EDA Capital Connect- Erica Tabacnicks
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Erica Tabacnicks
Major / fields of study: Economics
Tufts program & expected graduate year: MALD / Fletcher / 2010
EDA Capital Connect, Gurgaon, India, Jun/Jul/Aug 2009
My work entails identifying and communicating with social enterprises and investors who could benefit from using the CapitalConnect platform. I also help to develop and implement marketing strategies that focus on specific geographic regions and social enterprise sectors
The experience was different than expected as the company is still at an early stage. Therefore, I was able to help in setting the structure, defining offline services to be offered, creating templates of documents and defining what kind of members we should look for. In this aspect, it was a very satisfying experience as I helped set the foundations where it will be built.
I learned about the social enterprise and MFI landscapes in India. I became familiar with the most important players in the social investors scene and learned about the profiles. I had the opportunity to write a template for a Business Plan, so I learned what they are supposed to have in them. I also learned about the main advisory services provided to SEs and MFIs around the world and the main players in this area. I got in contact with media organizations, websites and blogs that play an import role in the social enterprises world.
I liked the flexibility to suit the program according to my interests. My managers were very open to new ideas and discussions and were always ready to listen to me. I was able to discuss our projects and I collaborated in planning and organizing the activities. They had a lot of confidence in my work and I felt they trusted me and were rapidly counting on me to expand our business. I had a lot of autonomy and power of decision regarding my tasks and responsibilities.