The End!

The end!

As the semester comes to a close, I am (albeit required haha) finding myself reflecting on the class from what now seems like a whirlwind of a semester.  I cannot help look back at the time last semester when I was panicking on which classes to take.  Then I quite quickly progressed to the next level of panic by not getting some of the classes I intended because too many people signed up for them.  Alas, I got into Design Thinking for Business Innovation. 

Coming into the semester that is composed purely of electives, I was very excited to be attending classes of my own choosing (and of course, without the dread of the real-life struggle that was the Texas MBA core).  The first few sessions of Design Thinking class were both refreshing and sometimes confusing.  It was such a relief finding out that majority of the approach needed to learn class did not involve regression models of any sort.  It felt like a new way of approaching business problems and opportunities, although I feel like before business school, that was more like how I engaged at work.  But then there were times when I was missing the highly quantitative view of things.  But after a few months and now looking back at the entire course, I feel like it was great balance.  A first year friend of mine asked about this class as they were looking to take it next year, and I found myself saying that I was happy to take this class because it provided a well-needed balance in learning in my MBA curriculum.  After going through highly quantitative and case-based classes, I was glad to have taken one where I was able to activate my creativity in looking at business problems again.  And as we know, when we get out of business school, it would do good to have a balanced approach to business problems.

Now, let me get to some specific takeaways from the course.

1.      1.  Diverge.  Converge.  Repeat.  Over and over again.

One of the first concepts taught to us in class was the dynamic duo that is divergent and convergent thinking.  I have found that these seemingly opposing approaches to ideating result in highly diversified and robust options.  They become out-of-the-box, but not random.  Ideas also become definite and sure, but not limited.  It has proven to be a highly dynamic way of producing solutions.  And that was exactly what happened with my group project – the proposal for Austin No Limits.

It was a very interesting project brief by KLRU.  They were looking at ways to get new audiences and donors.  It was definitely not a field that any of me and my groupmates had worked previously worked in, so the brainstorming process was definitely a learning experience.  As we familiarized ourselves with the brief, the audience, the market, and the company, we allowed ourselves to contribute with countless ideas (on what the problem was, who the market should be, etc).  There was a lot of divergent thinking that happened.  There were a lot of ideas that came out, all of which sounded good.  We then converged to make them come to life during some of our deliverables.  What’s most interesting though is after all the divergent-convergent loops that we went through, we finally converged on our main recommendation which is Austin No Limits.  Our convergent thinking from all the ideas we had was so effective that all three of us were sold on the idea and were sure that it was a great idea.  This was made possible by complementing mindsets and perspectives.  As a group, we highlighted the strengths of each individual’s thoughts and built on them.  We also identified the flaws in each person’s recommendation and suggested new ones.  Converging brought to life what we think is a genuinely great idea for KLRU to pursue.

2.      2.  Prototype anything.  As in anything.

My background in CPG Marketing made me familiar with the concept of prototyping.  In my previous job, I had worked closely with R&D and manufacturing facilities to come up with dozens of versions for a detergent product.  These versions were tested in a million different ways – from technical specifications and delivery (height of suds, how white fabric gets, how effective it removes stains, etc) to what the consumer things about it (does it smell good, does it seem premium enough to buy, etc).  But at the end of it, I was used to prototyping that was physical.  Coming to this class, I was sure there was a way to prototype non-physical products.  I just never bothered thinking about it.

Pursuing the Austin No Limits idea, our group immersed ourselves in a new way of prototyping.  How do you prototype a multi-channel event?  It was definitely an interesting experience that required a lot of creativity but also attention to the smallest detail.  Prototyping non-physical products were both very similar and different to doing the same for physical items.  It meant looking at technical specifications (location, size of venue, number of audience, stage specs, timelines and schedules, etc), appearance, presentation the user (or in this case, audience), and so many others.  In the end, what was important is that we visualized what we were looking to do.  Actually, let me rephrase that – we were able to simulate what we wanted Austin No Limits… at least in our heads.  And that’s how we knew what made it a good idea, and what needed work.

3.      3. Should’ve. Would’ve. Could’ve.

As this project allowed me to explore a rather new side of my brain when it comes to brainstorming and coming up with ideas, I did not have any particular concept or topic that I thought was unnecessary.  In fact, I felt like all the steps and parts were needed.  It was quite unfortunate realizing this because interviewing people and getting insights became tedious at some point given schedules.  But it was all needed.  What might have helped better in the learning process was an actual presentation to the client.

