Columbia Classes (so far)

After one month I think I can give a fair assesment of Columbia classes I choose.

Introduction to Venturing:
Very good class. You learn how entrepeneurs started their ventures. You analyze typical problems like financing the venture, dealing with taxes and laws regarding ownership and liabilities.. and so on. The professor is really good even if I hate the fact that he project this atomic clock on the wall and 10.45 sharpt he starts. If you come in at 10.45.01 you are out! But seriously. Not even one second! At the beginning i thought it was a joke.. until I saw him in practice. A part from that, i think in this class there is a really useful thing that other professors in IESE should do. Basically students have to submit a survey about your opinion on key facts about the venture and what you will do if you were in the shooes of the entrepeneur. Than the day after he create a presentation with a merge of all these opinions clustered by type "financing/execution/idea/business plan".. and from that the class builds up the discussion. This saves a lot of time and makes class participation more effective!

Turnaround Management:
Turnaround management. Just by the name you know that this class is super cool. This course sucks! (like Goldman)
This class is horrible! First of all I don't understand what the professor says. Ok that's my problem. However, the class is basically "applied accounting". It's nothing more than dumb adjustment and forecasts on of sales and balance sheets, an application of what you learn in the first year at IESE. So you spend 3 days in preparing complex excel models that have the only complexity of being tricky in the way numbers are hidden in the text of the case. And that's it. Sometimes he says that turnarund is all about understanding customers, understanding people and the organization. But then he doesn't go further than that. Learning points so far: ZERO!

Private Sector and International Development:
Very cool class about how the private sector is influenced by corruption, juridical system and other factors in the context of the emerging markets. My takeaway for this class will be a framework to better understand private equity in emergin markets (i.e. India). The professor is super young but super cool. He is very funny and even if the classes are mostly lectures, he keeps the class attention and participation very well.

Advanced Corporate Fiance:
If you loved corporate finance, you'll love this course. If you didn't maybe was just because of Estrada. This is basically corporate finance applied in the real world, where you have to deal with risk management, options, companies in emerging markets, small caps and so on. The pace of the class is much faster than with Estrada at IESE which is justifiable by the fact that they expect people really into the topic. I'm the misfit. The professor is amazing. He is a banker, and he has so much experience that he really goes into the detail of each transaction. Talking about VW he also went into the different production process of an alluminium engine versus a steel one! And again in borland he explained us everything about databases in the early 90s.. I love the way he pronounce the word "finance" and "cash flow" but it's hard to explain. One day i will bring my camera and record his voice (or.. if u see me around just ask me and i'll imitate him on the spot)! I think it's a great class even if it's going to be tough.

Ok now after this boring report, I share with you some Comments of The Week!
Talking about an entrepeneur who wants to open a restaurant with piano bar in Pittsburgh: "A piano bar in Pittsburgh? The steel city? I fear for the piano man!"

About an ex-model ex-morgan stanley woman: What makes these former models think they can be successful entrepeneurs?

About a Drycleaners business: If Hardvard dorks can't open a drycleaner, we are all doomed

Same guys who wanted to open the drycleaner: Too bad they missed the opportunity for on-campus recruiting

A guy wearing a suit enters the class 5 minutes late. Professor: i assume you are not used to make up your tie.

Conversation between a student who always bullshits and the professor. The students raise his hand and then desists from talking. Professor: This is called self-moderation Students: Yes, this is one of the things I learned in business school Professor: Mmm.. usually this is something that you learn in your childhood.
This is the roof top Marco where me and marco are used to go as a starter for the clubbing nights. Soo cool.
And just below it, lot's of clubs like cielo, pm, marquee, home, guest house..