Career Investigation - Jenna Beahn

One of the classes that I took during the Sophomore Business Cohort that really sparked an interest in my career investigation was my marketing class with Professor Spotts, and the Community Business Partners meeting with Sally Azar, the marketing manager for MassLive. Before this class, and the meeting with Mrs. Azar, I always thought marketing was simply advertising; boring stuff! However, after learning about marketing and all of the different aspects of it, and being able to connect the concepts to real life businesses and situations, I became very interested. I can't wait to take another marketing class next semester!

During Professor Spotts' class, we learned about tens of different aspects of marketing, the four P's (product, price, promotion, place), B2B (business to business) and B2C (business to consumer) aspects, supply chains and so much more. Although learning about these different concepts in class was interesting to me, I didn't become engulfed in the idea of marketing until I was able to connect it to situations outside of the classroom., which Sally Azar did a great job of doing!

Mrs. Azar was able to connect multiple concepts that we learned in class to some of MassLive's daily tasks. For example, she talked about MassLive's B2C (business to consumer) selling process, and some of their different ways of marketing. She seemed to really enjoy her job, and loved to pass on some her marketing knowledge down to us.

Connections to the Classroom

During our first meeting, we learned about the differences between work life balance in the United States and work life balance in Canada. We learned how it was used in the real world, through MassLive and their competitors. We also learned about how business ethics can be misused in the workplace, whether purposely or accidentally, and how MassLive is affected by their own ethical decisions, as well as competitors ethical decisions. During our second meeting, we learned about how Mass Live uses statistics to plan their marketing strategies; who visits their website, what they are interested in, inside and outside of their website, what other websites they visit, etc. We also got a fascinating demonstration on Google Analytics, and how it informs Mass Live and their reporters of how their ads are doing and if a change might need to happen. Our third meeting focused on how ethics drives a reporters decision process on whether to run a story or not, thinking about it can affect their business and their readers, or to post anything on their website or social media sites, for the same ethical reasons. We also saw them follow and publish a breaking story; following the story on other news sites, keeping in touch with their reporters and managers and much more. It was very overwhelming! In our fourth and final visit to MassLive, we talked about MassLive and their marketing strategies.We learned who MassLive aims to target in the market, and why, and how their different marketing strategies affect their readers. Overall, MassLive was a great comapny to work with as a Community Business Partner.

Community Business Partner Moments

One of the many benefits of the Sophomore Business Cohort was the ability to partner up with a local business and become community business partners. The business that we got paired up with is MassLive, located in Springfield, MA. Our first meeting with an member from MassLive was with the Human Resources Manager, Natalia Collins. As the HR Manager, Natalia's job is to make sure her workers have a good work-life balance and to make sure her workers have great working conditions. Some examples of what Ms. Collins does are coordinate fun outings such as trips to the Big E or Six Flags or host office parties and Nerf gun wars. Ms. Collins was very informative, giving us information regarding what kind of benefits workers at MassLive receive, what she is looking for in potential future employees, and the working conditions and policies that MassLive has. Ms. Collins was very informative and happily answered all of our questions. My personal favorite question that we asked is what distinguishes MassLive from its competitors, both in a public and employee perspective. The main points to her answer to this question was that MassLive has a great work life balance, a competitive salary, its pretty easy to fill lost positions and they don't have many competitors in Springfield. After gladly answering all of our questions thoroughly, Ms. Collins went on to talk more about MassLive. Some of the main points that we got out of this meeting were that their office is Dr. Seuss based (a personal favorite fun fact of mine), they are huge on work-life balance, MassLive is a part of Advance Local (which also owns Vogue, 17 Magazine, Food Network, etc.) and they have been partners with Google for the past three years.

The next member we met up with at MassLive was Mike Burnham, the sales manager. Mr. Burnham talked to us about statistics and how stats relates back to MassLive and their sales. Our major question for Mr. Burnham was how he uses statistics in his daily life. He started out by saying that he likes to know where clients learned about them, so they know where their money is going. The way MassLive does this is the usage of cookie data, which is when websites use "cookies" to leave a code on your computer and reports back what websites you go to/what you search, which in turn creates data. MassLive has about 2.6 billion cookies.  They also use third party cookies, which is when they buy data from another business and matches cookie ID's with new cookies, which in turn helps them know who to reach out to. MassLive also uses ad networks, which are ads that follow you around (you go to a website, it tags you, follows you, and send reminder messages/ads). All of these difference techniques and operations allow MassLive to know anything and everything they want to know. For example, MassLive has data on who's visiting their pages, how old they are, their gender, their other interests, etc. They allow MassLive to "eliminate waste", or target people willing to convert, make informed decisions, see the who/what/when/where/why's of people on their website, etc.


