Jumping into the world of International Business!

Interns began their week by learning about the business for which they will develop marketing strategies. Teams each meet with their business partners to learn more about the person, their life, aspirations, community impact, and goals of expansion. 

Interns learned about what it takes to consult a business and understand the issues they might face through an interactive lecture, with program director Marc Zavarro. Mr. Zavarro pushed interns to ask the questions most don’t think of because the smallest detail can aid in the overall case conclusion. Interns used their prior knowledge and experience to evaluate the issues their business partners are facing.

The program had the pleasure of hearing from Umar, the country director of Nigeria for Leadership Initiatives, about what life is like in Nigeria such as the cuisine, family, careers, and traditions. Pulling comparisons from American and Nigerian experiences gave interns a deeper understanding of their business partners’ personal experiences.

After lunch, Interns received the opportunity to visit the Embassy of Austria and hear a presentation from an embassy official. Students were given traditional Austrian cookies and asked questions about what working at an embassy entailed and their international relations in business transactions. 

Interns ended the night by hearing a lecture from Professor Luc Wathieu on marketing and its impacts on businesses, both good and bad, and how impactful a good marketing strategy can be for small businesses especially those in the developing world.

Interns got to explore Georgetown with their team leads and get some after-lecture snacks before heading to bed for a long day ahead.