#obviously there are some finance roles that are super math focused (

[expatesque]

I don't think I want to be a solicitor anymore. How did you transition from law to a stock-picking role? How did you demonstrate that you had the relevant quantitative skills? You've previously said that there are many work cultures and roles in Finance outside the obvious investment banking, accounting, consulting etc which may have bad hours. What kind of roles did you have at the top of your mind? Thanks so much! :)

So for quantitative skills, that wasn't an issue for me as I did a degree that involved some math, wrote an entire stats based dissertation, and had basically the equivalent of a further maths A level. If you have any math at A Level or a science or even econ, that should be fine from a quantitative perspective. If you don't have any math in your resume... are there any societies or groups you could join in your day to life where you could be the treasurer? Maybe picking up some coding - people tend to think it has more to do with math than it actually does. If you're very committed, you could always self study CFA level 1 (very achievable on your own).

Honestly you really don't need to know any math beyond like, algebra, to work in most finance roles -- but you do need to be comfortable with numbers, and for my kind of job (equity analysis), thinking probabilistically is especially important.

For my job, I got asked some math-y brain teasers during my interview - none of which involved knowing a lot of math, they really just involved being able to think mathematically. I did get one consulting-style market sizing question as well. I would prepare for and expect those sorts of questions rather than 'solve this equation' type questions. Anyone hiring you coming from law will not expect you to have an intimate finance background or be a math whizz in particular.

In terms of Finance roles with better hours: wealth management can be good (firm dependent), anything private client-y tends to be okay, buy side equity analysis can be good (that's what I do, sell side hours can be brutal though), actuary can be good (but v math-y). All of these are firm dependent though - outside of like, investment banking M&A or PE, you can find good hours in lots of roles, it really does depend on your place of work. A recruiter would probably be helpful for navigating that.

[rickhorrow]

Top Sports Tech + 15 to Watch 9517

• If anyone out there still doesn’t think that sports is all about passion and joy, you weren’t paying attention this Labor Day weekend. We saw thrilling come-from-behind wins in college football (UCLA overcoming a 34 point deficit to stun Texas A&M; #25 Tennessee defeating home town Georgia Tech in double overtime after a second half two touchdown deficit) and tennis (Argentina’s ailing Juan Martin del Potro, down two sets and two match points to Austrian Dominic Thiem and rallying to win in five sets, buoyed by an international chorus of singing fans; Madison Keys digging deep in the 3rd set to put four American women in the U.S. Open quarterfinals for the first time since 2002). More importantly, we saw sports responding in a huge way to help victims of Hurricane Harvey, via tens of millions of dollars in team, league, and individual pledges. While sports alone can’t rebuild homes or eliminate the very real natural and political threats to our world, it remains a constant reminder of the power of the human spirit, and the collective might of teamwork and cooperation.

• The LPGA makes a return to the Hoosier State. The LPGA travels from Portland, Oregon, to the capital city of Indiana this week as a world-class field of 144 professionals from 26 different countries descends on Brickyard Crossing Golf Club for the inaugural Indy Women in Tech Championship presented by Guggenheim. This is the Tour’s first stop in Indiana since the ninth Solheim Cup in 2005, where the U.S. captured the first of three consecutive victories, the only time that has been accomplished in Solheim Cup history. The IWiT Championship will be the LPGA’s final domestic event until the season-ending CME Group Tour Championship in Naples, Fla., in November. It is also the last event before the Tour travels to France for the fifth and final major championship of the season, The Evian Championship. The 2017 LPGA schedule includes the addition of four new tournaments and an increase of $4.35 million in total official prize money. More to the point in Indianapolis, the IWiT Championship offers opportunity, in the form of a week’s worth of educational events, to the thousands of women attending who are looking for new or expanded careers in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math.

