An Opportunity for International Travel in Crete (Part I)

Part I: An Overview of the Trip

Written by Mary Pat Abruzzo. 

Over this past semester my fellow SIBC members and I had the amazing opportunity to work on a project for Mike Sisois and his father Mikes Sisois, who are attempting to start their Sisois Family Olive Oil business and bring it to the U.S. market. After many months of hard work and research, a few of our project team members including myself were chosen to be on the traveling team to present in Crete, Greece, where the Sisios Family Olive Oil Grove is located.

First, we traveled to Athens where we had full days, wandering the streets of Plaka, exploring the Parthenon and eating a gyro or two. Out next stop was in Crete, where the Sisois Family olive grove is located. In the morning, we met Mike Sisois and his father Mikes Sisois to give our presentation. Our presentation included a market analysis to help their small family business branch out to the U.S. market and suggested timeline on a plan for the Sisois Family Olive Oil. This presentation was an amazing way to learn the steps and barriers of starting a new business. It allowed us to gain real world experience in seeing how a small business could expand into the U.S. market.

After the presentation Mike Sisois and his father brought us to their family friend’s house, where we experienced Greek hospitality at its finest, we were served endless cookies, nuts and dates. Next we went to the Olive Oil pressing factory where we walked through every step of making olive oil, from the point where the olives reach the factory to the barrels where the oil is stored. We ended the tour with an olive oil tasting, where they took a pitcher of fresh olive oil directly from the barrels and poured it over fresh bread. This was the freshest olive oil I have ever tasted. It wouldn’t be a proper olive oil tasting without homemade dalos, cheese and olives on the side.

Next we were given a tour of the Sisois Olive Oil Grove, a small grove with a view of the coast of Crete. We learned the process of olive tree harvest and maintenance. If we weren’t already full from the olive oil tasting, we were given more fruit and pastries at the grove. If there if one thing I learned on this trip, it is that Greek hospitality is unlike anything I have experienced! We were welcomed to Greece with open arms and lots of food. Overall, this trip was an amazing way to experience Greek culture through business. I was able to experience firsthand the care of a small family business and meet the people who made a quality product. It was an honor to work with the Sisois family and learn about not only process of making oil olive but about the Greek culture. They were able to open their homes to
us and allow us to have experience Greek culture through family, friends and of course olive oil.

An opporunity for International Travel in Crete (Intro)

First, SIBC would like to thank alumnus Michael Sisois '04 for the project and M&T Trust and Frank Potenziani so our members have the ability and opportunities to travel . 4 members were chosen to travel to Crete, Greece to give a marketing presentation to Sisois Family Olive Grove in Crete. The prompt for the project can be found here (at the bottom of the page). As well as giving a marketing presentation to the Sisois Family in Crete, the members were also able to travel to Athens.

The members chosen to present were Mary Pat Abruzzo, Alex Cooley, Kristen Kuang, and Addie Hardten. Each of the respective members wrote a blog post about certain aspects of Crete. They will be posted in four parts. 

Intro

Written by Addie Hardten

Last week, four students from the USD Student International Business Council (SIBC) traveled to Greece for an amazing business opportunity. These students, Mary Pat Abruzzo (So.), Alex Cooley (So.), Addie Hardten (Fr.), and Kirsten Kuang (Fr.), worked among a team of other SIBC members throughout the semester on a market analysis project for an Olive Oil company in Crete. This company produces high-quality extra-virgin olive oil; it is family owned and run, having been managed as a family hobby for several years, but is now looking to become a profitable brand. These students were all faced with the challenge to conduct a market analysis of the olive oil industry and come up with helpful proposals of key components and considerations for building this company from the ground up.

4 students from the project team, through the support of the SIBC sponsors, were able to travel all the way to beautiful Greece for their project presentation as well as a tour of the grove sights. Not only were these students able to gain valuable business experience and knowledge, but they were able to take advantage of the culture and international exposure this trip provided.

Through the SIBC and the knowledge these students have gained throughout the business school, they were able to take their learning and experience outside of USD and outside of the U.S. to an international setting in which they gained real world, valuable experience.

Pictures from the trip can be found here.

Our four interns are ready for cyprus!

Meet the four members of SIBC who will be interning and living in Cyprus for two months.  (From left to right) Carolina Lemmen Meyer (Social Way Services), Julia Freund (Famous Sports), Marie Lawson (Famous Sports) and Caroline Murray (Social Way Services). They will be blogging every week from Cyprus about what they have done at their respective internships and will be including pictures.

The interns would like to thank Frank Potenziani and M&T Trust for this amazing opportunity to live in Cyprus and experience the European culture and workforce. As well as thank Sofia Panayides for getting these internship opportunities.

