Eli Von Berg

This answer could go on forever but I’ll try to keep it short. I loved  so many things about Bulldog Investment Company, especially the  friendships (with my classmates and all of Sather Financial), being able  to compete at TIPS, getting to go to Berkshire Hathaway’s shareholder  meeting, and hearing many other great investors speak. But ultimately,  the greatest thing about BIC was all of the valuable knowledge I  received. I learned so much about investing, reading financial  statements, and many other useful skills. 

The meetings felt repetitive at times, but I know that was because we  would have new interns and Dave did a good job of trying to catch them  up to speed.

Also, I wish that we had more time to research companies. Every  student has a full course load, extracurricular activities, and then  BIC on top of that, so students just get too busy. But (with the  exception of the BIC challenge) it just felt like most people didn’t  have enough time to do everything that’s necessary for a great  presentation and that could be disappointing at times.

I’ve always been confused by why all finance majors at TLU aren’t in  BIC. It’s a great way to supplement your education with real world  learning and hands-on investing experience. BIC was by far one of the  greatest experiences of my college career. It’s very much worth giving  up your early Friday afternoons.  

The financial knowledge, professionalism, and presentation skills  that you get from BIC are things that will benefit you in any job for  the rest of your life.

Being able to interpret financial statements and analyze a company  will always serve you well in the “real world”. Also, Dave taught us how  to be professionals by doing things such as adhering to the “24 hour  e-mail rule”. I was an average public speaker at best whenever I joined  BIC. But after countless presentations where I was grilled by Dave and  other board members, I became very strong and confident as a presenter.

Most  of my fellow interns know that I was never a fan of the “Good Company  vs. Bad Company” segment of the BIC meetings. I felt that in its current  form it didn’t provide much value for anyone that’s ever done it more  than once. But I think it is a good starting point for something that  could be an extremely valuable tool. If the financials were accompanied  with valuation ratios and it was “Good investment vs. Too expensive  investment”, “Good investment vs. Below average investment”, or “Good  investment vs. Value trap”, then I think it would be the most worthwhile  segment in BIC meetings, although it would be more time consuming.

My favorite thing about BIC was the culture. On Friday afternoons, we  were not young undergraduates at a small university – we were investors.  We made decisions with financial consequences based on research we  conducted. From Dave to every intern in BIC – we had a sense that what  we did was worth doing and was being done well. Which leads me to my  next favorite thing about BIC, I loved competing at the Texas Investment  Portfolio Symposium. It was a chance to prove what we already believed.  Plus I was able to compete with a great group of people. 

The meetings could be repetitive at times; however, I understand I was  in BIC longer than almost anyone else – so that could be a byproduct of  that. I really liked when we could learn about news and change happening  in the world. 

It makes you more informed. It makes you a smarter investor for tomorrow and challenges you while doing so. 

The presentations of investment ideas and the practicing for TIPS. A lot  was expected from us in both those cases – every one of us got pushed a  little more than he/she would have wanted but I understand expectations  only go up from here. 

I think periodically, maybe once a semester – we should make an  investment presentation about the portfolio. Force the two teams to  directly compete as they rank valuations of our portfolio. Teams would  place what they thought was the best investment as one and rank downward  to the worst investment at that time. This would force the teams to  answer questions about sizing and opportunity cost as well be fully  prepared to justify their decisions to the board which means they would  have to have a good deal of familiarity with even older investments. 

My fellow interns were my absolute favorite part of my time in BIC. A few of them are some of my closest friends now, and I would not have had the opportunity to know them without my participation in the program. I have many memories and stories from our time spent together over the 2 years I was a member. 

The questioning after every presentation. I know the intent was to ensure we did all the appropriate research and analysis on the company we were presenting, but it was inevitably the most stressful part of the presentation. 

