Though
�8�Ê� �b���b� 8±tÁb� ¼|8¼� n�±~�±�o¼� ´�-
cial enterprises defeat the purpose of
social entrepreneurship, the difference
Fb¼Èbb�� n�±~�±�o¼� 8�Y� ����±�o¼� �±t8��-zations is not so clear. According to a num-
ber of social entrepreneurs, the type of busi-
ness organization one can have, whether it be
n�±~�±�o¼��±�����±�o¼V�Yb�b�Y´��8���Ê�����bt8��constraints and funding origins. The legal term
under which their organization falls does not
O|8�tb�¼|b�±���´´�����±�Ybo�b�¼|b�±�t�8�´¡��ÊF±�Y��±t8��Í8¼���´�8±b�8���É��n�F�¼|�n�±~�±�o¼�
8�Y����~�±�o¼��±t8��Í8¼���´¡�,|bÊ��8Ê�´Á���b�b�¼�each other, yet sometimes these two business mod-
els are bound by long-term contracts which they ful-
o������8�t�Çb��8��Á�¼��n�¼��b¡��ÊF±�Y���Yb�´�|8Çb�8�´�O�8����´´����Êb¼�±b�Ê����±bÇb�Áb�¼��nÁ�o���´ÁO|���´-sions. The hybrid ideal is, according to the Stanford
Social Innovation Review, to be able to have a social
impact on the world while also creating commercial revenue.
What is social entrepreneurship?,|b�Ybo��¼�����n�´�O�8��b�¼±b�±b�bÁ±´|����´�|�t|�Ê�Ç8±�8F�b�8�Y�O��¼bɼÁ8�¡�+��b�´�O����t�´¼´�8t±bb�¼|8¼�´�O�8��b�¼±b�±b�bÁ±´|����´�n�Á�Y����8�Ê����~�±�o¼��±t8��Í8¼����FÁ��¼����8���´´����¼��solve societal and economic problems. Others say that a social enterprise is a kind of business
�8Yb�n�±�´�O�8��t��Y´V��±�8�Ê����Y��n�����Ç8¼�Çb��±�o¼���Yb��¼|8¼�8���È´�¼|b�FÁ´��b´´�¼��´Á´¼8���itself, while bringing sustainable change and moving society to a stable and more just equilib-
rium. Still others, like Muhammad Yunus, a well-known social entrepreneur, claim that a social
b�¼b±�±�´b��8Ê���¼��bbY�¼��|8Çb�8��b�Y��±�YÁO¼�¼|8¼��´�´�O�8��Ê�Fb�boO�8��j�8´����t�8´�¼|b�±�Á¼b�the entrepreneur takes to get there contributes to economic inclusion and opportunity at the
F8´b��n�¼|b��ʱ8��Y¡�ÏOO�±Y��t�¼��Ï´|��8V���b��n�¼|b�����bb±����~�±�o¼��±t8��Í8¼���´�´Á���±¼-��t�´�O�8��b�¼±b�±b�bÁ±´|��V�¼|b�ob�Y��´���b�È|b±b���Y�Ç�YÁ8�´�È|��|8Çb���¼�Ç8¼����8�Y�Y±�Çb�seek to solve some of the most pressing societal problems using innovative solutions.
“Social entrepreneurs are not content just to give a fish or teach how to fish. They will not rest until they have revolutionized the fishing industry.”
- Bill Drayton, CEO & founder of Ashoka
Why social entrepreneurship? Social enterprises have a sustainable im-
pact and delivery. Their impact should last
— they lobby for permanent change that will
remain even if the said organization were to
disappear. The processes by which they deliver
results should be maintained. Even if they have to
keep applying and reapplying the solution, social
enterprises deliver in such a way such that they pay
for themselves without necessarily looking for fund-
ing over and over again.
Social entrepreneurs seek to move large systems,
and social enterprise is based on the belief that it isn’t
possible to achieve such movement within the con-
straints of the system itself. The system either needs to
be broken down or turned on its head.
