FME put into action
Foundation for Management and Entrepreneurship (FME), a class that in many respects is considered a rite of passage here at Babson. As a first year I was fascinated by the prospect of starting, running, and then existing a company. I came into the course thinking that entrepreneurship is exactly what I wanted to do, and that one day I was going to be an entrepreneur. My desire to be an entrepreneur has not faded; however, throughout the course I quickly began to realize that what intrigued was the role of the professors. The role of being an investor, and how while the entrepreneurs (us) had a vision for our company, we needed to make sure that it aligned with the goals and visions of our investors. As a sophomore I had the opportunity to join this teaching team, as an FME mentor. I discovered a new area of business, and potential career path.
Today, I am in intern at Raptor Capital Management, a private investment company backed by the family office of Jim Pallotta. I come into work every day, with an email outlining the pitches, company updates, and problems our current and potential company investments may have. Every day, I go through the cycle of FME with different companies: doing diligence, hearing the rocket pitches, evaluating the feasibility, more due diligence, sourcing information regarding financials, launch plans, and if it is really good day exist strategies.
From when I was a student in FME to when I became a mentor, I saw the class in a different light. Those experiences gave me a pre-conceived notion of what is means to be an “investor”. They taught me the right questions to ask, exposed me to new industries, and gave the confidence to know how to do my job. At Raptor, I draw from those experiences daily.
Foundation of Management and Entrepreneurship is a class that provides students with the comfort and security of starting a business, but the lessons you learn along the way… that is where the meaning lies. My internship experience is made better because of my experience in FME.