Hey Guys,
What a crazy last week! Basically 3 interviews were set up in a span of 24 hours (Mon-Tues). I got an email from the Yoox Group on Monday, email from Inditex (finally) on Tuesday, and a call from LVMH Southern Europe on Tuesday. Therefore the interviews went as so:
Wednesday – Inditex
This interview was via videoconferencing in their Milan office. The first 3-4 minutes I didn’t have any audio and they couldn’t hear me, so that was a tad messy. Then they wanted to conduct the interview in Spanish and I had to tell them that my Italian has taken over my brain given since I had been immersed in Italy for the past 5-6 months. The interview was going fairly well until they explained more about how they had changed the General Management Program. This meant that instead of fast-tracking to Country Manager in 2-3 years, they were looking more at the functional level (Logisitic, Finance, HR, etc) to stay in their home office. They happened to be looking to fill their finance function and thought I would be a great candidate for the role. When they said finance, I gagged. You all know how I find it quite difficult to mask my emotions (everything is written on my face). I think they noticed it and noticed that I was a bit turned off by the thought. Anyway, the interview lasted all of 25 minutes. That’s the shortest interview I have ever had. I tried to save my behind with the follow up thank you email but I think it was too late. I haven’t heard anything from them yet. We shall see next week (either way) as they were looking to secure that position rather quickly. We will see. What I learned from that whole experience is that sometimes you have a dream company but not the dream job, or vice versa in the case of the Yoox Group. I later researched the financial track at the Inditex group and say that it had the potential to become a Country Manager after 3-4 years, which is not bad at all.
Thursday – Yoox Group
After the somewhat disastrous trial with Inditex, I was well prepared to kill my Yoox interview. I first meet with the Interim HR Director who is a Columbia Alum, so the pressure was kinda on. We spoke candidly about the role, the company, and being an MBA. We then started talking about the business and its metrics, like Average Value of Customer or conversion rates. Lets just say we were drawing graph lines on top of each others while discussing the business.. It could have been a b-school or math class, and I loved it. I then met with the commercial director who basically does what I would be doing but for the entire business. He was a definite academic who had other dreams about saving the world instead of selling discounted luxury items. He also tested my math/statistics skills for a while, and then my potential boss came in the room and it was three on one, but I held my own quite well and was giving it to them straight no chaser as my family says. It reminded me how much of a math dork I am. The downsides to this position are that 1) it is located in New York and I wanted to be in Europe after graduation, and 2) the want to start training me in March and then give me a slight 2-3 week break in June instead of the normal 3 month break for an MBA. It would totally ruin my Paris plans. Again we will see but I can say that the interview stretched me in good ways and I felt comfortable with the group.
Friday – LVMH Southern Europe
The last interview was at 10am with the HR Director for all of Southern Europe. He was actually a very cool guy, even though he was about 15 minutes late. He explained to me that 70% of open positions are not even posted to the public and that LVMH is truly a great company with great international mobility. He explained working in the stores in a way that no one else had done so which made me more excited about the opportunity. I could potentially enter as a sales manager in complete charge of a department (probably either leather goods or mens RTW and shoes) and have 15 people working for me and have actual P&L responsibility. I think I could do that for 3-6 months before becoming a Store Manager (although if I can avoid it or shorten the time, I would like to). He then explained that Milan is going to become the South Europe Headquarters for LVMH and it is a great time to join the company. Give my profile and experience with Tom Ford, they are seriously considering me for the Merchandising Manager for Mens RTW/Shoes for all of the Southern Europe territories. This includes Spain, Portugal, Turkey, Italy, Greece, Cyprus, Northern Africa, all of the Middle East and India. I think it would be an amazing opportunity and something I would love to do, he did however mention that he did not recommend me going straight into the position. I think once I get the offer we can discuss the nuisances of my career plan for the next 5-6 years. I definitely want to be in the Global Headquarters in Paris at some point after my stint as the Merchandising Manager. Also, I heard from the SDA Bocconi Career Director that the salaries of LVMH were somewhat low. I am hoping they respect the Columbia MBA and pay me according, also because I was actually making a good salary before Business school.
Right now I have ranked the opportunities
1) LVMH
2) Inditex Group
3) Yoox Group
Yes, I did an analysis that I learned in b-school and this is how everything turned out. I am excited about the opportunity to live and work in Europe and feel so grateful that I stayed an extra two weeks from my original plan so that these interviews could happen. Everything happens for a reason. I’m boarding the plane now. Much Love. A
I will write a last post about lasting thoughts and takeaways from the experience here.
(BTW, I just had a run in with some Italian Police who thought it was cute to stop me and have my baggage put through a conveyor belt even though I hadn’t checked in. I called them racists and idiots and they gagged, but they couldn’t do anything because I’m American. Thank the Lord for that!)
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Monday, January 25, 2010
Last Week in Milan!
