Adrie's Blog

The ultimate networking environment, followed on its heels by the most down to earth business one!

Amongst my numerous meetings this week, two are worth mentioning - totally different, both invaluable experiences

This week there was a Board meeting at Supply Chain & Global Management Academy at the Kelly School of Business, Indiana University. After my presentation there last year I joined this board, to share my experience as an entrepreneur with the passionate and determined students and co-directors Carl Briggs and Roberto Garcio. This week was the introduction week for the new students, another inspiring day and always a pleasure to meet these young people from all of the world and to see their perseverance in choosing to go back to "school" after 6 years in business to work and build their own futures.
The power of Supply Chain & Global Management Academy is without a doubt the dedicated co-directors and board that are very involved with the students via mentoring, searching for internships and even jobs after these students have completed their 2-year term. The success of this program is unequalled.
To get back to the networking topic I started with - as one of the board members said - it is so inspiring to see that the class of 2010, after studying for one year, has blended so incredibly well and become a close-knit group even after one year. A true metamorphoses, and a bond which will support these people throughout the rest of their lives.

Yesterday, I was able to see a little piece of the Wal Mart story. In the first place it was interesting to see that it is considered quite normal that everyone comes to Bentonville, be they large or small, everyone is the same. Then you go up to the HQ and you kind of expect to see the equal to the corporate Headquarters of Citi, Coca Cola or GM. To my immense amazement, I saw a sort of factory hall instead with an office. I must have asked at least 3 times if this really was Wal Mart's headquarters - one of the largest companies in the world. All I saw along the road was a big lightbox with the revenue showing - US$239 billion!!! The meeting I had was an example of efficiency and simplicity - a row of simple meeting rooms, each with a clock prominently displayed.

It is clear that Wal Mart does as it preaches - no need for bells and whistles, simply pass on the best price to your customers.
An example for all those CEO's that feel they need a statue of themselves, supervising an extravagant headquarter offices - they should go and take a peek at Bentonville first! I somehow get the feeling that Bentonville also never followed the trend of high bonuschecks....