• Power of Sports, presented by Group One Thousand One and hosted by Rick Horrow, is a new 30-minute television show making its national debut on September 4 on FOX Sports Southwest and other participating FOX Sports RSNs. Each month’s show will share inspiring stories of people, organizations, and communities connecting through sports to create opportunities for youth to join teams and find the motivator they need to go to school, stay in school, and prepare for life beyond the classroom. Group One Thousand One CEO Dan Towriss commented, “In the realm of sports there are so many inspiring and untold stories that need a place to be told. We hope that Power of Sports provides the platform to celebrate these amazing stories, both professional and amateur, with the simple goal of inspiring others to step forward. Earlier this year, our team made the decision to go all in with support for Fields & Futures, a local nonprofit in Oklahoma City. In collaboration with the local school system and community, they are working together to create amazing opportunities for kids to participate in sports and belong to something bigger than themselves. Power of Sports has been created to tell these stories and to remind us there are children all across the country who, if given a chance, want to get in the game. As we consider stories for Power of Sports, we are humbled by the sacrifice and investment we see happening everywhere we go.

• Despite Hurricane Harvey not reaching Dallas, the Cowboys-Texans game in Arlington was cancelled to allow the Texans to “return to their families in Houston.” The storm has been so devastating in Houston thus far that football became an afterthought for the Texans. Any one of the 40,000 people who initially purchased a game ticket is eligible for a refund, or they can choose to donate the funds to Hurricane Harvey relief efforts. The game was the fourth and final preseason scrimmage for the Texans, so the team felt that missing the last game would not adversely affect their season-long performance. The move drew much praise from media across the country, as many noted this was the “right decision.” The Texans are scheduled to open the regular season against the Jacksonville Jaguars; they made it clear that “not only do they want to play at NRG Stadium on September 10 if at all possible, but they believe it’s important for the city that they play at home.” At present, it’s looking good for the Texans and their fans to start their season at home.

• According to SwingbySwing.com, one industry that has taken a significant regional toll from Hurricane Harvey is golf. Harvey has devastated South Texas, causing a humanitarian disaster along with the storm surge while causing businesses to shut down due to flooding. Since golf courses are all outdoors and cannot really be protected from the elements, many regional courses have flooded completely, with water expected to sit for days after the rain stopped. “I just can’t even start imagining how much damage there will be,” said Steve Timms, President and CEO of the Houston Golf Association. “Obviously, it’ll be significant. One thing we do is that greens and tees are built up out of the 100-year floodplain to protect them. But this is not a 100-year event. It’s more like a 500-year event.” The flooding is so bad in some areas that tall trees look more like bushes since only their top leaves stick out above the water. At the Golf Club of Houston, home to the Shell Houston Open and the University of Houston golf teams, collegiate coaches used kayaks to rescue their teams’ expensive electronic training equipment from the course, which was under close to nine feet of flood water.

• Just over a year ago, Los Angeles pulled out all stops to lure an NFL team back to Southern California. Flash forward to today and America’s second-biggest city has two teams. But neither has had a warm welcoming from the Los Angeles fan base. According to the San Diego Union-Tribune, the “Fight for L.A.” between the Rams and Chargers is not what many expected it to be, since the Chargers could not even attract enough fans to fill the 27,000-seat StubHub Center for preseason games. When the Chargers suited up for a preseason game against their crosstown foes at the Coliseum, they “ran onto the field to mostly boos in a mostly empty” stadium. Both teams have low expectations for the upcoming season, which means attendance across the board should be poor. It is “fairly clear that the Rams’ honeymoon is over – and the Chargers might never get one.” While wins will add fans, a huge subset of Los Angeles’ NFL fans still have hearts that belong to the Raiders, soon to relocate to a Las Vegas playground a mere four hours’ drive from L.A.

