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#148 Starting a Business during your MBA with Sheela Lal, Michigan Ross MBA ’19

“There is no such thing as a typical b-school student anymore. My favorite thing about Ross is that there are so many incredibly interesting and multi-faceted people who come here, who have different short-term and long-term reasons for going to business school. So if you’re looking at schools and only see the brand that is not the best way to choose a school. It’s the Marie Kondo method – does it spark joy? Every time I talked to people at Ross, it sparked joy… Use the application process to flush out what drives you… Having a strong mission statement or purpose is key to having a good application and getting into the school of your choice… Again if it doesn’t spark joy don’t waste your money and time applying.”

 

Guest Host Sabaina Kamara, Michigan Ross MBA ’19, invites her section-mate Sheela Lal to share her experience applying to internships, founding Drunk Shrub and securing a full-time job post-graduation. Listen to get a real-time, inside look into the MBA experience at a top b-school like Ross.

Questions

  • Sheela’s background and reasons for getting an MBA (0:47)
  • Sheela’s approach to landing an internship (7:20)
  • Sheela founds DrunkShrub (10:33)
  • How Sheela took advantage of Ross’ resources to further her business (14:43)
  • How Sheela navigated running DrunkShrub and looking for full-time employment in consulting and government affairs (19:30)
  • Sheela’s advice to applicants about applying to business school and entrepreneurship (23:55)

About our Guest Host

Sabaina Kamara is currently an MBA student at the Ross School of Business. Prior to starting her MBA, Sabaina worked in as an HR Analyst at a management and employment law firm, focusing on HR compliance for diversity and inclusion. Sabaina will work in consulting for Deloitte Strategy & Operations in New York City after she graduates.

 

About Our Guest

Sheela comes across as someone who knows a lot, but really, she’s just incredibly good at regurgitating things she’s heard on any of the 30 podcasts she listens to. Her current favorites are Detroit Today, Splendid Kitchen, and The Foreign Desk, which reflect her long term interests – in-depth state government engagement, food science and chemistry, and lastly, very sassy international news analysis. Sheela has worked in Missouri politics on and off for 10 years, between congressional and local campaigns, the state house, and at Progress Missouri (a cousin to Progress Michigan). She founded Drunk Shrub, an alternative social beverage company, this summer, and worked in Sri Lanka and India for two years before returning to Missouri. She’s found business school to be a surprisingly liberating experience – with very few expectations of appropriate post-graduation steps, she’s free to explore her creative side.

Show Notes

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