UCLA Anderson School of Management Blog

DogVacay Fetches New Investment, Success

Aaron Hirschhorn (’05) and his fiancé (now wife), Karine, enjoyed their vacation, but their dogs did not have fun while they were gone. DogVacay, their online pet-sitting services company, was born after an East Coast trip meant a poor kennel experience for their dogs here in Los Angeles. “We were extremely unhappy and knew that we had to find alternative care for our dogs before we took our honeymoon later that year,” Hirschhorn says. “We decided to open up our own home for dog boarding and ended up watching more than 100 dogs in eight months.”

Business was good, proof they were barking up the right tree. In fact, they were able to pay for their wedding and birth a new venture. Launched in March 2012, DogVacay recently raised $15 million in new investment, and plans new hires to manage the hundreds of thousands of overnights with more than 10,000 hosts across the U.S. and Canada. “We’re creating a new income for dog lovers,” Hirschhorn says. “Some of our most dedicated hosts are even able to support themselves entirely by the money they make through watching dogs.” 

And, while the reality of running a business brings surprises not discussed in class, Hirschhorn says UCLA Anderson gave him much-needed insight. “UCLA Anderson was a fantastic introduction to entrepreneurship. Through a mix of classes, late night conversations, the Knapp competition and AMR, I had a great foundation for understanding the multiple aspects of starting a business from the ground up,” he says.

Running that business means the Hirschhorns might not get their own vacation for quite some time. “Our plans are to be the leading brand in the United States that stands for care,” Hirschhorn says. “We are solving a problem that all pet owners face by providing an alternative to the kennel, and we’re very much focused on creating innovative new services and offerings to better the pet care services industry.”

Faculty Profile: Stephen Greene

Visiting Professor of Finance Stephen Greene has spent his working life mastering the financial art of the deal. Over his nearly 30-year career in private equity and investment banking, he’s specialized in mergers and acquisitions and financial restructuring, closing more than 100 transactions.

Currently managing partner of Short Hills, N.J.-based Crevice Capital Partners, Greene is looking forward to getting back to his teaching roots. “I started out pursuing a doctorate in history, before seeing the error of my ways in terms of the job market,” he says. “I taught for three years during that period and always enjoyed the interaction with students. I’m looking forward to getting back to it.”

UCLA is a family affair for Greene. He and his wife met at UCLA Anderson, and their son is currently a senior math and economics major at UCLA. Greene will split his time between the West and East Coasts, something he’s grown accustomed to over the past several years. “I’ve been pretty close to the school the last several years as an alumni and donor, and I sit on the advisory board for the Laurence and Lori Fink Center for Finance & Investments,” he says.

When it comes to his renewed life as Professor Greene, he says his deep experience in the finance world will guide his classroom time as teacher and mentor. “One of my favorite parts of teaching is engaging students on the real-world aspects of the deal business,” he says.

Learn more about Professor Greene at his UCLA Anderson page.

Anderson in the News This Week: Nov. 8th

Long Beach Business Journal
A Long Beach Business Journal article on the state of Los Angeles’ residential markets included comments from UCLA Anderson Forecast Economist William Yu on the correlation between office vacancy rates and employment levels.

Bloomberg Businessweek
Bloomberg Businessweek cited Professor Samuel Culbert’s expertise in an article on the debate over the effectiveness of performance reviews.

 

Al Jazeera America
Professor Bhagwan Chowdhry was interviewed in an Al Jazeera America News segment on the growing popularity of microlending in the United States.

UCLA Anderson to Honor Disney’s Iger at Annual Wooden Awards

On Nov. 21, the John Wooden Global Leadership Award Program, presented annually by UCLA Anderson, will honor Robert A. Iger, chairman and CEO of The Walt Disney Company. The award is given for exemplary leadership and service to the community, with proceeds from the dinner funding two $25,000 John Wooden Leadership Fellowships.

Iger’s focus on creativity, innovative technology and global growth has led Disney to record performance and shareholder value. He’s also overseen the acquisition of Pixar in 2006, Marvel in 2009 and Lucasfilm in 2012.

Past recipients include Indra Nooyi, chairman and CEO of PepsiCo (2011), Peter Ueberroth, managing director of Contrarian Group (2011), Frederick W. Smith, chairman, president and CEO of FedEx (2010), Kenneth Chenault, chairman and CEO of American Express (2009), and Howard Schultz, chairman, president and CEO of Starbucks (2008).

