UIC MBA Chicago Entrepreneur Blog Past, present, and future plans in the life of an entrepreneur and former Chicago UIC MBA student.

I like to thank everyone who came up to me during the new student orientation to tell me that they enjoyed reading my blog.  It’s nice to get some positive reinforcement and it motivates me to write more entries. So…. on to my next topic:

Why it’s a good time to be a student:

• Obvious - the job market is pretty bad right now so it’s really difficult to find jobs
• When companies start hiring again, they’ll wonder why there’s such a large gap in between employment
• Pursuing an MBA is a great way to enhance your abilities during this downtime and fill the gap in between employment
• While in school, take time to networkand enjoy yourself.  Do all the things you’ve always wanted to do (travel in the summer or winter break, enjoy what the City of Chicago has to offer, stay in shape, etc..)
• It will be very difficult to find time to finish your MBA once you have children and other obligations
• NETWORK!!  I can’t emphasis this enough.  The program is a great time to meet like-minded individuals and a great step towards finding a new job

• Incoming MBA students tend to take most of the same classes together.  Joining groups will allow you to meet 2nd and 3rd year students that you would not have had the opporunity to meet otherwise.
• Social events outside of class will bring out different sides of people.  The student you sit next to in class might be completely different outside the classroom setting.  The relaxed atmosphere makes it easier to get to know one another
• Attend the community events.  Working together to help others is both rewarding and a great chance to bond with others
• Most of these social events have FREE FOOD or FREE DRINKS!  Enough said.

By the way, take advantage of benefits once you are a student.  Go workout at the fitness center.  I would compare it equally to a Lifetime Fitness that cost $60-$70/month!  Now go out and have fun!

UIC Fitness

Posted under UIC MBA Liautaud

I officially switched over to a Sigg Reuseable water bottle over a year ago.  I use to drink plastic bottle waters like you wouldn’t believe.  In a week, it wouldn’t be unusual for me to go through at least a case of 24.  How could you not love them?  They’re convenient to bring around, easy to throw away or recycle and they’re cheap!

One day last year when I realized I didn’t throw away my recycling bin and it had been accumulating for over 2 weeks, I took a look and was shocked to see so many empty plastic water bottles.  I decided then and there that I would switch over to a reusable water bottle.  After research on Amazon.com (greatest site ever), I went with the Sigg over the imitation brands and more established brands like Kleen Kanteen.

Sigg Bottle

Fact:

- I’ve probably saved at least 500 - 1000 water bottles since that time.

- That equates to about $300 savings in one year span.  The Sigg cost about $20 shipped.

- 86% of water bottles take up to 1000 years to biodegrade

- Producing, packaging and transporting a liter of bottled water requires between 1,100 and 2,000 times more energy on average than treating and delivering the same amount of tap water

- When plastic bottles get heated in the sun, you might be drinking harmful toxins.

- As a rule of thumb, scientists say that you can fill a PET bottle ¼ of the way with oil to symbolize how much energy goes into every bottle.

Now, I don’t know what 1000 bottles stacked together looks like, but I imagine something like this:

Water Bottle waste in landfill

In conclusion, save yourself some money and do something good for the earth.

Posted under Uncategorized