For the first blog post, all of the members have written paragraphs on aspects of Cyprus.

Caroline:

As part of the SIBC, four of us are lucky enough to be traveling to Cyprus this summer and interning for both Socialway eServices and Famous Sports. While in Cyprus we are excited to explore our new surroundings and learn more about the country's rich culture. As many people already know, Cyprus is a small country located in the eastern Mediterranean with a strong affinity for Greek Culture. Cyprus joined the European Union in 2004, but still possesses a split government. The recognized Rebulic of Cyprus controls two-thirds of the country, while the Turkish Republic of Nothern Cyprus (only recognized by Turkey) controls the northern one-third of the country. Due to the split government, there are two official languages within the country, Greek and Turkish. An interesting fact is that the majority of those that speak Greek do not understand a bit of Turkish and vice versa. Depending on how you ask within the country, various responses will be given about the relations between both Turks and Greeks within the country. However, tension between the two sides are relatively stable at the moment and show no sign of imminent fighting. In terms of basic daily life for Cypriots, meals commonly consist of vegetables seasoned in olive oil and other spices in addition to various salads and grilled meat or fish. Major industries for the country include both tourism and agriculture, which are large boosters of the economy. Overall, Cyprus has a rich and unique history that we cannot wait to explore more once we get there. 

Marie:

Cyprus gained independence from a variety of foreign rulers in 1960 when it became a Republic. The Constitution drafted with the formation of the Republic designated Greece and Turkey Cypriots or guarantors of independence. Furthermore, there is a Turkish Republic of North Cyprus containing the Turkish minority. The Turkish Cypriots created their own constitution in 1975 and became the Turkish Federated State of Cyprus. The seventh president of the Republic of Cyprus, Nicos Anastasiades, is the leader of the government. The president holds executive power for a term of five years and is elected directly by popular vote. In Cyprus, the voting process is mandatory and is by universal suffrage. In order to exercise his power, the president exercises decision-making through the Council of Ministers and appointed government statesmen. President Anastasiades is a conservative whos directives are focused on the issue of division within the island between the Greek-speaking south and mostly Turkish-speaking north. For 2017, the government agenda has been “strengthening the economy, modernizing the state, and reaching a sustainable solution to unify Cyprus” according to President Anastasiades. In addition, the Republic of Cyprus gained membership in the European Union in May 2004. However, there are restrictions on which matters Cyprus has a say in since they are not developed in all necessary areas of expertise. Furthermore, the judicial system is influenced by English common law with the Supreme Court as the final court of appeal. Other forms of the judicial system include district courts, military courts, and assize courts.

Carolina:

I am very excited to spend this summer working for SocialWay eServices, Cyprus´s leading online marketing company. I am looking forward learning about the economy of Cyprus and their form of government. Cyprus has been a member of the EU since 2004 and has adopted the euro as its national currency. The history of Cyprus economy is fascinating, in 2011 Cyprus was listed as one of the 31 advanced economies in the world by the IMF. Part of the country´s economic success was its ability to steadily recover from the financial crisis in 2013, today it is classified by the World Bank as a high-income country. Unemployment has been declining and GDP has been growing since 2015. Most of its economy is built upon services such as tourism, finance, shipping and real estate, which accounts for more than four fifths of GDP and most of employment. Trade is an essential source of economic prosperity for the island as well, the government does particularly well in trade freedom, it does not impose policies interfering with foreign investment.  The island´s geographical location is very strategic for conducting international business, it is considered a gateway between Europe, Asia, the Middle East and Africa. Cyprus economy is ranked as the 48th freest in the 2018 Index. Cyprus´ speedy return to international markets as well as confidence from foreign investors has been key for Cyprus economic growth. As I learn more about the island´s economic success and the way business is conducted domestically and internationally I would like to express my gratitude to our benefactor Frank Potenziani and M&T Trust for this incredible opportunity.

Julia:

