This past weekend I was at a BBQ where techie entrepreneurs from around the valley mingled over beers and hot dogs. Someone would approach, and ask me what I did, to which I would reply that I am a business school student currently interning at Sephora.
“Sephora?” they asked quizzically
“Yes, you know, the really large beauty retailer” I replied.
“Oh…I think my [sister] [mom] [...]

It’s our fourth week of MBAs Across America. We spend our weekends driving between cities, but that’s where the routine ends. Every day is a remarkable, and remarkably different, adventure. Here’s a summary of what we’ve been up to:
Week 1: Detroit, MI Sebastian Jackson’s multicultural salon, Social Club Grooming Company, not only brings people together across racial lines, but also [...]

Confession: I had no idea that Sephora was part of LVMH until I interviewed. Most of that is strategic: LVMH wants to make sure that its brands feel distinct and authentic, but this internship definitely exposed me to the broader portfolio in some very fun ways.
At Benefit’s San Francisco offices, we got a healthy dose of the quirky, fun brand’s personality. The reception area alone is a [...]

And there it went – 8 weeks at Sephora, 3 weeks at Tatcha – it all just blew by so quickly. And what came of all of it? Amazing beauty products? Sure. Fantastic new friends? Absolutely. But given all the effort and agonizing that came with the internship search, surely I expected something more. So, without further ado, the 7* lessons that made this all worthwhile for me:
1) Winning is not [...]

“Close your eyes. Concentrate on your breath, take a pen and start writing” – Tim Butler says. This is my future, 5, 10 years from now. I am in an office round table, with the team I am leading. 6 to 8 crucial people. We draw our discussion keys on a whiteboard. It is full of light. Work is intense and challenging, but fun. End of the first exercise.
Second exercise. Fill in a thorough [...]