Wow, how time flies when you are doing lots of Italian guys and making it work in Milan. I am currently trying to get my life together which includes packing, finishing some interviews and saying bye to some friends I've made here. Last week I ditched work on Wednesday because I am completely over and not really doing anything anymore. Tom Ford is long gone back to London and there is really nothing for me to do. Last Thursday I had a meeting with the US Country Manager at Yoox.com which went really well. The position sounds great. The only thing is that it is in NYC and I really wanted to be in Europe post-MBA. I will continue witht he process which includes meeting with the Global Commercial Director and the HR Director (who is a Columbia Alum) this Thursday. Meeting with Columbia Alums are always a bit scary because you want to represent the brand well and they are generally a bit harder on you because they know that CBS is one of the best! That should be interesting. I'm hoping that it won't be all in Italian, so I can really impress them. Anyway we will see. I also just followed up with LVMH Italia. It sounds like they really want me to start in retail. I will move forward with them just to see where it goes. I was supposed to go to Rome this weekend with my friend Jerry but he pulled out at the last minute so I canceled it as well. I also relaxed my hair.
Something is going on with me uploading the relaxed hair pics but please believe it is cute and I am making it work. I always have to make the Italians gag! Anyway, I can't wait to get back to the states. I definitely need a break from Italy and more specifically Milan. The weather is horrible and the people are rude, nasty, and cold. The "break" will do me good I think. Some of these CBS classes are already demanding massive amounts of homework, which I am not a fan of! Ok, I am starving and have to watch my last Italian big brother GRANDE FRATELLO! Oh how I will miss this show. I will see you all very soon.
-Anwar
Something is going on with me uploading the relaxed hair pics but please believe it is cute and I am making it work. I always have to make the Italians gag! Anyway, I can't wait to get back to the states. I definitely need a break from Italy and more specifically Milan. The weather is horrible and the people are rude, nasty, and cold. The "break" will do me good I think. Some of these CBS classes are already demanding massive amounts of homework, which I am not a fan of! Ok, I am starving and have to watch my last Italian big brother GRANDE FRATELLO! Oh how I will miss this show. I will see you all very soon.
-Anwar
Monday, January 18, 2010
Another Messy Week
Hey Guys,
I hope things are good. I had an interesting week. So on Thursday at work we went through the entire collection and my boss, the General Manager went through every detail of every piece. It was interesting but very tiring (to say the least). I then met up with Samuel for a date. We had coffee and chatted a bit and then we went our separate ways. It was a good convo but since I am leaving I don't know what will happen. I then went home and proceeded to do internet research on Louis Viutton and Career Paths of MBAs. I still don't how I feel about working in stores but we will see. Maybe I can bypass it someway. Friday was hectic but good. We still had a mini training in the morning and I had my lunch date with Luigi. We went to this chic restaurant on top of La Rinascente, the department store in Italy. I then rushed my behind to meet with the VP of Larusmiani (a mens lux apparel and textile company) here in Milan. The meeting went really well. It was really an informal conversation (all in Italian of course). He showed me around and nonchallantly offered me a position as a general product manager for all three (mens, womens, childrens) lines. We will see if that pans out. The Italians say a lot of things, but who knows if it really means anything. After that I went back to the office for a little bit and then went home. I had a chat with a current LVMH store manager here in Italy and he was saying that I should play hard ball with the HR Director since she will probably never see a profile like mine. I thanked him and felt more confident about the situation. After that Jerry came over and then we went out for drinks at L'elephante. Saturday I was a mess and didn't do anything but stay home, I had a headache like all day. Saturday night we went to Magazzini where I saw the infamous Clark Kent. He basically stalked me all around the club for 2 hours. We ended up making out (and making it work) on the dance floor. I go to the bathroom with Jerry and he is int he corner kissing another guy! You gotta love the Italians (and I do)! Sunday I was a complete mess and stayed home all day. I got speak with my sister in Memphis and my friend Ryan in LA so it wasn't too much of a waste of a day. We then went to two clubs last night. The first was an opening called Circus but it was too young and lame so we went to Borgo where we (Jerry and I) worked it out for the boys. It was a cute night. Jerry's roommate picked us and took us home. Today (Monday) and Tuesday I don't have work cause it is a press day in the showroom. I went to the Etro Show today was which nothing less than Inspiration. The theme was inside out centered around the animal OWL. This peaceful being on the outside but a beast on the inside. It was so cute. I will post my video sometime this week/weekend. Jerry and I are going to Rome this week since it is my last full weekend in Italy for a while. It should be a lot of fun.
Take care y'all!
