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Two weeks ago, I had the honor to represent Frankfurt School at the Business and Management Case Competition at Universidad Panamericana in Guadalajara, Mexico. With my colleagues Martha Zoller, Cloe De Leo, Tristan Schwarz and our coach, Prof. Jerry Guo, we faced three case challenges and competed against 15 other universities from all around the world. After the IE Business Case Competition in February, this was our second time competing at such an event. Let’s take a closer look at the week:
The week started with a cocktail reception and opening speech as well as a game of Lotería, a traditional Mexican board game of chance. Here we met our competitors and experienced the first bit of Mexican culture.
The company visit at Mexico’s leading candy and chocolate brand, de la Rosa, gave us further insights into the company behind our first case. We listened to valuable speeches from experienced entrepreneurs and had the chance to be guided through the production facilities. Afterwards we went to the Campus of Universidad Panamericana and presented the first case about strategies on the expansion of “de la Rosa” into the Chinese market.
IPADE Business School was the venue for the second case of this competition. In mixed teams we worked on a pitch presentation on sustainable and ethical poultry farming where my team made it to the finals. The day ended with a unique experience of Lucha Libre – Mexican professional wrestling known for high-flying moves, colorful masks, and dramatic storytelling, blending athleticism with cultural spectacle – ending the day in a spectacular manner.
As the national drink, originating in Jalisco, Tequila is something you don’t miss in Mexico. After experiencing the harvesting process of the “blue agave” as well as a tour of a family-owned distillery, we had a traditional lunch accompanied by Mariachi playing in Tequila town and afterwards explored the streets with some traditional Tequila drinks.
On Thursday, after a quick introduction, our preparation time for the 24-hour case started. We developed innovative strategies for Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide, targeting younger audiences, innovating the sport and acquiring new talents.
The next day we presented our results and achieved second place in our division. Working 24 hours on a case is a truly exciting experience with ups and downs. These hours were accompanied by great teamwork and a lot of fun. We learned a lot during this time and by watching the presentations of all the other universities, we gained new inspiration and knowledge for further improvements. The whole week was rounded up by the gala dinner at Hospicio Cabañas – one of the most emblematic buildings of Guadalajara which was declared as World Heritage by UNESCO in 1997. It was truly exceptional.
All in all, this week was defined by exceptional organization accompanied by culture, personal connection and professional knowledge. It was about meeting like-minded people, creating friendships as well as the immersion into the Mexican culture – all while improving our professional skills.
We want to thank Universidad Panamericana for organizing the competition and creating this unique experience for us. Furthermore, great appreciation goes to Frankfurt School and our study advisor Malte Schudlich for giving us the opportunity to represent Frankfurt School at this competition. We also want to thank our coach, Prof. Jerry Guo, for his support in preparation for and during the case-week. We are truly grateful for having you as part of our team.
If you are a student at Frankfurt School and want to experience such adventures, too, then check out the FS Case Society starting next semester. With that, onto the next challenges and hasta luego!
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