• With the regular season just around the corner, the BBC is preparing for the 2017-2018 NFL season across the pond. According to SportsBusiness Journal, BBC will show exclusive and extensive NFL coverage this season thanks to a new partnership between the British network and the NFL. “The NFL Show” will return this year, while exclusive coverage of the games featuring New Orleans Saints vs. Miami Dolphins at Wembley Stadium and the Dolphins vs. Cleveland Browns at Twickenham will be broadcast across England. “There will also be live coverage of Super Bowl LII on February 4.” “The NFL Show,” which will air on either Friday or Saturday nights on BBC One, will be complemented by “NFL This Week,” “rounding up all the action on Tuesdays on BCC Two.” Set to host the show is Mark Chapman, joined by New York Giants defensive back Jason Bell and two-time Super Bowl winner Osi Umenyiora. The expansion of BBC shoulder programming only continues to confirm one fact – the NFL is no longer just a novelty in the U.K. It’s a growing force.

• Sponsors of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics are gearing up for their time in the spotlight. According to Kyodo, the 2020 Olympics are a “golden opportunity” for sponsors to showcase new technologies. Electronics maker Panasonic Corp. is currently trialing new technologies in hopes they will all be ready to fully roll out for the Games in a few years. The company wants to spread “omotenashi,” the Japanese spirit of hospitality, with its new “Green Air Conditioner” that sprays a “very fine and dry mist” into the air that evaporates quickly and lowers the temperature in a semi-enclosed space surrounded by a stream of air called the “air curtain.” Other new technologies being tested by Panasonic include air conditioners at bus stops and rest areas and robots that are capable of clearing dishes from tables and delivering drinks to customers at airports or hotel lobbies. Other companies are focusing more on the fan experience by developing new ways to interact and view the contests, such as Nippon Telegraph & Telephone Corp’s developing “immersive 3D telepresence technology.” Technology plays an increasing role in the business of the Olympics on and off the field of play – and it’s only a matter of time before esports are introduced as an official Olympic sport.

• Cleveland Cavaliers Owner Dan Gilbert has pulled the plug on a planned $140 million renovation project for Quicken Loans Arena. According to the Cleveland Plain Dealer, Gilbert made the decision following months of battling over financing for the project. The renovations were designed to keep the 22-year-old arena competitive with other modern facilities around the NBA, as opposed to building a new arena from scratch as other franchises have elected to do. The plan would have created more bars, restaurants, and public gathering spaces. Community groups “opposed spending tax money on the upgrades.” With rising construction costs being one of the main reasons cited by Cleveland City Council Clerk Pat Britt, the Council accepted referendum petitions “submitted by a coalition that opposes Cleveland’s use of tax dollars for the upgrades.” Gilbert hoped that these renovations would ultimately help the Cavs land the 2020 or 2021 NBA All-Star Game. For now, that goal seems about as promising as a half-court shot at the buzzer.

• One unique thing about amateur athletics in the United States is the structure of collegiate sports. In most countries outside of the U.S., budding athletes simply “go pro” as opposed to attending a college to play competitively. That trend might slowly change though. According to the New York Times, NCAA President Mark Emmert visited Tokyo to “consult with government officials, sports industry leaders and at least 20 university presidents” about the Asian country’s desire to form its own collegiate athletics association. For many Division I universities around the U.S., investing heavily in the success of their athletics programs has proven to have significant benefits – from millions of dollars in profit to boosting admissions applications. If a system similar to the NCAA were to be adopted, Japan would “become one of the few countries outside the United States to establish an NCAA-type governing body for college athletics.” Don’t look for the NCAA system to see widespread worldwide adoption anytime soon, however. Few other countries offer the diverse array of sports, especially for women, that we see in the U.S.

• The Oakland Raiders are still years away from permanently moving to Las Vegas, but their presence is starting to spread east into Nevada. According to the Las Vegas Sun, Legends Hospitality is helping pave the way for a successful transition into Southern Nevada for the franchise. The hospitality group recently posted an ad for a suite sales manager for the Las Vegas Raiders via the company’s website. The involvement of Legends “in the universe of the Raiders became known officially in a July 13 presentation to the Las Vegas Stadium Authority board by Icon Venue Group.” In that presentation, Legends was listed solely as a sales and marketing partner, without any other details being given at the time. Dallas Cowboys Owner Jerry Jones own a large stake in Legends; Jones was also a big supporter of Raiders Owner Mark Davis in his push to move the team the Las Vegas.