Social entrepreneurship is a viable career path for
many students in that it allows them to start their own
business and thus attain real-world experience while con-
tributing to the betterment of society. It is a middle ground that
8���È´�n�±�´�O�8��t��Y�8�Y�bO�����O�Fb�bo¼¡
“Social entrepreneurs seek to move large systems, and social enterprise is based
on the belief that it isn’t possible to achieve such movement within the constraints of the
system itself.”
"e Intercollegiate Finance Journal December 2013 Business & Startups Business & Startups "e Intercollegiate Finance Journal December 201330 31
Start Me Up: Six Startups to Watchby Michael Golz
The digital future of Marketing
Biotech Innovators
Oncosec, a biotechnology startup found-
ed by Punit and Avtar Dhillon, has devel-
oped a more effective method for treat-
ing melanoma. Their electroporation
treatment allows a DNA plasmid drug,
which is toxic to humans at the levels
necessary to get it into cells through nor-
mal cell transport, to enter target cells
more easily. This means melanoma can
be treated with lower concentrations of
the drug. What is really promising about
the company is that they market their
ImmunoPulse technology as a true con-
sumer product, promising less cancer
treatment side-effects due to the lower
concentration of drugs. This impressive
technology combined with sharp market-
ing makes it hard to ignore the potential
of Oncosec.
Financial literacy for Families
�8�7��� �´� 8� o�8�O�8�� ��¼b±8OÊ� ´�¼b�aimed at families with growing chil-
dren. The purpose of the site is to
provide a user-friendly interface so
that families can set up a “virtual
family bank,” based on chores, al-
lowances, borrowed money from
family members and other variables.
�8�7��� O±b8¼b´� 8�� b8´Ê~¼�~n����È���8�� n�±� o�8�O�8�� 8�Y� ±b´���´�F���-ty management for children not yet
aware of the connection between the
completion of work responsibilities
8�Y�¼|b��8��¼b�8�Ob��n�|b8�¼|Ê�o�8�-
cial habits. Any steps forward in pro-
��¼��t� o�8�O�8�� ��¼b±8OÊ� 8¼� 8� Ê�Á�t�age are a plus in my book.
Offshore Opportunities
Started in Silicon Valley in 2011, Blue-
´bbY®´�t�8���´�¼��´Á±��Á�¼�¼|b�Y�noOÁ�¼�b´�caused by the U.S. Work Visa system that
serve as a barrier to foreign entrepre-
neurs operating and attempting to devel-
op their ideas and projects in America.
The company aims to establish an off-
shore ship community located in inter-
national waters that will allow foreigners
to collaborate with American minds and
gain access to new resources without the
headache of getting approved to work
in-country.
3d Printing & Biomedicine of the
FutureFounded by Keith Murphy and Eric David
in 2007, Organovo is a vanguard of a rev-
olutionary new idea: 3D tissue printing.
The company has designed the technol-
ogy and procedures for growing cells in
a matrix such that cultures can be grown
in 3D, creating full tissue samples. This is
a major breakthrough for pharmaceutical
companies, which have struggled with
the process of pre-clinical drug testing
for lack of realistic human tissues with
which to perform tests. Even without
the capability of printed tissue systems
(and perhaps organs in the future), the
concept of reducing the development to
market time is one to get excited about.
eharmony for not-for-Profits
For anyone interested in pursuing a ca-
±bb±� ��Ç��Ç��t� ����±�o¼� �±t8��Í8¼���´V�CatchaFire bridges the gap between
¼8�b�¼bY� �±�nb´´���8�´� 8�Y� ����±�o¼´�in need of talent. Through an interview
and resume review process, the company
matches applicant organizations with po-
tential professionals interested in work-
ing for the cause. Fast Company maga-
zine equates CatchaFire to “an eHarmony
n�±���¼~n�±~�±�o¼´¡¬
Fresh Water, less energy
Started by Yale environmental engineer-
ing graduate Robert McGinnis in 2009,
Oasys has developed a method of de-
salinating ocean water that reduces the
energy impact of the process. McGinnis’
innovative method involves drawing wa-
ter out of saltwater into an even saltier
“draw” solution through osmosis. This
consists of solutes that allow for vaporiza-
tion at lower temperatures than the 212
degrees Fahrenheit required for normal
salt water, meaning less energy can be
Á´bY�¼���±�YÁOb��Á±�obY�È8¼b±�FÊ�´¼b8��distillation. This is a fascinating compa-
ny that uses clever engineering to solve
the worldwide issue of rising freshwater
demand. According to Oasys, global de-
mand for freshwater will exceed supply
by 40 percent in 25 years.
