I’ve realized that more good things happen for me the more I’m around people. I get invited to more dinners, events, weddings, etc. But I also find that people and conversation keep the mind sharp and focused. The idle mind tends to dwell on non-issues and not focus on the big picture.

I’m also in a relationship oriented business so it’s good for me to be around people. Sometimes it’s nice to unwind and just hang out alone for a bit, but in general I find that I’m happiest when I’m relevant in other peoples’ lives.

I had always imagined that fraternities and sororities were formed of groups of students who spent their time binge drinking and avoiding school. My impressions of frat houses had been formed from their depiction in the movies: reckless college students with mediocre futures who didn’t take life seriously. This led to reservations about joining a fraternity; I did not want to be hazed and I did not want to be a “frat boy.” These impressions were further reinforced by family members and friends, who kept telling me that fraternities were a bad idea.

I joined UC Berkeley in  September 2005, and one day I was approached by two South Asian students. A quick conversation revealed that they were double and triple majoring, and had bright outlooks for gaining admission to top notch graduate schools. They mentioned that they were members of Alpha Epsilon Zeta (AEZ), a South Asian fraternity on the UC Berkeley campus, and encouraged me to come out to their informational session the following day. I was impressed by the students’ professional demeanor but decided that I’d wait till the following year, when I would have settled in as a sophomore.

I ended up attending the session after all, thanks to a freshman friend of mine who was keen on it. When I arrived, I noticed that the AEZ brothers (as fraternity members are known) were clean-shaven, wearing suits, and had high quality presentations printed for each attendee. What caught my eye immediately were the free refreshments, but I was struck by the meticulous organization of the event. The presentation emphasized the fact that the AEZ fraternity was not about partying, binge drinking, and finding mediocre jobs. I remember hearing one of the speakers say, “We prefer individuals who stay up until 3 a.m. working on their class presentation to those that are out getting drunk until 3 a.m.” It was a little funny to hear something so “grown-up,” coming from someone just a year or two older than me, but it was also refreshing. I learned about the corporate relationships the brothers had built and how they all helped each other find jobs, research positions, and post-grad opportunities.

The ideas they presented were great, but I still wasn’t sure about joining a campus organization my freshman year. I wanted to ease into classes and college life without having to stress about other commitments.

A few days later, I ran into two AEZ brothers, Rakesh Vij and Neil Bhalerao, who invited me to their rush event later that day (Editors note: a “rush” is a sales pitch to recruit new members). I explained that I wanted to wait until my sophomore year to join.

Rakesh responded: “AEZ is a great choice regardless of what year you decide to pledge. The skills you will learn throughout the pledge process are invaluable and are likely to aid you throughout your college career—in classes, internships, and other on-campus groups. We understand that you’re smart; nobody who comes to Berkeley is here by chance. But once you’re here there is nothing that distinguishes you from the other 40,000 students. There is nothing that puts you a step ahead. The goal of our organization is to help each brother make the most of his potential during his four years in college. The best way to accomplish that is by using all four years to get there, as opposed to three.”

I was sold!

I had no idea at the time that I was making the best decision of my college life. Since being inducted to AEZ, I’ve had the opportunity to meet CEOs of various companies, leverage AEZ’s connections for internships, and establish a lifelong brotherhood with many friends. And it truly has helped me make the most of my potential. I had no idea what a proper resume should look like and what guidelines it should follow. Older AEZ brothers have helped make my resume effective and now the younger guys are turning to me for guidance. The system of paying it forward in AEZ is quite impressive. I can call anyone, at any time in the day, and be assured that he’ll take the time to make sure his brother is doing okay and getting the needed  information.

The other area in which AEZ has given me phenomenal guidance is with interview skills. AEZ’s emphasis on extensive mock interviews and company/industry research has helped me find job opportunities and convert them into offers. Of the five positions I’ve interviewed for in the last three years, I have received four offers and taken three of them.

But AEZ doesn’t stop at creating opportunities. It has given me skills to succeed in the work place as well. Prior to crossing, (Editor’s note: novice members, called pledges, “cross” when they are accepted as brothers in the fraternity) I had already taken workshops in Microsoft Powerpoint, Excel, Outlook, and more. To ensure each brother is well rounded, pledges attend workshops that cover topics in multiple industries, not just the area in which they are majoring. For example, during my pledge process I attended workshops on investing, the pharmaceutical drug industry, and computer engineering.

