The Road Less Traveled
After graduation, the job market in Michigan was not what Michael Eden, MBA'06 had hoped. In order to maximize his future options, he “took the road less traveled” and moved to China. This was not unexpected, however, as he had previously visited China on a fourteen-day “Business in China” immersion course with accountancy professor Dr. Roger Tang. On that trip Eden fell in love with the country and its people. “I came to try something new and to challenge myself in a new way,” Eden states.
He took a job at the Chicago International English School in the city of Shenyang, Liaoning Province, upon arriving and has remained at the school ever since. The position allows Eden the opportunity to build his language skills while learning the Chinese culture. He frequently has the opportunity to meet highly-placed individuals while teaching at companies and is able to network. “I continue to teach because I’m able to meet new people and learn from them in class. In addition, my compensation is very good, which enables me to save quite a bit.” Eden says. He hopes to one day own his own small business, though due to complex supplier and government relations combined with concerns with securing financing, this goal is still a bit “distant.” He has made several inroads in terms of business contacts and is building a network that will be vital to opening a business in China. Through his networking, he has had the unique opportunity to be a partner in a retail chain and to provide advice to local business professionals and friends about current trends in supply chain and logistics.
Eden finds it gratifying to be able to use the skills that he learned in the Haworth College of Business on a daily basis in his teaching. Often, he teaches Chinese business professionals in his classes and is easily able to relate to them and uses many teaching techniques of his favorite professors in HCoB.
Though he admits that a day-to-day life of constantly learning new cultural norms and attempting to become fluent in Chinese can be stressful, he loves the challenge and looks forward to future opportunities in the marketplace. In the words of Robert Frost, “Two roads diverged in a wood, and I— I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference.” For Mr. Eden, who met his wife at the Chicago International English School, Frost’s words ring true.