Our group put a lot of effort behind the ideas and recommendations that we would have been so happy and proud to share them with KLRU.  Designing the deliverables with the end in mind that we would show this to the client, and that there was huge possibility for the to actually use it would have been a substantial motivator.  I imagine that it would also increase the level of commitment and overall quality of work (not that we did not do that yet).  It would just have made the learning experience more real and purposeful.

4.      4. Throwback to real-world work environment

One of the things I have loved about being back to school is the safe space it provides to students in the learning setting.  We study concepts and cases.  Our mistakes mean a lower grade, but will probably not result in multi-million losses.  This group exercise, however, reminded me of how it felt like working with teams in a real work setting.  The difficulties are similar, especially.

First, schedules never align.  As in any workplace environment, we rarely have enough time to meet, brainstorm, and do work together (so THANK YOU Google Drive and Microsoft Office Online).  But we got to do what we got to do.

Next, timelines are never realistic.  What’s realistic is the output that we can produce and deliver given the timeline.  During the project, we first looked at interviewing several people, conducting focus groups, and doing a day-in-the-life exercise.  Well, we know how that went!

If you work in marketing, it will never be 100% numbers.  Our marketing classes here help us analyze problems with a set of data that we can turn into regression models that consequently tell a story.  We know that’s not always the case.  At work, we sometimes have to look at alternative ways of brainstorming to analyze problems and come up with stories and solutions.

Finally, ideas are not great unless they sell.  Throughout the project, the process of divergent and convergent thinking helped us come up with some amazing ideas.  We landed on Austin No Limits not by accident, but because it was the idea that sold to us three.  In the real world, storytelling is a tool and skill that can make or break any idea, regardless of how strong it potentially could be.

A Story Powered by Song

I saw the sun begin to dim

And felt that winter wind

Blow cold

A man learns who is there for him

When the glitter fades and the walls won't hold

'Cause from then, rubble

One remains

Can only be what's true

If all was lost

Is more I gain

'Cause it led me back

To you

From now on

These eyes will not be blinded by the lights

From now on

What's waited till tomorrow starts tonight

Tonight

Let this promise in me start

Like an anthem in my heart

From now on

I drank champagne with kings and queens

The politicians praised my name

But those are someone else's dreams

The pitfalls of the man I became

For years and years

I chased their cheers

The crazy speed of always needing more

But when I stop

And see you here

I remember who all this was for

And from now on

These eyes will not be blinded by the lights

From now on

What's waited till tomorrow starts tonight

It starts tonight

And let this promise in me start

Like an anthem in my heart

From now on

And we will come back home

Home, again!

From now on!

These eyes will not be blinded by the lights!

What's waited till tomorrow starts tonight!

It starts tonight!

Let this promise in me start

Like an anthem in my heart

From now on!

And we will come back home

Home again!

I've been singing for more than fifteen years now.  And I must admit, my classical training has also made me a snob to certain kinds of music, especially those that would come off as too “mainstream.”  And yet, I think that only a very numb human being who has seen “The Greatest Showman” and has heard its songs were not affected by them.

Today, I write about the song “From Now On,” which was one of the songs performed in the latter part of the movie.  Written by the musical genius that is the duo of Justin Paul and Benj Pasek (also behind the mesmerizing music of Lala Land), From Now On caught my snobbish attention even before the movie was shown.  I remember seeing on Youtube a video of the rehearsal where Hugh Jackman stood in front of producers.  Because he had just gotten surgery, he was there quite literally as a warm body while Broadway singer Jeremy Jordan sang.  I cannot put my finger on it but the emotion was just so palpable while watching that video.  The arrangement of the song, of course, was designed to elicit emotion, but there was just a certain genuineness that drew me to it.  I’ll admit, it got me playing that song over and over during my walks to school last January, and also got me to watch the movie.

Going beyond the initial awe, I have come to realize that From Now On is a masterpiece of storytelling for two main reasons. First, the words were written in a way that is direct yet poetic.  You knew exactly what was going on in context of the movie and the storyline.  Second, the musical elements – melody, harmony, orchestration, vocal arrangement – all converged to tell the story that transcended the words.  From Now On is a story that, to me, was powered by music from various perspectives.