-Anwar
I hope things are good. I had an interesting week. So on Thursday at work we went through the entire collection and my boss, the General Manager went through every detail of every piece. It was interesting but very tiring (to say the least). I then met up with Samuel for a date. We had coffee and chatted a bit and then we went our separate ways. It was a good convo but since I am leaving I don't know what will happen. I then went home and proceeded to do internet research on Louis Viutton and Career Paths of MBAs. I still don't how I feel about working in stores but we will see. Maybe I can bypass it someway. Friday was hectic but good. We still had a mini training in the morning and I had my lunch date with Luigi. We went to this chic restaurant on top of La Rinascente, the department store in Italy. I then rushed my behind to meet with the VP of Larusmiani (a mens lux apparel and textile company) here in Milan. The meeting went really well. It was really an informal conversation (all in Italian of course). He showed me around and nonchallantly offered me a position as a general product manager for all three (mens, womens, childrens) lines. We will see if that pans out. The Italians say a lot of things, but who knows if it really means anything. After that I went back to the office for a little bit and then went home. I had a chat with a current LVMH store manager here in Italy and he was saying that I should play hard ball with the HR Director since she will probably never see a profile like mine. I thanked him and felt more confident about the situation. After that Jerry came over and then we went out for drinks at L'elephante. Saturday I was a mess and didn't do anything but stay home, I had a headache like all day. Saturday night we went to Magazzini where I saw the infamous Clark Kent. He basically stalked me all around the club for 2 hours. We ended up making out (and making it work) on the dance floor. I go to the bathroom with Jerry and he is int he corner kissing another guy! You gotta love the Italians (and I do)! Sunday I was a complete mess and stayed home all day. I got speak with my sister in Memphis and my friend Ryan in LA so it wasn't too much of a waste of a day. We then went to two clubs last night. The first was an opening called Circus but it was too young and lame so we went to Borgo where we (Jerry and I) worked it out for the boys. It was a cute night. Jerry's roommate picked us and took us home. Today (Monday) and Tuesday I don't have work cause it is a press day in the showroom. I went to the Etro Show today was which nothing less than Inspiration. The theme was inside out centered around the animal OWL. This peaceful being on the outside but a beast on the inside. It was so cute. I will post my video sometime this week/weekend. Jerry and I are going to Rome this week since it is my last full weekend in Italy for a while. It should be a lot of fun.
Take care y'all!
-Anwar
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
I am mess but interviewing with LVMH
Hey Guys,
I hope this blog posting finds everyone well. This weekend was nice and chill. Actually I was kind of a mess! Friday after work, I came home, went grocery shopping because I was in desperate need of some food (and toilet paper) and just watch TV and some movies until 2-3am. I then woke up because I was meeting with Andrea (Mr. Obsessed with me) at 11am. I feverishly cleaned my apartment for an hour and took a shower. I made coffee and he brought some pastries and we had a nice brunch/late breakfast. It turns out he lived in Germany for 10 years and worked as a Hotel Manager there, and of all places Hamburg! Ufff, I am not a fan of Hamburg but it was nice chatting German with him for a while. I had to remind him that I needed to practice my Italian so we had to speak in Italian. After breakfast we chilled on my sofa and chatted for a while before he started giving me a massage and…. Let’s just say no pene, but it was hot and he was packin a bit so I wasn’t mad at him. We took a shower afterward and he peaced out. I then went to the Internet store to reload my Internet and ran into three hot models from England. THE MALE MODELS ARE IN TOWN! GET INTO IT! After that I went to my school since it is only a couple of blocks away from my Internet store. I got some candy, got a doner kebab, and did my internet thing for a while before coming home to get ready for my date with Simone at 8pm. The date went well although Simone was acting weird. The pizza was amazing as usual and we had a good conversation. I paid for it since I felt bad about the last time we went out. He drove me home and he kissed me on the cheek and went home. He was apparently tired and had an early morning the next morning. I was over it at that point and realized he wasn’t feeling me like he should so he has been pretty much cut off. Saturday night I passed out on my couch again watching some foolish Italian movie. Messy! Sunday I woke up early and went to this swap meet that they have outside of town. I bought two dvds (The Thomas Crown Affair and Cocoons). These were just for language learning purposes. I still have to get 3 Can Play That Game and some other movies so I have consistent listening comprehension material when I return (which is less that three weeks away). I was seriously on the Internet for like 8 hours on Sunday, chatting, skyping, facebooking, emailing, researching, you name it I did it. I didn’t go to bed until like 3-4 in the morning. I was such a mess Monday morning I called in sick.
I then used Monday to do my interview research for LVMH at my school and got another doner kebab! I called in sick again Tuesday for the actual interview, which went well. The funny thing is I think I actually needed the day off. After the interview I passed out for four hours. Can you say mess or messy? I can! I ended up chatting with 3 people from my high school. One who is in Paris who had dinner with someone who knew me. Random much! It was actually a shady gay guy from L’Oreal who is apparently sick of working for L’Oreal. I told her to give him my contact information and I will see if I can help him in anyway. It is called paying it forward people, get into it. I then spoke with a closer friend from high school who is in medical school in Australia and loving it. It was great to catch up with her. I then spoke with one of my few close straight male friends and he actually proposed a very interesting idea/project that I am currently fleshing out and am very excited about. We will see how it goes, but let’s just say it is cool, promising, and has gotten my attention, which takes a miracle! I am considering writing a business plan and submitting it to a program at Columbia Business School.
