Great Grads 2019: Blake Daly, MBA/19

On June 10, we will celebrate the class of 2019 as our newest graduates cross the Carleton University Convocation stage to receive their degrees. To make this special occasion, we’ve asked some of our grads to reflect on their time in the Sprott School of Business.

Blake Daly is graduating from the Master of Business Administration (MBA) program.

If you could choose one word to sum up your time at Sprott, what is it and why?

Engaged.

Everything that I did during my time at Sprott engaged me in the best possible way. From the case-based course work to the top-notch faculty and my peers, I was able to engage my whole self in everything that I did. For the personal and professional growth that resulted, I am incredibly grateful.

What were your goals when you started at Sprott? Did you achieve them?

My goals coming into my MBA at Sprott were to:

• Learn as much as possible and to expand my professional tool belt.
• Foster strong relationships with my classmates.
• Grow professionally and personally.
• Start a start-up.

I am happy to say that I achieved these goals, and much more. I am leaving Sprott with lifelong friends, immense confidence in my professional and personal capabilities to achieve my goals, an MBA in my back pocket, and a start-up that is off of the ground.

What is your favourite Sprott memory?

My favourite Sprott memory has to be winning the marketing case competition at the 2019 MBA games in Toronto. Our team’s underdog mentality coupled with our Hollywood level celebration was a win that I will never forget.

What was your favourite course or professor?

It would be too difficult to select just one course or professor as my favourite, but a few notable courses come to mind. Dr. Robert Helal’s capstone strategy course (5900) was offered at the perfect point in my academic journey. Dr. Helal’s professional experience and academic teaching style combined to form a course that was cutting edge and about as real world as it gets. Not only was Dr. Helal a great professor, but he has also acted as a mentor and catalyst for my start-up, www.HourThanks.ca.

Some honourable mentions include Dr. Linda Duxbury, Richard Clayman, Julie Caldwell and Dr. Hilary Becker.

What was the most important lesson you learned during your time at Sprott?

I learned to say yes to the opportunities that surround me. In previous academic endeavours, I would find ways to say no and to follow the path that I had set myself on. This time, in spite of an extremely heavy course load and many extracurriculars, I chose to say ‘yes’ to the incredible opportunities that surrounded me at Sprott and I am incredibly happy that I did. I learned that saying yes to opportunities never brings you down the path that you imagined, and that down the road, doors open up to those who say yes.

What will you miss the most?

What I will miss the most are my awesome classmates and the environment that we created together. Everything from last minute presentation preparation in the lounge, post exam ‘debriefs’ at Mike’s and all of your incredible generosity helping get HourThanks off the ground, has been what made my MBA experience what it was, and for all of you I am incredibly grateful.

What’s next for you?

I am currently completing an internship in a change management role at Bruyére. In my spare time I am working on www.hourthanks.ca along with working at Carleton with Professor Andrew Webb on the exciting new directed studies course (BUSI 4905). I am in the process of applying for work for September and am excited by the opportunities that await.

Is there anything else you would like to share with the Sprott community?

To my professors, thank you for sharing your hard-earned wisdom and experience, it has not fallen on deaf ears and will serve as a solid foundation from which I will build my career.

To my peers (I guess colleagues now), there is now nothing holding you back from taking on the world – so get to it!

And finally, to the Sprott community, continue to look for reasons to say yes to the opportunities that present themselves to you. The adventure awaits!

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