Beyond the Beach: Career Conversations on Life After Long Beach

In this episode of Beyond the Beach, I talk with Dalia Arce. Dalia was a student in my Business Strategy class in Spring 2018 and graduated from the College of Business with a concentration in Accounting. Dalia works as a financial analyst in the beverage division of French food manufacturer Danone. Our conversation covers topics like the challenge of working two jobs while going to school, how she ended up as a successful cost accountant after not passing the class the first time, the importance of having a good boss and taking advantage of the learning opportunities available to you, the benefits of working for a French company, dealing with imposter syndrome, and the challenge of learning to fit into corporate culture as a first generation college graduate.

In this episode of Beyond the Beach, I talk with Adriana Guerrero. Adriana was a student in my Organization Theory class in Fall 2017 and graduated from the College of Business with a dual major in Management and Supply Chain Management. Adriana started her career working in supply chain in the specialized aircraft metals industry but eventually decided she wanted to work in the field of education. Adriana is now a substitute teacher pursuing her credential to become a high school math teacher. Our conversation covers topics like the different nature of social interactions in a corporate environment versus an educational environment, the inescapable randomness of finding a career path that makes you happy, how she discovered she actually enjoyed working with teenagers, the upsides to a career in teaching, and why management skills matter just as much in a school as in a business.

In this episode of Beyond the Beach, I talk with William Cruz. William was a student in my Business Strategy class in Fall 2016 and graduated from the College of Business with a concentration in International Business. William started his career teaching English in Japan and then went on to become an executive recruiter at a recruitment firm in Tokyo. Our conversation covers topics like the challenge of spending two years in a village in rural Japan, the excitement of city life in Tokyo, why students should take advantage of the mentorship program at the College, the role of executive recruiters as both salesperson and therapist, and the stress of getting clients to make decisions that will affect the future of their entire family.

In this episode of Beyond the Beach, I talk with Mireya Lara. Mireya was a student in my Business Strategy class in Spring 2017 and graduated from the College of Business with a dual concentration in Management and Supply Chain Management. Mireya now works as a senior business analyst at American Honda Finance. Our conversation covers topics like the challenge of getting the most out of school as a full time young mom and first generation college student, the importance of reaching for the stars even when you doubt yourself, when dedication matters more than pedigree, and how the culture of a company like Honda, which places so much value on taking care of its people, motivates employees and breeds loyalty and trust.

In this episode of Beyond the Beach, I talk with Jestoni Garcia. Jestoni was a student in my Business Strategy class in Spring 2017 and graduated with a concentration in Marketing and now works as a regional learning manager at Amazon. Jestoni is also pursuing his career as a rapper and musician both here in the USA and in the Philippines. Our conversation covers topics like how marketing to employees is as important as marketing to customers, the benefits of managing a unionized workplace, the Veterans Administration as a source of job leads, why being on the floor at Amazon was more satisfying than working in a more corporate environment, the importance of growth, staying consistent in whatever you do, being true to yourself, and pursuing your dreams. You can hear Jestoni's music and see his videos on YouTube at: www.youtube.com/@Jestoni562MiniYonku

In this episode of Beyond the Beach, I talk with Felix Reyes. Felix was a student in my Business Strategy class in Spring 2016 and graduated from the College of Business with a concentration in Finance. Felix started his career at Beyond Meat but now works as a strategic financial analyst at Harbinger Motors. Our conversation covers topics like the benefits of working with a temp agency to find a career job, the challenge of adjusting to office hierarchy norms when you have a somewhat irreverent personality, differences in how bosses perceive informality if you are Black or Latinx instead of White or Asian, how building systems that make your job easier opens the way for promotion, the importance of being able to trust your management, and how taking a job that gives you better skills is often more important than taking one that gives you higher pay.

In this episode of Beyond the Beach, I talk with Ken Wu. Ken was a student in my Business Strategy class in Spring 2015 and graduated from the College of Business with a concentration in Finance. Ken now works as a key account manager at CMA-CGM, one of the world's largest shipping carriers. Our conversation covers topics like the painful transition from his fun, flexible, relatively well paid part time college job as a bartender/server to waking up early for the 8 to 5 grind of his first corporate position, how he got his first job in the shipping industry and learned to enjoy sales and account management, the benefit of joining a company with a large cohort of people your own age, how mastering excel has freed up so much of his time, and the importance of building relationships in any career.

In this episode of Beyond the Beach, I talk with Ashleigh Hehmann. Ashleigh was a student in my Business Strategy class in Fall 2014 and graduated from the College of Business with a concentration in Management. Ashleigh began her post-graduation career as a manager at an electrical distribution company, but eventually decided to make a true career out of the job she had loved as a college student--bartending. Ashleigh currently works at Accomplice Bar in LA. She also competes as a bartender both nationally and internationally and was selected to compete in this year's Patron Perfectionist competition at the Hacienda del Patron in Jalisco, Mexico this upcoming May. Our conversation covers topics like what it was like to be a woman manager in a male dominated field like electrical distribution, how pride and societal beliefs about what is and isn't a legitimate career can keep us from doing work we truly love, how critical mental health is for success, satisfaction, and happiness, and how the rich resources, guild structure, and community in the field of bartending provide opportunities for learning, growth, and career advancement that few people are aware of.

In this episode of Beyond the Beach, I talk with Jorge Padilla. Jorge was a student in my Business Strategy class in Fall 2018 and graduated from the College of Business with a concentration in Marketing. Jorge started his career as a sales coordinator at iHeart Media and now works as a media strategist at Ocean Media. Our conversation covers topics like the challenge of going to school full time while working as an EMT, struggling to find his first job after graduating, the attraction of doing strategy as a profession and the challenge of finding strategy work early in your career, why learning never stops, and how listening to NPR for my strategy class was a major benefit for his career.

In this episode of Beyond the Beach, I talk with Christopher Brown. Chris was a student in my Business Strategy class in Spring 2015 and graduated from the College of Business with a concentration in Marketing. Chris worked in marketing after graduation but continued to pursue his passion for photography, a passion that has turned into a successful business and fulfilling career. Our conversation covers topics like the work and patience that goes into pursuing your passion, knowing when it makes sense to make a career out of it, the value of an internship in a field you are considering, and why taking a semester to study abroad is worth so much more than the money and time you spend.