Camera in Hand

Max Kapica
Senior
Management

Today is day 3 of our Ramble and our very first site visit! We started the day bright and early at 8 AM to head to one of the most interesting excursions, Sony Pictures Entertainment! I was so excited for today, and had the privilege of doing the Instagram takeover for Quinlan as well! With my camera in hand, our group walked through the studio gates in awe and enthusiasm. The first thing on our agenda was to meet with George Semaan, a 2014 Loyola graduate with an impressive resume. When he started his career, George worked at Deloitte in hopes of becoming a tax attorney. Instead, he found a passion for finance and found himself working for McDonald’s and Snap Inc. He moved into his Divisional CFO role at Sony three years ago with the intent to change the way the department is run. He shared some great advice about transitioning positions: saying yes. Be open and willing to any opportunity that comes your way, as you never know what will come of it. 

Our next meeting was with Tania Missad, the EVP for strategy and analytics at Sony. Although not a Loyola alum, Tania shared her experience with making her mark in the business world and navigating her career. I enjoyed the Q&A, especially since I see myself in a similar role to hers in the future. With Tania’s experience and J&J, Mattel, and Warner Bros., she knew exactly what she loved and didn’t love in a role. Her journey as an exchange student was extremely motivational. The advice she with us was to pursue traveling internationally, as it changed her perspective in both her personal and professional life. My biggest takeaway from our conversation was to follow your passion, build your network, fail forward and have humility doing so, and to make connections with the people on your team. 

The coolest part of the day was the Studio tour, where we got to learn about the history of Sony Pictures and see some behind the scenes action! We learned what a Foley Artist was (sound effects specialist), where music scores are recorded, and what is currently filming (although I might have to keep those a secret!). Our tour guide, Emma, did an amazing job answering our burning questions about celebrity sightings and her favorite films. We ended the tour with a lunch on the studio lot and a trip to the souvenir shop. 

After a quick break in the hotel, we met up again to have dinner with Hector Cuellar, president and managing partner of Gassó Capital Markets. There we discussed global finance, his experience in Europe, and how to find your passion at work. 

After a long day, we all headed back to the hotel full and tired. I finished up my video for the Instagram takeover and reflected on the wonderful day. I am so grateful I get to be here in Sunny L.A. and connect with Alumni. I’m looking forward to what is next on our list!