Legendary head coach, author and speaker John Wooden joined UCLA in 1949. Over the next 27 years, he built a record and legacy admired and lauded worldwide. From his induction to the National Basketball Hall of Fame as both a player and a coach, to being named the 1973 Sports Illustrated Sports Man of the Year, to his 10 national championships, Wooden accomplished much. But it was his achievements off the court that he was most proud of. He honed his “Pyramid of Success” during his career, and translated his work ethic and principles into numerous books on leadership. The John Wooden Global Leadership Award Program at UCLA Anderson is built upon those values.

The John Wooden Leadership Fellowships are given to deserving UCLA Anderson students based on their exceptional leadership, academic merit and financial need. Wooden’s leadership philosophy and “Pyramid of Success” are incorporated into the UCLA Anderson curriculum. This year’s recipients are Elliot Ling (MBA ’14) and Jordanna Mora (FEMBA ’15).

Past fellowship recipients include Aviva Altmann (MBA '13), Juan Rose (EMBA '13), Karla Sarni (FEMBA '13), Valerie Sun (FEMBA '13), Russell Altenburg (MBA '12), Archana Rajan (EMBA '11), Joanna Schochet (MBA '11), Shahrouz Golshani (FEMBA '11), Dana Taylor (MBA '10), Andrea Swanson (FEMBA '09) and Christopher Schnakenberg (MBA '09).

Hosted at The Beverly Hilton Hotel, the evening starts with a 6 p.m. cocktail reception, followed by dinner and the main program at 7 p.m. Business attire is appreciated.

Head to our Wooden Awards page for more on the event.

Student Profile: Luca De Micco ('15)

Luca De Micco ('15) is an Italian Air Force veteran. Unlike the private sector, where he would’ve toiled on menial tasks, the military put Luca to work right after graduation. “When I was 24, I was in charge of 39 people” he says.

He graduated from the University of Naples in 2003 with a joint B.S./M.S. in Electronics Engineering, and, since those early days, he’s worked on the development strategy, logistics support and procurement of several projects for the Italian Ministry of Defense.

Deciding which business school to attend was an easy choice for Luca. He was drawn to UCLA Anderson’s top-level faculty, of course, but it was the community that sealed the deal. “I have no doubt Anderson was the right choice. It’s very collaborative. Everyone looks out for each other and is always available to help out. It perfectly matches my personality and ever since I put my foot on campus I’ve only met remarkable, outstanding people.”

That collaboration began with the admissions office before he was even enrolled and has continued as he develops his career plans. “The admissions office, the Parker Career Management Center—they’re very helpful and proactive,” he says. “Parker is the best career center among business schools. They’re always on top of everything.”

His post-graduation plans are straightforward: work in strategy and operations. “There is always a more efficient way of doing things,” he says. And, much like his days in the military, his reasoning is in line with the collaborative nature he loves at UCLA Anderson. “You do it for the team and to make everything better for everyone.”

Head to Linkedin for more on Luca.

Veterans Embark on New Mission: MBA

“The war to end all wars,” also known as World War I, officially ended with the Treaty of Versailles, but fighting had stopped with an armistice that went into effect seven months earlier on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month. That day—November 11th—became a national holiday one year later in 1919. Armistice Day, as it was originally known, was officially changed to Veterans Day in 1954, and continues to celebrate America’s veterans and the historical importance of the date.

UCLA Anderson will celebrate on Monday with all of its current students and alumni who are serving or have. In fact, the class of 2014 counts 18 veterans in its ranks, and campus programs and organizations include the Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for Veterans with Disabilities and the Anderson Military Association. EBV focuses on practical training in the tools and skills of entrepreneurship, as well as support for program graduates. The AMA is “a professional network devoted to advancing the careers of military veterans at UCLA Anderson School of Management.”

Associate Dean of the Full-time MBA program Rob Weiler ('91) says active and former military personnel make excellent MBA candidates and students. "When I was at Parker Career Management Center, I saw that students with a military background brought with them a unique set of skills, including leadership, focus and attention to detail," says Weiler. "When I came to admissions, I viewed them through a different prism, [as] they combined intellectual firepower with a desire to get involved and get the most out of the program, and do well in the job market."

And, the timing for MBA-holding veterans is good. Weiler points out that many major companies—including Amazon, Microsoft and PepsiCo—now have specific recruiters focused solely on veterans.

Read more about UCLA Anderson’s veterans at Assets Digital. Find the EBV page here and the AMA page here.