|b¼|b±��±���¼�Ê�Á�8±b�´�bO�oO8��Ê� ��¼b±b´¼bY����b�¼±b�±b�bÁ±�8��´¼8±¼~Á�´��±�Çb�¼Á±b� ��Çb´¼��tV�´��b��n�¼|b�FÁ´��b´´b´�8��b8±��t����¼|b�´Ob�b�8±b���O±bY�F�Ê�O�bÇb±¡�3|8¼�n����È´��´�8���´¼��n�Á�~8�Y~O����t�´¼8±¼Á�´V�8�Y�È|8¼�¼|b´b�o±�´�8±b�Y���t�¼��o����bÈ���O|b´����¼|b�±��8±�b¼´¡
by Alexandra Garcia
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.
The rise of globalization and access to technology has pshed
more and more businesses to digital media marketing. The
emergence of social media platforms has driven marketing to
be more customer-centric, allowing consumers to interact with
a business despite the limitations of distance, experience, or
other factors. This new age of marketing facilitates the ability for
businesses to gain loyalty from their customers by being instan-
taneously available across various screens— computer, phone,
and television. The shift from conventional to personalized
marketing establishes a deeper connection between business-
es and their consumers. Furthermore, companies will be able
to gain business exposure and a greater return on investment,
while developing a community of devoted customers.
w
Business & Startups "e Intercollegiate Finance Journal December 2013 "e Intercollegiate Finance Journal December 2013 Business & Startups32 33
an inTroDuCTion To Business from a pre-meDby Jonathan Vu
The Big Three vs. the Bulge BracketI came to Brown as a pre-med, and as a
member of the Program in Liberal Med-
ical Education (PLME) concentrating in
Public Policy and American Institutions,
I can unabashedly say that until this sum-
mer I had no idea what an investment
F8��� �±� 8� �8�8tb�b�¼� O��´Á�¼��t� o±��did, let alone the difference between
the two. However, after speaking with a
Brown alum now at Boston Consulting
Group and an uncle who put some time
in at Goldman Sachs, I’ve found that
F�¼|��n�¼|b´b�¼Ê�b´��n�o±�´��nnb±�Á��¦Áb�opportunities for those of you who just
can’t stand another SN2 reaction. Even if
you are set on Wall Street and have found
yourself attending information sessions
ad nauseum this fall, I feel for you; even
o±�´�È�¼|��� ¼|b� ´8�b� ��YÁ´¼±Ê� ´bb�� ¼��blur together. As a result, I offer the fol-
lowing distinctions between investment
banking and management consulting to
get you on your way.
What does an investment bank do? What is management consulting?An investment banker provides two ser-
vices to its clients. First, she helps com-
panies to raise money, either by issuing
stock (an ownership in the company) or
debt (basically, an I.O.U). Second, she
can provide certain advisory services,
such as helping its clients decide whether
to acquire another company.
Management consulting is the prac-
tice of advising senior business execu-
¼�Çb´����|�È�¼|bÊ��8Ê����±�Çb�¼|b�bno-
ciency and overall performance of their
�±t8��Í8¼���´¡����´Á�¼��t�o±�´�¼Ê��O8��Ê�serve businesses, but may be hired by
t�Çb±��b�¼8�� 8�Y� ���~�±�o¼� 8tb�O�b´�as well. Consultants are expected to re-
search case-related information, derive
insights, and communicate solutions to
their clients.
