Comments on: Opportunity Arises from Chaos… Go Mom!

By: James McMillan

James McMillan — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 05:17:22 +0000

To point specifically to an opportunity rising from this economic crisis, how about more people being able to afford to buy their first homes. 3 years ago, I’m sure many students coming out of college thought it would take years before they would be able to afford a home in California at the rate at which home prices were going. Now they have actually come down to affordable range and on top of that the government is willing to kick in $8k as a tax credit at the end of the year. With mortgage rates being extremely low it seems as though everything is in favor of would be 1st time home buyers. Those able to secure a solid job after graduating this summer may find themselves in a great position to take advantage of this opportunity that has risen out of this economic crisis.
I too know there is and will be many other opportunities that will arise from this current economic mess. The key is to have the knowledge, the readiness, and the guts to take advantage of it when it comes your way. Sounds cheesy but if you are missing one of those 3 how do you expect that opportunity to work for you. It’s likely not just going to fall in your lap.

By: Nick Chamness

Nick Chamness — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 17:37:09 +0000

I think that is one of the toughest things I have had to deal with in life. Being able to recognize the opportunity in chaotic times is very challenging. Its important to closely follow what is happening, while simultaneously looking for that opportunity.

I feel there is an opportunity to at least learn something from every situation. Whether it be from a talk with professor, the current way our government is attempting to address the economic crisis, or a bad grade on a test, taking one step backwards and reevaluating the situation can many times teach us important lessons.

As the speaker series professor said yesterday, “This kind of economic crisis will likely happen again in your lifetime”. After he said that I realized that I better watch and learn from what is going on right now even more closely. Even in rough times such as these, there is money to be made somehow. So, like Raquel was saying, keeping your head on straight and preventing yourself from getting too distraught, might just allow you to spy an open window of opportunity.

By: Andre Ourthiague

Andre Ourthiague — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 02:54:29 +0000

Well, we’re in a spiral of chaos now.. a tornado of change… a moment of opportunity? Your thoughts?

Raquel, your dynamic with your mother made me smile.

The advice I was given regarding the current state of affairs differs quite a bit from previous comments. My dad comes from the “I’ll give you something to cry about” school of parenting, and his words are rarely optimistic. “Dre, nothing will ever be given to you in life. You get what you deserve based on the hard work you put into something. There are special exceptions, of course, but don’t assume you’re one of them.” My dad isn’t good at silver linings, but he can shed some valuable light on certain situations.

Hard work is the one factor you can always control. Raquel is correct, we are in a spiral of chaos. The current times have already turned most markets into aggressive dog eat dog environments. I will take my dad’s advice to heart in these times, and I will put in the time and effort to out work those around me. There are opportunities out there, this is true. However, today’s chaos requires we work harder than ever to realize them.

By: Mark Wegemer

Mark Wegemer — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 21:27:11 +0000

Thanks Raquel for this post. Those than can come out on top in times like these will have the greatest success when the economy is doing better. Yes, we are in a hole, in a rut, you could say. Back in 1982, my dad just graduated college and was looking for a job. He had a job secured going into the last quarter of school and found out at the end of his last quarter that the job dropped. He had no job with a bachelor’s degree. But it’s ok because he was able to scrounge for money working at local places before he landed a job in Los Angeles a few months later. Those were equally tough times but tough times demand smarter people. What time is a better time to get an MBA or MS&IT or other master’s degree than right now? I pride myself in interviews about getting the master’s degree. It’s the best solution to times like these. We are that much better than those with bachelor’s degrees.

By: Jamie Hastings

Jamie Hastings — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 17:35:30 +0000

I too really agree with all of your posts and especially Cece’s. When it becomes more difficult to find a job, it forces or entices people to go out on their own and some new and wild ideas can arise. This is a great time for entrepreneurship with many businesses either going out of business or selling their operations. This is especially good when financing is relatively good and as our economics teacher say, “Money is almost free” right now. If you can get financed, which might be hard, you have one of the best opportunities available. This would be our own chance at “accelerating out of the turn”.

On another note and in keeping a level head and optimism, I think our economic situation is far from “chaos”. I am not jumping down anybodies throat, just bringing light to our situation. We live in the most powerful and prolific country in the world. None of us are going hungry tonight, we have no war on our doorsteps, and things are pretty complacent. I have spoken with my grandparents about this a bit and our economic downturn is a far cry from the depression. I am sure other parts of the world are experiencing more drastic and life changing effects than we are. Just my $0.02.