Faculty Profile: Elisa Long

Elisa Long, assistant professor in Decisions, Operations & Technology Management, loves the way her career brings variety to every day. “Research and teaching require different skillsets and both keep you really engaged,” she says.

Long, who grew up in Fridley, Minn., a small town outside of Minneapolis, now focuses on the global reality of healthcare operations. “We are really at a crossroads in this country, with an increasing number of people needing expensive care, and fewer resources to provide it,” she says. “And, I think a great opportunity exists for the medical community to learn more from business leaders about making the process run better.”

Long previously taught at the Yale School of Management and was drawn to UCLA Anderson not only because of its faculty and research, but also because of its “integration with the rest of campus, most notably the proximity to a world-class medical school and hospital.”

Having received her Ph.D. from Stanford University, she says coming from an engineering school makes her enjoy the interactivity of the MBA classroom and how students can learn from each other, as well as from faculty. She also loves hearing about ways students utilize concepts from class in their lives. “Whether it’s reading a newspaper article with a different perspective, or running a simulation to help decide whether to buy or lease a new car,” she says, “I really love showing students how to think critically about a real-world problem and be able to apply what we learn in class to make better decisions every day.”

Likewise, as a new Angeleno, Long also counts on her daily student interactions to teach her a thing or two. “I’m a food lover, so I always enjoy sharing and receiving new restaurant suggestions, especially since I’m new to Los Angeles.”

Head to Long’s UCLA Anderson page for more on her research interests and publications.

Amped Wireless Hits Big Growth, Inc. 5000 List

The idea that an economic downturn is a good time to start a company has certainly worked out for Jason Owen (’10 FEMBA). Amped Wireless, the company he conceived while still at UCLA Anderson, landed the No. 16 spot on the 2013 Inc. 5000 list. The company was also No. 1 in the computer hardware category and No. 4 in the top California-based companies.

“The business plan was created in Business Plan Development class with [Prof.] Scheinrock,” Owen says. “I was actually forced to start the company, because I was let go at my existing job and I had just graduated as a FEMBA, purchased a home and got engaged. If you remember, the economy was in pretty bad shape and finding a job would be difficult.”

Based in China Hills, Calif., the long-range wireless consumer and business communication products company saw 11,068 percent growth from 2009 to 2012 and went from one employee—Owen—to 26.

Owen (left) and partner John Lane at CES.

Besides learning the intricacies of business planning, Owen says the FEMBA program were key to his, and the company’s, growth. “Without the knowledge I learned and connections made at Anderson, as well as lessons from the GAP program, we would not have been able to get to where we are today,” he says.

And, while he says making the Inc. list is great validation the company is headed in the right direction and a boost to morale among employees and partners, he won’t be resting on the laurel. “We don’t put too much weight on the actual award or any other award, for that matter,” he says. “We’re pretty focused on growing the business and that’s more of the priority than awards and accolades.”

Head to Amped Wireless' homepage for more information.

Faculty Profile: Suhas Sridharan

Suhas Sridharan joined UCLA Anderson as an assistant professor in accounting in July, but didn’t grow up dreaming of a career in academia. She was raised in South Carolina by parents who were both college professors, a circumstance she says made her not want to become one herself.

“I went to Emory University with a goal of not going into academia, and enrolled in Emory’s business program,” Sridharan says. “When I first arrived, I took a financial accounting course with a great instructor who made it so interesting. I became a T.A., and later T.A.’d several other accounting courses with other members of the faculty. That’s when I started thinking about an academic career.”

After Emory, Sridharan earned her Ph.D. at Stanford and honed her research interests, which include financial reporting and corporate research strategies and their implications on risk assessment and valuation. She says the occasional lack of continuity between accounting research and classroom instruction feeds into the stereotype that accounting is a bit dry. “My research looks at how investors use corporate disclosure,” Sridharan says. “These are fundamental questions, but sometimes its hard to think about these things when you’re just doing journal entries.”

A newcomer to Southern California, Sridharan says she loves being at UCLA Anderson, the strength of the faculty, and the opportunity to work closely with her fellow accounting professors and finance faculty as well. “I’ve lived in three areas of the country  and feel UCLA has some really distinct advantages,” Sridharan says. “It’s in the center of the country’s second largest city, where people are doing a lot of different things. Part of business school is exploration and being open. UCLA Anderson offers a broad set of opportunities, and Los Angeles does as well.”

Sridharan is currently teaching Financial Accounting, one of the core courses at UCLA Anderson.