During my weeks in the Real Business Experience I gained a wealth of information. The most beneficial part of the class was the adult style learning, or learning from experience. I was thrown into the world of start-up business with a role as CFO. This presented many challenges because the number one thing a board of investors will need to know before buying into you company is how sound your numbers were. In our case, I had to recalculate all of our company’s financials tens maybe hundreds of times. The proof of concept was a very positive learning experience. It helped us see that success wasn’t as out of reach that we sometimes thought it was. Our day-to-day projections were almost doubled by the results we had in our proof of concept. This experience was helpful because success is the driving force to business and without it many people can because bored or they may give up. The POV also helped make our financial assumptions more realistic. The business skills learned, in my mind, were more valuable than gold. Being an accounting major and being able to actually create the financials for a start-up company was an experience unparalleled to any accounting class I could take. RBE was the major deciding factor as to why I chose Butler as my university and to sum it up; I was not let down.
-Tyler Clabough C.F.O.
Coming into a class like RBE was an experience that I’m sure many first-time business people face in the “real world” on their first day of work. Filled with daily assignments, crunching deadlines, and the stress of management, we saw the truth behind business. It’s not just crunching numbers, sitting behind a really big desk, or gaining a really awesome title. It’s learning to work with others, good and bad, and making the best of it. We are the new generation of young professionals learning what it takes to make it in the competitive world of business. Faced against other competitive groups looking to make a few bucks, we felt the pressure to surpass the others and come out on top. However, our mindset changed when we realized that making anything at all was more of a goal than coming in first. Late nights of powerpoints and project proposals exposed us to the realities of real-world business. Phone calls with Red Bull and sitting outside of Atherton in the hopes to “conveniently give you wings”, we strived to make a profit.
In the end, we were tired and ready to reach the finish line. And we did. Would we want to do the same experience over again? Not really. If faced with the same situation, would we succeed? Hopefully. Are we now prepared for real-world, real-business? Yes.
-Kate Woessner, CEO
The lessons learned from this class have been very valuable to making a business work properly. As a student, I’ve gained knowledge that I know will translate seamlessly into the “real world” and as a businessman, I’ve gained the confidence required to make a successful life. This class has opened my eyes to all the potential job markets that are out there that I was unaware of. Working alongside mentors that are and have been in the real business world has allowed me to see myself in job titles, like risk management, that otherwise would have never surfaced for me. This class has been exceedingly helpful for me in deciding what my future path may be and whether or not I’ll succeed in that career.
“All is connected … no one thing can change by itself.” -Paul Hawken
-Ryan Bacon, Head of Operations
The RBE experience I received was a fantastic one. In completing the course, I feel ready for the business world and ready to take on the challenges that may arise in the work place. This class is not only taught to give educational and factual knowledge to students, but allows for a hands on experience that few business programs across the country can offer. Being a part of an idea that turned into a business, which eventually made a profit and made me some money as well.
-Kevin Schwartz, V.P. of Sales and Marketing