Kelley Direct Online MBA – Page 9 – Create lasting momentum for the career you want

Lessons Online MBA Students Learned While Helping a Botswana Business Return to Profitability

Posted on May 20, 2015 by Kelley School

In August 2014, online MBA students Mike Vought, Jason Kuck and Rachel Skiles arrived in Botswana to meet the owners of Dips Motors, their client for the global immersion and leadership course we refer to as AGILE (short for Accelerating Global Immersion Leadership Education). The team was tasked with helping this 25-year-old, family-owned auto repair business overcome its management, accounting and financial woes over the course of this 12-week class. They had the opportunity to meet Mel, the new manager of Dips Motors, at the start of the term. That was when they first learned about this company’s obstacles.

Botswana Client Situation

Dips Motors was previously run by Mel’s father. Since Mel took on more responsibility, her family had been struggling with the transition. This was partially because there was very limited strategy. Mel’s father was making business decisions mostly based on his experience when he was running the company. They were also in debt and taking out more loans. It was difficult to fully understand their financial situation because they did not have a transparent and consistent accounting process. Dips was not following a specific accounting method with discipline. (more…)

How Pitching to Silicon Valley VCs Better Prepared Me for Managing Risk and Entrepreneurship

Posted on May 4, 2015 by Kelley School

Some opportunities are simply too good to pass up. They are the kind of opportunities that would harbor regret and resentment if missed. The chance to participate in the Kelley Direct Silicon Valley Challenge was exactly one of those opportunities.

The premise of this immersion course is simple at its core. You have five weeks to establish a business concept, build a feasibility plan, and pitch it to seasoned venture capitalists. It was as one student put it, “Shark Tank on steroids”. The location Kelley Direct selected for our pitches was Plug and Play (PnP), one of the largest startup incubators in the world, and one of the most exciting buildings I’ve ever been in. (more…)

How Business School Can Help You Turn Your Entrepreneurial Idea into Reality

Posted on April 30, 2015 by Kelley School

Over time, I’ve come to realize my professional passion is rooted in entrepreneurship; making things happen for oneself personally and professionally, creating something out of nothing, building a business from the ground up, and being able to drive real change in a marketplace and in people’s lives.

I’ve always looked for new opportunities to challenge the mindset of “this is how we do things”, which aligns perfectly with the vision of the Kelley Direct (KD) program at the Kelley School of Business. It was through this online MBA program that I had the opportunity to test my entrepreneurial skills in the venture-capital (VC) capital of the world, Silicon Valley, CA.

I had an idea for a startup firm. I felt that I possessed the necessary passion, motivation, and energy to build a business. I knew I could execute. What I didn’t have was experience in pitching a venture concept to see if my ideas were actually feasible. The KD Silicon Valley Venture Challenge provided the opportunity to pitch a venture concept to some of the best VCs in the business. (more…)

The Kelley Difference: Why I Chose This Online MBA

Posted on March 23, 2015 by Kelley School

My journey towards my MBA began while I was already in grad school completing my Master’s in E-commerce. I knew I wanted to continue my education with an MBA, but I wasn’t quite sure which program was for me. I remember asking my school at the time if I could take any of my courses online. As I was working full-time, having to physically attend school ate up so much of time and was very taxing on my personal life. Moreover, I realized that I became more dependent on online resources to supplement the material learned in the classroom, and even more so with group work. The internet became such a powerful resource to improve my efficiency, productivity, and knowledge as a student. Learning in just the traditional classroom seemed so antiquated to me, the more my professors and classmates embraced technology in the classroom, the better my educational experience was. With that revelation, I felt that pursuing my MBA online made perfect sense, so I went in search of the best program, and all roads lead to Kelley–sort of. (more…)

How Getting an Online MBA from Kelley Paid Off Sooner Than I Expected

Posted on February 24, 2015 by Kelley School

During the last seven years as an ERP consultant, I have been traveling and relocating for work – sometimes to multiple locations in a single year. In this time span, I have lived in four countries (India, Malaysia, Singapore and USA), four states within the U.S. and two different states in India. I was based in California about two years ago when I decided to get an MBA, a degree that would help me progress in my field, but was immediately faced with a dilemma. I didn’t know if I should give up my thriving career for two years to pursue a full-time MBA.

Fortunately, I learned about Kelley’s online MBA while I was still weighing the facts, and it seemed to be the most appropriate option for me. The first thing that caught my attention when I was researching Kelley was that the online program’s faculty was the same faculty who teach in the full-time program. The next thing was the class profile. The average GMAT score was comparable to many of the top ranking MBA programs and higher than all but one local option. This was important to me because I knew much of my learning would come from peers, and they would be a large part of my future network. (more…)

U.S. Air Force Officer Launches Veterans Association to Unite Service Members Pursuing Online MBA

Posted on February 12, 2015 by Kelley School

First-year online MBA student and U.S. Air Force Officer, Brian Misuraca, recently founded the Kelley Direct Veterans Association for online MBA and MS students in our program. His motivation was his own experience when exploring MBA programs and his desire for more peer support. He hopes to provide that support for veterans who are considering our program and those who are already in Kelley Direct (KD) with this new association.

Advice for Online MBA Students from Student of the Month Joseph Paglinawan

Posted on January 16, 2015 by Kelley School

The Kelley Direct Student Leadership Association (KDSLA) is excited to announce our new “Student of the Month” program for 2015 and our first winner, Joseph Paglinawan. Joseph was selected for his contributions to our student community as KDSLA’s VP of IT and Founder & President of the Consulting Club. Under his leadership, the Consulting Club helped the Kelley Direct Program launch the “Consulting Pathway,” a series of courses designed for students who want to transition to a career in consulting after their MBA. Joseph also returned to Bloomington several times to help with on-campus events such as Kelley Connect Week and Experience Kelley Weekend. Read on to learn more about him and his advice for those who are considering our online MBA program.

Tell me a bit about yourself, including your career and academic background.

I was born-n-raised on the island of O’ahu, HI. I left my island home for San Diego, CA where I currently reside. I received my BS in Business Administration with an emphasis in Information Systems from San Diego State University. I’m a recent MBA graduate and I’m currently pursuing my MS in Strategic Management (MSSM) at the Kelley School of Business. I will graduate with my MSSM in May 2015. In parallel, I’m working full time as a Sr. IT Service Manager at AT&T, where I have over 11 years of IT Service Management and Telecommunications industry experience. I recently accepted an offer from Ernst & Young (EY) to work out of their LA office as a Sr. Consultant. I’m set to start my new career in July 2015.

(more…)

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