What another current attendee says about the SBMM:
“Two hours after I checked into the hotel, I received a call from my pregnant wife letting me know that after I left our house at 5 am to fly to Dallas, our dog had thrown up five times, a soda had exploded in the fridge, and that our 2-year-old daughter was sick. I could hear crying…which may have been my dog, daughter, wife, or all three. Welcome to the SBMM, Mark!
I was already sick about leaving my family for eight days for the SBMM and this phone call didn’t help. After apologizing to my wife and ineffectively trying to “solve the problems” (after 7 years of marriage you’d think I would know to just listen by now), I showered and got ready for the SBMM opening reception. I went downstairs knowing nobody and somewhat hesitant to be one of the few vendors attending. I figured “what the hell” and threw myself into the very first conversation I found…it turned out to be an elderly group on their way to a quilting exhibit and not part of the SBMM but they were pleasant enough about it.
Attempt two succeeded as I found the SBMM reception hall, a conversation about marketing, and a free cocktail. What followed was a great opening reception, dinner out afterward with two Year 2 attendees who essentially adopted me (thank you so much Jennifer Harris and Bryan Bear!), and an amazing week of learning, laughing, and friendship.
I encourage all those on the fence about attending to just jump in and persuade the powers that be to pony up because the ROI is immeasurable on both a professional and personal level. I also encourage all Year 1 attendees to not be bashful about meeting others and for my fellow Year 2 attendees to do the same. One of the most valuable things I did was to make sure I met anyone who would talk to me. Even if an initial conversation started out awkward, we soon found common ground, and, besides, it was better than being back in
What another previous attendee says about the SBMM:
Jennifer Harris, Marketing Officer for Lawrenceburg National Bank in KY.
“I had some serious reservations coming into my first year of SBMM; it was my first time away from my two year old daughter and the first time I had traveled alone… was I crazy? WHY was I doing this to myself?? After my first morning in class I realized I had made the right choice. Although it was early in the morning, and my hand was cramping from all the notes I was writing – it was so wonderful to meet people who knew the challenges of being a bank marketer! That week went by so quickly and when I got back home, I was stuffed to the gills with new ideas and refreshed creativity.
Fast forward to year two and I can’t wait to get to the hotel, catch up with friends and eat some great Texan food. Wonder what this week would bring? The previous year’s second year class had scared us by coming back from their bank simulations looking like they’d been beaten and tortured. So I have to say I was a little worried about that portion of the curriculum. Turns out that the class before me was apparently pretty uptight (or at least the ones I came across… they were somewhat elusive too). The bank simulations were a great learning experience and not really that painful! Sure, our group had some rough spots to work through, but I didn’t lose sleep over it. However, I did come away with a new respect for the pressure upper bank management is under.
Here I sit, almost a year after graduation, wishing that the SBMM was a three year program, because I sure could use a burst of creativity right about now! What a whopper of a year in banking, huh!?
I will never forget my time on the SMU campus – sure, I learned a lot about banking, but I learned more about myself. SBMM gave me the extra boost of confidence I needed to step out and make a difference. Whether it’s being on the organizing committee for a community event, providing leadership for an internal promotion, or being elected to my local Chamber of Commerce Board – what I learned at SBMM has acted as a catalyst.”
My tips for surviving SBMM:
1. Start warming up your writing hand… notes can really take a toll if you aren’t used to writing extensively.
2. DO NOT, under any circumstances, allow your supervisor to pick out your flight schedule
3. Take good notes
4. Pack comfortable clothing and shoes
5. Do not skip the hotel breakfast!
No comments:
Post a Comment