2022 – Page 2 – Vanderbilt Business Review

Nov

05

2022

Made-in-China Electric Blanket Sales Booming in Europe as Homeowners Struggle with Soaring Fuel Bills

All Posts, Industries

By Iris An (Image: creative common license) As the temperature drops below 60°F this week, heaters, hot tea, blankets, sweaters, and hot air from air conditioners are returning to our lives in Nashville. At the same time, our European friends don’t seem to be enjoying a longer summer: temperatures in London fell below 51°F, with Berlin at a slightly better 59°F, and Amsterdam at 56°F, while the Nordics are facing an autumn well below 40°F. With winter approaching Europe, it is simple to see how a significant energy crisis resulting from the Russian-Ukrainian war would make this winter much more…

Nov

01

2022

By Shane Mumma

A Conversation with Vanderbilt Senior Ash Rai, Co-Founder and CEO of Fin-Tech Startup Feather

All Posts, Finance and Business Insight

By: Shane Mumma Editor’s Note: Shane and Ash are good friends. The following in-person interview has been edited for clarity and length. Shane: So, hello Ash! Welcome to this interview with the Vanderbilt Business Review—we’re happy to have you here! Basically, we’ve heard that you’ve launched a bunch of businesses during your time at Vanderbilt, and we’d love to hear about them. So, if you could tell me about your current business Feather—what it is, how you got the idea, and what the timeframe for it actually being available is. Ash: Sure, great! So yeah, I’m Ash. I’m a senior…

Nov

01

2022

By Sebastian Marrero

Expanding H-1B: The necessity of skilled foreign labor

All Posts, Economy and Government

By Sebastian Marrero Featured image: iStock In this article, I will discuss a few of the many economic benefits that H-1B workers provide in strengthening the U.S. economy, additionally talking over past efforts that have been made to weaken or remove the program altogether. Finally, I will argue that increasing visa caps and changing the way the program chooses its recipients will form a safer, stronger, and more equitable visa program for skilled foreign workers. What is H-1B? Foreign workers form an integral part of the American economy. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, they comprise 17.4 percent of…

Oct

30

2022

By Edward Ding

Leveraged Finance: Where We Are and How We Got Here

All Posts, Finance and Business Insight

By Edward Ding (Featured image: creative common license) It would be an understatement to say that corporate debt is important. From Coca-Cola toTwitter, corporations are frequent borrowers that use bonds and loans to fund a wide range of difference business activities. Much of this debt financing occurs on the public markets, where investors supply capital in exchange for portions of debt. Leveraged finance, which refers to corporate debt rated at below investment grade (i.e., high-yield debt, “junk bonds”), constitutes a relatively riskier but still vital portion of these markets. By looking deeper into the present state of leveraged finance, we…

Oct

29

2022

By Iris An

Pleasant Vineyard: A Story of Sweetness, Passion, and Unwavering Patience

All Posts, Features

By Iris An (All pictures taken by the author and used with permission from Dr. and Mrs. Yao unless otherwise cited) Pleasant Vineyards is located at 2018 Les Robinson, Columbia, Tennessee, at the foot of the picturesque Theta hills. The lovely 27-acre property features 11 acres of grapes, gorgeous views, quiet picnic spaces, and plenty of free parking. The Pleasant Vineyard, which is open every weekend for muscadine U-pick, wine tastings, and wine purchases, has hosted a great number of muscadine lovers and introduced this unique grape to a wider audience. This beautiful vineyard is owned by Dr. Jie Yao,…

Oct

23

2022

By Iris An

A Niche Market in Asian-style Bakeries: Sweet Dreams Bakery & Bubble Tea

All Posts, Features

By: Iris An (All images are provided by Sweet Dreams Bakery & Bubble Tea, used with permission) YiMemg Wang is the owner of Sweet Dreams Bakery & Bubble Tea, a bakery on Cool Springs Blvd., in Franklin, Tennessee, which specializes in pies, cheesecakes, egg tarts, breads and bubble tea. In this interview, YiMeng shared her story of establishing her own business and the most essential factors and long-term strategies in the food service industry from her unique perspective. (more introduction of YiMeng's fantastic bakery is below this article!) IA: What made you decide to establish your own business? YM: My…

Oct

08

2022

By Claire Chen

Bread, Circuses, and… Gas Prices? Energy as the Symbol of American Prosperity

All Posts, Economy and Government

By: Claire Chen The U.S. Department of Labor’s August 2022 CPI report reveals that American consumers may finally see a respite in the inflationary processes that have contributed to a skyrocketing cost of living. The modest 0.1 percent increase in August’s CPI – still higher than expected, but consistent with July’s 0.0 percent increase and a dramatic reversal from June’s 1.3 percent increase – may explain the September 26 remarks expressed by Federal Reserve Chair of Boston Dr. Susan Collins, who states, “I think that it’s quite likely that inflation is near peaking and perhaps may have peaked already.” However,…

Oct

03

2022

By Iris An

<strong>How far is a grocery store from your home? Dr. Schlundt’s research reveals alarming results on food deserts as an economic factor of health outcomes.</strong>

How far is a grocery store from your home? Dr. Schlundt’s research reveals alarming results on food deserts as an economic factor of health outcomes.

All Posts, Opinion

By: Iris An Take a moment, and try to picture the area where you grew up: How far is it to go to a grocery store which provides healthy foods, such as fresh fruit, vegetables, grains, protein foods, and dairy? If it’s a bit far, considering the car and gas price, how affordable is the driving?How often can you go to grocery stores that provide healthy food Now, think about your family’s diet habit: How often do you consume healthy food? Is it daily, weekly, or seldom? Food deserts are residential areas that provide poor access to healthful foods, and that…

Sep

26

2022

By Iris An

Starbucks’s ambitious plan in China: reflecting and expanding a business class reading

All Posts, Features

By Iris An Sitting in the 21st Avenue coffee shop with my pumpkin spice latte, I opened my next week’s reading assignment for BUSA 3710 and found myself staring at six articles about Starbucks—in a Starbucks (the irony of this weekend study mode was not lost to me). As its name indicates, BUSA 3710: Corporate Valuation is a course introducing the methods of intrinsic, relative, and contingent valuation. Like Aswath Damodaran, the “dean of valuation,” once said, “A craft is a skill that you learn by doing. The more you do, the better you get.” Valuation is a craft that…