Realizing early how powerful and valuable this organization can be to those who participate, I make it a point to always give back in any way I can. As a sophomore I was the fraternity’s first ever Alumni Relations chair and I put into place multiple programs and events, such as alumni-active networking dinners, that will be an ongoing part of AEZ’s   programs. As a senior in college now, I serve as an advisor to the new leaders.

Looking back at my earlier uncertainty about fraternities, I am very thankful I decided to join AEZ. Not only have I learned many valuable skills, but I have also helped shape the future of those younger than me who share my passion for this powerful network. If you are an incoming freshmen at UC Berkeley, I strongly suggest you check out AEZ and see if it’s right for you.

Alpha Epsilon Zeta, or AEZ, is the premier South Asian professional fraternity in the west coast. Its goal is to create the largest South Asian network amongst professionals and graduate students.

The AEZ informational for Fall 2009 will be held in the Madrone Room at the UC Berkeley campus on Tuesday, September 8th, from 7-9pm. Directions to the venue can be found at http://www.berkeley.edu/map. More information on AEZ can be found at http://www.aezinc.org.

Tushar Kumar is a recent graduate of UC Berkeley and is starting a career in San Francisco with the Northwestern Mutual Financial Network.

ReTargeter is the most effective way to optimize your current online ad spend / marketing efforts and a great way to make your brand unforgettable with your customer base. We accomplish this by showing ads to your website’s visitors after they have left your site.

2. How did you conceive the idea?

The concept of retargeting has been around for a couple of years but has only been available to advertisers with very deep pockets. Our technology allows this solution to be available to small to medium sized businesses. We understood that the technology is incredibly powerful but only available to a select few and thus worked to develop technology that would allow everyone to access this technology.

3. What type of businesses make the ideal client?

To be quite frank any business that is selling or promoting something online with a decent amount of monthly traffic. We have clients ranging from large real estate companies to rock bands to B2B technology companies. We have even received interest from politicians.

4. How is this service changing the way online advertisements work or how is it benefiting current online advertisers?

We are at the forefront of a change in the advertising space where we will no longer have sites on the web that attract a specific set of advertisers but rather advertisers will pay for the ability to “follow” and “target” specific groups of people across the web regardless of where they are on the web. This is a more effective way to advertise to your customers as you are hitting only your target market and not wasting impressions. Our solution is at the forefront of this paradigm change in advertising.

5. Do you see ReTargeter’s business model changing or evolving in the near future? If so, how?

As with any new company we will need to be nimble enough to adapt to changes with our customer base and the advertising ecosystem. That being said it is very difficult to predict how our model will change. The only thing I know is that it will. ☺

6. What are some possible changes in the industry that could adversely affect ReTargeter’s value proposition?

As far as our value proposition is concerned we are positioned quite well to withstand any foreseeable changes in the industry. We will need to continue to provide the best & quickest customer service, expansive & quality ad inventory, and creative & impactful consulting for our company to stay successful.

7. What are ReTargeter’s short term and long term goals? Is an IPO a possibility?

Our short term and long term goals are to stay focused on building an amazing cash-flow positive business with a large set of loyal customers and happy employees. The exit opportunities will be abundant if we can execute on this vision.

By: Zach A. Williams

Contributing Writer | Thursday April 16, 2009

When Haas School of Business seniors Alex Velez and Nikhil Arora approached vendors in January, many questioned why the soon-to-be graduates were going into the mushroom-selling business. 

Now, the duo is launching BTTR Ventures, a company with an environmental conscience that will help turn used coffee grounds into mushrooms for public sale. 

With its first crop expected to hit stores in late May, the company will acquire waste from local cafes, turning coffee grounds into rich fertilizer for their specialty fungi, Arora said. In addition, they will receive the mushroom spawn required to grow the fungi free of cost. 

“We’re taking one of the largest waste streams and … turning that into a nutritious food source and a valuable product too,” he said. “We’re diverting the waste.” 

Once the grounds have been used to produce the mushrooms, the fungal compost will be donated to City Slicker Farms in Oakland, Velez said, adding that BTTR Ventures hopes to create 10 urban farming jobs within six months. 

“We want to really try to create a closed loop, zero waste system,” he said. 

Because its primary expenditure is warehouse space, the company will have minimal production costs, enabling them to offer their mushrooms for four to eight dollars per pound, depending on the grocer, Arora said. 

He said several businesses, from waste providers to prospective buyers, have expressed interest in the low-cost product. 

