CEMS Talk: Inclusive Workplace Culture hosted by Google

Dear CEMS Alumni,

We are delighted to invite you for CEMS Talk: Inclusive Workplace Culture hosted exlusively by Google. You can look forward to:

>> Welcome session by Tatiana le Moigne, Country Manager at Google
>> Interactive panel discussion on "How inclusive culture helps companies to succeed"
>> Excellent networking opportunities with fellow CEMS Alumni and Googlers

Location: Google Office, Stroupežnického 3191/17, Prague 5

Further details: Facebook
Registration: Google form

The capacity for the event is very limited. You seat will be confirmed based on the available no. of spots assigned to CEMS Alumni. We recommend to book your seat as soon as you can. You can cancel your attendance latest 48 hours prior to the event.  

Use this extraordinary opportunity to discuss, meet and share best practices with fellow CEMS Alumni and Googlers. 

For further questions please contact Pavlina at +44 7823 520 929. 

After the Networking Dinner

6 years after the first Networking Dinner we met again to discuss professional topics, enjoy great food, and of course meet new alumni – and it was even better than that time!

Let's start with some figures first

• 30 participants
• 2 pregnant (if counted correctly)
• several students, one Academic Director, 
• one CFO, one Managing Director, at least one Entrepreneur, one Montessori teacher, one sabbatical and many more
• graduation years between 2002 and 2018
• unlimited consumption of welcome drinks (I know this is not an exact number :-))

Favorite topics

• New Technology 12 (participants interested)
• Entrepreneurship 9
• 8 Thinking about new job opportunities / Have changed job recently, Leadership challenges / New or experienced team leaders

We have discussed different topics and I believe the biggest value is for those present at the tables. However let me share with you some of the key outcomes.

Let's start with the industry focus first

• Entrepreneurship – quite surprisingly for me the outcome was not that positive as I expected. One of the concerns was about the number of new technologies which are significantly changing the business and thus making all entrepreneurial endeavors more risky. Another related point was that having a good save job in these days does not motivate you too much to move to the uncertain world of entrepreneurs.
• New technology – one of the topics discussed was the fear of many people losing their jobs because of the technological advancement. But the reaction to that was quite calming – this has never been different when new technologies and management ideas came. In other words the changes related to technologies are how this business universe work and we should accept that. Due to the big interest we had two tables devoted to this topic. The second tables came to a conclusion that it is actually difficult to come to a conclusion :-). The reason was that the experience of the participants was quite different. On the other hand the agreed on the impact technologies will have on improving efficiency and thus also on the number of people employed. 
• FMCG/Retail + Manufacturing (we joined these two topics at one table due to lower number of interested people) – we spent some time discussing the difference between FMCG/retail which is rather sales driven while manufacturing (especially B2B) is rather production driven. We alse talked about the new concept that retail developers are trying - instead of designing shopping malls they are envisioning whole new districts.

Then we continued with the career and life focused round
After the main dish we moved to new tables and enjoyed deserts while discussing second round of discussion

• Work-life balance – part of that was about being a mother. Participants (not sure whether men too) agreed on the changes that makes on women – just enjoying that while being more efficient at work. But being employed is still something that must be usually negotiated with employers. On general note, and here the different generations of CEMS alumni present played some role, work-life balance is a concept which understanding and preference depends on your age and career stage. Simply if you have children you view long hours differently compared to a fresh graduate (I do confirm :-)).
• Leadership challenges / New or experienced team leaders – the main topic here is about the resistance to change which is in general a super important topic for all leaders. 
• On the job training / Professional and personal development – here the team talked about different options provided by CEMS in Prague (summer school aimed at new view on corporate social responsibility and its impact). Another line of discussion was about the way to persuade / push your employer to support you in your learning and development activities by providing you with sabbatical or unpaid leave. 
• Thinking about new job opportunities / Have changed job recently – the discussion was mainly about the differences in recruitment process ten years ago and now. The difference is viewed quite a lot in the value of university degree (or the formal requirements) in the past compared to the higher focus on skills and practical experience these days. One of the notions was also about more people willing to be entrepreneurs (which is the case when for instance comparing CEMS graduates‘ preferences 10 years ago and now) and also about preferring better work life balance.

I am quite sure I haven’t covered all the topics and their nuances covered by the teams. However I hope you find at least some of the outcomes interesting and will join us next time or even better – share your comments on facebook or below this article.