The third time we visited MassLive, we met up with Noah Bombard, the managing producer and John Beattie, the director of digital operations. Mr. Bombard and Mr. Beattie took us to a small room with a large TV where they were following breaking news stories and updating their website and social media sites. Mr. Bombard was the first to talk to us about ethics and social media. He began with the fact that the internet and computers have have made finding, investigating and posting news stories so much easier. 2005-2006 was the big move from paper news to online news, and that means it went from consumers being able to see stories hours after they happened, to being able to see them minutes after they happened. He then went on to talk about how the internet has affected them as a news business. For example, they have to make decisions much quicker now and they can follow social media sites like twitter/Facebook/etc. and download videos or get the stories first hand before any other news reporter. It is imperative that MassLive get the story before nay other news reporter because it increases their credibility and they want their website to be the first place a client sees a story. After listening to them talk, and watching them keep up with a breaking story, I asked if their job was overwhelming, and they said extremely! I was overwhelmed for them!

For our fourth and final visit, we met with Sally Azar, the marketing manager for MassLive. This visit was probably the easiest to relate back to our marketing class with Professor Spotts. A few of the main points that we talked about with Mrs. Azar include market penetration, B2B and B2C perspectives, millennials, and targeting, all of which are major concepts that we learned about in our marketing class. According to Mrs. Azar, MassLive has about 80% market penetration in Western Mass, and are working towards getting more market penetration in the Worcester area. MassLive targets millennials because 74% get their information from online sources, and 88% get their information from Facebook. Also, millennials like the idea of features that make using websites easier; and MassLive has the top ten features that people look for, including the search bar and the ability to share information. She also talked a lot about B2B (business to business) and B2C (business to consumer) sales and how those affect the overall marketing for MassLive. Mrs. Azar spent time showing us MassLive's website, and their specific marketing techniques, and gave us an idea of what they plan to do in the future. 

Goodbye, MassLive and members! Thanks for everything!

Community Business Partners Organization - Pre-Visit Information

Mass Live is a leading news provider in the Western Massachusetts area with over three million visitors per month. They are the go-to news source for Massachusetts and Northern Connecticut, and are working to expand to the Worcester and Boston areas. MassLive covers local and national news, weather, sports, pop culture and politics. They use multiple different elements to get their news out, including audio, video, interactive charts and graphs, and print, and their stories are usually published first online on their website, and later in the Republican, a favorite of Western New England University! They are a part of Advance Local, a media group comprised of eleven other websites and more than thirty newspapers. Advance Publications is the parent company that oversees Advance Local, and all of its affiliates, including Vogue and Discovery.









Works Cited
http://commonwealthmagazine.org/politics/masslives-statewide-strategy/
http://www.masslive.com/#/0







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Being a part of the Sophomore Business Cohort, I was asked to research the five Community Business Partners that the SBC will be working with this year. Along with this research, I will be able to choose one of the Community Business Partners and complete an E-Portfolio Project group assignment on that specific business partner. The five Community Business Partners that I will be researching are CISabroad, the Eastern States Exposition, Peter Pan Bus Lines, MASS Live and Springfield City Stage and Symphony Hall.

CISabroad, founded by Jeff Palm in 2000 (GoAbroad), and located in Northampton, Massachusetts, is a program that allows students to spend a semester abroad to one of various different countries and take a course or complete an internship. CISabroad offers over 100 abroad programs, including volunteer, internship, study abroad, and intensive language (Abroad101). A student can pick one of the numerous countries that CISabroad offers, including Argentina, Australia, China, Costa Rica, Czech Republic, Ecuador, England, France, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Ireland, Italy, New Zealand, Oman, Peru, Scotland, South Africa, Thailand and Hawaii.

            Along with many good reviews posted throughout their website and on other, CISabroad has a very unique slogan; “At CISabroad we are COMMITTED to giving you the best value in study abroad… You won’t find a better value. We guarantee it!” (CISabroad) This program offers everything a student should need when traveling abroad; housing, tuition, insurance, airport pick up, orientation, excursions and more. They also offer a CISabroad staff member for support from the beginning to the end of their trip to quickly respond to any questions or concerns a student might have .CISabroad offers programs in large, urban areas, smaller towns and everything in between (Abroad101). Through CISabroad, a student gets the opportunity to study abroad for a semester/year, summer, or January/J Term. When studying abroad, most students learn about foreign languages, foreign cultures, their home country, and most importantly, themselves. When thrown into a new social and physical challenge, one is supposed to come out stronger and more capable, while having grown academically, personally and professionally (CISabroad).  