By: Mark Polydoris

Mark Polydoris — Sun, 08 Feb 2009 23:12:26 +0000

Raquel, great post. Chaos and opportunity are definitely upon us. But as my father keeps saying to me, “what a time to be in business school!!!” We have the opportunity to study this stuff as it plays out without having to be out there too much. In fact, many of you may remember in the fall that there were two WSJs where one day the headline was “Unemployment soars!” and then the next day it read, “MBA applications up 400%!!!” We couldn’t have timed this any better.

This post also reminded me of an older post entitled, “Weeeeeeeeee!!! I’m gonna die!!!! …meets the world of insurance coverage…” I think business (and life) will always need to be a balance of risk and ‘playing it safe.’ Dr. Anderson’s class taught us about what a scary, finger-pointing, lawsuit-trigger-happy world this can be, and JF’s class taught us to put ourselves out there, be curious about people, and to take risks.

Chaos is an inevitability; pretty much all companies are competing in a chaotic environment. At my old job, “organized chaos” was a term we used a lot to describe our operation, and I think many of us will find “organized chaos” from the inside of seemingly well-run organizations.

And even though we don’t know what the future will look like when we get back from China, I know all of us will be in good positions to either take advantage of the economic situation or to help fix it. That, or I like Amy’s idea of moving back in with our parents…

By: Cece Reyes

Cece Reyes — Sun, 08 Feb 2009 21:47:30 +0000

The moment of opportunity has never been so great for entrepreneurs. We have all heard the saying “necessity is the mother of invention”, but in an economy like ours, the saying takes on even more importance. Last quarter, we discussed ways in which Chinese entrepreneurs can take advantage of the fact that the environment had increased pollution due to the increase in industry. They would be able to build businesses that could clean-up or make things less harmful, businesses that were not previously necessary. Here in the US, there is opportunity for entrepreneurs to create new businesses that can both help to move our economy beyond the current crisis and grow it on the other end. This could be in the form of existing businesses changing or new businesses being built. It is safe to say that the rules of business have changed.

Entrepreneurism tends to be directly related to challenging times or adverse circumstances. With the loss of a job or in an economy that doesn’t offer many opportunities, many times people need to create their own opportunities. It might take being creative with respect to the types of companies for which you decide to work - they may not be the some companies you had in mind last fall. And, there may never be a better time to take a chance on a risky start-up than now, when jobs are scarce and you have just had a year of academic collaboration with your fellow MBA’s (or I&TS’s).

By: Amy Cook

Amy Cook — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 23:42:41 +0000

It’s hard not to get down about the current economic state at times. It is a wonderful time to be in school, but as July inevitably inches closer, (and lay-offs continue) our palms begin to sweat from the uncertainty of what comes next.

I remember reading the attached (or a similar) Wall Street Journal article last quarter which got me thinking about all the small “me-too” businesses out there that are struggling through this economic crisis. I wonder how many of them are using it as an opportunity to gain market share. If you didn’t read the article, it likens the economic downturn to maneuvering the dangerous curves of a racetrack. I particularly like the advice on how to survive the downturn:

“Winners in recessions tend to brake quickly heading into a downturn by managing costs carefully and consistently. It’s like downshifting to a lower gear to slow momentum and increase responsiveness. They focus on what the company does best, reinforcing the core business and spending to gain share. They aggressively monitor the competition to ensure they have the best possible line through the curve. That sets them up to accelerate at the apex of the curve, when the economy starts to improve. The farther you can see and the quicker you can turn, the faster you can safely corner”.

As we watch giants in almost every industry fall, I wonder who will take their place when the economy does improve. Will the old “household names” be replaced by new ones? I think it is up to each of us to research the potential of those companies we are interested in. There are those who are really weathering the storm and who may see a new MBA as an opportunity get fresh perspective right before “accelerating at the apex of the curve”.

So, in answer to Raquel’s question, I believe (at least for now) that we are facing a moment where we each have an opportunity to align ourselves with those companies who can be strategic enough to come out of the chaos on top.

And if not, maybe our moms will take us in…

By: Chris Carr

Chris Carr — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 04:54:51 +0000

Your mother is wise, smart and she is right.

Stay positive. Yes, these are tough times, but victory and success will go to those who can spot the new opportunities that arise and capitalize on them. But that may take some time.

Out of this mess will come some good and new things.