There are several reasons I think students should participate, the first being presentation skills. I became a decent presenter because of practice through class presentations and criticism from Dave. My experience also made other classes significantly easier as I applied class concepts when analyzing companies, and I became comfortable speaking in front of my classmates, professors and professionals. I learned a lot about investing, the business world and myself from being involved in the program. If you want to, you can learn a lot about the industry. Additionally, as I previously mentioned, students have the opportunity to become friends with various individuals. BIC is an opportunity to find a niche in the business department and separate yourself from other students, at TLU and from other universities. There are a lot of opportunities in BIC to set yourself apart and to improve as a young professional -- learn about investing and business, hear noteworthy presenters, apply class concepts, present to professionals, compete against other universities and your classmates, make a new set of friends, etc. -- students can get as much out of BIC as they are willing to put in. Also, Dave and the other individuals who run BIC genuinely care about students at TLU, and will do whatever they can to help you as a student. 

My experience in BIC prepared me professionally for presentations, and how to positively use criticism. Dave also offered quite a bit of “real world” advice ranging from debt and finances to marriage and balancing work with your personal life. For me, BIC provided the practical side of my business education at TLU. 

I did not head to the workforce after graduation, but I was accepted into 4 law schools and I partially attribute this to my time in BIC. Furthermore, the SMU Admissions Committee expressed interest in my participation in BIC as one of my primary qualifications-especially the Investment Challenge. 

I would move class to before lunch on Friday’s—the timing is difficult for individuals wanting to travel or do anything else—but obviously it isn’t that difficult to make class because many students faithfully do every week. 

What I liked most about Bulldog was the willingness except free flowing  ideas. As a member of Bulldog, I found ideas were crucial to developing  an investment thesis. 

Current students should participate in Bulldog because it’s provides the  most “real world” experience available in a academic setting. You need  to bring your “A Game” every Friday afternoon if you want to hang with  the pack! 

Two things pertaining to real world preparation and Bulldog. I learned  how to be an effective presenter and demonstrate resilience. 45min  presentations aren’t for the weary – one must be ready to pitch an idea  at all times. Resilience was developed by losing a couple presentations  and having fortitude to get back up and develop, present and support  another idea. 

Bulldog helped me obtain a job by using and demonstrating financial  analysis and industry knowledge while interviewing. It didn’t hurt to  interject that we ran with the big boys at Texas Investment Symposium. 

I would recommend Bulldog demand a written summary from every team  member detailing strengths, weaknesses, and solutions for every  investment. Writing is very important in finance and we didn’t do much  of that in Bulldog. 

What I liked best about my time with Bulldog Investment Company was Dave  holding not only myself, but everyone in the program accountable to be  well informed and prepared for every meeting. Friday afternoons were my  favorite time of the week while at TLU because that was the time we held  our meetings. The program gave me the opportunity to polish my  presentation skills, and the ability to identify a good company from a  bad company. 

What I liked least about my time with Bulldog were the sleepless nights  trying to piece together a presentation with my group members, but I  honestly enjoyed those nights. 

Current students should participate in Bulldog for the opportunity to  gain valuable skills for business, critical thinking, research,  professional speaking, and financial investment knowledge. Besides  learning these great qualities, when joining Bulldog Investment Company,  a student is surrounding him or herself with like minded mentors and  classmates who all push each other for further success. 

The constant preparation, communication, and research demanded to be  successful in this program is what prepared for the “real world.” Being  held accountable to meet a deadline, and not only meeting a deadline,  but over delivering while meeting the deadline. 

My time spent with the Bulldog Investment Program helped me obtain a job  by helping me develop a refined sense of professionalism. By critiquing  my presentation skills, helping me become a better critical thinker,  and never asking a question without first attempting to solve the  question myself. 

If I had all the power in the world to make a change to the Bulldog  Investment Company, I wouldn’t. Bulldog is structured incredibly well  and is so unique it’s own way. I just wish I could attend every Friday  meeting forever. 

a. I really liked how BIC transformed into more of a portfolio management class rather than just solely a data analytics class.

b. I also liked the presentations. While they were extremely difficult  to put together (in preparing for the material and dealing with your  teammates), they really prepared me for EVERY other class I stepped foot  in after that.

c. Also, you just made if fun. After the huge learning curve at the  beginning (and after I learned to laugh at myself) I genuinely enjoyed  coming to class because I knew we were going to laugh some and learn at  the same time.

