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Hello world!
Since this is a first in the blogging world for me, let me give you a quick idea of who I am. My name is Pierre Babineau, 24 years young, and I am an Industrial Marketing Advisor with FPInnovations in New-Brunswick. I'm from East Coast Canada, a proud Acadian, and an avid fan of the Montreal Canadiens. I graduated from Université Moncton (BBA - International Management) and followed it by going to Laval University (MBA - Marketing), where I recently graduated.
I've been debating on starting a blog over the past couple of years, but lack of time (and mostly procrastination) has kept me silent. However, after my last business trip to the USA, I had so many things to say and ideas going through my mind that I decided to use this platform to express what I have hiding inside of me. It will be based on marketing, but I'll be all over the place to keep you all guessing. Eventually I might actually discuss something marketing related...
First thing I have to say with this blog: Students, you HAVE to TRAVEL!
Traveling is so much more than a vacation. To be honest, my traveling experiences are far from relaxing, and I do not consider them vacations at all. Leaving your country and visiting other countries - and more importantly, living in a new, unknown environment and learning how cultures are incredibly diversified - is key to reaching higher peaks in your career. Why? Easy:
1. Traveling will open your mind to bigger problems than the ones you see in your day-to-day life.
I'm from Moncton, New-Brunswick, Canada. You're done checking Google Maps? OK. In this small city of less than 200 000 citizens, we see certain problems (both from our society and our political system). However, leaving my nest and visiting countries like Mexico, Poland, Estonia, South Africa, India or China opened my mind to where the true, larger problems lie. Whether you want to discuss over-population, discrimination, pollution, poverty, drugs, prostitution, or ever access to clean water and education (etc. etc.), seeing it with your own eyes will help you understand how important these issues are and why we, as the global society, need to work together and address these.
2. Traveling will help you understand what is the thought behind "Capitalism 24902".
Not sure what it is? Can't blame you. It hasn't really caught on yet, but I believe it's worth looking into. Sir Richard Branson (for those who don't know, he's the brain behind the Virgin Empire) has discussed this project in both "Screw Business as Usual" and briefly in a chapter in "Like a Virgin: Secrets They Won't Teach You at Business School", both books which should be read by any entrepreneur enthusiast. To make it short, "It means reinventing how we live in the world to create a far more balanced, healthy, and peaceful place". If you don't know what the problems are globally, how can you join the movement? And trust me, if Sir Branson says that's the way the business world is going, you better join it and not fight it!
3. Traveling helps you grow as an individual.
When you travel, you develop numerous important traits that will help you all along your life, both personally and professionally. Among other things, you will become resourceful, independent, confident and open-minded. Who doesn't want that?
4. Traveling will help you become an international citizen.
Logging into Facebook, you will have posts from 40 different countries from every timezone in the world. You will force yourself to learn basics in multiple languages. But most importantly, you will develop your global network! Once you enter the workforce, you will quickly realize that having contacts in every country is an important asset, since you will eventually be working with more countries than you can count on your hands ...and feet!
5. Traveling will make you a better leader.
Through everything, you will also quickly grasp cultural impact in everything around you - something that will be vital when you become a leader in a multicultural environment. Since the global community is becoming a norm in most business models, and to have staff from different cultural backgrounds is inevitable, you need to be able to understand and manage every employee to keep them happy. I'm not saying you will become an expert after a 2-month trip to China, but you will gain important knowledge and an edge over your competition.
Listen, traveling can be expensive. And I'll talk about that next week. But all I can say is, if you're a business student, and you've never left your backyard, you will have a tough time once the global marketplace comes knocking on your door. So get out there, forget your comfort zone, and become a better you - one country at a time!
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Pierre Babineau is an MBA graduate from Laval University. Currently working as an Industrial Marketing Advisor at FPInnovations, he has worked in Canada, USA, South Africa and India in various positions such as International Development Agent, Head of Trade Mission, Director of Internet Marketing and Independent Consultant.
You can reach Pierre Babineau on Twitter, LinkedIn or on his personal website.
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