Life as an analyst or a consultantHours for investment banking typically
run from 90 to 100 hours a week. Often-
times, these hours are volatile, meaning
analysts or investment bankers are often
“on-call.” Those who work in investment
F8����t� �b8±�Ê� 8�È8Ê´� |8Çb� 8�� �noObV�with the rare opportunity to travel to
client sites. Investment bankers usually
earn around $70,000 a year, often accom-
panied by a $60,000 to $70,000 bonus.
Consultants work a 60 to 80 hour
work week, and, like investment bankers,
are also subject to the working needs and
whims of the client. Those who work in
management consulting travel frequent-
ly, usually accompanied by weekly check-
��´�¼��8���noOb¡��8�8tb�b�¼�O��´Á�¼8�¼´�usually earn around $75,000 to $85,000
a year, plus other bonus matching pro-
t±8�´�¼|8¼�Ç8±Ê�n±���o±��¼��o±�¡
Exit opportunitiesComing from investment banking, em-
ployment opportunities are typically in
private equity, hedge funds, or industry.
Returning to school and receiving an
MBA is always an option.
Management consulting often leads
to jobs in private equity, hedge funds
�¼|�Át|���¼�8´��±���oO8��Ê�8´���Çb´¼�b�¼�banking does), entrepreneurship, in-
YÁ´¼±ÊV� ���~�±�o¼� O��´Á�¼��tV� �±� È�±��in the public sector. Just as with invest-
ment banking, those who work in man-
agement consulting often go to graduate
or business school upon their departure
from the industry.
InterviewingThe interview process for investment
banks is characterized by “Super Days,”
in which an applicant is interviewed in
rapid succession by several members
�n� 8�� �noOb¡� +ÁO|� ��¼b±Ç�bÈ´� 8±b� 8� ¼±Áb�test of endurance for the applicant, and
something for which the Bulge Bracket
Banks are known.
A hallmark of the management con-
sulting interview is known as “casing,”
where applicants are asked how they
would approach a client issue.
QuiCK viewhoursInvesting Banking:
90-100+ hours per week, volatile,
“on-call” hours
Consulting:
60-80 hours per week, subject to cli-
ent whims as well
eXiT opportunitiesInvestment Banking:Private Equity, Hedge Funds, MBA,
Industry
Consulting:Private Equity, Hedge Funds (though
��¼� 8´� �±���oO8��Ê� 8´� ��Çb´¼�b�¼�Bankers), Entrepreneurship, MBA
and other Grad School, Industry,
���~(±�o¼���´Á�¼��tV���Çb±��b�¼
noTaBle firmsInvestment Banking:Goldman Sachs, J.P. Morgan, Mor-
gan Stanley, Credit Suisse, Deutsche
Bank, Barclays, UBS, Citi, Bank of
America Merrill Lynch
Consulting:McKinsey & Co., Bain & Co., The
Boston Consulting Group, Booz
and Company, Deloitte Consulting,
Monitor Group, Olivery Wyman, Ac-
centure, IBM
noTaBle peopleInvestment Banking:Jim Cramer, Hank Paulson, Erin Bur-
nett, Tony Blair, Steven Rattner
Consulting:Mitt Romney, Meg Whitman, Benja-
min Netanyahu, Ira Magaziner, Bob-
by Jindal
Carnitas & Coldplay:
Organic BeginningsChipotle positions itself at the fore-
front of a fast food revolution under the
banner “Food with Integrity.” In 1992,
founder Steve Ells was inspired by an
assembly line of burrito-makers in San
Francisco’s Mission district, and Chipotle
was born. Ells’ empire grew quickly, ex-
panding outside Colorado after McDon-
alds acquired a majority stake in Chipotle
in 2001.
Chipotle had begun serving natural-
ly raised pork a year earlier when they
found that their pork, or carnitas, was
not selling as well as other meats. After
some investigation, Chipotle found that a
partnership with Niman Ranch, a purvey-
or of humanely raised, high-quality meat,
would not only make their carnitas more
popular, but also allow them to develop a
narrative around the partnership. Ells de-
clared that he did not want to support the
disturbing conditions of factory farmed
pigs, and public relations director Chris-
topher Arnold recognized the potential
in emphasizing Chipotle’s commitment
to naturally sourced ingredients. Now,
the majority of chicken and meat served
at Chipotle is naturally raised, 40 percent
of the beans are organic. Chipotle serves
50 percent of an ingredient (when it in
season) from a local grower. Chipotle’s
stock went public in 2006, and immedi-
ately rose. It continues to climb—today,
it is near its all-time high at 433.4.