The thing I liked the least about BIC was the huge learning curve at the  beginning. It made it difficult to stay engaged when you didn’t always  know what was being discussed. But I think the one hour before the  normal class for the newer students helped with that issue. 

 a. I don’t know if these points would market to the current students,  but I’m glad I joined because it taught me how to invest on my own once I  left TLU. I know I learned things in other classes that I’ll take with  me outside of TLU, but nothing that will impact my life as much as  investing will.

b. Current students should join BIC if they want to get ahead in their  classes and ahead of their classmates. BIC translated through all of my  classes and I knew about some things before my classmates did. It also  didn’t hurt that BIC kept me up to date on current events.

I think the “current events” section of BIC prepared me most for the  real world. It wasn’t always numbers in BIC and when it wasn’t numbers  there was a lot of good advice about things most of us don’t experience  in college but will come in handy once we graduate. 

I think the presentations actually played a huge part in preparing me  for interviews because in a way the question section of our  presentations was one long scary interview. Also I know for a fact, the  knowledge I gained from analyzing financials played a huge role in  getting me my internship in DC with the PCAOB because in my interview  they mainly focused on what I did in BIC. 

I think BIC is already amazing as is, I just wish there were some end  goals we could shoot for. I don’t really know what that would be, but I  think it’d be cool to set goals and reach them by the time you. 

 I enjoyed the classroom setting, and the many skills that we learned. The classroom setting was very fun as it was humorous, and we learned about many current events that were important. Additionally, the skills that we learned have had a huge impact on my life. I apply what I have learned from Bulldog everyday even from the simplest of lessons, like show up early to work, and be the last to leave.  

I least liked the days where we would watch a long 60 minutes episode. As I felt we could read a shorter article on the same topic, or list out the facts and draw the same conclusions. Also, another dislike is how people were assigned companies to follow, but never would follow them. 

Current students should participate because this is one of the best opportunities a college student can find anywhere in the country. Bulldog Investment Company allows students to learn from one of the best investors in the world. Not only do we learn investing skills, which will impact us for the rest of our life. We also learn real world skills that are extremely important. I was taught better communication, presentation, and critical thinking skills. Those skills are something every student needs to improve upon in order to differentiate ourselves from other students. Also, I know nobody has something better to do on a Friday early afternoon than to improve themselves.  

BIC prepared me for the real world by making us work in teams, and by allowing us to understand financials better. Working in a team when a presentation is due is quite a challenge especially when you are a group leader. Learning to manage others and break out responsibilities is like managing someone at work. It teaches one how to push different personalities in different ways. Also, learning to read financials had a huge impact in the classroom, my personal investing and life especially as I take sections of the CPA. It has made every financial ratio on a CPA test seem like reading a Dr. Seuss book. 

BIC helped me obtain a job as it was a very important line on my resume. In every interview I was asked what the Bulldog Investment Company was. When I told the interviewer what it was, they were all extremely impressed, and it made a huge difference when they compared me to other students. They realized it took commitment, teamwork, and intelligence which is what every employer looks for.  

If I had all the power to change one thing, I would want to learn more about individual investing once we get out of college. I understand many aspects of investing when it comes to individual stock picking. However, as a public accountant individual stock picking may cause independence issues. Therefore, I would have enjoyed learning more about how to set up my 401k, how to plan for kids colleges, and how to use a roth IRA etc. Many skills that will be important to students immediately out of college. 

I really enjoyed making the presentations and the presenting them.

I sometimes it felt like a lot of added work, especially with the amount of      work I was putting in for my grad program.

Having an understanding of financial statements is critical to success in the business world.

Being able to make presentations, presentation skills, and understanding financial statements. 

Well Dave hired me for 7 months and that helped me immensely with the transition from college student to boring adult. The skills I talked about in question 4 are what helped me secure my internship with Disney. 

That the judging of presentations was a little less arbitrary. There should probably be a rubric that explains how each part of the presentation is weighted.

 I love the family environment the leaders of Bulldog created.  Dave did a  really good job at nurturing while at the same time correcting students  in their growth towards investing education. This is a very unique  program that develops you to be a successful person in business,  relationships, and overall communication situations. 