I have researched about places and things that can be done around Cyprus. In Nicosia (where we are staying), there is the Cyprus Museum that has an archaeological collection that is the best in the world. Another museum is the Centre of Visual Arts & Research (CVAR) is also a café and full-service diner that includes artwork from the 18th century and on. In the summer there are projections of old photos and film at the CVAR. The A.G Leventis Gallery is three floors that include Cypriot, Greek and western European paintings. This gallery was created to house the art collection of Anastasios G. Leventis. In Limassol, the archaeological remains of Ancient Kourion is a beautiful site to see as it overlooks the sea. There is also the Painted Troödos churches in Limassol that includes amazing images that were painted on the church's walls. Scuba diving in Larnaca is also a suggested activity, there are shallower shipwrecks, reefs, and caves. The St. Hilarion Castle has an amazing view at the top where visitors can climb to and is home to many legends. There is a national park called Cape Greco that has trails as well as a coastal scenery. The town of Kyrenia in Northern Cyprus has cafes that overlook the harbor and buildings that remind visitors of the old Ottoman empire. Obviously, there are many beaches in Cyprus such as Nissi Beach, Makronissos Beach, Konnos Bay, and Latchi. There are also very good restaurants like Vivaldi in the Four Seasons Hotel and Hokkaido. However, most of the time we will be cooking, but once in a while it is good to know that there are good restaurants to go eat at. There are so many more places and sites to write about around Cyprus, but it would end up being the entire blog post. I am very excited to explore what Cyprus has to offer as it is an amazing place and I have never been there. I am very grateful for this opportunity.

Meet our Four Interns Interning in Cyprus for the Summer!

Caroline Murray

She is a rising sophomore at USD. She is originally from Dallas, TX. While at USD, Caroline has been involved with SIBC and she was fortunate enough to be part of the Mexico City project, which allowed her to travel there. She is also a member of Alpha Chi Omega sorority on campus and the Student Wellness Advisory Board. Caroline is excited for the opportunity to intern in Cyprus and looking forward to an amazing summer there.

Marie Lawson

Marie is a double major in marketing and international business. She is a rising sophomore from Greensboro, North Carolina and cannot be more thrilled to have found my new home at USD. Marie joined SIBC during Fall 2017 and has worked on projects including researching for Facebook and got involved with the Special Events Coordination Team. She has recently been elected onto the SIBC Executive Board as the Special Events Coordinator for the 2018-2019 school year. Marie is very grateful for the incredible opportunity to spend 2 months as an intern for Famous Sports in Cyprus through the SIBC.

Carolina Lemmen Meyer

Carolina is an international student from Mexico. She is a rising senior majoring in international business and minoring in political science. She has been an active member of SIBC for two years and became a member of the executive board her junior year. She participated in the CSTN rebranding project in Chicago and the Vector Pharma advertising project in Mexico City. Carolina is very excited to be working for SocialWays eServices in Cyprus this summer. 

Julia Freund

She is an incoming Junior majoring in International Business and Ethnic Studies. Julia has been with SIBC since the spring of 2017 and has participated and traveled in marketing presentations to CSTN in Chicago and VectorPharma in Mexico City. This past year, Julia served as the Chief Marketing Officer on the Executive Board. She would like to thank M&T Trust, especially Frank Potenziani for the opportunity to live in Cyprus for the summer. 

Stores in France vs. the U.S.

SIBC is a student run council focused on giving its students the opportunity to participate in international business experiences. Our slogan “Peace Through Commerce” expresses SIBC’s intent on engaging in conscientious business enterprises. As a council, we engage in project groups with both national and international companies and fund international internships. Personally, I have formed part of this council since 2015, where I have performed both as a Marketing Director and Internship Director.

It is vital to appreciate the major differences between business cultures in order to successfully engage in international affairs. For this reason, SIBC believes that a summer immersed in Paris, and its business hub, is a worthy experience for an SIBC member.

Something that needs to be known by every American visiting France is that leisure time is VERY important for the French. In contrast to American businesses, French enterprises afford their employees with copious vacation time and short workdays. While we can find 24h stores in the U.S., it would be impossible to find an open store before 9am, or after 8pm in France. Not to mention how everything is closed on Sundays.

This is due to the belief that enough repose allows maximum labor productivity and an increase in profits. On the other hand, the U.S. looks to please the customer by being readily available, and thus increase profits. In short, if you’re traveling to France, be ready to manage your shopping habits around their reduced availability.

The council is focused on affording its students the tools to grow in an international environment. Since SIBC counts with a 1.1 million endowment, it will continue to support its deserving members, including USD, Notre Dame, and Benedictine. I encourage anyone interested in building Peace Through Commerce to join this council. 

Written by Fernanda Lopez Tolsa

Internship Opportunities in France

SIBC is a student run council focused on giving its students the opportunity to participate in international business experiences. Our slogan “Peace Through Commerce” expresses SIBC’s intent on engaging in conscientious business enterprises. As a council, we engage in project groups with both national and international companies and fund international internships. Personally, I have formed part of this council since 2015, where I have performed both as a Marketing Director and Internship Director.

It is vital to appreciate the major differences between business cultures in order to successfully engage in international affairs. For this reason, SIBC believes that a summer immersed in Paris, and its business hub, is a worthy experience for an SIBC member.