To sum it up: I really enjoyed that and so did, I believe, all participants. I believe that everyone had a chance to meet someone new, enjoy quality discussion and really good food. I am looking forward to meeting you again soon!

Vojtěch
on behalf of your CEMS Alumni Board Team
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CEMS Alumni Networking Dinner on 1st Nov

Dear CEMS Alumni,

We are delighted to invite you for so often requested CEMS Alumni Networking Dinner 2018, i.e. professional gathering of CEMS Alumni focused on sharing knowledge and experience as well as business networking.

Mingle with other Alumni, exchange experience with those working in a similar field or sharing same professional challenges as yourself. Enjoy a delicious three course menu with a facilitated rotation around tables in a beautiful setting of Zofin Garden.



Location: Zofin Garden Restaurant, Slovansky ostrov 226, Prague 1
Registration: Google Form.
You can look forward to:

• Delicious three course menu
• Beautiful setting of Zofin Garden restaurant
• Dinner with a facilitated rotation around tables. 
• A unique chance to network with Alumni working in a similar industry, facing same challenges or sharing same professional values. 

UPDATE - MENU
Starters + soups 

• Smoked duck rillet
• Gratinated goat cheese
• Traditional kulajda

Main courses

• Catfish
• Beluga - black lentil ragout
• Honey-beer glazed roasted duck
• Chicken roulade with thyme

Dessert

• Flambéd crepes suzette
• Carrot cake with almonds

Price

650 CZK + drinks (excl. drinks except for the welcome drink). Alumni who have paid their annual CEMS Alumni fee for 2018 or are lifelong members receive a special price of: 450 CZK (drinks excluded).

Programme of the evening

• Doors open at 7pm
• 7 till 7:30pm: Welcome drink 
• 7:30 till 8:15pm: Appetizer (1st round seating)
• 8:15 till 9pm: Main dish - choice out of five meals (2nd round seating)
• 9pm till 9:45: Dessert (free seating)

Table topics for the 1st round

• Entrepreneurship
• New Technology
• Manufacturing
• FMCG / Retail

Table topics for the 2nd round

• Thinking about new job opportunities / Have changed job recently
• No changes planned / Work-life balance duties
• Leadership challenges / New or experienced team leaders
• On the job training / Professional and personal development 

Registration and deadline

Places are available for up to 30 participants (25 Alumni and 5 Students). 

Deadline to sign up: Thursday 25th October

To confirm your seat please transfer prior to the event the amount of 650 CZK (450 CZK respectively) onto CEMS Alumni Prague bank account:

2900119575/2010
IBAN: CZ16 2010 0000 0029 0011 9575,
SWIFT: FIOBCZPP
Variable symbol: 01012019,
Reference (Note): Your surname

Still not sure whether to come? Check the feedback received in one of the previous editions of the CEMS Alumni Networking Dinner.
For further questions please contact Vojtech Oplestil.


Use this unique opportunity to meet and mingle with other CEMS Alumni.

on behalf of your CEMS Alumni Board Team
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CEMS Talk: Digital First

Thursday 30th November at 7pm: CEMS Talk - Digital First
Top digital leaders sharing their inspiring stories.

Location: Opero Prague
Registration at: cemsalumni@seznam.cz
Speakers: Petr Smid @Google, Vaclav Graf @Airbnb, Michal Zwinger @Levebee.com

Petr Smid: Head of Consumer Marketing, Central & Eastern Europe at Google
Petr is an exceptional leader, great digital expert and truly inspirational personality not only within the CEMS Alumni Community:

• Petr spent 7 years at McKinsey and initiated the process of them becoming CEMS corporate partner.
• Petr helped VSE students to establish country's leading student consulting (Club 307) and digital club (ClickIt - a direct result of CEMS business project)
• Petr hired 7 CEMSies to his teams at Google and supported several more in joining other teams.
• Petr is nominated for the CEMS Alumni of the Year. You can still vote here!

Vaclav Graf: Trips Marketing Manager Central & Eastern Europe at Airbnb

Vaclav is an innovative leader passionate about technology with broad experience in both start-ups and global companies.