 It's overwhelming at first. When I first attended BIC, I felt like the  dumbest person in the room (which I was). It sort of like jumping into a  100 meter run sprint without even warming up just to find out it's a  marathon. Through the grace and compassion that BIC offers, I started  catching up with my peers and was able to collaborate with my colleagues  to contribute to the BIC portfolio. 

 It will not only set you up for success in your future classes but in  your professional career too. You will be pushed like you never have  before but the GREAT thing is that your surrounded by people who want to  see you succeed. It teaches you how to work in a team and be held  accountable to pull your own weight.  

 I can communicate very well because of ALL of the interaction that goes  on in the class. Presentations are nerve wracking at first but after a  while, your colleagues and leaders push you to overcome that fear and  prosper. It's truly an amazing program. I would recommend to anybody. 

 Being part of the BIC organization allowed me to develop confidence in  my abilities that I have and one's that I didn't know I had. I can  honestly say that any interview I was asked to part take in felt like a  walk in the park. BIC taught me how to over prepare for any situation in  life and It is always better to be over prepared then underprepared. 

 I would to try change Dave's haircuts. He seems like a smart guy but  there's something about that cut that throws you off. I would stop JZ  from asking complicated questions that challenge me because that man can  read people like a book. I wouldn't change anything about Nate. I like  Nate :) 

 My favorite part about Bulldog Investment Company was the opportunity to be around intelligent students who go above and beyond to participate in a program that requires lots of time and energy. After starting at TLU, I was wary of joining too many organizations that took up time but didn't give any real value in return. When I finally joined BIC, I found not only a great group of friends but a program that provided me with skills that are useful in everyday life. It is important to be around people who push you to be better, and this program offers just that. Students teach each other and help one another to grow in understanding and sharpen their skills. I also loved the opportunity to be around mentors who have experience in the real world, not just in an academic setting. The honesty and openness of the environment was refreshing and helped prepare me for the future. Another favorite part of my time in BIC was when I got to participate in TIPS. Being part of a competition with other universities was an exciting experience, and it truly showcased how unique this program is. 

To be completely honest, I did not have a least favorite part. If I had to name something it would be the semester we had to go online, and that was just necessary. The only thing I regret concerning this program is that I was not in it longer. 

Current students should participate in BIC because it provides them with lifelong skills that will be useful in any industry. I used to be scared of speaking in front of a group of people, and now I know how to command a room. Being able to create a professional, accurate, interesting presentation will make you stand out to future employers and fellow employees. BIC has taught me how to invest my savings and make good money doing it. Having those skills will help you for the rest of your life, and once you get over the steep learning curve, you will realize how logical and understandable the process is. On top of learning about investing, this program teaches you how to work in a team, how to lead, and how to think critically. These are all skills every college graduate and full-time employee should possess. I cannot say enough about how much this program has helped me. I was scared to join at first because it was a lot to take in. However, the students in the program are more than happy to help you along the way, and you will get there. You will make lifelong friends and have a lot of fun working together. 

I addressed a few of these previously, but I will go into more detail. First and foremost, being able to speak clearly, loudly, and intelligently is SO valuable in the real world. When you graduate, you need to be able to make an impact on your superiors in order to advance. One easy way to do this is by being a good speaker and presenter. From the moment they interview you, they will know that you are intelligent and capable. On top of this, being able to work with a team of people with different skill levels is very useful. In the real world, you will have different levels of employees, and being able to lead and follow is important.

BIC has helped me obtain a job in two ways. First, through a BIC alumnus, I was able to obtain an internship for my graduate program. Second, during almost every interview I have participated in, BIC has been mentioned and discussed with much interest and appreciation. 

The only thing I would change about BIC would be the use of the website. I think we should start putting more useful documents on the website for students to use. This could include videos, articles, passwords, etc. There is a lot of great information already there, but I think a lot of students don't know about it. It might also be a good place for students to share their notes or post videos talking about why they are in BIC and how it is useful. This could be a great way for students to learn how to calculate different measures and refer back to them. Oftentimes senior members know how to do something that newer analysts do not, and frequent questions and answers could be added to a document on the website.