Anyway, more about the interview. It was in Italian, which was kind of shocking because I practiced my story and answers in English but right when she met me she asked if I spoke Italian and I said yes so if was off to the races from there. She mostly asked me about my educational background and my stints at Tom Ford and Versace. She was very enthusiastic about my profile but thought that starting the process now would be too early since I was looking to start in September (summer in Paris solidifying my French skills), so I clarified that I could start in May and that I feared that if we started the process earlier I would have offer at different companies that I probably would not feel comfortable giving up just to start the LVMH process which may or may not yield anything. She agreed so we will continue the process. She told me that she will contact me in a couple of weeks when some managers from the Paris HQ come to interview candidates. After doing my research about the company, I was excited to hear about the responsibility promised in such a short amount of time. The negative (which I’m told is a positive) is that the MBA management program requires that you work in stores for 12-18 months. I think I could be a sales manager for about 6 months and then become a store manager for a year before moving on to a General/Country Manager position and 3-5 years from that become a Managing Director of a region. I told her about my plan and she thought I was overly ambitious. That is not the first time I have heard this in Italy. Such positions take people 20 years to achieve. It is a difference in culture. I mean the men live with their parents until age 30-35, are you kidding me? I’m not the one, especially being out of the house at age 14 and having lived my life. Ohhhh yeah, I forgot to tell you, I wore some fake artsy fartsy glasses to the interview and she complimented me on them, I was giving sick Tom Ford look T. She asked me what brands I loved and would wear and I told her TOM FORD and some pieces of Dolce and Gabbana. I think the glasses made me look smarter, older, and more of an aesthete (sp?). Anyway, I have a meeting with a guy at Larusmiani on Friday at 2:30 to discuss the business and possible future opportunities. We will see how that goes. I have a date tonight after work and a date Thursday after work and a lunch date on Friday. I get over guys (Simone, Roberto) quite quickly, as you can see. I might call Andrea for another “session”. Okay now I’m talking out of the side of my head. That usually means I should stop typing. Ciao.
-Anwar
I hope this blog posting finds everyone well. This weekend was nice and chill. Actually I was kind of a mess! Friday after work, I came home, went grocery shopping because I was in desperate need of some food (and toilet paper) and just watch TV and some movies until 2-3am. I then woke up because I was meeting with Andrea (Mr. Obsessed with me) at 11am. I feverishly cleaned my apartment for an hour and took a shower. I made coffee and he brought some pastries and we had a nice brunch/late breakfast. It turns out he lived in Germany for 10 years and worked as a Hotel Manager there, and of all places Hamburg! Ufff, I am not a fan of Hamburg but it was nice chatting German with him for a while. I had to remind him that I needed to practice my Italian so we had to speak in Italian. After breakfast we chilled on my sofa and chatted for a while before he started giving me a massage and…. Let’s just say no pene, but it was hot and he was packin a bit so I wasn’t mad at him. We took a shower afterward and he peaced out. I then went to the Internet store to reload my Internet and ran into three hot models from England. THE MALE MODELS ARE IN TOWN! GET INTO IT! After that I went to my school since it is only a couple of blocks away from my Internet store. I got some candy, got a doner kebab, and did my internet thing for a while before coming home to get ready for my date with Simone at 8pm. The date went well although Simone was acting weird. The pizza was amazing as usual and we had a good conversation. I paid for it since I felt bad about the last time we went out. He drove me home and he kissed me on the cheek and went home. He was apparently tired and had an early morning the next morning. I was over it at that point and realized he wasn’t feeling me like he should so he has been pretty much cut off. Saturday night I passed out on my couch again watching some foolish Italian movie. Messy! Sunday I woke up early and went to this swap meet that they have outside of town. I bought two dvds (The Thomas Crown Affair and Cocoons). These were just for language learning purposes. I still have to get 3 Can Play That Game and some other movies so I have consistent listening comprehension material when I return (which is less that three weeks away). I was seriously on the Internet for like 8 hours on Sunday, chatting, skyping, facebooking, emailing, researching, you name it I did it. I didn’t go to bed until like 3-4 in the morning. I was such a mess Monday morning I called in sick.
I then used Monday to do my interview research for LVMH at my school and got another doner kebab! I called in sick again Tuesday for the actual interview, which went well. The funny thing is I think I actually needed the day off. After the interview I passed out for four hours. Can you say mess or messy? I can! I ended up chatting with 3 people from my high school. One who is in Paris who had dinner with someone who knew me. Random much! It was actually a shady gay guy from L’Oreal who is apparently sick of working for L’Oreal. I told her to give him my contact information and I will see if I can help him in anyway. It is called paying it forward people, get into it. I then spoke with a closer friend from high school who is in medical school in Australia and loving it. It was great to catch up with her. I then spoke with one of my few close straight male friends and he actually proposed a very interesting idea/project that I am currently fleshing out and am very excited about. We will see how it goes, but let’s just say it is cool, promising, and has gotten my attention, which takes a miracle! I am considering writing a business plan and submitting it to a program at Columbia Business School.
