My internship experience... By Lucas Chapin

Starting day one at The Idea Village, I had little idea of what to expect. At that point the extent of my knowledge about this organization came from a 30-minute phone conversation with Daryn Dodson and a little internet research. What I've experienced in the past two months has surpassed my expectations for a lively and meaningful internship.

Contributions I've made include research and a bit of writing for the IDEAcorps business plan, various tasks such as website design and even some modeling for the launch of our "Trust Your Crazy Ideas" merchandise line, and now the writing of this newsletter. Though I can't claim complete ownership over any single project, I'm proud to be part of a team that's accomplished quite a bit this summer.

What really distinguishes The Idea Village from other businesses is the supportive yet challenging environment here. "The Village People," as they are sometimes affectionately called, love collaboration and are all incredibly talented, fueling an atmosphere in which mediocrity is viewed as complicity. It was impossible for me to quickly jot out a S.W.O.T. analysis without fully thinking it through knowing that Daryn would be critically reviewing it and challenging me to refine and improve it. On the other hand, true to our mantra, seemingly crazy ideas are never discouraged here – when we suggested a launch party with guest speakers, hors d'oeuvres, and a rum bar as a way to market our new merchandise, Lauren ran with the idea and even suggested bringing in a famous painter.

Most of all, my experience has been meaningful because my co-workers at The Idea Village value my input and trust me with great responsibility. The interns were given full control over our own merchandise "business," managing everything from t-shirt designs to distribution channels. The Village People also care about our personal development as much as our contributions: Daryn frequently teaches us business school material for enrichment and Miji has even driven us around the 9th ward simply for better cultural understanding.

I came to New Orleans to make an impact on the post-Katrina revitalization movement, but I thought my contribution might involve little more than data entry in excel worksheets. Working at The Idea Village has allowed me to make the contribution I envisioned and at the same time develop on a professional and personal level.

yes, i cried... but not in t-group

Spring Break for me had always been skiing in Colorado or drinking beer on a beach. As a 1st year at the GSB, I did both and had a great time.

After returning from break last March, I kept hearing stories from friends about the great experiences they had on their Service Learning Trips. This year, I finally decided to apply for one when Andy Doyle reminded me that "the best thing [he] did at the GSB was [his] service learning trip to New Orleans."

I joined 14 GSB classmates and Elizabeth Macholan, a PMP staff member with the Service Learning Program, on a trip to New Orleans. The trip was led by Shara Tortora, MBA2, and Darren Dodson, MBA2, who both participated in last year's trip.

This year, the leaders designed a trip focused on having a more lasting impact on the New Orleans community by leveraging the unique business skills we have acquired at the GSB.

We partnered with Idea Village, a New Orleans-based organization that helps entrepreneurs and small businesses succeed, which introduced us to 25 small businesses. The businesses were located in three city corridors that are struggling to regain their economic footing post-Katrina.

We were divided into five teams of three and each team met with five businesses. After meetings with the business owners, the teams developed a set of tactical and strategic recommendations for each business.

Unbeknownst to the entrepreneurs, we had access to a fund of $50,000 from which to make small investments (NPV-positive, of course) across the 25 businesses. Part of the grant money was provided by a New Orleans entrepreneur who Idea Village had assisted a year ago.

Idea Village gives grants, not loans, but encourages recipients to "pay it forward". This contribution was generously matched by an anonymous GSB alum.

The task of allocating the grant funding, with the objective of maximizing community welfare, was extraordinarily difficult. The distribution was complicated by the special bonds formed between GSB teams and the entrepreneurs with whom they were working, resulting in a lively and emotional debate.

These are case studies of a business we chose to fund and a business we were not able to support financially, though we provided recommendations to each business.

Part of our mission in New Orleans was to educate ourselves about the situation from as many perspectives as possible. In addition to the service aspect of our trip, we had several meetings with civic leaders such as Mayor Ray Nagin, Lieutenant Governor Mitch Landrieu and Business Council leader Jay Lapeyre.

Oh and New Orleans happens to be a lot of fun. The group spent most nights on Bourbon Street or in other areas of town enjoying great food, amazing music and plenty of drinks.

Having completed a service learning trip, I am in agreement with Andy Doyle that it was the best experience I had at the GSB. The trip was a powerful reminder of how special the people at the GSB are and how the teachings of the GSB enable us to make an impact in the real world.

Finally, I want to encourage people to visit New Orleans as the city continues the tradition of good times despite the fact that it remains in need of continued help.

IDEAcorps Summer

IDEAcorps™ was truly a great experience. The knowledge that I gained from that summer has been extremely valuable to me as I grow as a professional. I feel very fortunate to have been a part of the initial IDEAcorps™ team.