Let’s start looking at the character in this story.  PT Barnum, the story’s hero played by Hugh Jackman, is the proponent of the Circus Act that enchanted thousands, but also came crashing down with a tragic fire.  You could see him in a bar, seemingly sulking in his failure, while the people who worked in the Circus with him surrounded him.  PT Barnum at this point, is definitely feeling the regret of his actions (neglecting his circus crew for an international act that went around the US on tour).  He begins singing the words recounting the events that led to the tragedy, which he apparently blames on himself.  He sings about seeing the people who are there for him after everything is lost.  This renewed support is also enlivened by a sense of hope when he begins the chorus, saying that from now on, his eyes will no longer be blinded by light.  He gains more momentum in the scene and song and sings about what’s most important – coming back home again. 

Another perspective that is interesting to look at is the journey that PT Barnum had prior to this song.  The song begins with a recount of what was a clear mistake in his life.  The words talk about his neglect of people around him.  And once that was established, there was a smooth but clear transition to a sense of realization.  This is very visible in the words like “if all was lost, is more to gain because it led me back to you.”  The journey of our fallen hero continues with the song transitioning to a sense of hope.  The words become more positive than ever and so does the music.  This is most evident in the thicker texture of major chords that are embellished with extravagant orchestration (yes, 32^nd notes all over the place on what sounded like either a viola or a cello) and glorious gospel choir in the background.  The story just unfolds gradually and ever so clearly that as the entire journey throughout the words go, I am able to visualize colors while listening.  It just gets brighter and more hopeful.

Finally, From Now On does what many songs do well – it resolves.  It ends the song with a more subdued feel overall, but more importantly, ends with the words “and we will come back home, home again.”  It was a clear resolution in terms of music, words, emotions, and story.  PT Barnum’s roller coaster ride of discovering a gimmick that worked with the public, getting sidetracked by a Swedish opera diva, and experiencing tragic loss now ends with him coming back home to where it matters the most.

The second aspect I wanted to look at was the music.  I did not study music, but I did not need my fifteen years of classical singing to decide that this was a genius musical product.  And I think the magic happened because the music fell into place exactly where it should be and at the exact right time.

Listening to the melody of the song, there’s no doubt that it is one that stuck.  And considering that this was a musical set on screen, there was a definite need for a catchy melody (I remember in January humming this song multiple times throughout the day).  But what made this extraordinary is the fact that the melody, through its character and feel, helped tell the story.  The use of the E major was easy, but for the writers, I think it was a deliberate choice.  A major scale makes a song sound happier.  The intervals that brought together the iconic refrain (“and we will come back home, and we will come back home.  Home again.”) simply sounds inspiring.

Then there’s the arrangement.  There are two aspects of how this song was arranged that I have gotten very drawn to – the orchestration and the vocal backup arrangement.  The song begins with a very soft and almost mute instrumentation at the beginning.  The chords and instruments gradually build up as the story unfolds. And by the time we reach the refrain and he is singing lyrics of hope, the instruments tell the same story.  As I mentioned earlier, a cello (or maybe a viola) embellishes the instrumentation throughout the chorus repetitions.  Then there’s the gospel choir.  I’ve sung in choirs before and we all know that the most emotionally connected choirs are those who sing gospel.  I thought that this was genius for the writers.  Once the refrain is first sung, a gospel choir accompanies Hugh Jackman. This simply strengthens what he says, making it sound like there’s a lot of conviction.  Also, there’s the aid to the story that the people whom he realized mattered to him were there backing him up.  And then the refrain repeats and repeats. As it does, the gospel choir texture thickens with harmony of thirds and then fifths.  This just raises the musical storyline to a climax.  And then it goes down and diminuendos as PT Barnum’s character begins to tell the story’s end.

There’s a lot to be said about The Greatest Showman.  A lot of people loved it.  Many critics hated it.  Some musicians thought it was a sellout.  In the end, a song such as From Now On was written and performed to have an effect on listeners.  It aimed to tell a story.  And it did exactly that and more.

x

Clarity on Creativity

Almost eleven years ago, I had my first real job interview.  I did get the job.  A few weeks in, I had a one-on-one with my boss.  He told me that one of the reasons they decided to hire me was my creativity.  Fast-forward to three years later - under a new boss, during a performance assessment session, I received advise from my manager that I should continue strengthening my strengths as it makes me unique.  And what was that strength?  Creativity.

I had no exact idea or grasp of what my bosses were referring to at that time.  As a sales/account management professional, I did not see how I was able to use creativity in the work place.  That is because my experience of creativity before had been very different.