Anyway, more about the interview. It was in Italian, which was kind of shocking because I practiced my story and answers in English but right when she met me she asked if I spoke Italian and I said yes so if was off to the races from there. She mostly asked me about my educational background and my stints at Tom Ford and Versace. She was very enthusiastic about my profile but thought that starting the process now would be too early since I was looking to start in September (summer in Paris solidifying my French skills), so I clarified that I could start in May and that I feared that if we started the process earlier I would have offer at different companies that I probably would not feel comfortable giving up just to start the LVMH process which may or may not yield anything. She agreed so we will continue the process. She told me that she will contact me in a couple of weeks when some managers from the Paris HQ come to interview candidates. After doing my research about the company, I was excited to hear about the responsibility promised in such a short amount of time. The negative (which I’m told is a positive) is that the MBA management program requires that you work in stores for 12-18 months. I think I could be a sales manager for about 6 months and then become a store manager for a year before moving on to a General/Country Manager position and 3-5 years from that become a Managing Director of a region. I told her about my plan and she thought I was overly ambitious. That is not the first time I have heard this in Italy. Such positions take people 20 years to achieve. It is a difference in culture. I mean the men live with their parents until age 30-35, are you kidding me? I’m not the one, especially being out of the house at age 14 and having lived my life. Ohhhh yeah, I forgot to tell you, I wore some fake artsy fartsy glasses to the interview and she complimented me on them, I was giving sick Tom Ford look T. She asked me what brands I loved and would wear and I told her TOM FORD and some pieces of Dolce and Gabbana. I think the glasses made me look smarter, older, and more of an aesthete (sp?). Anyway, I have a meeting with a guy at Larusmiani on Friday at 2:30 to discuss the business and possible future opportunities. We will see how that goes. I have a date tonight after work and a date Thursday after work and a lunch date on Friday. I get over guys (Simone, Roberto) quite quickly, as you can see. I might call Andrea for another “session”. Okay now I’m talking out of the side of my head. That usually means I should stop typing. Ciao.
-Anwar
Friday, January 8, 2010
The New Life
Hey Guys,
I forget the last time that I actually posted a blog entry. Let’s get you all caught up on everything that has happened. Well, I haven’t had Internet for about a week because I haven’t had time to reload it since the holidays (everything is closed) and then work has got me clocking 8-8pm. By the time I get home, everything is closed. Italy is a tad technologically behind so doing something online is close to impossible. I was actually able to recharge yesterday but I think I messed up. They told me that my promotion of 100 hours for 20 euro would be set up for this morning. I went on last night because I remembered the guy said that I had 5 euro of credit that I could use. I am hoping that my use of the internet has not turned on the regular .50 euro for 15 minutes. We will see. If I messed up, I will just have to pay another 20 euro in the near future, ahha.
Anyway I was at work Monday and Tuesday and was off on Wednesday due to Befana (or Epiphany). I love Italy and its many holidays. Thursday was the first day in the Tom Ford Showroom in Milan. He actually came around 5 or 6pm and my boss did not come in, so I was unable to actually see the man himself yesterday but I am sure I will see him and be introduced to him today. BTW the people here are friendly but when working extra c*nty (just like me), and I can’t take. The cool thing here is that almost everyone is from somewhere different. We have Italian, American, French, English, German, and Russian (no Asians though). I love it. So many different crazy languages so few people.
The Job Front (in descending interest order):
This has really been taking off and I am quite excited about it. The funny thing is, every job and interview has been through the help of SDA Bocconi, so it makes me realize that I made the right decision and am glad I am here (beyond the Tom Ford experience).
LVMH Italia – Louis Vuitton Italy here in Milan is my first interview, which is next Tuesday with the HR Director. If I were to move forward with this job, my plan would be to stay here for 2 years (1 year in Milan, 1 year in Rome) and then transfer to the Headquarters in Paris.
Larusmiani – I have an informal dinner with the VP of the Group. I will sell my pants off in this “informal dinner”. In Italy, this is how business is done and how people get jobs, so I take it as a good sign. He already spoke to me about a special project. This is a good sign since the company was not even interested in me until I told them that I was working at Zegna (Tom Ford Collection), a company they desire to be. We will see how this goes. I am actually interested in this position because of the fast trajectory (VP in 4 years). Perhaps that is the wrong reason to want a job but, we will see. If it isn’t for me, I won’t get it. =)
Yoox – The biggest surprise of all has been… TheYoox Group. It is a discount online retailer that sells end of the season luxury items at discounted prices. My resume was given to the HR person there (by SDA Bocconi) and they sent it to the US Country Manager. The guy emailed me wanting to interview. He even did some background checking with the VP of Marketing at Versace. My boss at Versace bcc’ed me the amazing recommendation he sent on my behalf. Basically saying I was the best intern he had ever had. I mean, the guy was already impressed with me. He wrote in his email, “He has an impressive resume: Columbia MBA, fluent in 3 languages, who is this guy?” It was great to know that Versace had my back and sent such a glowing recommendation. The Yoox guy told me that he wants to interview me right when I return to the US. =)
The Inditex Group (Zara): I sent them a heart felt email about my passion for the company right before I was starting with Tom Ford but hadn’t heard anything. I followed up with them the other day and I got an out-of-office reply. Knowing the Spaniards, I feel like they will get to me sometime next week for the “promised interview.” If this opportunity comes through, you already know!!!!!
Zegna/Tom Ford Collection – I have decided to not stay here but possibly come back in September (as a back up) if I don’t find an amazing dream job. Not a bad back-up if you ask me. I am very happy with my decision.
