by Consultant's Mind | Fun, Strategy
Learning is fun This is something I learned quite late in life; probably my junior year in college. Basically, I learned it 10 years later than most. . . but I am making up for lost time quickly. I think learning is the best; after all, what else is there? As a...
by Consultant's Mind | Fun
Let’s talk about longevity The Economist “surveys” are great, and the one on Longevity here is no exception. TL;DR – We are living longer than ever – which is beautiful, empowering, just, and also a financial headache. In the 1800s, no...
by Consultant's Mind | Fun
Started golfing in 2021 My dad has been encouraging me to pick up golf for the last 20+ years. But it took a pandemic to get me to take lessons. The greatest unlock was picking up this hobby with my wife – and it’s been a great, weekly adventure ever...
by Consultant's Mind | Fun
I am a huge fan of quotes Whenever I think of something 1/2 useful or deep, I quickly discover that someone has said it with more verve and brevity. Hence, a running list of great quotes. This is not exhaustive (of course) and I did my best to attribute to the right...
by Consultant's Mind | Fun
Amazon needs to be good at forecasting Saw this 6 page article here on how Amazon has tweaked their forecasting algorithm over the last 15 years. I am not a statistician or machine learning expert, yet, I found the article very easy to read, undertsanding, and...
by Consultant's Mind | Fun
We listen to music before class starts. This is what the incoming strategy class curated.
by Consultant's Mind | Fun
During the winter recess (remember those days as a student?), I read through several weeks of the Economist. Some of the topics that caught my attention, direct quotes in blue italics font. Linked to the original articles. No one will forget 2020 It was a milestone...
by Consultant's Mind | Fun
I admire Warren Buffett for many reasons. Many people do. He’s a legendary stockpicker that outperforms the market (read: real alpha). Ironically, he also believes that most people should NOT follow his footsteps – but instead, invest in passively managed...
by Consultant's Mind | Fun
Before class, I like to play music and get in the mood to learn. This is the playlist – crowdsourced from students – this semester. Gen-X readers, add some new music into your playlist...
by Consultant's Mind | Fun
Last week, I went to my first Orange Theory Fitness (OTF) class with my two sisters. Not a big fitness person, and yes, I was pretty sore from all the exercise. If you have not been – it’s quite an experience. Immersive. Loud. Fun. While I was running,...
by Consultant's Mind | Fun
Crowdsourced playlist. Yes, I added in some Doors, Led Zeppelin, Prince, and Lou Reed....
by Consultant's Mind | Fun
So I am very Amazon. My first order from the website was in 1998 – yes, it was this book (affiliate link) Have 2 Echos, 1 Echo dot. Yes, I own AMZN shares. So yesterday, as I was working from home, heard the doorbell / thud outside the door, saw the Echo light...
by Consultant's Mind | Fun
Every semester, ask my students what they’d like to listen to as we prep for class. Here’s the play list for Spring. ← Consultant's Advice: Use numbers Charles Aris: 2019 compensation survey...
by Consultant's Mind | Fun
On the last day of class, I have career day. Double meaning – students do their course evaluations (impacting my career), and I dole out what career advice I have from the last 25 years. Caveat: 90% are blog posts that I have written since 2013. As a summary of...
by Consultant's Mind | Fun
It’s Halloween in the United States on October 31. Kids (and their parents) dress up in costumes head-to-toe and go from house-to-house in search of candy and chocolate. It’s great fun, and nothing is cuter than kids in their outfits. Costumes are hot and...
by Consultant's Mind | Fun
The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) has a series of HOW I WORK video interviews (2-3min) with CEOS. Microsoft, Infor, Reddit, Anthem. Very short and snappy questions like “what is the best advice you have ever been given?” You’ll find that these 20+ CEOs...
by Consultant's Mind | Fun
We play music before class. Here is the crowd-sourced soundtrack. Enjoy. ← List of 800+ Planet Money Podcasts Great Advice from Students...
by Consultant's Mind | Fun
Love Planet Money podcast. It’s my wife’s favorite podcast, for good reason. Engaging, clever, informative, well-curated, and whimsical. Overall, a great use of your half hour. Here is a list of their episodes from 2009-2018. 170+ page PDF of 800+ Planet...
