interview
1.Tell me about yourself/walk me through your resume
I’m currently pursuing a degree in Economics with Financial Applications at Southern Methodist University, where I’ve built a strong foundation in finance, data analysis, and business strategy. Growing up, I was inspired by watching my parents build their small businesses, which sparked my passion for using numbers to solve practical problems and uncover meaningful insights. This passion led me to SMU, where I’ve had opportunities through both coursework and involvement in organizations like the Case Consulting Club and the South Asian Student Association to apply my skills in ways that positively impact my community.
Professionally, I’ve served as a Financial Coordinator at DJ Diva Entertainment, where I managed budgets, led financial negotiations, and developed cost-saving strategies for corporate clients. I also gained technical experience through analytical projects like Walmart Sales Data Analysis and a Tableau Stock Market Dashboard, building proficiency in data visualization, financial modeling, and strategic decision-making tools. My time at Liberty Mutual further sharpened my analytical and technical skills in real-world claims management scenarios, but it also helped me realize my true passion lies in corporate finance—using financial insights to guide broader business decisions, which led me to this exciting opportunity at Disney.
What draws me to Disney is its commitment to fostering innovation and inclusivity. I deeply value a culture that empowers employees to collaborate and adapt creatively, and I’m eager to bring my technical expertise in Python, SQL, BI, and Excel, along with my passion for turning data into actionable financial strategies, to a team that combines storytelling with sound business practices.
SQL Project: Walmart Sales Data Analysis
For my Walmart Sales Data Analysis project, I worked with data from 45 Walmart branches to improve sales forecasting and operational insights. I started by designing a relational database in SQL to organize, clean, and store the data efficiently. My first step was focusing on data integrity and structure. I then used complex SQL queries for exploratory data analysis, utilizing JOIN, GROUP BY, CASE, and subqueries to extract insights about branch performance, customer behavior, and seasonal sales trends. I also applied time-based functions like DATEPART() and MONTH() to capture patterns linked to holidays and weather-related events.
One key result was improving data retrieval time by 30%, which helped provide faster and more accurate insights. I recommended optimizing inventory by focusing on peak sales periods, which could reduce stockouts and excess inventory.
What went wrong: Initially, I didn’t fully normalize the database, which led to redundant data and inefficient queries.
What I would do differently: I would implement a third normal form (3NF) structure to improve scalability and ensure more efficient querying. Additionally, I’d incorporate Python for advanced forecasting models, which would strengthen predictive capabilities.
Excel Project: Coffee Orders Excel Project
In my Coffee Orders Excel project, I built a dynamic, interactive dashboard to analyze coffee sales trends. I started by cleaning and organizing data across multiple sheets. Then, I used advanced Excel functions like VLOOKUP, INDEX-MATCH, IFERROR, and nested IF statements to create dynamic data connections. I also leveraged PivotTables and slicers with timelines to allow real-time filtering and deeper interactivity. Finally, I designed a comprehensive dashboard with charts and graphs for visualizing sales by product, time, and location.
What went wrong: Initially, my dashboard was cluttered and less intuitive, which made it difficult for users to interact with easily.
What I would do differently: I would simplify the design by focusing on the most relevant KPIs, using fewer but more impactful visualizations to improve clarity and usability.
Tableau Project: Stock Market Dashboard
For my Tableau Stock Market Dashboard project, I analyzed historical stock prices for major companies like Apple, Facebook, and Nvidia. I began by cleaning and preprocessing the data with Pandas in Python, using functions like dropna(), merge(), and apply() to handle missing values and standardize formats. Then, in Tableau, I created dynamic dashboards with custom parameters and calculated fields for user-defined date ranges, enhancing interactivity.
The final dashboard provided key financial metrics like moving averages, price changes, and volatility trends, which supported better strategic decision-making.
What went wrong: Early on, I struggled with making the dashboard fully dynamic because I didn’t optimize the data structure.
What I would do differently: I would spend more time refining the initial data model to ensure better performance and flexibility for future enhancements.
SQL Project: Walmart Sales Data Analysis
Situation:
In a recent project, I was tasked with analyzing sales data from 45 Walmart branches for a Kaggle competition. The objective was to identify performance trends across the branches, understand customer behavior, and optimize sales during peak seasons, all while ensuring that the data could be accessed quickly and accurately.
Task:
My goal was to design a relational database to manage the sales data effectively, conduct an in-depth analysis to uncover actionable insights, and streamline the data retrieval process.