Y’all I think I might get a job in the tough economy and all. It brings a smile to my face knowing that I have options, you know.
The Man Front:
I met up with Simone (the dorky professor) on Wednesday and we had coffee and cake. He is so sweet and he even sneaked a lip to lip short kiss after the “meal” and walked me to my train station. He is a complete gentleman. Before the meal we walked around this big castle called Castello Sforsezco (de-ja-vu think Adriano [1st bf]). After that we had our 2 cappuccinos and cake slices… get this 25 euro. I was shocked. I thought it was bloody murder. I felt bad since he paid for everything. I told him I would pay for dinner on Saturday.
I also found some I had been chatting with online for a while just the other day. His name is Andrea and he is 34 and a hotel manager. He is obsessed with me, so I decided to give him the time of day and go out with him tomorrow. We have a brunch date. We will see how this turns out. He has broken up with his boyfriend about a month ago I think it is a good time (healthy) to see him for the first time. I was not even entertaining him while he was with his guy. Ok so it seems as though I might be going hard on the bf tip until I leave; talk about de-ja-vu!
-A
I forget the last time that I actually posted a blog entry. Let’s get you all caught up on everything that has happened. Well, I haven’t had Internet for about a week because I haven’t had time to reload it since the holidays (everything is closed) and then work has got me clocking 8-8pm. By the time I get home, everything is closed. Italy is a tad technologically behind so doing something online is close to impossible. I was actually able to recharge yesterday but I think I messed up. They told me that my promotion of 100 hours for 20 euro would be set up for this morning. I went on last night because I remembered the guy said that I had 5 euro of credit that I could use. I am hoping that my use of the internet has not turned on the regular .50 euro for 15 minutes. We will see. If I messed up, I will just have to pay another 20 euro in the near future, ahha.
Anyway I was at work Monday and Tuesday and was off on Wednesday due to Befana (or Epiphany). I love Italy and its many holidays. Thursday was the first day in the Tom Ford Showroom in Milan. He actually came around 5 or 6pm and my boss did not come in, so I was unable to actually see the man himself yesterday but I am sure I will see him and be introduced to him today. BTW the people here are friendly but when working extra c*nty (just like me), and I can’t take. The cool thing here is that almost everyone is from somewhere different. We have Italian, American, French, English, German, and Russian (no Asians though). I love it. So many different crazy languages so few people.
The Job Front (in descending interest order):
This has really been taking off and I am quite excited about it. The funny thing is, every job and interview has been through the help of SDA Bocconi, so it makes me realize that I made the right decision and am glad I am here (beyond the Tom Ford experience).
LVMH Italia – Louis Vuitton Italy here in Milan is my first interview, which is next Tuesday with the HR Director. If I were to move forward with this job, my plan would be to stay here for 2 years (1 year in Milan, 1 year in Rome) and then transfer to the Headquarters in Paris.
Larusmiani – I have an informal dinner with the VP of the Group. I will sell my pants off in this “informal dinner”. In Italy, this is how business is done and how people get jobs, so I take it as a good sign. He already spoke to me about a special project. This is a good sign since the company was not even interested in me until I told them that I was working at Zegna (Tom Ford Collection), a company they desire to be. We will see how this goes. I am actually interested in this position because of the fast trajectory (VP in 4 years). Perhaps that is the wrong reason to want a job but, we will see. If it isn’t for me, I won’t get it. =)
Yoox – The biggest surprise of all has been… TheYoox Group. It is a discount online retailer that sells end of the season luxury items at discounted prices. My resume was given to the HR person there (by SDA Bocconi) and they sent it to the US Country Manager. The guy emailed me wanting to interview. He even did some background checking with the VP of Marketing at Versace. My boss at Versace bcc’ed me the amazing recommendation he sent on my behalf. Basically saying I was the best intern he had ever had. I mean, the guy was already impressed with me. He wrote in his email, “He has an impressive resume: Columbia MBA, fluent in 3 languages, who is this guy?” It was great to know that Versace had my back and sent such a glowing recommendation. The Yoox guy told me that he wants to interview me right when I return to the US. =)
The Inditex Group (Zara): I sent them a heart felt email about my passion for the company right before I was starting with Tom Ford but hadn’t heard anything. I followed up with them the other day and I got an out-of-office reply. Knowing the Spaniards, I feel like they will get to me sometime next week for the “promised interview.” If this opportunity comes through, you already know!!!!!
Zegna/Tom Ford Collection – I have decided to not stay here but possibly come back in September (as a back up) if I don’t find an amazing dream job. Not a bad back-up if you ask me. I am very happy with my decision.
Y’all I think I might get a job in the tough economy and all. It brings a smile to my face knowing that I have options, you know.
The Man Front:
I met up with Simone (the dorky professor) on Wednesday and we had coffee and cake. He is so sweet and he even sneaked a lip to lip short kiss after the “meal” and walked me to my train station. He is a complete gentleman. Before the meal we walked around this big castle called Castello Sforsezco (de-ja-vu think Adriano [1st bf]). After that we had our 2 cappuccinos and cake slices… get this 25 euro. I was shocked. I thought it was bloody murder. I felt bad since he paid for everything. I told him I would pay for dinner on Saturday.
