New York City has the reputation of being the “concrete jungle where dreams are made of.” The bright lights, skyscrapers, and fast pace atmosphere inspire so many dreamers to pursue their aspirations and make it in the big city. I am one of those dreamers and Bentley has equipped me with a way to do so.
Bentley University hosts a networking program called Success in the City that promotes connections between alumni who’ve found a job in New York City and students who live in the area or are looking to relocate after graduation. The program is a full day of traveling to different offices in New York and we, the students, get a taste of the success our peers are experiencing. Success in the City is held during both the winter and summer break and the program changes alumni so our connections continue to grow. You can either choose the marketing/management/IDCC track or the finance track. Each group travels to different companies and has the opportunity to learn more about the real world responsibilities and rewards of working in a competitive and fast paced city. I chose the marketing track this past winter and we visited Estee Lauder, Horizon Media, Johnson and Johnson, and Kate Spade. Following the busy day, there is a networking event located in a centralized bar or restaurant. This winter it was hosted at the New York Beer Company and was delicious way to end our long day.
Our first stop was Estee Lauder located on 5th avenue and it was a spectacular way to kick off the day. The office was beautiful, clean, and elegant. The view from the large wall of windows in the conference room we sat in was breathtaking. The alumnus that currently works at Estee Lauder is Nicole Boule who graduated from Bentley in 2000. Nicole was full of information and had really great advice for us. Nicole brought in some of Estee Lauder’s human resources department to educate us about Estee Lauder’s other companies, products, and how to get our feet in the door of the beauty industry. To our delight, there were some lovely samples and a little time at the end to ask our hosts some questions. Nicole was so helpful and passionate about her job in the marketing department for Mac Cosmetics that you couldn’t help but fall in love with the professional and prestigious feel of the company.
Next we took the subway to Varick Street to visit Horizon Media and Taylor Valentine who graduated in 2000. Taylor was charismatic, excited, and a fantastic host. He gave us a bio on both himself and Horizon Media. Taylor really grabbed my attention by showing us the famous “Hump Day” commercial, due to it being Wednesday, for one of their clients, Geico. Horizon Media has a very modern office with walls made of glass and a lot of open space for employees to interact and converse. There were a couple pieces of abstract art that decorated the hallways and was a truly fascinating office space. The space completely matched the employees. Everyone was very quick, funny, and creative. The space was very relaxed with a beer tap and gorgeous outdoor patio. It felt like an ideal place to work with a motivating and active group of people.
A cab ride away was Johnson and Johnson. The lobby had a wall dedicated to the various products of Johnson and Johnson in miniature sized packages. We didn’t walk far into the company but it had a very technology savvy feel to it. Terri Kochersperger who graduated in 1983 was an extremely intelligent and experienced woman who had a lot of insight on the power of information technology. Terri specifically focused on the use of social media and all of the information companies can harness from what apps we use. Terri expressed how exciting this field of work was because it’s growing rapidly and stressed the need for employees with these skills. Johnson and Johnson emphasized largely on their values that emphasize the well-being and health of their consumers. I thought it was amazing that despite all of their products and large scale production that they kept these values as their number one priority.
The last destination was Kate Spade and it was an absolute dream! The New York office perfectly captures the essence of Kate Spade through its bright colors, detailed design, and young staff. Stephanie Proto, a Bentley grad from 2009, welcomed us with a warm smile and fabulous style. Stephanie brought in some other employees that explained how much a small business relies on collaboration and team work. Because Kate Spade is growing at a tremendous rate, both domestically and internationally, the employees had to learn how to adjust quickly and professionally. The talented young women that we got to speak to explained to us the importance of keeping their brand pure. They are extremely conscious of the reputation they are putting out from the way their stores are set up to their employees. The culture was fun and I wish I could’ve started then and there! Kate Spade was the perfect way to end our long day with some fun and sophistication. It was a great day to be a Bentley student!