On my first year in undergrad, I decided to join the University choir.  It was an intense semi-professional classical chorus that not only staged local concerts and produced albums, but also toured internationally to hold concerts and join competitions.  I had no idea what I had signed up for.  But that started my passion for choral singing.



Classical singing is indeed very creative - there is a lot of room for personal creativity for what vocal tone to use for every type of song - whether it's a German lied, an Italian renaissance piece, or a more dramatic Brahms work.  Sing light or full, straight-tone or with vibrato, bright or dark - there's a lot of vocal tones to use.  It even goes beyond just the voice.  Singing classical and sacred choral works also gives singers a lot of flexibility when it comes to musical interpretation.  Not all songs should sound the same.  Especially when singing period music (songs from past centuries), the musical feel has to be appropriate.  Songs from the renaissance and baroque periods are to be sung with a lot of accuracy whereas songs form the romantic period are to be performed with a little more fluidity.  As an individual singer in a choir of around thirty singers, that room for interpretation is quite large (although within the bounds of what your conductor would allow of course!).

Going back to the feedback I got at work, I still did not realize exactly what I did that was creative.  To me, I did precisely what I should have been doing - growing sales at store and decision-maker levels.  Definitely not a lot of classical singing for my clients (oh actually, a little.  but that's a story for next time).  Jonah Lehrer, writing on creativity, gives me some clarity.  Creativity is not exactly what I might have thought it was - at trait or a talent.  It is a skill that can help us approach tough problems in highly insightful and meaningful ways.  This blog assignments has gotten me thinking about what my former bosses saw to consistently conclude that I was creative at work.

This whole exercise has made me recall one of the biggest projects I had launched.  It was a shopper promotion that was to be launched during the back-to-school season back home.  One of our brands, a mayonnaise product, sponsored an annual promotion with the retailer partner I was managing.  My clients did mention that the shoppers were growing tired of typical promo packs.  That's when we went back to meet with our teams to brainstorm.  Coming off of a lot of research data available (the details of which I believe I cannot share?), we came up with a totally new idea for a shopper promotion - "Lunchbox of Hope."

Lunchbox of Hope (LOH) was a buy-get-give promo that was anchored on a seemingly tiny shopper insight that says customers are now buying products that embed the ability to give back in a product itself.  With every purchase of the mayonnaise product, we gave away a free lunchbox (yay back to school!).  What made it special though was when every shopper bought a pack, they automatically donated 5 pesos to a scholarship fund with World Vision.

I'm sure this idea is not new.  Well for one thing, it was from nine years ago.  Also, it might have long been common in developed countries, but quite unheard of in the Philippines.  We were very unsure how it will be accepted.  But it did work!  We ran out of promo packs in less than two weeks (when we projected them to last almost two months).  It grew the business by a high double-digit rate.  And we sent fifteen kids to school then.  Today, nine years later, my former company continues to execute Lunchbox of Hope during back-to-school season.  In fact, they have expanded it to so many other brands as well.  And that's probably what my bosses saw in me.

I go back to Jonah Lehrer.  He quickly talked about Arthur Fry - a choir singer too!  His story was about discovering the post-it/sticky notes as we know it.  It's not all about Creativity as we have long perceived it.  It's about having a forward-thinking approach to solving some of the most complex problems.  It's about practicing to develop that skill by which we can step out of the box and do things that we thought were not possible.

The Pinoy MBA Sphygmomanometer

Pinoy Perspective is back!  This week, I'd like to show something that I think a lot of my MBA classmates will empathize with - sources of stress.  The sphygmomanometer (an instrument used to measure blood pressure) below shows my identified sources of stress during my MBA life so far.  The higher it is in the meter, the more intense that source of stress is :)

Empathy Map for Millennials Like ME!

It's HW time and  I'm here to share an empathy map of potential market segments to be explored by our client company for Design Thinking class.  I think it's fantastic to take a look at a very familiar segment and see what they (or WE) feel from a third person perspective.

Planning for Pinoy Titos & Titas in America

Pinoy Perspective returns with even more Pinoy perspective!

Last weekend, I flew to SoCal to attend a cousin's wedding.  There, I reunited with several cousins, aunts, and uncles.  I learned there that a group of close to ten aunts and uncles (herein referred to as Titos & Titas) flew from the Philippines, and went on a trip around the US and Canada before the wedding.  I spoke with my cousin, Tenten, who planned and made arrangements for our Titos and Titas.

Moving in, Starting anew, Staying Connected

July 31st, 2017: I moved to America.

