Rising from rock bottom and becoming the national finalists of Colgate Transcend 2.0 -By Team 32Out from XIMB

Being a part of a competition with so much recognition is everything you want at a B-school. We were able to obtain very valuable insights during the Colgate Transcend 2.0 by engaging with real-life cases and challenges that made us think out of the box.

After receiving the news of becoming the national finalists we felt really happy that our hard work finally paid off. We felt confident that the direction of our work and research had made practical sense to the business leadership. We realized that the reason for our participation which was to test where we stand amongst fellow MBA graduates was accomplished.

When opportunity met preparation

Preparation began with research on the topic and on Colgate's business plans and products. We worked for approximately three months on the problem across stages. The most challenging phase was the first round cause we had to streamline our research and give a specific direction to our plan. The only helping hand for us in the dark was WhatsApp, Zoom, and Google Meet. The number of deliberations required was more. It's a lot easier to work together physically in a room than to discuss stuff over a call. We had to set up routines and take time out.for researching sessions.

We definitely faced some conflicts over certain parts of our pitch. However, we resolved them through dialogue and chose the best option. The fact that we all had complementary talents was a plus one for us. One member deep-dived the research, one was the creative head and one was the tie that linked all elements together.

The technicalities of Colgate Transcend 2.0

The total number of teams in the finals was 5. We didn't see the pitches of the other competitors and hence we had no idea about who was the toughest competitor. But the competition in terms of judgment quality, organization, and framing was excellent. Everything was very smooth and we didn’t face any issues regarding the challenge. 

Lessons and moments of a lifetime

The importance of teamwork, getting out of organizational siloes, and how strategy is as much about pruning/omitting as about selecting - these are some of the key lessons we learned during our journey of becoming the national finalists of Colgate Transcend 2.0.

All in all, the first thought on becoming the national finalist was how all the sheer determination had paid off. The unexpectedness of this moment was something we’ll always remember. The moment of happiness on receiving the Paperwhite Kindle shall also always remain close to our hearts. 

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