This Fall, not one, not two, but THREE women from our leadership team will be going to business school. Must be something in the water here at Digital District.
So what’s all the comotion about? Why business school and what’s it to you?
I asked the hard questions and got some similar and some extremely different answers.
Q1: Where will you be attending school this Fall and why did you choose them?
Alex: I will be attending George Washington University School of Business. GW was my first choice program because of the location and prestige of the school. My schedule is incredibly busy and I wanted a program that would be flexible but still offer top-notch education.
Sarah: I will attend Washington University in St. Louis’ Olin Business School’s Executive MBA program. Olin was an easy choice for me: it’s a top-ranked school and I get an employee discount! The Executive program meets one long weekend per month in St. Louis and remotely the rest of the time.
Bethany: I will be attending the University of Maryland Robert H. Smith School of Business. Maryland was a no-brainer for me because their program is one of the highest ranked in the area and their evening program, located at the Ronald Reagan building, allowed me to keep the job I love.
Q2: When did you first decide to go to business school?
Alex: I always knew I wanted to pursue a graduate degree but I didn’t begin to consider an MBA until I got involved with Digital District (then SMCDC). As an entrepreneur you quickly realize you can’t do everything yourself. There comes a point when you either have to put in time to learn the business or hire someone to do it for you.
Sarah: I work in higher ed and am a life-long learner, so I knew I wanted an advanced degree. I considered many options, but ultimately decided earning an MBA would be the best way to spend my tuition dollars. It’s a flexible degree with applications in many fields.
Bethany: I first decided I needed an MBA when I was researching jobs. Most of my dream brand manager jobs require all of the experience I have plus an MBA. Should I change my career path again, having an MBA will only open more doors in the future.
Q3: What are your personal career goals?
Alex: My father is a successful entrepreneur and I would like to follow in his footsteps. I envy his ability to make his own schedule and truly integrate his life with his work. I honestly don’t like working for other people any job that allows me to work for myself is ideal.
Sarah: I love working in higher education and strongly feel the field needs business leaders as university decision-making increasingly shifts from academics to administration. I’d like to position myself to fill a senior administration role. I’m also extremely interested in the use of big data to improve higher education.
Bethany: I want to grow in my current position as a marketing manager as well as learn long-term skills that will keep me relevent in an ever-changing digital world.
Q4: How does an MBA help achieve your career goals?
Alex: An MBA gives me the skills and network to create my own path and continue to be successful building networks and organizations.
Sarah: Working in a field that’s in the business of granting degrees, having one will ensure doors are open for me! An MBA will also improve my strategic acumen and management skills, which are imperative for success as a senior leader in any field.
Bethany: I want to apply my learning directly to my job in publishing. As a marketer, an MBA can help me understand the quantitative factors in marketing better. I hope to gaining a better understanding of analytics, finance, and everything in between.
Q5: What do you hope to gain from Business School?
Alex: Tangible knowledge and experience. I double majored in political science and international relations for my undergrad degree, looking back three years removed, I regret my choice. Today an undergrad degree is just another check box you need before you become a professional; sadly no one cares about my $200K education. Out of all the graduate degrees, an MBA is incredibly flexible in career path but practical. It will help me get where I want to be faster and I think it will be worth the cost.
Sarah: I hope to gain necessary skills and confidence in management and business strategy to further my career, as well as build a network of lifelong contacts.
Bethany: I hope to gain more management experience and the financial tools to develop my knowledge across any market. I want to become as versatile as possible.
Q6: Do you think it’s advantageous as a woman to have an MBA and why?
Alex: Yes, but I think it’s advantageous for anyone interested in pursuing business to seek training. I don’t think being a woman with an MBA makes me any more qualified than the next person with an MBA, it just makes me a woman with an MBA. If we continue to segment ourselves for being women in business, we will continue to be treated that way. I strive to be respected for the work and the business I build, not because of what I accomplished with a hypothetical * that says ‘woman’.
Sarah: I think it’s advantageous for anyone to have an MBA if it will provide them with skills they can apply to their chosen career path.
Bethany: After reading Lean In and Bossypants, it seems like so many women, including myself, feel like a fraud more often than men. While furthering one’s education should be important for everyone, I hope women with MBAs feel empowered both financially and personally.
Q7: What would you say to someone who is thinking about getting an MBA?
Alex: You should pursue any opportunity that makes you a better and stronger person.
Sarah: I’d ask what they plan to do with the degree and if they realistically can afford it. Working in higher education, I see way too many people earning advanced degrees and going into massive debt only to realize they jumped in and made a decision without enough contemplation and foresight.
Bethany: What are your career goals and have you researched your dream job? If an MBA is needed, then I would suggest taking one practice GMAT and one practice GRE to see which test you score better on naturally. Most schools accept both.
Q8: Do you think Digital District helped in your decision to pursue and MBA?
Alex: Absolutely. When Elliot and I initially looked at breaking away from the SMC network to form Digital District we ran across a ton of paperwork, laws, rules etc we had never encountered. Trying to build a business from scrap is extremely difficult. We got this far and I am committed to taking it to the next step, global domination (joking, but not really). Having and MBA defines my role in Digital District as the business/strategy half and frees up Elliot to concentrate on what he is good at –building communities.
Sarah: Definitely! Managing a team of eight as the Director of Digital and seeing all the moving parts behind our organization as a member of the board has only increased my desire to improve my skills and confidence as a strategist and a manager.
Bethany: Digital District sparked my interest for business in many ways including our panel on financing your own app and through the organization’s development of EVAS Digital. I’m personally inspired by what members are doing and it gets me excited to learn more.
