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Prompt: Think about the decisions you have made that
led to your current position. Past: What choices have you
made that led to your current position Present: why is a stern
mba necessary at this point in your life?
I have always desired a career that requires innovation,
educated risk, and foresight. I learned to respect these qualities
from my father, a Lebanese immigrant who worked for years
to create his own business. Through his example, I have seen
firsthand the advantages and challenges of self-employment--the
rewards to be gained and the total commitment required. My
goal is to create a business based on my own ideas and efforts,
and have made decisions aimed at bringing this dream into
fruition.
After graduating from college, I accepted a position as the
manager of an established German restaurant in San Francisco.
I had been the evening manager there for nearly two years
while attending college, and knew that the restaurant was
struggling. For several years, high overhead costs and poor
marketing had brought revenue to a minimum. I saw the position
as an intriguing challenge; I knew I could dramatically increase
the restaurant’ s profitability. Immediately after accepting
the position in July of 1995,I addressed the most significant
problem: high overhead from overstaffing, food waste, and
unnecessary purchases of supplies. I lowered each of these
expenses while maintaining the restaurant’ s quality and efficiency.
My next target was marketing. Inexpensive advertisement in
local newspapers, attractive signage, and Internet postings
brought in many new customers. In the meantime, I took control
of the accounting, eliminating the need for independent help.
The increased revenue and decreased spending had an immediate
effect. At the end of 1996,the restaurant reported a profit
for the first time in six years. I remained with the business
until it was sold in 1997,monitoring these changes in order
to provide lasting improvement.
Although the position made me realize that the restaurant
business did not appeal to me, those two years reaffirmed
my desire to operate my own business. I had not abandoned
my education during that time; while working at the restaurant,
I had taken real estate courses in the evening and passed
the California State Broker exam in 1996. My brother and I
launched our own property management company in April of 1996,and
it quickly grew. We currently have seven commercial properties
under management. Our responsibilities include leasing, accounting,
and property maintenance. In 1997,I began working as a broker
with a commercial real estate company, largely to gain the
knowledge of retail to improve the leasing and sales division
of my company.
I am currently employed in a sales position with a private
business bank in San Francisco. I was hired to bring business
into the bank, which rarely advertises, preferring to attract
business primarily from referrals. My responsibilities include
interacting with potential clients, selling loans and deposits,
and account maintenance. This job has given me better understanding
of sales and finance, which is crucial to the success of any
business.
Although my ultimate goal is to grow our property management
company into a full time business, these positions in other
industries have been invaluable learning aids. Property management
requires an extensive knowledge of real estate, banking, accounting
and sales. I now feel confident that I have gained valuable
experience with my work. However, I know that earning a graduate
degree will further enhance the skills I need to develop a
viable company.
The Leonard N. Stern School of Business at New York University
will allow me to learn from the finest teachers, interact
with the brightest students, and experience one of the top
graduate programs in the United States. I can only anticipate
the invaluable knowledge and training I will gain from being
a part of this program. Although my work experience has been
extremely important, the NYU Stern School of Business will
be equally as educational. It will allow me to incorporate
my experiences with other equally ambitious students, and
to broaden my goals, ideas and perspectives.
A graduate degree in Management and Organizational Behavior
is a significant asset to any business owner. The first year
curriculum of accounting, management, finance, marketing,
and economics will enhance my knowledge of the basic foundations
of business and management. During my second semester, I will
enroll in the track courses of Entrepreneurial Studies. These
classes will teach me advanced business techniques and their
successful implementation. In addition, Stern-sponsored, non-academic
entrepreneurial organizations will be both educational and
enjoyable. I view these as an opportunity to meet students
who share similar goals. They will expand my awareness of
new business concepts within our quickly evolving economy--which
I hope to incorporate into my own company. The experiences
available at NYU are myriad, and a degree from the Stern School
will propel me toward the realization of my professional goals.
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