As a foreign student moving into the US for business school, one of the landmark experiences would be moving in. It's simple and everybody does it, but it still is a legitimate milestone.  It meant me leaving family behind and starting a new journey.  So let me talk about that whole experience.

My move to the US was quite unconventional.  I left work barely two weeks before flying to the US so I had very little time to prepare.  While most of my classmates booked their apartments weeks or even months before school started, I landed in Austin with a list of four apartment options I found online.  I was going to see them for myself, decide, and close the deal on my first few days.  I did find my apartment on my first day in Austin.  It's called the Penthouse.  It's not the nicest property, but the specific unit I eyed had just been renovated and was sparkling new.  And it is so close to campus.  Perfect.  While waiting for management to finish renovation, I stayed at an AirBnb for two weeks.

Two weeks later, the day came.  I was going to finally move into what would be my home for the next two years in Austin.  I had previously arranged with my brother for him to fly in from Nashville.  He was so enthusiastic to help me move in.  We met at the property management office, where I saw him come in a very-typically-large Texan truck.  

My Kuya (older brother in Tagalog) drove us all around Austin to get my move-in essentials.  We went to Home Depot.  We spent a considerable time at Bed Bath & Beyond (where he sold me the idea of paying for the softest sheets and towels).  I also had my first-ever trip to Costco (buying endless supplies of toilet paper and toothpaste, which seemed like they'd last me beyond my MBA).  We both knew that the Pinoy in me will not survive life in the US without my ever-so-reliable TV.  So we went to Best Buy, where I also grabbed a Google Home Mini (we didn’t have this back home so it felt like I was a five year old with a new toy for sure).  And then there was the epic shopping trip to move-in central: IKEA.  

At Ikea, I got all sorts of things that I needed (but my Kuya would argue the others were not really needs).  Among other things, I got a desk-or-dining-table, closet organizers, and of course, a legitimate Ikea couch.  Again, Pinoy perspective – we Pinoys know we’ll have guests.  So I definitely chose a nice pull-out.  There were so many other things we got in Ikea that I cannot remember.  Imagine this - all that shopping stuffed into our big red truck.  I could not imagine doing all that by myself.  It was so convenient.  And it was actually fun!

It was a long shopping day and my Kuya and I decided to celebrate that and my move altogether.  He found a restaurant on East 6^th that served a fusion of Japanese and Filipino food.  And it was the best (especially because Kuya paid for everything)!

On the day he was going to fly back to Nashville, we set everything up.  Ikea being Ikea, we had to assemble tables, the couch, and the bed.  Cheesy as it sounds, it’s kind of like how we would build stuff when we were younger.

Even after Kuya left, he kept sending my stuff through Amazon – from toothbrush holders to the ultimate Asian cup noodles.  It did not stop there.  There were days when I would get home from school seeing huge Amazon boxes outside my door.  Opening one box, I got the happiest shock to see Ninja Coffeemaker.  It would be the Firebolt of Harry Potter brooms, except this is a coffee maker.  It’s the best.  And my sister from the Philippines sent it over as a move-in gift.  The box also came with months’ supply of laundry detergent and fabric conditioner!  

Of course I posted that on Instagram.  A week later, I saw another package.  Upon opening, it was two large jars of New York coffee from my cousins in NY who saw my post the previous week.  The presents did not stop coming.  I got packages that had Kleen Kanteen tumblers from friends back home, and many others.  So much thoughtfulness.

I recall the events of that experience. It got me accomplishing several administrative things, such as booking my apartment, setting up utilities, and more.  It also saw my Kuya flying in to help me get settled in.  I even got move in presents!

Today, looking back, I now see it from a different perspective.  It was not just a series of events that helped me settle in.  While I was so relieved that my brother helped make that move very convenient, it also goes beyond that.  I did get very excited to make my own cappuccino with my sister's Ninja, but it was also more than that.  It was beyond all that.

As I write this, I’m actually getting goosebumps at how emotional I am getting recalling that experience.  It’s not just the events.  It's not even the emotions I remember having then.  I write this and realize that my move-in experience gave and continue to give me feelings much bigger than I had imagined.  

I am happy I got to spend time with family.  I'm happy to realize that despite moving thousands of miles away from most of my family, we continue to be connected.  

Today, I look back and realize that experience transcends events - it elicits emotions.  But most importantly, it has the tremendous ability to make us realize the bigger things that we truly feel.  Sometimes, we just have to look back and see how massive they really are.