by Consultant's Mind | Fun
If you are in private equity, this is a name you already know. Rubenstein is the co-founder, and co-chairman, of the Carlyle Group which invests $200+ billion on behalf of their limited partners. He sits on dozens of boards, and is the chairman of the Kennedy Center...
by Consultant's Mind | Fun
This is something all consultants should watch, reflect, and incorporate into their client work. How can you make “good for you” fun? People want to be engaged and experience life. How can we tap into that curiosity and shape “good for you”...
by Consultant's Mind | Fun
Super entertaining. Watched this 17min video about the Golden State Warriors made by a NBA enthusiast / student / Youtuber. Dom 2K. Great job – this is really ESPN quality. What was so good about the video? What does this have to do with how consultants think?...
by Consultant's Mind | Fun
Who doesn’t love the Olympics? It’s a chance to see the world’s best compete in a safe environment, free from politicians’ rhetoric and jingoism. It’s inspiring to hear athletes’ stories. It’s good to refresh yourself on all...
by Consultant's Mind | Fun
Happy Valentine’s. For those of you who gave / received roses, bravo. Life is short, enjoy. Indulge yourself and make others happy. So do you know why roses are so popular? B2C: It’s the epitome of beauty and elegance. It’s what people want B2B: They...
by Consultant's Mind | Fun
Looking for some new music? Tired of the same Michael Jackson, Led Zeppelin, and Cat Stevens? Curious what smart young professionals are listening to? I was, so I asked my business school students. Please find 4 Spotify stations curated from my business students....
by Consultant's Mind | Fun
If you are a consulting geek, or like to read business history, The Lords of Strategy (affiliate link) is a fascinating and easy read. Helps you understand the economic, regulatory, and business trends that gave rise to the Big 3 consulting firms (McKinsey, BCG,...
by Consultant's Mind | Fun
Huge fan of quotes. Whenever I have something to say, I remind myself that someone has probably said it better, in fewer words. For leadership, a few that made me really reflect. Get results Effective leadership is not about making speeches or being liked; leadership...
by Consultant's Mind | Fun
This post is from many years ago, but more relevant than ever. Consultants are likable. If you are not likable, uh, you have a problem. New comments in red color. Eager to hear your comments on this one. Being likable is a characteristic of all successful...
by Consultant's Mind | Fun
What business books have you read recently? When I ask this of friends and colleagues, I usually get this guilty look of someone who hasn’t read a book in year. Honestly, who has time to read? After 45 hours of billable work + 15 hours of non-billable work + 15...
by Consultant's Mind | Fun
Mondays 440am wake up. My wife and I have a love/hate relationship with Mondays and Wednesdays because they start with a 440am alarm. Massive coffee. 515am we are at the gym with a physical trainer. Planks, V-ups, Goblet squats, push-ups, dead-lifts, lunges, you get...
by Consultant's Mind | Fun
In 1983, Amy Trask USC (So Cal) law student makes a cold-call to the LA Raiders looking for an internship. Dialogue goes like this: LA Raiders switchboard operator: “What’s an internship?” Trask quickly replies “I work for you, and you don’t pay me.” The response:...
by Consultant's Mind | Fun
The Defiant Ones For those who (like me) signed up for HBO Now for just 2 months to watch Game of Thrones season 7 (affiliate link), please spend the 4 hours to watch The Defiant Ones (affiliate link). Amazing documentary on Jimmy Iovine and Dr. Dre. A short list of...
by Consultant's Mind | Fun
Swen Nater While reading Coach Wooden and Me (affiliate link), by Kareem Abdul Jabbar, I ran across the story of Swen Nater, who was a first round NBA/ABA draft pick even though he never started, and only play 2 minutes on average per game while at UCLA. Deliberate...
by Consultant's Mind | Fun
Projects have ups / downs As someone commented on the last post (hat tip: DS), there are definitely low points on any project. The life of a project is not a straight line. If it involves people and expectations, there will be drama. that’s okay. . . As Seth...
by Consultant's Mind | Fun
Podcasts are a win-win-win. 1) Great use of your time when you are running errands or mindlessly driving to/from work. 2) Free to download. 3) Access to hugely successful people giving you practical, fun, real advice. 4) Share with clients, friends, and family....
