Category: Educations Series

MBA Environment

Posted on | by Veronica Rafaniello | Leave a Comment on MBA Environment

 

In my last article in this series, I wanted to take the time and opportunity to write about what in my view is the most valuable resource that you will receive in an International MBA program such as the one at MIP, the people with whom you will interact and live this experience.

As an engineer, working for over 10 years in the same industry, I hardly got to interact actively with other professionals. I would go even further, from an earlier age, at high school when the division between “science” and “arts” was made, my interactions were limited just to people like myself.

Sure, I have worked together with Marketing or other departments, but always in the context of an engineering background. So while deciding who to work with on the final Project Work, I could not have imagined finding a more unique team.

Back in November, we had to make a decision, what would our final Project Work be? I hesitated to do something based on technology and for that reason, I explored other options. Here is when the first member of the team came into play. In my view, one of the best reasons for taking an MBA is a great network that you will develop. I realized this early enough, and one of the reasons was my relationship with Massimiliano Mesenasco. Massimiliano started the MBA working at Orange and it was already on our first day at MIP that we started discussing different technologies and applications. Over several meals at the local trattoria, we polished up our proposal for Project Work. It is amazing how people working in the same industry, looking at it from different angles, can arrive at ideas that, without this connection, would not be possible.

We had the idea, but we needed support. The first came from Marketing. Matteo Guerrini has extensive experience in Marketing in different industries such as the Automotive, Luxury or Alcoholic Drinks sectors. With a great entrepreneurial spirit, he is currently starting his own business. In addition, he has supported MBA initiatives such as the one successfully developed by Divya Singh, UBIQUE. Despite our great personal relationship, he was the perfect match for the project. This is one of those connections that would never have been possible without the unique framework that such an MBA program provides for its students. For me, without any knowledge of fashion, everything Matteo does is of great interest. This is such an enormous industry, could there be a way of bringing marketing concepts which have long been developed for fashion into tech firms?

The last member of the team is someone that I deeply envy. One of my biggest regrets in life is not having had the chance to have my own restaurant. I love cooking and all the ritual which surrounds it. Niccolo Santocchini and his family had, over the years, developed a successful chain of restaurants with an international presence, which I could not ask him enough about. I would not have got this opportunity anywhere other than in Italy and at MIP. Niccolo is currently moving into a new industry and this is another great example of a unique opportunity that such an MBA program can open up to you. Niccolo brought to the team his deep knowledge of operations that we would definitely need in order to evaluate the viability of our project implementation. International operations would be fundamental for our work.

These kinds of interactions would not be possible without the ecosystem of such an international program. For sure you can develop such connections in your daily life, but you would never be in the context that an MBA provides. My Project Work team is just a small sample out of all the people that I had the chance to work with. Over the course of two years and endless assignments, you are working with a group of people who come from completely different backgrounds and enrich the discussion with their very specific viewpoints. This is in my view the main reason why you should be thinking about starting your MBA journey.

I hope you have enjoyed this set of articles. I intended to look at the MBA far from the traditional knowledge-based point of view and more in terms of what in my experience really makes the difference. I had a great time at MIP and I look forward to using all these tools in my future personal life and professional career!

 

About the author
 Pedro López Estepa
I am Pedro López Estepa, an International Part-Time MBA student at MIP Politecnico di Milano. I received a Master in Telecommunication Engineering from Granada University in 2010, spending the last year, including the Master Thesis, at the Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne.My career has been focused on high-tech corporations, initially as part of their R&D departments and during the last few years, the focus has been on developing long-term strategic partnerships in different sectors, including IoT, Automotive, Robotics and Medical.

Being part of u-blox strategy team allows me to working with international cross-functional teams inside and outside the organization, key partners, investors and at the same time that contributing to worldwide projects as business opportunities arise.

 

 

What skills do you gain with an MBA?

Posted on | by Veronica Rafaniello | Leave a Comment on What skills do you gain with an MBA?

Skills MBA

From understanding the business environment to process management, innovation planning and the ability to launch a startup: the Master’s degree programmes of the Politecnico’s School of Management turn out the managers of tomorrow

 

Today’s international scenarios offer a panorama characterized by enormous competitiveness and incessant transformation. A big challenge for those who have set a professional objective to become a capable and efficient manager. The MBAs of the School of Management at Politecnico di Milano aim to train people who are seeking to make a change in their career, starting from what is most important: skills.

