Which Artist’s Tour Crashed Ticketmaster’s Site? My Journey in the 2023 UC Davis-Financial Times Biz Quiz

As a second-year MBA student, my recent participation in the UC Davis-Financial Times Biz Quiz was a whirlwind of challenges, collaboration, and ultimately, triumph.

The journey showcased the collective efforts of UC Davis and underscored the spirit of unity and determination that defines our MBA community.

Preparation + Strategy

The adventure began six weeks before the competition when I joined one of two teams with three UC Davis MBA students on each (Team A and Team B). Our two teams would represent the Graduate School of Management in the second-annual Biz Quiz.

As a group, together our teams faced the challenge of both mastering a vast array of information from Financial Times articles and developing a strategy that would lead us to success.

The heart of our preparation was a collaborative effort to build an exhaustive question bank of over 1,500 questions based on more than 40 articles a day posted on FT news over the course of six weeks. Many of our fellow classmates actively participated in this endeavor. It was a truly collective effort. (BTW - Taylor Swift is the answer to the real Biz Quiz question in the headline!)

We split into groups, each focusing on different article categories from the Financial Times. This approach helped us diversify our knowledge and laid the foundation for a comprehensive understanding of the competition material.

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Training to “Buzz when Confident”

Our mentor, Professor Ayako Yasuda, coached us to stay calm and composed during the all-day team competition on November 18. Professor Yasuda dedicated to our success, organizing practice quizzes every week and providing a simulated experience to prepare us for the actual competition.

On the day of the team competition, our UC Davis Team A adopted a strategy of playing conservatively while taking calculated risks. The decision to buzz when confident, rather than rushing to answer, proved crucial in navigating the challenge. This approach, balanced with strategic thinking, allowed us to stay competitive and perform at our best.

Competition Leads to Networking Opportunities

Beyond the competition itself, the event opened doors to invaluable networking opportunities with graduate business students from 11 other business schools.

The camaraderie forged in the crucible of competition enriched the overall experience, highlighting the significance of these engagements beyond the academic realm.

Gratitude and Recognition

A heartfelt thanks goes out to my exceptional teammates, Min Zhu and Changseop Yun, who put in hard work and brought with them an unwavering team spirit.

Our teammate Min Zhu also won first place and $1,000 in the individual competition, which was a testament to her dedication.

I also extend a big shoutout to UC Davis Team B: Aashi Mehrotra, Umang Kulshrestha, and Jerry (Peijie) Liao. They displayed exceptional grit by winning second place in the competition and $2,400 in prize money.

I also congratulate the winning team from Cal Poly Pomona, and all the team and individual winners from the 10 other universities and business schools who joined us at UC Davis for the two-day Biz Quiz.

We’re very fortunate and thankful for the partnership and sponsorship of the Financial Times and their leaders and staff at the competition who collaborated with GSM staff for a great experience.

Finally, immense gratitude to Professor Yasuda, whose mentorship was a beacon of guidance. As rightly acknowledged by Dean H. Rao Unnava, Professor Yasuda, despite being known for her calm and zen demeanor, has an infectious competitive spirit and enthusiasm.

The journey through the UC Davis-Financial Times Biz Quiz was a test of knowledge capped by a celebration of collaboration, determination and mentorship. I look forward to watching the continued excellence of UC Davis MBA students in future competitions under the inspiring mentorship of Professor Yasuda.

(click on photos to enlarge with captions)

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Cal Poly Pomona took home first place at the UC Davis-Financial Times Biz Quiz.

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Full-Time UC Davis MBA student Min Zuh earned the First Place Individual Prize.

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Three dozen graduate students on teams from 11 universities to participated in the second-annual UC Davis-Financial Times Biz Quiz.

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To kick off the Biz Quiz, U.S. Managing Editor for Financial Times Peter Spiegel moderated a Q&A with Marcie Frost, CEO of CalPERS, the largest public pension fund in the U.S.