A wise saying goes that to fell a tree, the axe should be sharpened or else it will take a great amount of energy and time to fell the tree. This has been the source of my pursuit of knowledge in the past decade and a half, post tertiary education.
With an academic background in Engineering, I have been part of management in the private industry across various sectors from energy to hospitality to trade. During those 11 years of work experience, I often dreamt of owning and running my own Pan African business enterprise. When I started my own Interior and Real Estate development firm – Ruach Works and Creations Ltd – in 2019, I soon realized that leading from the scratch is not the same as joining an already set up venture with assets. Whilst the knowledge and skills I had amassed was a good foundation to begin with, however, for the big vision and resultant legacy I have in mind to accomplish, I know specialized knowledge would provide me with the required expertise to fell this proverbial entrepreneurial tree, effectively.
Furthermore, I knew I needed the stage of an executive MBA programme as I have learnt that whilst knowledge can grant you access, the key element that sustains your business progress is your network. In my 4 years old entrepreneurial journey so far, I have realized that networking while growing a start-up is not always easy because ideal individuals for mentoring, brainstorming or investment can be difficult to reach. Therefore, finding a learning platform that can position me better to meet and share thoughts with leaders in their individual niches became a desire. The MBA programme in the prestigious Lagos Business School I decided, would be the ideal learning platform to position me to meet like-minded, forward-thinking entrepreneurs and professionals across the alumni, that can increase my net worth.
In conclusion, going back to school for an MBA has been borne not out of a thirst for more certificates nor convenience, rather out of necessity and a dream. A dream to build an African brand that can stand the test of time, built on best business practices and the unity of partnerships. I will see the programme to the end, inspired by the late Eleanor Roosevelt quote,” The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams”.