Gunter Pauli, founder of the Zero Emissions Research and Initiatives Foundation, said the company’s business model has already proven successful internationally, creating green jobs and reducing emissions. 

“I think they not only will be profitable, I think they can become a green job machine in the Bay Area,” Pauli said. “Coffee and tea waste is one of the most abundant waste streams in America.” 

Though Americans consume few mushrooms per capita, Pauli said the business will become increasingly lucrative as it continues to drive prices lower. 

He said the duo’s plan to develop a national network of local growers is reasonable, as coffee waste is available from cafes and businesses across the country. 

But agricultural and resource economics professor David Zilberman said the mushrooms could become a smaller specialty product because of their cost relative to other produce. He said the company must market its environmental friendliness and high quality to garner support. 

“It’s a small niche, but it’s maybe a viable niche,” he said. “This is not something that will sell at a large scale.” 

Arora said he hopes the company will flourish locally and provide an example for similar business models. 

“We’re growing higher quality mushrooms that are going to your store a day after they’ve been grown,” he said. “No one else can offer that.”

US-Based Bihar Organization Raising Money for Flood Relief

Patna: Sept. 30, 2008

The American Organization for Development of Bihar (AODB) and Bihar Samaj in the Bay area in San Francisco have joined hands with a number of private organizations to raise funds to help flood victims in Bihar.

Sujay Roy, Coordinator Bihar flood Relief Committee, in a message to PatnaDaily.Com on Tuesday, informed about the upcoming fund-raising event on Friday, Oct. 17, 2008 at the India Community Center (ICC), 525 Los Coches St, Milpitas, CA at 7:00 pm.

The AODB is working in cooperation with the American India Foundation, BATA, FIA-NC, FIBA, FIJIANA, India Community Center, Indians for Collective Action, India Literacy Project, Prabasi, Sewa International, Sunnyvale Hindu Temple, TiE, and UPMA in the hope of raising fund for the hundreds of thousands of flood victims in five districts where many people are still waiting for relief items to reach them.

Film producer, director, and screenwriter Prakash Jha, who is right in the middle of relief work in north Bihar with his flood relief project ‘Punarwaas’, will attend the fund-raising event as special guest, Roy said.

The evening will feature musical entertainment by Bay Area favorites, Praveen Chaddha and Ritee, along with Sanjay Sen. The variety entertainment will also feature kathak by Tarangini School of Kathak Dance, film dance by Naach and Aavartan teams.

Tax-deductible donations could be made by contacting Varsha (408) 250-7408, Sujay (510) 651-3711, or Rajiv (510) 648-5093.

Details of the event can also be found at www.aodb.org.

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In the last 25 years we have seen a huge increase in the percent of students continuing further education after high school. I don’t know what the numbers are exactly, but I’m positive they are significant. It seems that in today’s market it’s next to impossible to earn a decent salary without at least an undergraduate degree. Most places looking for new employees have a college degree as a minimum requirement. Demand for high-skilled labor is going up as our economy turns more global in nature. And with the baby boomers leaving the workforce, we’re going to see an increase in demand for these high-skilled jobs. The way the current unemployment numbers look, you may not be entirely convinced, but keep an eye out on the data over the next decade. People looking for jobs should be able to more easily come across opportunities as companies look for new labor to fill the exodus of baby boomers from the work force.

So what? You must be wondering why this increase in an educated population causes people to jump from job to job like frogs on lily pads. My mom says that folks in my generation have the attention span of a goldfish. Remember Dory in Finding Nemo? As more and more students continue with higher education, it becomes harder to distinguish one candidate from the next. So employers start by screening by GPA. That’s one filter, but it’s not enough. What else can they use? They start looking at involvement in on campus groups and extracurricular activities. With 500 students in a school’s business club it seems there needs to be something else to sift through the applicant pool. Aha! What could be better to screen a candidate by than his previous work experience? After all, school teaches you only how to learn, not how to apply it. Hiring a candidate with a proven work record than one with solely an academic record may be a safer bet from the employer’s perspective. Alas, a need for people to prove themselves, to pad their resumes, to get as much under their belt as possible while they are still in school, to make sure that they get only the best entry level position available. And it does not seem to stop with the undergraduate experience. The trend is continuing even after college graduation, as I mentioned earlier. It will be interesting to see where this phenomenon takes its course over the next few decades. In the meantime, find yourself a job in HR. With so many people moving in and out of companies, you can feel secure that your company will need you to handle its paperwork.