The Value of Uniqueness
A speech I gave when I was a finalist for Babson College class of 2023 Commencement Student Speaker.
The two-year journey at Babson has changed me and my life forever. With all my gratitude, I wrote this speech to express my appreciation and share the most important lesson I learned in my MBA program.
Looking back, I found the idea in this speech is still worthing sharing. So here is the original copy of my speech (with all the annotations).
Hope you will enjoy it!
Babson College 2023 Commencement Speech
Thank you! It is truly an honor to stand here and speak before Dean Matsuno, President Spinelli, our acclaimed keynote speaker Dr. Reshma Kewalramani, faculty, alumni, family, and friends who have shaped the class I’m so proud to represent, the class of 2023.
Welcome!
Bienvenido (Spanish)!
Irasshaimase (Japanese)!
Swagatam (Hindi)!
Huan Ying (Mandarin)!
When I was accepted to Babson, I knew I was about to embark on an adventure — on another continent — using a different language, at a world-class business school, with top-notch people from all over the planet. But I didn’t know that life could be so challenging and transformative.
I was shy and introverted, with no courage to raise my hand or speak up, but now I’m making this commencement speech in front of three hundred smart brains.
I was a math nerd who could only speak the language of calculus and algebra. I know, it’s not for human beings (laughter). But today, I’m a storyteller and I’m going to share with you how I came along.
I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. I saw a world with no color. I questioned why on earth I deserved to exist. But today, not only have I recovered from the mental disorder that my doctor said would stick with me forever, but I have grown the confidence and strength to embrace the uncertainties of starting my own business after graduation.
Believe it or not, it all started from this (pull out a black tissue paper).
I’ve carried this in my pocket since the end of my first semester. Does anyone know what it is? It’s a piece of BLACK toilet paper (laughter). Yes, black toilet paper. In my last marketing class, the professor asked us to price this unusual product. My classmates might have different opinions on the price, but all of us had the same concern: “Wait, I mean I’m not sure if I would use it, since it’s black…” (laughter). We questioned if anyone would buy it. But it turned out that this BLACK sheep has ten times more value than its pale brothers, and high-end restaurants and hotels love it so much, as the dark color matches their premium setting perfectly.
So I carry it as a reminder that uniqueness can have unexpected value. As a generalist, I didn’t see myself fit in the job market. I felt valueless. But, if this piece of toilet paper can find a place to shine in its own way, why can’t I? And if I can’t find a place that fits me, I’m going to create one. ‘Cause we are entrepreneurs, right?
This is the first lesson I learned at Babson. It’s called seeing the value in yourself, believing it, and making it happen. That’s what we call Entrepreneurial Thoughts & Actions.
The second lesson I learned, I learned the hard way.
No matter which program we are in, MSEL, MSBA, MSF, or MBA program, we all have been through lots of group projects. And I have to admit, I hated it, 'cause I sucked at it (laughter). But I found a “Dream Team” in my BETA-X project, and all the groups I had the honor to work with. We had times to be loud at each other, we had times to feel like giving up, and we had times when we couldn’t tolerate each other’s differences. But, we all learned that not only does the word “difference” have a letter “C” as in “conflicts”, but it has a letter “D” at the very beginning as in “diversity”.
We all have learned to see the values of others through their uniqueness. And valuing diversity is one of the reasons that Babson is the best business school in the world and the No.1 in Entrepreneurship.
Tomorrow, some of you may go to work for your dream jobs, some of you will bring everything you’ve learned back to your family business whether it’s in India or Indiana, and some of you may go to start your own business or acquire one. What we will all bring with us is that we are all Babson beavers and entrepreneurs of all kinds.
Class of 2023, you have witnessed history. In the past two years, we have been through the pandemic, seen the war in Ukraine, and been under the challenge of ChatGPT, which is going to take over all the class assignments for us (laughter). We are living in a turbulent world like no other and a time that is calling entrepreneurship the most. The path that lies ahead is not easy. Please remember to use the entrepreneurial mindset and skillset we learned at Babson to navigate through the winds and waves. And don’t lose sight of the values in ourselves and the people around us as that is the beacon when the sky is at its darkest.
To the Babson community, our friends, and families. Thank you for cheering us on through this journey.
To the class of 2023. Congratulations and carry on! (Wave my black tissue)