The Eastern States Exposition, also known as ESE and the host of the renowned “Big E”, is a non-profit corporation dedicated to providing information, opportunities and publicity for agriculture and industry, education, and family entertainment while maintaining the beloved New England Heritage (Eastern States Exposition). The Eastern States Exposition, founded in 1916 and located in Springfield, Massachusetts, is not owned by one person, but is instead governed by The Board of Corporators, a group of volunteers consisting of distinguished leaders from the New England States. The ESE hosts a variety of events including, but not limited to, The Big E, Staggered Car Shows, Log and Timber Home Shows, Sled Expo’s, “Tales from Haunted New England”, Antique and Modern Firearms Shows, and many more, throughout the entire year.

The Eastern States Exposition’s biggest event, “The Big E”, also known as New England’s Great State Fair” has recently had an increase in revenue, increasing their attendance record from 1,481,917 people in 2013 to 1,498,605 people in 2014. They have also been ranked the fifth largest fair in North America, following the Texas State Fair, Minnesota State Fair, San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo and the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, by Carnival Warehouse (MASSLive). This advancement and progression in the position of The Big E, has made the Eastern States Exposition that much more popular and established in the eyes of the people all over New England.

As some people may not guess, Peter Pan Bus Lines is not a specific line from the beloved Disney World, but instead was founded by Peter C. Picknelly in Springfield, Massachusetts in 1933. This line, which took over 13 years to create and popularize, is now one of the largest bus lines used in the United States. Peter Pan Bus Lines serves 100+ cities in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic (Wanderu), and has multiple services including charter bus rental, garage services, college and corporate shuttles, shipping/package express, Coach Builders (a high-quality repair service), Peter Pan Sports (exclusive place to find tickets to all sorts of events with included motor coach transportation), and Friendship Tours Showbus (safe and enjoyable transportation to museums, zoos, Broadway Venues, etc.).(Peter Pan Bus Lines)

Peter Pan Bus Lines has become even more distinguished and respected after it was awarded the highest rating from the Transportation Safety Exchange, giving them the ability to transport NCAA teams. Another achievement of Peter Pan Bus Lines is the fact that they are the most energy efficient mode of transportation; better than planes, regular automobiles and all other bus services. (Peter Pan Bus Lines) Maybe this is why Peter Pan Buses are used more than any other bus service in the United States.

            MASS Live is owned by Advance Internet, a “leading media group comprised of 12 local affiliated news and information websites that rank #1 among local media in their respective markets and more than 30 affiliated newspapers known for their award-winning journalism. (MASS Live)”. MASS Live currently has the record for most popular news and information site in Western Massachusetts, and is known as the third largest news website in Massachusetts. MASS Live covers all areas of entertainment, both local and national, including sports, music, news, business, and living. It also covers topics such as travel, weather, rentals, classifieds, obituaries, jobs and real estate. MASS Live, located in Springfield, Massachusetts, provides news, information and gossip to Northern Connecticut and Massachusetts, and all across New England. (MASS Live)

            MASS Live distinguishes itself from other news sites because it offers extensive Internet Marketing Services and provides a place for people to come together and connect about the news. It also uses a variety of elements to get their news out, including print, video, audio, and interactive charts and graphs (Commonwealth). MASS Live works closely and diligently with The Republican, a local newspaper and a favorite of Western New England University.

            Springfield City Stage and Symphony Hall is a favorite for all of Springfield’s locals. Springfield City Stage and Symphony Hall is a non-profit organization that strives to provide quality professional entertainment to encourage awareness of the performing arts, improve the quality of life for their neighbors and support the economic growth and prosperity of the Springfield community (Springfield City Stage and Symphony Hall). Symphony Hall is “home to Broadway-style theatre, top-quality children’s programming, internationally recognized speakers and numerous concerts and performances”, while the City Stage offers dramas, musicals and off-Broadway entertainment (Springfield City Stage and Symphony Hall).

Springfield’s City Stage and Symphony Hall has provided many events including, but not limited to, The Grand Parade (of the 20^th Century), Stand Up & Sing Live Karaoke, Best of Boston Comedy Festival: Italian Comedians, and Yesterday and Today: The Interactive Beatles Experience.