• Vaclav launched Uber operations in Prague, the first CEE market
• As Country Lead managed the expansion of Airbnb in he Czech Republic
• Vaclav worked a Consultant for a governmental office, EY as well as OECD
• Currently he is bringing Airbnb experience to Prague, Tel Aviv and Athens
• In governmental office

Michal Zwinger: Managing Director at Levebee.com (Vcelka.cz)

• Michal's own introduction says everything: "With passion for perfection and technology, together with my team, we build online services that make people happier. Our apps improve other people's lives."
• Michal is a managing director at Legentas.com / Rozectise.cz and thereby helps people to read more efficiently.
• For more than 3 years, he is leading Levebee.com / Vcelka.cz and thereby improves reading capabilities and helps people with reading disorder conditions, including dyslexia.
• His specialities: User Experience, User Interface, Gamification, E-learning

Pavlína
on behalf of your CEMS Alumni Board Team
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CEMS Talk on the topic Going the Other Way: Are you living the life You want to live?

Alternative career choice as the main topic, three amazing speakers, no slides, informal atmosphere, beautiful venue, engaged audience: unique CEMS Talk with unique findings.

Our October CEMS Talk took place in an art gallery, a perfect location to discuss Going the Other Way choices. A key question of the evening was simple: Are you living the life You want to live? 

We are extremely happy that this topic raised a lot of interest among CEMS students and alumni and thank all for all the rich discussions that arose during and also after the CEMS Talk.

Although all three speakers have started their career in the corporate environment and until today they are managing projects and people, their career paths have been all but ordinary. It was such a refreshing experience to spend an evening with these extraordinary, smart, courageous and humble people, who do really create an impact on the society and world around us. 

What is the key take away from this CEMS Talk?

• Explore what is truly important for You in Your life. Once You find it, do it.
• Pushing does not work. Be open and let things, people and situations come to You.
• Slowness brings answers to key questions in life.
• Follow Your intuition first, before making any decision think it properly through  (not the other way around)
• Have good friends, who will help You to come back on Your path, when You are wobbling. 
• Have great teachers, who will inspire You. 
• Leave your comfort zone & take a break from your normal life.
• Follow Your personal values in Your life as well as in Your career without compromising them.
• Follow the signs
• Give back

CEMS Talk concept:

• Every CEMS Talk is dedicated to a unique topic related to life and career in today’s world. 
• Speakers are chosen based on their level of experience and relevancy for a chosen area. 
• The audience is built from CEMS students and alumni, both Czech and international. 
• The main purpose of CEMS Talk is to share real, authentic and honest stories and thereby inspire members of the CEMS Community in their future life and business choices

 

Who were our three speakers?

Dagmar Goldmannova: Philanthropy consultant and project manager

Dagmar has left her corporate career in order to do what she loves - helping others in a meaningful way. She was working on projects in many countries in Africa, Asia and eastern Europe. Since December 2016, she is leading a philanthropic consultancy company back in the Czech Republic.

Her main advice for others: Be the one, who is deciding about Your life. Let things come to You. 

 

Jakub Stransky: Spontaneous and inspiring financial expert

Jakub's dream was to serve a local community. He has been working in a local Czech production company, studied PhD, lived in Lyon, taught CEMS subjects at the university, joined the Institute for the examination of totalitarian regimes and recently is enjoying his sabbatical - i.e. parental leave. 

His main advice for others: Live the life that you want to live. Have great people around you.

Valerie Kozelska Schafer: Socially conscious entrepreneur

Valerie has managed to combine her great business talent with the deeply rooted wish to help and support others. During her MBA studies in Taiwan, her and her husband, have started to build their social enterprise. Living in a small Moravian village, Valerie is managing their own company and at the same time is renovating a historical building in the center of Znojmo.

Her main advice for others: Be open, opportunities will show up. Do what you believe in. A life is too short to waste it. 

  

We thank to our exceptional speakers for their time and effort as well as to all attendees for joining this great evening.

We are looking forward to seeing you at one of our next events.

Pavlina
on behalf of your CEMS Alumni Board Team
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PS: Thank You for Your positive feedback shared during and after the event :)

E.g. One of the many reasons why CEMS is a great choice: The frequent and insightful events with Alumni. Shoutout to the Alumni Team for organizing this talk! 

Florian, current CEMS Student

CEMS Breakfast: connecting CEMS Alumni and Students

On Friday, October 6^th, CEMS Alumni and current CEMS Students got together for a delicious CEMS Breakfast at Secret of Raw in Prague. 

The official topic of the day was Digital transformation and its implications on the future career of CEMSies. 

The whole event was held in an informal atmosphere, so the open discussion between graduates and soon-to be graduates was covering as broad topics as career opportunities, hiking and exotic vacations.

