I’m starting a new series, putting skills I learned from my Master’s degree to work. Drawing on design methodology and PM fundamentals, I’m exploring various companies’ products in “Product Teardown” case studies. First up is Pokemon Go, which has made quite the mark on mobile gaming since Niantic launched the game in 2016. Millions of … More Product Teardown – Pokemon Go
“How’s it going?” “Good.” And so ends another conversation. In our modern society (at least in the United States), we’ve become accustomed to little pleasantries throughout the day, offering mechanical responses to superficial questions. In other words, we habitually engage in “small talk.” What, then, is Big Talk? Started by Kalina Silverman, Big Talk attempts … More Big Talk, Small Talk
I’ve been thinking a lot about management lately. As a student in MS&E280: Organizational Behavior (taught by the legendary Bob Sutton), class discussions use empirical evidence and case studies to think about what we consider to be “good” management or “bad” management, incredible organizations versus organizations in flux. It seems to me that a lot … More Management Lessons from Trader Joe’s
As of January 1st, 2019, the cottage food industry in California has received a major legislative boost: a wider variety of foods made in a home kitchen can now be legally sold with fewer permit restrictions. I want to examine questions of deregulation, substitution, and cognitive biases that feed into the cottage food debate. First … More Econ in the News: Cottage Food Deregulation
During my final year at Stanford, I’ve been selected to be an ECON1 TA (which is relatively rare for a non-Econ Ph.D. student). ECON1 is the introductory economics course at Stanford, and it’s a course I’ve always wanted to help teach. By the end of 10 weeks, students gain a foundational understanding of microeconomics and … More ECON1 in the Real World
During a recent Entrepreneurial Thought Leaders’ Seminar at Stanford University, DFJ Partner Emily Melton gave a great overview of her perspective on success in the world around us. In particular, Emily warned us about the “highlight reels” we see from others’ lives. To emphasize the point, Emily gave us a literal highlight reel of photos … More “Highlight Reels” and the Failures they Hide
It’s that time of year again, when employers and students engage in the frantic, arcane ritual that we call “recruiting”. Resumes are exchanged, applications are reviewed, and, if all goes well, a series of interviews will help employers (and potential employees) sort out where people will be working after graduation. Thanks to echoes of the … More Interviewing the Interviewer
The skyrocketing price of vanilla beans has led to shortages of vanilla-derived products across the world, to the dismay of all who enjoy making baked goods (myself included). During the 2017-2018 season, black Madagascar vanilla bean prices peaked at $635 per kilogram ($18/ounce), a price that officially made it worth more than its weight in … More Econ in the News: Vanilla Beans are more Expensive than Silver
This summer, I’ve ventured into consulting as a Decision Analytics Associate Intern at ZS. Over the course of the internship, I’ve enjoyed the vibrant downtown San Mateo location. Along with a building in South San Francisco, these twin locations form the “San Francisco” office, one of many that ZS has across the world. A lot … More A Day in the Life – Management Consulting Intern
Are you going to visit a house in person in the hopes of renting (or buying) the place? Here is a checklist of things to look for and ask about during your visit. What to Bring Phone charger and phone (to test outlets) Measuring tape (to measure room dimensions) Smartphone camera (take lots of photos … More The House Hunter’s Comprehensive Checklist
Andrew Jabara 