My top choice for a Sophomore Business Cohort E-Portfolio Project group assignment would be to the Eastern States Exposition. The ESE would be my top choice because I have never been to The Big E, and would love to learn more about it, but also because it isn’t specifically owned by one person, but by a group of people, and I believe that the accomplishment of this corporation came about because of unbelievable teamwork and imagination. I would also like to study the Eastern States Exposition because it started out as such a small organization, but blossomed into a renowned and celebrated corporation that will soon be celebrating their 100^th year!

My second choice for a Sophomore Business Cohort E-Portfolio Project group assignment would be to MASS Live. I would enjoy exploring MASS Live because it would be fascinating to be incorporated in such an involved corporation, and I would love to learn about the marketing and connecting side of a news website. Also, as we learn about present events, like sports and entertainment, we would also be learning how that news and information is communicated from the Republican to MASS Live to the public.

My last choice for a Sophomore Business Cohort E-Portfolio Project group assignment would be to Springfield’s City Stage and Symphony Hall. This would be my last choice as an E-Portfolio Project group assignment because I am not as interested in this sort of business as I am with organizations and corporations such as MASS Live and the Eastern States Exposition. Although I think learning more about Springfield’s City Stage and Symphony Hall could be interesting, I feel that one of the other organizations would be more appealing and intriguing to me.

            Joining the Sophomore Business Cohort has given me the ability to research some of the finest businesses and corporations in Springfield, Massachusetts. After researching CISabroad, Eastern States Exposition, Peter Pan Bus Lines, MASS Live, and Springfield City Stage and Symphony Hall, my top choice for my E-Portfolio Project group assignment was Eastern States Exposition, and my last choice was Springfield City Stage and Symphony Hall. 

Works Cited

"CISabroad / Center for International Studies." Study Abroad with. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Dec. 2015. < https://www.studyabroad101.com/providers/cisabroad-center-for-international-studies>

"CISabroad's Programs and Reviews." GoAbroad.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Dec. 2015. http://www.goabroad.com/providers/cisabroad

"CityStage & Symphony Hall - CityStage & Symphony Hall." CityStage Symphony Hall. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Sept. 2015. <http://www.symphonyhall.com/>.

"Eastern States Exposition -." Eastern States Exposition. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Sept. 2015. <http://www.thebige.com/ese/>.

"MassLive.com." MassLive.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Sept. 2015. <http://www.masslive.com/#/0>.

"MassLive's Statewide Strategy - CommonWealth Magazine." CommonWealth Magazine. N.p., 13 Jan. 2015. Web. 08 Dec. 2015. http://commonwealthmagazine.org/politics/masslives-statewide-strategy/

"Wanderu.com - Search Cheap Bus and Train Travel." Wanderu.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Dec. 2015. https://www.wanderu.com/peter-pan-bus-schedule

“Peter Pan Bus Company – The Northeast’s Premier Bus Line.” Peter Pan Bus RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Sept. 2015. <http://peterpanbus.com/>.

“Study Abroad Programs │ Summer Study Abroad │ International Internships.” Study Abroad Programs │ Summer Study Abroad │ International Internships. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Sept. 2015. <http://www.cisabroad.com/>.

Jkinney@repub.com, Jim Kinney |. "Big E Named 5th Biggest Fair in the United States." MASSLive, n.d. Web. 08 Dec. 2015. < http://www.masslive.com/the-big-e/index.ssf/2015/01/big_e_named_5th_biggest_fair_in_the_united_states.html>

Introduction to Jenna Beahn

My name is Jenna Beahn and I am a sophomore General Business major and Education minor at Western New England University. I am working towards my Masters in Business Administration, expecting to graduate in 2019! At WNE, I am a part of the Sophomore Business Cohort, a general member in Sophomore Council, a Peer Adviser on campus and a Student Assistant in the Office of Student Activities and Leadership Development. As a member of Sophomore Council, I help construct and host fun activities and events on campus, such as Lights Out and Midnight Madness (ask me what these are!). As a Peer Advisor, I assist incoming freshman and transfer students get used to college, and serve as a resource and friend on campus to students. As a Student Assistant in the Office of Student Activities, I help the Associate Dean of Students/Student Activities and Leadership Development do a variety of different tasks, ranging from filing paperwork to making phone calls. Overall, my experience at Western New England has already been one I will never forget, and I’m only a sophomore. 

Phil's introduction

Hi,

My name is Philip Marx and I am a Sophomore Business Major at Western New England University. I am a Eagle Scout with the Boy Scouts of America and have interned with the North Shore Navigators for the past two years.