Briscoe Business Ownership Club demystifies the world of business buying

You are a very involved student at JMSB; tell me about your other activities and how these have complemented what you are learning at the BBOC.

During the Fall 2019 term, I was part of the Co-op program, through which I had a great time at Bombardier Aviation working as a Project Management Intern. Connecting my BBOC and the Co-op internship program experiences has been quite beneficial as I have been better prepared to contribute to and absorb from my internship in the aviation industry. The combination of experiences has also allowed me to see how business challenges can be overcome and how policies and processes addressing those challenges can be applied to different areas of life, both academic and professional. 

My involvement with the John Molson Sustainable Business Group (JMSBG) has also been great; in my first year at JMSB as a participant in the Sustainable Business Plan Competition and, in my second year, as part of the Executive Committee in the VP Partnerships and Communications role. Although the JMSBG's activities were cut short due to COVID-19 safety measures, the run up and preparations for the competition made for a steep learning curve. The biggest takeaway from this was the importance of conviction, coordination and communication between all stakeholders at all times. Certainly, my experiences in various case competitions and events have helped me better handle my responsibilities in the BBOC.

You’ll be graduating this Summer; what are your plans post-MBA?

After my MBA, ideally, I want to work for 5 - 6 years to gain the right experience in the Canadian market to be able to chart out and network with important stakeholders, dive deep to understand industry trends, and define future market requirements. This will allow me to  keep an eye out for the right industry to invest in.  Industries and markets tend to change pretty drastically and frequently, so having an expansive plan with rigid scopes will not bode well for me at this point in time. Therefore, I aim to gather more information, refine my knowledge and build my network until I feel that I am ready to be an investor.

Do you have any thoughts about the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic?

COVID-19 has certainly changed the way business is conducted across the globe and brings an interesting question to the forefront: “Will this be the new normal?” Even though the markets have been quite distressed, industries around the world have been quick to absorb the blow by modifying their products or services to adapt to restrictions and guidelines. These modifications might become an added service feature or even a new product for these companies.  

At the outset of the pandemic, the supply-demand equation was mismatched; services and products across all industries and markets were misaligned with customer demands and requirements, not in terms of quantity, but for their effectiveness and relevance.  Social distancing has led to newer ways of bringing people closer and has potentially opened up many unexplored opportunities for organisations and consumers alike.

When we look at repreneurship, while there has been a slowdown in the purchasing of most offline and physical service-oriented businesses, other businesses in the fields of cybersecurity, digital marketing, healthcare, telecommunication, online gaming, and digital streaming platforms have all seen a considerable increase in interest from investors. An example would be the acquisition of the Montreal-based telecommunication services company, KE Group, by a computing services company, Northern Data AG, which says volumes about the future demand and interest in these industries.

The current market is or will become a hyper-agile environment where organisations need to have a solid vision, constant refinement of market knowledge and product relevance, in addition to a workforce that is aligned and armed with the right skillset. Me and my fellow MBA students and graduates sit in a unique position now as we have been able to learn from the past in order to seize momentum by improving our competence in line with the demands of tomorrow.

Amith Anand is finishing his last course for his John Molson MBA degree and is currently seeking opportunities in project management with an eye on moving to strategy roles further down the line.

For more information on the John Molson MBA, visit our website. Then connect with a recruiter to arrange a one-to-one meeting or participate in one of our many online information sessions.