I also found some I had been chatting with online for a while just the other day. His name is Andrea and he is 34 and a hotel manager. He is obsessed with me, so I decided to give him the time of day and go out with him tomorrow. We have a brunch date. We will see how this turns out. He has broken up with his boyfriend about a month ago I think it is a good time (healthy) to see him for the first time. I was not even entertaining him while he was with his guy. Ok so it seems as though I might be going hard on the bf tip until I leave; talk about de-ja-vu!
-A
Monday, January 4, 2010
How to Bring in the New Year!
Hey Guys,
What a nice weekend but I am seriously paying for it right now… the dreaded Monday morning. After sleeping for 3 hours on Friday night, I got all my studying (Italian) done and finally got caught on Anki, a Flashcard Sequential Repetition System (SRS). This is a true accomplishment because I had been behind in my studies for about 4-5 months. It has been a great way to get my year started. I have also changed the way I study the cards which has dramatically improved my speaking skills. I am confident that if I continue with this method while back in New York, I will be alright and even improve. Friday evening I stayed at Jerry’s house because I had to get some business taken care of on the internet and I haven’t been able to go to the store to reload my monthly promotion subscription. I woke up Saturday morning around 9am and went straight to the stores. Milan was having its annual Saldis (sales) and I lost my mind. I was so happy I was running to the stores. So not cute but like a kid in a candy store, I couldn’t help myself.
I got:
2 Jackets
1 Tie
1 Little Bag (for toiletries)
1 Sarueli (Hammer) pants
1 Pair of Glass
2 Knit Sweaters
1 Black Shirt
I think that’s it.
Anyway, Saturday I got my study on again. I am on a roll! Without work the last couple of days, I was able to really dig deep and get into the language. Oh yeah, I almost forgot. I was looking for movies (subtitled in the languages I will know) and the only one with multiple languages (Italian, French, Spanish) was (drum roll, please)…….. Three Can Play That Game! The sequel to Vivica A Fox’s Two Can Play That Game (shout out to Ryan Aceto). I didn’t get but I think I will have to before I go back to NYC. Saturday night I stayed home and watch lots of TV (and passed out on the couch). How messy, I know. I also had the nerve to text my ex Roberto and send him holiday wishes. Of course he called me right after and proceeded to tell me that we can be friends but never boyfriends (that I’m a disaster as a bf, and that I really hurt him). I was unaware that I ever hurt him. Anyway he texted me the next morning (Sunday) and wanted to hang out and so we did. I accompanied him while he went shopping. I think he has some kind of sugar daddy cause he spent quite a bit of money, close to $250. For someone that is unemployed, that is a lot of money. We had a good time and I can honestly say that I missed his friendship and speaking Italian with him. It was hanging out with him that I realized that I can speak Italian without a problem. It eased my insecurities about my language skills and made me realize that I have really come a long way. Thank you Lord for the strength and determination. We vowed to hang out with one another more often which for me is exciting and another friend in the city (and not just someone who wants to jump my bones). I then came home, snacked on some chips and watched the movie PRIMA with Uma Thurman and Meryl Streep. Great movie. I watched it in Italian with English subtitles, which from my research is the most efficient way to learn how to comprehend the language (even more so than reading target language subtitles while listening to target language audio). That was surprising to me, as well. Oh you guys don’t care… ok, I will move on. After the movie Jerry and I went to Il Borgo. It is always a mess there and the men were hungrier than they normally are. =)
We had a good time of course, met a guy from Brazil and another one from London that we hung out with most of the night. Got a ride home from my friend (kissing buddy) Ivan, and passed out. Another Monday with 2 hours of sleep, mamma mia! Since I will be leaving soon, I have to maximize my time here, so why not?
What a nice weekend but I am seriously paying for it right now… the dreaded Monday morning. After sleeping for 3 hours on Friday night, I got all my studying (Italian) done and finally got caught on Anki, a Flashcard Sequential Repetition System (SRS). This is a true accomplishment because I had been behind in my studies for about 4-5 months. It has been a great way to get my year started. I have also changed the way I study the cards which has dramatically improved my speaking skills. I am confident that if I continue with this method while back in New York, I will be alright and even improve. Friday evening I stayed at Jerry’s house because I had to get some business taken care of on the internet and I haven’t been able to go to the store to reload my monthly promotion subscription. I woke up Saturday morning around 9am and went straight to the stores. Milan was having its annual Saldis (sales) and I lost my mind. I was so happy I was running to the stores. So not cute but like a kid in a candy store, I couldn’t help myself.
I got:
2 Jackets
1 Tie
1 Little Bag (for toiletries)
1 Sarueli (Hammer) pants
1 Pair of Glass
2 Knit Sweaters
1 Black Shirt
I think that’s it.
