Written by global ambassador, Daniel Goez, MBA student, Boston, class of 2017
My MBA experience is not the ordinary one. I did not over-plan. It was not over-analyzed. But that is not what makes it special.
Now looking back, the madness of September feels like a distant memory. To grasp why, it’s important to understand that merely 3 months away, I got happily married, both my wife and I began an MBA at HULT, and we moved to Boston all within 4 days. As all these changes unraveled, and at several moments I felt that “Murphy’s Law”(everything that can go wrong, will go wrong) came into effect; the one and only question running through my mind was “So … Why Business School? Why did I do this?” As I prepared everything to move to Boston and join the MBA program at Hult, my logical reasons were:
- It aligns with some of my professional goals.
- It develops both soft and hard skills.
- I have more than enough work experience.
- Finally, I felt like I could contribute to the discussion.
Now in retrospect, I can see that I was totally wrong. It is about so much more. My MBA has been a time to both step back and “revisit” all my preconceived notions and put into perspective who I am, what do I want and where do I want to go; and I have loved it all.
I have learned that an MBA is not just about the content, the time in the classroom nor the professor; but about how much you put into it. The experience depends on how you get involved and invested. Particularly at Hult, you have control of your own “pressure gauge”; meaning, you can do as much as you can handle. My wife, for instance, is an MD specialized in Emergency Medicine; with 12 years of hands on experience but little formal managerial experience. She is taking her time building a strong foundation in both the quantitative and qualitative aspects, by taking the theory from class and putting it into action in real business challenges, with world renowned pharma companies amongst others.
On the other hand, I am debunking all my mental models by taking part in all sorts of challenges, conferences, hack-a-thons and conventions. I get to interact not just with people from ALL over the word but from all sorts of backgrounds and religions. This is true diversity. Just two weeks ago, I was working on a challenge to reshape the long-term strategy of a European Chamber of Commerce in Boston; my team consisted of a communication specialist from Mexico, an economist from Brazil, a marketing specialist from New Zealand and a product manager from Italy. This mixing pot makes learning exponentially advantageous. As I said before, it challenges your preconceived notions.
Nevertheless, an MBA is also a place to find perspective. By volunteering at the Hult Prize, I have found that my life, both professional and personal, will be headed towards social impact. The Hult Prize is a yearly competition that poses a specific challenge to be solved by entrepreneurs from all over the world; this year, the challenge is “How to bring back dignity to 10 million refugees in the next 5 years”, all by building a self-sustaining business. I have found this space to be incredibly thrilling and off the beaten path, a place where I can make a difference.
So … Why Business School? Because, as the future leaders in our industries, our countries and perhaps even the world, we need to step back and look at life from a different perspective, interact with different cultures, learn to lead and to follow, and to understand that we never stop learning. To become citizens of the world … the Global Generation.
If you would like to find out more about Hult’s global business programs, download a brochure here.
Grow your leadership capabilities with an MBA in international business at Hult. To learn more, take a look at our blog Wizarding wisdom: A lesson in leadership from Professor Dumbledore, or give your career a boost with our Masters in International Business. Download a brochure or get in touch today to find out how Hult can help you to learn about the business world, the future, and yourself.