• Playing in Jacksonville presents a unique twist for NFLers deciding whether or not to protest the National Anthem.  According to the Florida Times-Union, Jaguars players are “reluctant to stage a protest by sitting or raising a fist” during the anthem because of the fan base’s heavy military presence. “In military towns, you have to find a way to take a stance in your own way, speak for what you believe in,” said Jaguars Safety Peyton Thompson. “But you definitely don’t want to offend anybody on either side.” In this situation, “either side” refers to those speaking out against social injustice on one end, while the other comprises military supporters. Jags players have largely remained out of the headlines for any defiant actions during the National Anthem as a direct result of this situation, while other players around the league seem to be following the opposite trend when it comes to protesting.

• MLB and the China Baseball Association have formally extended their partnership with the intent to spread baseball across “the world’s most populous country.” According to Xinhua, the two sides first agreed to a partnership back in 2001, calling this a “partnership that benefits Major League Baseball…and sports in China as well.” MLB is trying to win over just a fraction of the 1.3 billion Chinese citizens, which could equate to tens of millions of new fans. To put that number in perspective, the population of the United States is a mere 323 million. “I have said many times that baseball is perfectly suited for China,” commented MLB Vice President for Asia-Pacific James Small. “And there are 1.3 billion people in China who are baseball fans, they just don’t know it yet.” A key part of the new partnership is utilizing MLB’s training expertise to grow and build a strong Chinese national team.

• Kevin Durant is dipping his foot into the technology world with his recent investment in start-up Rubrik. According to USA Today, the reigning NBA Finals MVP invested an “undisclosed amount,” becoming the most recent NBA superstar to make a “fast break for tech investment, partnerships and start-up equity.” Durant represented the cloud-data management start-up at the VMworld technology conference in Las Vegas recently. With his investment, Durant was also named a board adviser for advice on strategic marketing initiatives. Fellow Golden State Warriors stars Stephen Curry and Andre Iguodala have also made tech investments in the past year. The two teammates recently held The Players Technology Summit for NBA players, which was meant to “bring together top leaders in the technology, venture capital and sports communities to exchange ideas and share expertise…” Curry is a co-founder of the marketing startup Slyce, while Iguodala has invested in Thrive Global and The Players Tribune.

• San Diego’s unnamed NLL expansion franchise has been bought by Alibaba Executive Vice Chair Joe Tsai. According to Bloomberg News, Tsai reportedly paid $5 million for the club, which many take to be the “precursor” to other American sports investments. NLL CMO Ashley Dabb declined to comment on the terms of the purchase when asked about them. Tsai recently “expressed an interest” in buying a stake in the Brooklyn Nets. The NLL is a budding league, with teams looking to build lacrosse-specific stadiums and plant expansion teams across the country. The average attendance has surpassed 10,000, which is “up 12% from the previous year.” Sources close to Tsai and the deal noted that the new owner may want to build a new lacrosse arena in San Diego’s East Village neighborhood. Tsai “joins Rams Owner Stan Kroenke as an NLL owner and it is likely NBA owners will become NLL franchisees in the coming years.” With the Chargers leaving town, look for many other pro sports entities to target San Diego as a market filled with restless sports fans who have disposable income to spare.