Key take-aways from the event:

• If you are not 100% sure of what you want to do, choose a career that allows you to experience different functions.

• CEMS is just the beginning of a truly international experience.

• Stay connected with the CEMS community after graduation :)

Feedback we have received:

It was great to discuss new ideas accompanied by a delicious breakfast! Kate, CEMS Student

What I found very nice is that Alumni are still interested in meeting CEMSies. Also it was really nice to hear about their experiences from studying and working and career paths. Personally, I was lucky to have met a person from my future exchange university and I got really useful tips. All in all the unique value of being a CEMSie was proven and it was an inspirational morning. Monika, CEMS Student

We are looking forward to seeing you on other CEMS events co-organized by CEMS Alumni Association and CEMS Club Prague,

Florian Brezina (CEMS Club Alumni Representative)
and Pavlina Simurdova (CEMS Alumni President)

on behalf of your CEMS Alumni Board Team
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CEMS Breakfast - Digitalization and its career implications on 6 October

Dear alumni
Enjoy the breakfast with current CEMS students and discuss the hot topic of digitalization and its career implications. This event is co-organized with CEMS Club Prague. There is a limited number of available places (for alumni as well as students) so register as soon as possible. For more info you can check the facebook event.

Location: Secret of Raw Cukrarna, Rumunská 265/25, 120 00 Praha 2
Registration: cemsalumni@seznam.czcemsalumni@seznam.cz.

Vojta
on behalf of your CEMS Alumni Board Team
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CEMS Talk - Going the other way on 16 October

Dear alumni
I would like to invite you to another CEMS Talk event. This time it will be devoted to cemsies who chose not so typical career path for a cemsie.
How did they end up in the role they are doing now? What are they enjoying and what are  struggling with at their careers? What does the statement "make an impact" mean to the? What kind of lessons have they learnt about life and career choices so far?

Who are the speakers?

Jakub Stransky: CFO at Institute for Study of Totalitarian Regimes
Jakub is an exceptional financial expert. Instead of living in Wall Street, he has been managing finances in a one of the top institutes in the Czech Republic. Before that he worked in a NGO and also taught at the university. Come to explore his story, find more about his motivation as well as learn about the reality of a daily job in a non-corporate sector.

Dagmar Goldmannova: Executive Director at Via Clarita
Dagmar has left her HR career at L'Oreal to lead international NGO projects. In 2016 she founded a company providing philanthropic consultancy. Join our CEMS Talk to explore what is means to manage philantropic consultancy, how corporate HR differs from HR in an international NGO and what working in NGO is really like.

Valerie Kozelska Schafer: Founder at Coelsol & Preserver of Stara pekarna
After working at Henkel, Valerie relocated to Taiwan to study MBA. Back in the Czech Rep., she has founded a social entrepreneurship business importing solar systems and also started to renovate an old bakery house. Which learning from the corporate world can be applied in own CSR business? Why studying MBA can change one's life? How to run business from a small village?

Where does it take place?

At Nová galerie, Balbínova 26, Praha 2

Ready to come?

Then sign up at cemslumni@seznam.cz and join us on Monday 16 October at 7pm! Check out the Facebook event.



We are looking forward to seeing you there!

Vojta
on behalf of your CEMS Alumni Board Team
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CEMS Talk on the topic Building BIG: What an impressive start to CEMS Alumni autumn 2017!

Three top speakers, engaged attendees, beautiful venue, and great wine tasting created an unforgettable CEMS Talk.

What is the key take away from the CEMS Talk on the topic Building Big?

• Learn from the best ones: Get the job in a top company in your area of interest
• Become an industry expert: Understand the business you are in
• Follow your personal values in your career as well as in your business without compromises
• Find what you enjoy: Go for it, work on it, stay hungry, humble and persistent
• Find a gap: Fill it in with a unique offering
• Grow wisely: No need for rapid jump up
• Choose great people who are better than you are: Don’t go only for good ones.
• Be flexible and adaptive: See and use new opportunities that are constantly arising
• Follow the signs
• Give back

              

 

CEMS Talk is an event concept inspired by TED talk:

• Every CEMS Talk is dedicated to a unique topic related to life and career in today’s world. 
• Speakers are chosen based on their level of experience and relevancy for a chosen area. 
• The audience is built from CEMS students and alumni, both Czech and international. 
• The main purpose of CEMS Talk is to share real, authentic and honest stories and thereby inspire members of the CEMS Community in their future life and business choices.