Action:
I started by designing a relational database to clean and organize the sales data. Using SQL, I wrote complex queries, including JOINs, GROUP BY, and DATEPART() functions, to segment the data by branch and time. I also used CASE statements to categorize performance, which helped in identifying both high-performing branches and areas for improvement. Additionally, I optimized the database by indexing the tables, reducing the time required to retrieve data by 30%.
Result:
By providing data-driven insights on sales patterns and customer behavior, I was able to make recommendations that optimized inventory management during peak seasons. The streamlined database and faster data retrieval also improved the team’s ability to make quicker, more informed decisions—aligning with the value of efficiency and continuous improvement.
Excel Project: Coffee Orders Excel Dashboard
Situation:
For a client project, I was asked to build an interactive Excel dashboard to analyze coffee sales. The client needed a solution that would provide real-time insights into sales trends, product performance, and inventory needs, especially in different regions.
Task:
My task was to clean and organize the sales data, create an interactive dashboard, and ensure that key stakeholders could easily access and interpret the information.
Action:
To ensure accuracy, I used VLOOKUP and INDEX-MATCH to cross-reference data across multiple sheets. I created PivotTables to summarize sales by product and region and used Slicers and Timelines for enhanced interactivity. This made it easy for the user to filter data by time period or region, allowing for quick insights into performance trends. I also added IFERROR functions to ensure that any discrepancies in the data would be handled seamlessly.
Result:
The final dashboard provided the client with a user-friendly interface to analyze sales trends in real-time. This directly contributed to better inventory management and more informed decision-making, aligning with my ability to create accessible, data-driven solutions that drive business efficiency—something I see as a core value at Disney
Tableau Project: Stock Market Dashboard
Situation:
In another project, I was tasked with creating a Tableau dashboard that would allow financial analysts to explore historical stock data for companies like Apple, Facebook, and Nvidia. The goal was to provide dynamic insights into stock performance and trends over different time periods.
Task:
I needed to clean the stock data, integrate it into Tableau, and build a dashboard that allowed for real-time interaction with key financial metrics, such as stock prices, volatility, and moving averages.
Action:
I used Pandas in Python to preprocess and clean the stock data, handling missing values and combining multiple CSV files. In Tableau, I set up custom parameters and calculated fields to allow users to filter by date range and view key metrics. I designed interactive visualizations, such as line charts for stock prices and candlestick charts for price volatility, ensuring that users could easily track trends and make data-driven decisions.
Result:
The dashboard enabled analysts to interact with the data in real-time, providing deeper insights into stock performance and trends. This project showcased my ability to take complex data and create clear, actionable visualizations that align with Disney’s value of innovation—empowering teams with the tools they need to make informed, strategic decisions.
Why are you interested in this internship opportunity:
I’m genuinely thrilled about the opportunity to join Disney Television Studios Finance because it combines my passion for both storytelling and strategic financial analysis. I’m excited by the prospect of contributing to key processes such as preparing detailed financial forecasts for ongoing and upcoming television productions, analyzing budget-to-actual variances to uncover insights that improve cost management, and collaborating with creative and production teams to optimize resource allocation for high-impact projects. Being part of a team that drives financial planning for one of the most respected and innovative brands in entertainment truly inspires me.
What draws me most to Disney is its commitment to fostering optimism, innovation, and inclusivity across all levels of the company. I deeply respect how Disney seamlessly integrates financial stewardship with creative storytelling, and I’m eager to be part of that dynamic balance. My experience as a Financial Coordinator at DJ Diva Entertainment gave me firsthand experience in managing budgets, negotiating contracts, and using data to inform strategic decisions. My technical expertise with tools like advanced Excel, SQL, and Tableau further strengthened my ability to analyze complex datasets and deliver actionable insights—a critical component in supporting financial reviews and executive presentations.
I’m excited about the collaborative culture and innovative approach Disney emphasizes and would be honored to contribute my skills in analysis, problem-solving, and adaptability to support the studio’s financial strategy and growth.
