It’s as if it were only yesterday that I was a freshman student sitting at Professor Wong and Kramarz’s table, wondering what a life science student like myself was doing in Munk One. I’ll be the first to admit, I had a very narrow worldview and had already decided I was going to follow the very traditional medical school path; undergraduate studies, lab research, volunteer at a hospital, and write my MCATs. Nothing else outside of this little pathway should interest me I thought. I couldn’t have known, but the seeds of change were sown already.

            Reflecting on my time with Professor Wong and Kramarz, I’ve come to realize that every day and every discussion, I was slowly expanding my perspective. I felt challenged every class, and I relished the opportunity to participate in the class exchange of knowledge. My team project in mobile health not only afforded me the wondrous chance to exercise multifaceted research skills, but it also thrust me completely out my comfort zone. My Munk courses acted as a catalyst for me to think beyond my normal confines, and it taught me to see the world in a much more complex and integrated design.

            Around the same time, and not by coincidence, my friend and I soon began to develop the idea of an investment fund, something that was seemingly far beyond our reach. For obvious reasons, it was doomed to fail if we did not fully believe in the idea and apply ourselves unconditionally. I would liken this experience to a leap of faith, especially since we were dealing with the pressure of handling other people’s money. Following our commitment to this endeavor led to an entire year of discussion, poring over legal documents/acts, investing our own money, and constant planning.

            The fruit of our labour is Imperium Asset Management, an investing partnership with over $100,000 in assets under management. We employ the value investing school of thought that great investors like Bill Ackman and Seth Klarman use. As of today, through a year of investing, we have beaten the market by 26% (47% if compared to the TSX). We even created a school club to help teach students the basics of investing and our own official website at www.iamic.ca. It’s hard to quantify the impact of my experience at Munk One in shaping my way of thinking or how it contributed to the creation of such an exciting enterprise. However, it is without a doubt that the growth and development needed to embark on this long journey started with a first year student sitting down in class, listening to Professor Wong and Kramarz lecture about the world’s complex issues.