What I have realized during my time here is that an internship search is very different in France than in the U.S. In the latter, there are many resources available to students, even foreigners. There is an application process, and internship spots are mostly announced for candidates to see. In France, you must go door to door (in most cases) announcing your interest in the stage (internship). You must take your Curriculum Vitae (with your picture), a letter of motivation, and hope that you give it to the right person.

Since it is so complicated to get an internship, many students rely on agencies that help you find stages. You pay a fee, express you areas of interest, and the agency will work to find the perfect spot for you.

The council is focused on affording its students the tools to grow in an international environment. Since SIBC counts with a 1.1 million endowment, it will continue to support its deserving members, including USD, Notre Dame, and Benedictine. I encourage anyone interested in building Peace Through Commerce to join this council.

Written by Fernanda Lopez Tolsa

SIBC’s Parisian Adventures

SIBC is a student run council focused on giving its students the opportunity to participate in international business experiences. Our slogan “Peace Through Commerce” expresses SIBC’s intent of engaging in conscientious business enterprises. As a council, we engage in project groups with both national and international companies and fund international internships. Personally, I have formed part of this council since 2015, where I have performed both as a Marketing Director and Internship Director.

It is vital to appreciate the major differences between business cultures in order to successfully engage in international affairs. For this reason, SIBC believes that a summer immersed in Paris, and its business hub, is a worthy experience for an SIBC member.

So, I find myself living in central Paris, surrounded by French businessmen and women, learning about our similarities and differences. I am only one week into my experience, so I have to admit I am not yet an expert. However, there is a very important lesson to be learnt about French businesses: the client is not always right.

This is a very harsh contrast to the U.S., where business owners tend to be accommodating, and adaptable to the needs of the customer. However, in France, there is little flexibility when it comes to facilitating contact and transactions. One should not expect to receive any special treatment for being a foreigner. On the contrary, when approaching a French business, one should be knowledgeable of the language, and their business practices. So, when it comes to business in France, try to learn the language, and keep professional and private lives clearly separate. The French will not allow for any type of personal or friendly chat. Every email, and every discussion, should be brief and to the point. Hopefully this first lesson is helpful for future interactions.

This experience would not have been possible without the help of SIBC, which is sponsoring part of my trip. The council is focused on affording its students the tools to grow in an international environment, and will continue to do so with its deserving members. I encourage anyone interested in building Peace Through Commerce to join this council.

Fernanda Lopez Tolsa — Internship Director

SIBC TAKES OVER CHICAGO

The story of SIBC in Chicago is one of beginnings. A blossoming comradeship, a new and challenging project, and the opportunity to discover the emerging industries within Chicago all characterized this experience.

It all started with Gabriel Nakashima and Eric Waldstein, who gave USD SIBC the opportunity to work in a Recruiting Campaign for the Charter Substitute Teacher Network. Our job was to create a consulting project on how to generate 1400 applications for their Substitute Teacher Program while allocating funds for marketing outreach.

The relationship developed between the SIBC project members was the most satisfactory thing to watch. We started out as strangers, yet turned into friends and colleagues. The late nights working over our presentation, our collaboration, and our collective excitement, united us in what I hope will be a long lasting community of SIBC members.

SIBC Project Group in Willis Tower. Pictured (top to bottom, left to right): Alex Spangler, Sofia Panayides, Julia Freund, Carolina Lemmen Meyer, Fernanda López Tolsa, Abigail Hotchkiss.

The project made us push our boundaries. Each of us delved into complicated subject areas, especially market research and allocation of funds for marketing research. Yet, it made us more capable to face challenging ventures under time constraints.

By April , the time had come to present our findings to CSTN’s CEO: Eric Waldstein. The project group arrive in O’Hare International Airport April 6th. The following morning, we got the exciting opportunity to head down to the company’s headquarters in downtown Chicago. Here, we exposed our ideas to Mr. Waldstein. Following an excellent presentation, we had the opportunity to mingle with both Mr. Waldstein and the Notre Damme SIBC chapter.

SIBC Project Grop and CSTN CEO (left to right): Sofia Panayides, Eric Waldstein, Abby Hotchkiss, Julia Freund, Carolina Lemmen Meyer, Martin Layco, Alexander Spangler, Megan Kerpsack, and Fernanda López Tolsa.

We culminated our trip by discovering the city of Chicago. We were treated to fine food and activities by SIBC, which helped us enjoy the beautiful city. All in all, this was an experience filled with intelligent and unique people, networking opportunities, real world business projects, and the exploration of a The Windy City.

CSTN: http://www.cstnchicago.com/

USDSIBC: http://www.sibc.sandiego.edu