REP Program: Midway Point

The past few weeks have been anything but idle. Between summer classes and anxious glances at the news, I’ve settled into a new routine working for Via Vera Group. I go to bed after pouring over business journals and market opinion pieces and I wake up with little epiphanies and new questions. 

Nikki DiFilippo and I dedicated our correspondence over the past few weeks to seek opportunities with three distinct companies. Each project warranted extensive research; I scoured company websites, national and local news articles, press releases, and op-eds for enough relevant information to assess each company’s needs and ask informed questions. Asking questions was the gateway to further dialogue. For one company, Nikki asked me to design a pitch deck that tailored to her client’s objectives; for another, she passed me the baton to conduct a Zoom interview with representatives from the Greater Cleveland Partnership. We discussed the London Stock Exchange’s ELITE program’s recent decision to establish its first American headquarters in Cleveland and the opportunities for the Cleveland businesses community. They answered my ample list of questions and inspired many more; specifically, is there an opportunity for Via Vera Group during this transition? 

Like many businesses nationwide, Via Vera Group is revisiting and reevaluating its company strategy during this remote summer. I’ve enjoyed brainstorming next steps with Nikki, and I’ve especially enjoyed the time I spent researching economic trends and market predictions for the foreseeable future. What is Cleveland’s economic outlook and should Via Vera Group expand within or beyond Northeast Ohio? Should the company further specialize in its industry or is it better to keep our options open? There are no simple answers.

Aside from looking inward on a company level, I gained some clarity on my personal career aspirations this past month. Through Nikki, I connected with an economist at the Cleveland Federal Reserve Bank. He painted a realistic picture of his job’s day-to-day responsibilities and gave me some insight on what the Fed is looking for in tomorrow’s economists. As a college student with a limited network, informational interviews have always felt out of reach. Working for Via Vera Group has given me a foot in the door and access to business leaders across industries. I look forward to making more connections this summer.