Anyway, Saturday I got my study on again. I am on a roll! Without work the last couple of days, I was able to really dig deep and get into the language. Oh yeah, I almost forgot. I was looking for movies (subtitled in the languages I will know) and the only one with multiple languages (Italian, French, Spanish) was (drum roll, please)…….. Three Can Play That Game! The sequel to Vivica A Fox’s Two Can Play That Game (shout out to Ryan Aceto). I didn’t get but I think I will have to before I go back to NYC. Saturday night I stayed home and watch lots of TV (and passed out on the couch). How messy, I know. I also had the nerve to text my ex Roberto and send him holiday wishes. Of course he called me right after and proceeded to tell me that we can be friends but never boyfriends (that I’m a disaster as a bf, and that I really hurt him). I was unaware that I ever hurt him. Anyway he texted me the next morning (Sunday) and wanted to hang out and so we did. I accompanied him while he went shopping. I think he has some kind of sugar daddy cause he spent quite a bit of money, close to $250. For someone that is unemployed, that is a lot of money. We had a good time and I can honestly say that I missed his friendship and speaking Italian with him. It was hanging out with him that I realized that I can speak Italian without a problem. It eased my insecurities about my language skills and made me realize that I have really come a long way. Thank you Lord for the strength and determination. We vowed to hang out with one another more often which for me is exciting and another friend in the city (and not just someone who wants to jump my bones). I then came home, snacked on some chips and watched the movie PRIMA with Uma Thurman and Meryl Streep. Great movie. I watched it in Italian with English subtitles, which from my research is the most efficient way to learn how to comprehend the language (even more so than reading target language subtitles while listening to target language audio). That was surprising to me, as well. Oh you guys don’t care… ok, I will move on. After the movie Jerry and I went to Il Borgo. It is always a mess there and the men were hungrier than they normally are. =)
We had a good time of course, met a guy from Brazil and another one from London that we hung out with most of the night. Got a ride home from my friend (kissing buddy) Ivan, and passed out. Another Monday with 2 hours of sleep, mamma mia! Since I will be leaving soon, I have to maximize my time here, so why not?
Friday, January 1, 2010
Happy New Year
Hey Guys,
What a nice holiday week I have had. I worked the first part of the week and then hung out with Jerry on Tuesday and Thursday nights.
We went out for New Years to a clib called Magazzini (Pour Homme). It was really cute and open bar all night long. The guys were hot and
I got my make out on. Check out my facebook profile for some photos for the night.
Alos, I just wanted to update you all on my life and what I have decided to do.
After much thought and business analysis (consulting matrices/frameworks) I have decided to return to Columbia
in the Spring to finish my degree. In this time, I will continue to look for dream opportunities. If they do not come,
I will return to the Tom Ford Collection in September. In the meanwhile, I will outline for my boss some areas in which
I can bring value to the business, in the hope that he will allow me to do these things form New York (so that I can have
an extended internship period on my resume). I also believe that I will be able to get school credit for this work. I believe
this decision will serve me the best in the future. Thank you all for your input. It helped me put my head around this situation
and brought new perspectives and thoughts that I had not previously considered. I do feel like a burden has been lifted off of
my shoulders and I can move forward.
I was supposed to have a date on Tuesday with Simone but he got sick and we had to postpone. I will see him on Sunday and keep you
updated on how it goes. He is so cute and texts me everyday. We will see where this goes (in a month).
I am also preparing for interviews with Louis Vuitton Italia (LVMH) and Larusmiani in the month of January which I think will go well.
My hope is that I have offers from these two companies in addition to the Tom Ford opportunity. This will allow me to really enjoy my
time at Columbia before I graduate. Anyway, I wish you all a Happy New Year! 2010 is going to be amazing, can you feel it?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xW1fXL3s7bk
-Anwar
What a nice holiday week I have had. I worked the first part of the week and then hung out with Jerry on Tuesday and Thursday nights.
We went out for New Years to a clib called Magazzini (Pour Homme). It was really cute and open bar all night long. The guys were hot and
I got my make out on. Check out my facebook profile for some photos for the night.
Alos, I just wanted to update you all on my life and what I have decided to do.
After much thought and business analysis (consulting matrices/frameworks) I have decided to return to Columbia
in the Spring to finish my degree. In this time, I will continue to look for dream opportunities. If they do not come,
I will return to the Tom Ford Collection in September. In the meanwhile, I will outline for my boss some areas in which
I can bring value to the business, in the hope that he will allow me to do these things form New York (so that I can have
an extended internship period on my resume). I also believe that I will be able to get school credit for this work. I believe
this decision will serve me the best in the future. Thank you all for your input. It helped me put my head around this situation
and brought new perspectives and thoughts that I had not previously considered. I do feel like a burden has been lifted off of
my shoulders and I can move forward.
I was supposed to have a date on Tuesday with Simone but he got sick and we had to postpone. I will see him on Sunday and keep you
updated on how it goes. He is so cute and texts me everyday. We will see where this goes (in a month).
I am also preparing for interviews with Louis Vuitton Italia (LVMH) and Larusmiani in the month of January which I think will go well.
My hope is that I have offers from these two companies in addition to the Tom Ford opportunity. This will allow me to really enjoy my
time at Columbia before I graduate. Anyway, I wish you all a Happy New Year! 2010 is going to be amazing, can you feel it?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xW1fXL3s7bk
-Anwar
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