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acknowledgement. I sadly realised that I can not please everyone. Despite my best efforts, there will always
be a degree of dissatisfaction somewhere in the organization. I also learned a second valuable lesson from
the experience. At the time, I lacked the courage to say I need help. Now I have the courage to admit I am
not a super woman, even if the realisation still slightly unsettles me.
Develop Foreign Markets
My long-term professional goal is to promote the sale and marketing of medical products in China, where the
pharmaceutical industry is currently its nascent stage. With its large population, China offers tremendous
investment opportunities for pharmaceutical manufacturers in western countries. Yet these firms also face
tremendous barriers to enter the Chinese market, including price control, protection of intellectual property
and the unavailability of basic medical care. One of my multi-national clients determined that only 2 percent
of hepatitis patients in China are potential users of their drug, because the rest lack access to a health care
program.
With admission to the World Trade Organization (WTO), China will implement a higher standard of
intellectual property protection and better access to consumer markets. As the economy improves, more
people will be able to afford better medical treatment. In the next 5 to 10 years, China will establish new
laws to dramatically improve the market conditions for pharmaceuticals. I plan to play a key role in
developing marketing strategies that introduce western medicine throughout China.
My intermediate professional goals are to strengthen my general management skills, to deepen my
understanding of sales and marketing and to develop effective global business strategies. In addition to
supporting my long-term career in China, these goals will also enhance my current professional
performance. As my company expands in size and scope, several teams often serve the same client. To
provide optimal service, we must coordinate teams that are led by different project managers throughout the
world. With the multicultural experience from Columbia's MBA program, I will be better prepared to manage
international work teams.
My current career will also benefit from formal training in sales and marketing. As a manager in forecasting,
I share knowledge throughout my organization, which helps other managers sell our forecasting capability to
clients. In the past few years, our clients posed questions that are increasingly complex. To continually add
value to my services, I need a deeper understanding of the overall sales and marketing issues for the
pharmaceutical industry and how different forces cause changes in the marketplace. As a practice area
manager in a global company, I already work with clients outside the US. My clients are usually the global
marketing function in a multi-national company, with formal knowledge of international business practices.
My goal is to provide comprehensive services to my clients, to eliminate their need to seek sales and
marketing support elsewhere.
I am particularly interested in Columbia because of its strong reputation for cultural diversity. I am eager to
learn from students with different educational and cultural backgrounds, including older students with a
wealth of practical experience. Such interdisciplinary interaction will strengthen what I learn and allow me to
view problems with a fresh perspective. These educational experiences, which are not readily available in
my workplace, will enable me to take my career to the next level.
With its exceptional program in strategy and global business, Columbia is an excellent match for my goals
and interests. In addition, its proximity to the financial community in New York and its courses in Health
Management will enrich my knowledge in related industries. I am particularly attracted to the small class
size and the team approach, which fosters communication among students and faculty. As a Tufts alumni, I
have worked with several Columbia graduates who display a strong devotion to their alma mater. I am
eager to develop my skills in such a talented group.
Develop Foreign Markets
I like to build my own road. Over the years I have ventured into unchartered territories, which ultimately
became the key to my success. Coupled with initiative, risk-taking and perseverance, I was able to achieve
my dreams. With a business degree from Harvard, there are no limits to my entrepreneurial potential.
While completing my BA at Stanford, I started an home-based company to conduct risk analysis of finance-
markets using artificial intelligence. At the time, most competitive firms were run by large corporations,
rather than by entrepreneurs. With the skills I acquired from Stanford's undergraduate finance classes, I
won the 1998 New Venture Challenge, which funded my startup costs. At an informal social gathering, I
persuaded Joe Monsueto, founder of Morningstar Inc., to join the board of my company. With two
colleagues from Stanford, I "went public" with my firm during the stock market debacle of 1999. This was
risky, considering I had large debts and no safe returns, yet I was confident of my idea. After two years of
hard work and additional debt, we finally made some serious money. In early 2001, I sold my company to
Prudential Securities (for $22,000,000) to pursue my vision of opening a firm in India.
After a six-month break in late 2001, I opened my second company, Bonicita, a vertically-integrated firm
that manufactures, distributes and sells a full line of handmade Indian products throughout the world.
Although handmade Indian clothing and decorative goods enjoy great demand, no single company offered a
diversified product line. With my contacts at numerous manufacturing firms in Bangalore, I had access to
high quality goods at rock-bottom prices. My challenge was simply to transport and market the goods.
Although it seemed like an easy task, I faced enormous logistical problems. When I began, the goods were
produced at many scattered locations by part-time workers who could not meet my minimum supply
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