The pursuit of diversifying my knowledge base and experience is a constant driver in my life, and my MBA experience was no exception. When I applied for my MBA, I worked in sales for the San Diego Padres. I wanted to diversify my business knowledge with topics I didn’t think I would be able to get on the job, but I worked non-traditional hours in sports, so an “in-person” MBA was not feasible.
I chose Kelley Direct because it had the most well-rounded online program and provided access to the best and brightest minds across multiple industries. The collaboration aspect of Kelley Direct really sets the program apart from other MBA programs. I loved working with people from all over the globe who excelled in their positions and picking their brains on how to apply that to my role.
In fact, working on group projects with individuals from multiple industries and specialties proved to be one of my favorite aspects of my MBA experience. One class team that stands out was comprised of an oil and gas engineer, a finance specialist from a lending company, and an automotive operations expert, in addition to me from sports sales. It was a great way to learn how core business tenets could be adapted to every situation.
The knowledge I garnered from working with these individuals inspired me to assume my current role as a Sales Team Lead for CloudKitchens. Currently, I help food entrepreneurs expand with ghost kitchens, which are delivery-centric kitchens that require less space, labor, and costs than a traditional restaurant. In a startup world where we are first-of-its-kind and creating the playbook as we go, it is crucial to know how to scale the company and prioritize tasks, because the biggest restrictions are usually people power and time. Kelley Direct instilled in me the ability to obtain a macro-view of how a business is run, which is vital to obtain a deeper understanding of why certain decisions are made and where you can identify opportunities for improvement.
I graduated from Kelley Direct a few years ago, but I still make it a priority to stay connected with my classmates on LinkedIn. Much of my cohort has grown into new jobs along the way and it has been an easy way to connect to help everyone progress their careers.
The Kelley Direct program helped me to diversify my expertise, and that’s the best advice I can give other ambitious entrepreneurs – keep diversifying your knowledge base. You can find inspiration across multiple industries and subject matter areas, so get a little bit uncomfortable in putting yourself out there to learn new segments of business.