Welcome!

Hello world. So I've started this new snazzy MBA blog, and I'm hoping to look at marketing over the next two years. Specifically, I'm hoping to focus on brand management, brand loyalty, product marketing and how social media fits into all of it. I'm also hoping to cover issues we discuss in class, or relevant business matters.

So I guess I should briefly tell you where I came from and why I'm here now. I did my undergrad at UC Santa Barbara with a double major in English and Communication. I loved Santa Barbara, but felt like I really needed to get out of the country when I graduated. I was lucky enough to land a job with NB Real Estate in London. I started as a Marketing Analyst on the brokerage floor, which gave me great experience with the Corporate Consulting division of the business, as well as the office and industrial sectors. Corporate Consulting was a lot of fun because I started working with them when the markets first began contracting.

Then I was offered the opportunity to work in their Marketing Department and launch their first e-marketing campaign, rebuild their website and come up with the contents and features on the site (i.e. news articles, email marketing, blogs, etc.) Because I was well versed in my social media, I started to realise that they had a big need for a marketing plan. So I put myself to work and started devising a strategy. The company had rebranded in 2007 and were still trying to get their feet on the ground with what to do next. So in my last few months with the company I researched what competitors were doing and got the chance to advise top management! It was quite an honour, and they began to see the importance of social media and the impact that it could have (both positive and negative) in the near future. When I left they started to adopt my strategy and even started a 'net natives' group for young people to come up with new ideas and advise the directors about what's new, what's changing, and what they should be paying attention to.

At any rate, the experience was beyond rewarding, and I have been so fortunate to work with a lovely group of people. It really gave me a solid perspective from the UK and Europe, as well as commercial real estate. Sadly, I had to leave them! Hopefully our paths will cross again some day soon.

Now I am in my 7th week of my MBA at the University of San Francisco. I know. Where did the past 7 weeks go? I'm not quite sure either, but it's going well so far. There is a lot of work, and I am still trying to get to grips with it all. I've met many interesting people with a wide variety of backgrounds - a lot of international students too, which I love!

Anyway, I've got papers and finals. Time to go buckle down and complete the assignments.