Food with IntegrityChipotle’s “Food with Integrity” cam-
paign, expressed largely in qualitative
terms of commitment and goals, is ulti-
mately just as strategic as it is revolution-
ary. Initially, Chipotle misgauged public
interest in sustainable food as a means
of maintaining long-term customers
across the country. CEO Mark Crump-
acker commented that Chipotle had
overestimated their customers’ concern
about animals and the environment: “It
turned out to essentially not be true,
only 20 to 30 percent of those people
actually care about that stuff.”
Chipotle also suffered attacks for its
lack of transparency; it became unclear
what “integrity” really meant. Hesitating
until after a vocal protest outside its head-
quarters to sign a contract with a tomato
pickers’ NGO, which placed a penny per
pound surcharge on tomatoes, tarnished
Chipotle’s reputation. In turn, Chipotle
launched an initiative to attract new cus-
tomers and re-inspire existing ones to eat
their burritos with pride. Chipotle real-
ized that its brand could not depend on
the assumption that touting their consci-
entiousness would draw customers. They
had to generate content to garner inter-
est in food integrity as a concept. The
company debuted this shift most clearly
through their award winning commercial
“Back to the Start,” which featured music
from Coldplay performed by Willie Nel-
´��¡�,|b�´|�±¼�o���8��b8�´�¼��¼|b��8¼|�´�of the viewer, inspiring him or her to
support a sustainable food system, and
lends Chipotle the image of a committed
purveyor of naturally raised food. The
recently released “Scarecrow” advertise-
ment and app follows a similar narrative -
ultimately, a lone farmer breaks out from
a factory farming dystopia.
The caring consumerSuch advertisements are indicative of
Chipotle’s “Cultivate a Better World
Campaign,” which revolves around the
establishment of an emotional connec-
tion with the customer, usually through
descriptions of their commitment to the
food awareness cause. Chipotle contin-
ues to accomplish its goals. It has grown
to reach nearly 2,000 locations, and it
recently opened ShopKit, a similar busi-
ness model for a streamlined build-your-
own South East Asian inspired bowl.
If Chipotle wants to remain a leader
in this movement, its next step should
be to increase its credibility by quantify-
��t� �¼´� O����¼�b�¼� ��� ¼b±�´��n� Çb±�obY�standards. Chipotle has the potential to
transform the relationship between fast
food and sustainability but must reveal
the facts behind its feel-good burrito to
legitimize its model.
by Camila McHugh
from WaylanD toThe business
model
JOIn The InTercOllegIaTe
FInance JOurnalFor more information, check out the “GET INVOLVED” tab on our
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Interactive Features "e Intercollegiate Finance Journal December 201334
Check out your result on our website, www.theifj.com!
Word search: College Financial Aid Terms to Knowby Caroline Vexler
Words
Award
FAFSA
Financial Need
Grants
Loans
Room and Board
Scholarships
Tuition
Work Study
Where would you go on an ideal vacation?a. The Middle East
b. Central Europe
c. China
d. The United Kingdom
e. Asia
f. Western Europe
What kind of city do you want to live in?a. Up-and-coming
b. Many tourist options
c. Crowded
d. Old and cultured
e. Fun
f. High quality of life
What climate do you prefer?a. Extremely hot
b. Temperate
c. Humid
d. Rainy
e. Hot summer/mild winter
f. Windy
What is your favorite food?a. Shawarma
b. Frankfurters
c. Chinese food
d. Fish and chips
e. Sushi
f. Chocolate
How high can you afford a cost of living?a. Low
b. Moderately low
c. High
d. Moderate
e. Extremely high
f. Very high
What languages can you speak?a. Arabic and English
b. German
c. Mandarin or Cantonese
d. English only
e. Japanese
f. German, French or English
by Caroline Vexler