Who were our three speakers?

Jan Hrdina: an extraordinary entrepreneur

Jan has managed to grow a family owned business into an internationally recognized company, #1 on the Czech market for wooden products. 

His success lies in the combination of:

• unique product offering, 
• focus on top quality, 
• choosing the best people and 
• following and embodying his personal values such as: fairness, honesty, transparency, family business, ecological approach, giving back. 

Radomir Salitros: a top star all across

Radomir became a VP in an Austrian banking group before he turned thirty. 

With his CV and experience, he could have had easily an amazing and secured career in the financial industry. 

Instead he decided to do what he enjoyed. He moved back to his home town in eastern Slovakia and founded a company producing luxury beds that is one of the top companies in this field internationally.

What is the magic behind? 

• being transparent and honest,
• staying hungry and humble, 
• following the signs, 
• learning from the best companies and then applying that in own business and 
• based on his experience not trusting anyone.

Frantisek Peterka – a modern start-up entrepreneur

Frantisek does not see a difference between doing business in a digital or real world. Frantisek has already managed to establish and grow several top digital companies. 

His passion is the first stage of the entrepreneurship journey: building new company. 

Aiming to build a business for his wife, he founded the biggest and most successful shopping platform for kids and mums in the Czech Republic. 

Frantisek’s secret is build upon:

• his desire for building new solution for customer needs, 
• being adaptive, flexible and open to new opportunities and 
• doing business with people he can trust as his family, friends, former colleagues.

We thank to our exceptional speakers as well as to all attendees.

We look forward to seeing you at one of our next events.

Pavlina on behalf of CEMS Alumni Board

PS: We are extremely happy for you feedback, below a few notes:

Hi Pavlina

Just wanted to thank you for a great event on Thursday, I had to leave quite early so didn't have a chance to say it in person Looking forward for more events like that

Nika (CEMS Student)

_________________

Dear Pavlina, 

thank you so much for organizing the event yesterday - we all loved it! 

Kate (CEMS Student)

_________________

Ahoj Pavlíno, 

včerejší akce totální liga, smekám za organizaci a děkujeme za úsilí, které jsi tomu věnovala.Budu se těšit na dalších akcích

Richard (CEMS Alumnus)

_________________

Ahoj Pavlina,

Este raz dakujem za pozvanie a perfektnu organizaciu vcerajsieho eventu. Bol to velmi inspirativny a myslim, ze aj najviac autenticky event zo vsetkych CEMS podujati, ktore som dosial navstivila. Tesim sa uz na dalsie stretnutie. 

S prianim pekneho dna,

Gabriela (CEMS Student)

Pavlína
on behalf of your CEMS Alumni Board Team
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CEMS Talk - Three inspiring stories - one topic: BUILDING BIG on 21 Sep

How to turn a passion into something "real"? How to build on it and grow? How to expand? How to build BIG? There are the questions for our next CEMS Alumni event on 21st September at 7pm. 

Who is this evening focused on?

On those, of you, who:

• want do some movement in their career,
• would like to start your own business but are not sure how,
• are entrepreneurs and want to move own business forward,
• simply want to meet with inspiring people.

Who are the speakers?

Jan Hrdina: Managing Director at Asko a.s.

Jan has managed to turn his passion for wood into building a top company with wooden products in the Czech Republic. Jan is one of the most recognized personalities in the CEMS Community and for years a big source of inspiration for many CEMS entrepreneurs.

Radomir Salitros: CEO & Co-owner at Saffron Beds

In 2007, Radomir left his consultancy and banking career in order to follow his desire for quality sleep. Not only he established a successful company producing luxury and healthy beds but he also managed to acquire a major investor helping Saffron Beds to expand internationally. 

Frantisek Peterka: Founder and former CEO at Prodeti.cz, Founder and CEO at Driveto.cz
Frantisek is a modern entrepreneur, who has built two successful eCommerce companies within past 8 years. After creating, leading and lately selling the biggest eshop with goods for children in the Czech Rep., he has started recently his new project driveto.cz

Where does it take place?

At the FloorFloor! venue at Na Pankráci 30 A, 140 00 Praha 4

Ready to come?

Then sign up at cemslumni@seznam.cz and join us on Thursday 21st September at 7pm!

Want more :-)?

A part of the evening will be dedicated to little wine tasting

Check our Facebook event. 

