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When my team and I embarked on the UBC challenge back in February, it was simply a chance to gather at the university library after classes and bond with other cohort members over a collective problem-solving task. However, as we delved into the trading simulations of the first week, it quickly became apparent that we needed to understand what unique strengths and skills we brought to the table to ensure we had a well-rounded team that could meet the challenge. Our knowledge of logistics, operations management, finance, marketing, and strategic management, everything we had learned in the program and from our previous work experience, was critical for making informed decisions for our hypothetical company.

With each passing trading period over the five weeks, decision-making evolved into a blend of ease and complexity. We had to analyze various scenarios to ensure the soundness of our choices, but each week it became easier to identify what was most important to focus on in those scenarios. Winning the first round against seven competitive companies came as a very pleasant surprise, and when we heard it meant heading to Southampton to compete in person, we were overjoyed.

Arriving in Southampton the evening before the final competition, our focus wasn't on the outcome or winning the challenge. Instead, we were simply looking forward to the experience and opportunity to participate, as it was the first time experiencing a competition like this for some of our team members. Our excitement only increased as we arrived at the Southampton University campus and into the beautifully constructed Business school building.

To our surprise, not only was the day filled with small tasks and challenges to earn points, but also balanced out with amazing guest speakers throughout the day. Richie Black, Astrid Davies, and James Wright provided valuable insights on leadership, values, sustainability, and personal branding. Their wisdom, combined with the networking session with fellow graduate students from the other competing schools, truly enriched our experience beyond the simulation challenges.

My favorite part of the event was the challenge for each team to create a 90-second advertisement skit promoting sustainability, a task that showcased our team's creativity, acting skills, and commitment to the UN sustainability goals. The culmination of challenges and the final score reveal filled our 91ֱ�� teams with a mix of joy and disbelief. Winning the entire challenge was an unexpected but extremely gratifying achievement, marking the culmination of our hard work, collaboration, and dedication.

Looking back, my top three takeaways from this experience are:

1. “Teamwork makes even unexpected dreams work!” - Our journey really underscored the importance of working as a team and identifying the diverse skill sets each team member brings. Collaborating with individuals possessing different expertise and perspectives I believe was key to our team's success.
2. “Putting theory into practice means repeatedly testing the bounds of the theory!” - The competition provided a platform to apply theoretical concepts we learned in the classroom to real-world scenarios. Skills in finance marketing, operations management, and strategic management were put to tasks. Everything we learned during the first term, from competitive pricing to the principles of marketing to calculating breakeven was truly put to the test. The biggest lesson this highlighted for me, be it that it feels obvious now looking back, was that it’s all about balance and no one aspect of a business is more important than the other. What we learn in the individual modules all interrelate, and our ability to make decisions and create a business environment that employs the right mix of all these skills I think is one of the major aspects of managing a successful business.
3. “When you have fun doing a task, it no longer feels like a task!” - Competing in UBC was not part of an assignment or a requirement of the program. For the first five weeks of the simulation challenge, my team and I met voluntarily after class to engage in at least two hours of discussion and decision-making to submit our responses for each trading period. The challenge was an extracurricular in addition to our typical program coursework. What made those two hours a week feel easy was the joy of working with my team members. We spent more time laughing and smiling along the journey than stressing and taking ourselves too seriously. It didn’t feel like extra work, it felt more like a break from the intensity of our coursework and an opportunity to connect outside the classroom in an informal space.