  • Tech Top Five

• NFLcommunications.com - Snapchat is changing the way sideline reporters do their jobs. For NFL teams around the country, new social media specialists are bringing fans a new experience that previously has not been seen on the football field. Today, Snapchat is being used before games to allow fans to see exactly what’s happening with their favorite players at all moments before kickoff. Fans can see them warming up on the field, putting on their equipment, and mentally preparing for the contest at hand. Over the course of the season, thousands of hours of content is loaded onto Snapchat by social media specialists for all 32 teams. From the NFL: “Additionally, Snapchat Live Stories will be produced for every NFL game during the season, including the Super Bowl, enabling millions of fans to engage with uniquely packaged NFL-centric video and photo content through Snapchat. Additional Live Stories will be produced for major NFL events such as the NFL Scouting Combine and the NFL Draft. Live Stories capture the energy and excitement from NFL games and events by featuring a mix of fan-submitted Snaps* and inside access content. By telling the story of the event from the many perspectives of fans, the League and its teams, these Live Stories take viewers into the experience. “

• Gigster - Michael Jordan is starting to make his way into the technology industry. Jordan has become one of multiple investors to lead the second round of large investors for Gigster, a platform to help freelance software designers and engineers complete project-based work. Gigster, founded in 2013, accumulated roughly $12 million in their first round of funding. The second group, including Jordan, is expected to donate close to $20 million for Round 2. Gigster co-founder Roger Dickey had this to say about his company's growth: “Since the invention of computers, new technologies have made programming languages exponentially higher level. These shifts, combined with the ‘future of work’ accelerants such as freelancing and AI, have changed software engineering dramatically and will continue to do so.” Jordan’s involvement is more than just his money. His public influence gives the Gigster brand legitimacy and it continues to assist with tech projects all over the world. In the end, having the Jumpman name behind you can do nothing but help.

• NFL.com - According to the NFL, Thursday Night Football game streaming will move from Twitter to Amazon. The move signifies the changing landscape as growth of online properties such as Amazon become a more well-rounded entity. Through an Amazon Prime membership, customers can now enjoy even more benefits and features that go much further than just free two day shipping. Amazon Prime perks include Amazon video, which will be used as the main platform to stream games every Thursday night during the NFL season. Amazon Video has been able to acquire premier games over the course of the NFL season that will lead to millions of projected viewers on Thursday nights alone. Their streaming rights acquisition shows that Amazon continues to make strides towards becoming a bona fide media powerhouse. 

• Sports Techie- Amazon continues to show its flexibility in Germany and Austria. Discovery Communications has come to an agreement with Amazon to stream its Eurosport Network through Amazon. The managing director of Amazon Channels Europe, Alex Green, had this to say in a statement about what this partnership means: “We are delighted to offer our millions of Prime members in Germany and Austria access to live premium sports, including Bundesliga football on Eurosport Player via Amazon Channels. At 4.99 Euros per month, with no long-term commitment and cancellable anytime, Prime members can enjoy Bundesliga matches and other premium sports at exceptional value and in the most flexible and easy way across all of their favorite devices and screens.” What does this mean for the U.S.? Continued growth in the streaming capabilities of Amazon and similar sites. We have seen Amazon already gain the rights to stream Thursday night NFL games, and those rights are only going to grow. Other sports such as the NBA and MLB could be looking at agreements with Amazon streaming services in the near future. This all could lead to more convenience for consumers looking for alternatives to traditional cable set-ups. 

• Sports Techie - NBC Sports is using the name recognition of Notre Dame Football to give international football fans a chance to see the storied football program play games live. NBC Sports Gold is offering the “Notre Dame Football Season Pass,” which will offer all seven home games live. The Full-season package costs $49.99 while the per-game package is $9.99. Portia Archer, VP, Direct-to-Consumer Services of NBC Sports Group, said in a statement: “We’re happy to bring Notre Dame Football fans around the world access to their team through this new offering from NBC Sports Gold…In addition, with the per-game purchase option, international fans of Notre Dame’s opponents can also watch their team take on the Fighting Irish at Notre Dame Stadium.” While this package is not available in the U.S., countries that can enjoy this package include: Austria, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the U.K. With NBC Sports taking college football into the international realm, it will only be a matter of time before we see these negotiations expand into the Conference Championships and beyond.