In case of any questions, please let us know!

Your CEMS Alumni Board

CEMS Alumni discussed burnout

Thank to the increasing speed of life, upgraded complexity of work nowadays and continuously leveling up requirements that each individual puts on himself / herself, burnout is no longer a syndrome occurring exceptionally. Instead it seems as a new “disease” of the modern era. 

As this is highly relevant for the business world, we chose to dedicate a special CEMS Alumni event to the topic of burnout.

Some of the participants at the exhibition before the event

Gorgeous location

The event took place in the beautiful settings of Czech Press Photo Centre in Prague 5. Before emerging to the discussion about burnout, we got a unique chance to get a private tour at the centre and explore also “the behind the curtains” areas of this place.

Having the opportunity to see all extraordinary photos from the charity photo auction Sance prodeti (Chance for children) was an icing on a cake.

Great discussion

It was a big pleasure to welcome among us Dominika Cechova, a counselor specializing on depth psychology and relationships as well as stress on a workplace. Before emerging into the world of therapies, Dominika worked at Big 4 and went through hew own burnout experience.We were happy to see that this topic attracted wide audience with fresh graduates, experienced business professional as well as alumni, who are already parents.

Most of the participants after the discussion

Key points discussed during the evening

1. Stress is internal, i.e. external stress does not exist: Stress is not an external element influencing us, though it is our internal reaction. Therefore, we can influence, if we get overwhelmed by it, if we start fighting with it or if we learn how to cope with it.
2. Dealing with stress? Open the doors of Your internal world and ask for help: Help in this case does not need to a be counselor or therapist, it can be also a friend, a spouse or a manager. Asking for help is not a sign of weakness. It is just opposite, it is a great sign of strength.
3. Theory of two bottles: why different people react differently to stress? This is Dominika’s own theory showing figuratively how we deal with stress. A first group of people tend to get overwhelmed and feel stressed after every slight signal of pressure as a plastic bottle does. Though when something considerable happens and they fall down, they promptly take off again. The second group of people can handle a day to day stress without any sign of being touched by it. They are firm and seem to be able to survive anything. But when they fall down, they break into pieces as a glass bottle does. 
4. Follow your intuition is not a buzzword: This might seem as a phrase. Though, it is very true. Follow your inner feeling. Does this job feel right for me? Am I taking a direct life directions? Etc.
5. Burnout: a shining star quickly moving up and quickly falling down. A typical sign of a burnout is a steep successful career moving upwards followed by a prompt fall down. Usually, company’s stars, who are highly capable, achieve enormous results and career steps in a short period of time are the ones, who can later suffer from burnout. Burnout as such can have various symptoms such as lethargy, anxiety, avoidance of meeting people, avoidance or doing things one loves, reoccurring diseases and pains, panic attacks, migraine etc.
6. Don’t want to be burnout? Find time for relaxation, cherish your relationships. If you feel you are on the way towards burnout – the first great signal is that you get aware of it. If you have a tendency to overachieve and be constantly great, choose in your free time activities that calm you down – e.g.. yoga, meditation, walking in the nature. Going for yet highly active sports only increases the amount of “stress in the body”. At the same time focus on other aspects of life, your family, friends. Do things you love and enjoy. Last but not least ask yourself, what is that you are actually going after by your high-speed and overachievement oriented life style? This is a part when burnout meets psychology. As also Dominika mentioned, though burnout can seem as a work syndrome initially, it is deeply rooted in our upbringing, family, our relationships to our loved ones, to people around us, to ourselves.
7. Be aware of burnout when raising your kids: show them that burnout is a dead end. Our kids do mirror us. Our generation is the first generation increasingly suffering from burnout yet a first generation able to talk about it openly. Let’s use all these findings and / or eventually our own experience with burnout and show the kids that overachieving and being constantly the best is not on its own the best path to shining future and happy life. 

We would like to say big thank to Dominika for joining us for this evening as well as to all participants for their openness and honesty. Big thank you goes also to Honza Kubik for arranging a private tour of Sance pro deti photo exhibition and the Czech Press Photo center as whole.