Where do you see yourself long term/5 years:
In five years, I see myself as a well-rounded finance professional, deeply integrated into the entertainment industry, and making a meaningful impact on the financial strategies behind creative productions. Specifically, I’d like to be working on high-level financial planning for large-scale projects, helping to shape the business direction of television content by combining data analysis with strategic insights.Hopefully able to see how the internship program has evolved and being someone who has been apart of the intern program able to give interns valuable insights
I’m driven by opportunities to collaborate with both finance and creative teams, blending storytelling with sound financial management. Over time, I’d like to take on more responsibility for forecasting revenue streams, managing complex budgets, and contributing to innovative initiatives that balance creativity with fiscal responsibility. I’m particularly excited about Disney’s unique ability to bring imaginative worlds to life while maintaining financial sustainability, and I hope to play a key role in supporting and enhancing that mission long-term.
"Can you explain what a P&L statement is and how you would use it in the context of financial analysis for a media company?"
Response:
A Profit and Loss (P&L) statement, also known as an Income Statement, is a financial report that summarizes the revenues, costs, and expenses incurred during a specific period of time—typically quarterly or annually. It is one of the core financial statements used to assess the profitability of a company.
A P&L statement generally includes:
Revenue (or Sales): The income generated from the core operations, like ticket sales, streaming services, or ad revenue.
Cost of Goods Sold (COGS): Direct costs associated with the production of goods or services sold, such as production costs, licensing fees, or content creation expenses.
Gross Profit: Calculated by subtracting COGS from total revenue.
Operating Expenses: Includes indirect costs like marketing, administrative expenses, and salaries.
Operating Income (EBIT): Gross profit minus operating expenses.
Other Income/Expenses: Non-operating income or expenses, like interest income or losses from investments.
Net Profit (or Loss): The final profit (or loss) after all expenses and taxes have been deducted from revenue.
How It Relates to Media Companies:
In the media industry, the P&L statement helps track the profitability of content production or distribution. For example, it would show how revenue from ad sales, licensing deals, or subscriptions compares to production costs, talent fees, and marketing spend. A positive net profit would indicate that the media company is generating more income than its costs, while a negative net profit suggests that the company may need to adjust its strategies to improve profitability.
"How would you use a P&L statement to improve profitability for a media project?"Response:
I would analyze the P&L statement to identify areas where costs could be reduced without sacrificing quality, such as negotiating better production deals, optimizing marketing spend, or exploring alternate revenue streams. For instance, if ad revenue is lower than expected, I would work with the sales or marketing team to adjust pricing or improve audience targeting strategies. By regularly reviewing the P&L, I could pinpoint trends and provide actionable insights to improve overall profitability.
Can you explain IRR (Internal Rate of Return) and how it would be used in financial analysis for media projects?"Response:
Internal Rate of Return (IRR) is a key financial metric used to evaluate the profitability of an investment or project. It represents the rate at which the net present value (NPV) of future cash flows from the investment equals zero. In other words, IRR is the discount rate that makes the sum of the present values of future cash flows equal to the initial investment.
How IRR is Used:
Investment Decision-Making: If the IRR of a project exceeds the required rate of return or the company’s cost of capital, the project is considered financially viable. If the IRR is lower than the cost of capital, the project may not be worth pursuing.
Comparison Between Projects: IRR helps compare the profitability of different projects. For instance, when evaluating two media projects with similar costs, the project with the higher IRR would typically be preferred, assuming other factors are equal
For a media company, if the IRR of a TV show production is 15%, it means the show is expected to generate returns that exceed the cost of capital by 15%. If the cost of capital is 10%, then the project would be deemed profitable. I would use IRR to assess whether investments in content acquisition, production, or licensing deals align with the company’s financial goals and if the returns justify the initial outlay.Example Follow-up Question:
"How would you handle a situation where the IRR of a media project is lower than expected?"Response:
If the IRR of a media project is lower than expected, I would first evaluate the assumptions used in the forecast—particularly the expected revenue streams, like ticket sales, subscriptions, or ad revenue. If revenue projections were too optimistic or costs turned out to be higher than anticipated, I would work to adjust the model by either cutting unnecessary expenses or exploring new revenue opportunities, such as licensing content or expanding distribution channels. Additionally, I would revisit the pricing structure for content or assess the potential for higher audience engagement through targeted marketing.
P&L (Profit & Loss) Statement: A financial report that summarizes a company’s revenues, expenses, and profits over a given period. It is used to assess profitability and manage costs effectively.Example Questions:
"How would you use a P&L statement to make decisions about budgeting for a media project?"
"Can you walk us through a P&L statement and explain what you’d focus on when analyzing the financial performance of a media production?"
IRR (Internal Rate of Return): A financial metric used to evaluate the profitability of an investment. It is the rate at which future cash flows from a project will equal the initial investment.