by Consultant's Mind | Fun
Jigsaw puzzles are fun, meditative, mindless, and dopamine-filled. It’s a good way to stop scrolling. Listen to some music, have some coffee, and puzzle with your spouse. The good life. I have 10 reasons why this is a useful metaphor for problem solving. Some...
by Consultant's Mind | Fun
Great presentation It’s always good to look at consulting decks to see how they put together data in a coherent way to tell a story. It is a craft and an art form. Was reading through reddit, and they mentioned this odd presentation from 2016. BCG was giving the...
by Consultant's Mind | Fun
Yes, love blogging Over the past few weeks, I have recommended blogging to several people. (Yes, I know how cliche it is to write a blog post about blogging). In a way, this has been my short-hand way of telling them to 1) invest in their craft, 2) develop a point of...
by Consultant's Mind | Fun
The Economist has a blog called Graphic Detail, which excels at showing complex ideas simply. Engaging, thoughtful, and often surprising. Some recent graphs: 1) High blood pressure globally, not just affluent countries Link here A recent study in Lancet largely...
by Consultant's Mind | Fun
We tend to be future oriented The majority people who read this blog – and folks I know – are future oriented. That’s a great thing. The are willing to put in sacrifice now for a better future. This is GREAT and what we’ve trained ourselves to...
by Consultant's Mind | Fun
Share food and make friends Everyone has some free time during the holidays. Recently, I have not been traveling which has opened up my schedule to share food with friends from my past. Folks from my MBA, previous work, and neighbors (hat tip: DB, CC, CO, PB, KL, JK,...
by Consultant's Mind | Fun
Took a 7 day cruise through the Eastern Caribbean. Highly recommend. So healthy to experience the wide-open ocean for several days. Great perspective – how big the world is, and how thankful we should all be. Enjoy your holidays. Related posts: Consultant’s long...
by Consultant's Mind | Fun
After writing 3 non-stop blog posts on presentations, here is an funny one. Want to see Consulting + Comedy? Apparently, some folks at Bain & Company put together a presentation and recommendation on how to get the most out of Thanksgiving here. You can find the...
by Consultant's Mind | Fun
Arizona photos Traveled to Arizona recently – God’s country. Beautiful. Great food, nice people, fun hotel, and lots to see. Enjoy the travel. Like they say, “It is a dry...
by Consultant's Mind | Fun
am moving My wife and I lived in the current house for 11 years, and we are moving closer to her work. The new house will be 30% larger, and a whole lot nicer. The big difference is that we are building it from the ground up. So we choose the floor plan, exterior...
by Consultant's Mind | Fun
I travel a lot Like most management consultants, I am a road warrior. According to Marriott.com, I have stayed 152 nights last year. Perhaps 10% of that is from my wife who also uses my rewards number, but needless to say, lots of hotel, plane, car. Funny sidebar...
by Consultant's Mind | Fun
For those who know me, I am a huge fan of podcasts. Great story-telling and content, delivered for free, wonderful use of your time. If you intellectually curious, travel a lot, and don’t listen to podcasts or audiobooks, uh, I don’t understand you. Made a...
by Consultant's Mind | Fun
Written in 2016 I am a huge fan of Waze For those who have not used it, it’s a basic map app which tells you the most efficient route to your destination, which factors in traffic and construction. This simple 45 second video will give you a good taste for it...
by Consultant's Mind | Fun
Boarding a plan at midnight. . . This image tells a story. Red eye. Business class. The good with the bad. Welcome to consulting. Strange life. UBER driver #1 On the ride to the airport, I struck up a conversation with my UBER driver, who works at a local casino....
by Consultant's Mind | Fun
Blog post from 2015 Uber the taxi-technology company started in 2009 as a novelty for its co-founders and friends. Now it has a market valuation of $51 billion, has 1M active drivers, and operates in 330 cities. Read a Fast Company article here which is focused on the...
by Consultant's Mind | Fun
Been blogging for 3 years and 6 months. Super enjoyed it. As I look back, over 270 blog posts, it’s interesting to see how things turned out. . . Candy Crush – Blogged about the addictive game and its profitable parent company – King Entertainment...