Pavlina, Vojta and Honza 

Your CEMS Alumni Board Team

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Interested in learning about burnout? Join our next CEMS Alumni event

Dear alumni
Come on Monday 29th May and join our panel discussion on this the topic Burnout and how to avoid it! Limited number of places available. Register at cemsalumni@seznam.cz

On the top of that, we will get a chance to go for a private tour at the charity photo exhibition the Chance for Children / Sance pro deti

The venue we will meet at

When and where

• When: 29th May from 6:15pm / 7pm
• Where: Czech Press Photo Cafe, Na zlate 1, 158 00 Prague 5

Program

• Exhibition: 6:15 till 7pm - orgnized by CEMS Alumnus Jan Kubik and Thomson Reuters
• Panel discussion about Burnout: 7pm till 9pm

Speakers
Counselor Dominika Cechova and film editor Michal Dvorak accompanied by CEMS alumni hosts Pavlina Simurdova and Vojtech Oplestil.

 

Location / Refreshment
The event takes places in the Czech Press Photo Cafe (nearby the stop Nove Butovice), where you can enjoy delicious refreshments

Registration needed at cemsalumni@seznam.cz

We are looking forward to seeing you!
Pavlína
on behalf of your CEMS Alumni Board Team
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What to do after the summer? Plan of events - updated

Dear alumni
at the beginning of this year we were planning a number of different events - aimed at networking, cooperation with students, fun... Whatever you like...

This is the current version of the plan (update as of 30 May 2017):
28.1. Topic: Family and Career (already took place) DONE
23.2. Start of mentoring program (already took place) DONE

16.3. Topic: Business Owners (already took place) DONE

30.3. CEMS Graduate profile DONE

5.4. Drink (you can register here)  DONE
7.4. CEMS Gala (organized by students) DONE
11.4. Sauna (you can register here, changed date) DONE
20.4. Mentoring program checkpoint (via on-line questionnaire)
29.5. Topic: Prevention of burnout (changed date)
8.6.  CEMS Soiree (organized by VSE) + Mentoring evaluatoin
10.6. Yoga in the park

There are still some events we need to plan in detail: networking event (in May or later) and maybe something more :-).

Would you like to propose any other event? Or would you like to help us organizing these events?

What kind of events should we organize after the summer?


Pavlina, Vojta and Honza
Your CEMS Alumni Board Team
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CEMSies sharing their experience with running own business

Dear CEMSies,

we are glad that our 2nd CEMS Alumni professional event this time related to Entrepreneurship attracted a wider audience of both CEMS students and alumni.

The event that took place on 16th March 2017. We got three speakers, who shared their stories and experience from running their own businesses.

It was highly inspirational to learn about different business concepts varying as much as: photo-voltaic distribution, VIP travel agency, pet food, fresh organic food, young coconuts and running courses for women. Below you can find a few key notes from the evening.

Key messages for new entrepreneurs: 

• There are thousands of ideas, only the execution makes the difference
• Consider all three parts: IDEA - RELATIONSHIPS - SYSTEM (in business and also in life)
• Don't try to reinvent the wheel, get inspiration the new trends, from abroad 
• Consult with a senior expert, pay for specialists' advice 
• Prepare a higher budget 
• Do the things professionally since the beginning
• Focus on people, don't try to do everything on your own
• Be yourself, honest and authentic :-)

Mindset change from a corporate world to own business:

• In your own business: You are the work. Work doesn't come, you need to create it.  
• Corporate systems and processes work in own business only after reaching a certain size 
• Use the great opportunity in corporations to learn from senior colleagues. Build your network

Key challenge as seen by all speakers: 

• People - i.e. finding the right business partner, co-worker or employee. Running a business with friend can be very tricky, though can work, if everyone is completely open, honest and able to make a difference between friendship and business relationship

We would like to thank to all speakers as well as to all participants of the this event.  

We are looking forward to seeing you on our next professional event that take place on 29th May 2017 this time related to the the topic Burnout and how to avoid it.  

Kind regards from the CEMS Alumni Board,
Pavlina

CEMS Students and Alumni Event on the topic Business Owners

Following the successful tradition of Meet up... evenings, we are thrilled to invite you for the CEMS Meeting on the topic Running own business with the headline: Entrepreneurial mindset

• Which skills are needed to start and run own business? 
• What are the first three steps when starting own business?
• Which areas do our speakers recommend to start own business in?

You can look forward to following speakers: Filip Riha, Zdenek Fous, Michal Adrian and Helena Suchomelova. This event is designed for CEMS business owners as well as for CEMS students or alumni interested in starting own business. 

Location: VSE Prague, RB 210, 7pm

Registration: via email at: cemsalumni@seznam.cz

Pavlina,
Your CEMS Alumni Board