 

A Master’s degree between hard and soft skills

It’s Riccardo Mangiaracina, Director of the International Flex EMBA (i-FLEX) programme, who explains to us what hard skills you learn in the MBA programmes: «We can identify four main areas. The first involves the context in which the company operates; in other words, everything akin to macroeconomic disciplines, that involve the national or international sphere».
Staying in this area but shifting our attention to actual business activity and the management of its typical processes, «the hard skills are the classic ones: corporate finance, financial accounting and management accounting. The latter is the discipline that seeks to understand how to effectively manage company performance. Lastly, the ability to define the strategic brainwork of the company is essential».
The second area is tied more to the management of activities, processes and people. «People management is fundamental, where soft skills are needed, but we can also mention marketing management, supply chain management and operations management» explains Mangiaracina. That is, from people to marketing, including communications, purchasing, planning, distribution.

 

A Master’s for managers who want to innovate

An equally crucial area is that involving innovation and transformation planning. As Mangiaracina explains, «it’s a typically cultural theme. The innovation leadership course explores the strategies with which innovation is introduced within the company. The challenge consists in passing on the benefits and advantages tied to change to the people who work in the organization, while at the same time alleviating their fear of it».
A task that’s anything but easy, but fundamental, whatever shape innovation takes, incremental or radical. The problem is always having people accept it. «And then there are mistakes that companies often make, and that must be corrected, like the conviction that innovation can be introduced in small areas, without having an overall vision. Innovation strategy serves precisely for this».
Tied closely to this theme, continues Mangiaracina, is product management: «Today projects are particularly complex and must be managed, even more so when you’re talking about innovation. Projects turn the company upside down and shape it. For this reason, a rigorous methodology is indispensable. Our courses provide the necessary tools to manage complex projects».

 

A good manager is also a good entrepreneur

We conclude with a glance at the fourth subject area covered by the MBA programme. «The innovation we just spoke about can be realized from a managerial point of view and an entrepreneurial point of view. In the first case, it’s important to have knowledge of design thinking, a discipline that investigates how to actively bring innovative ideas into an organization. In the second case, we have organized courses that seek to teach how to set up a startup, how to draw up a business plan and how to look for and obtain sources of financing» concludes Mangiaracina.

 

A truly multicultural experience

Posted on | by Veronica Rafaniello | Leave a Comment on A truly multicultural experience

 

A whole year has already gone by! Time has flown so fast due to the usual strict work schedule, MBA commitments and family matters. I am now enjoying some free time on vacation and am able to think over this first part of my journey with MIP.

One of the most valuable things I have experienced so far is the strongly multicultural environment. Before starting this Master I was a bit skeptical about having a truly international experience; however, I was lucky enough to encounter an incredible variety of cultures.

First of all, in my class, this was the case with both my classmates and my professors. Our class is, in fact, composed of multiple numbers of different nationalities (Brazilian, Portuguese, Albanian, Turkish and Indonesian nationals, to cite just some), boosting the possibility of creating a network (but especially friendships), not only limited to the local but also at an international level. All the conversations and the sharing of personal issues have made me grow, both personally and professionally. Also, the coterie of professors is made up of many international individuals (or at least, they have a strong international background), allowing us to see diverse methodologies of approaching matters and relating to students.

This aspect is, in my opinion, particularly important because nowadays we are (luckily) more and more forced to face different cultures with their particular beliefs and traditions and we should be able to interact and create relationships, both at human and professional level, in this multicultural environment.

Also, the bootcamp experience has shown me how important it is to work in a global organization (even in a group with few people), and has given me the opportunity to exchange views with people with different values, cultures and behaviors in a genuinely international environment.
The last aspect is the international week we experienced in Barcelona (we are also leaving for Monaco in a month’s time!), that helped, in a real sense, to add an international breath to the whole MIP journey.

Once again, I feel that this MBA represents a great experience; it is giving us an intense and useful academic education and an incredible international network.
Second year, I am ready for you!

 

About the author
 Pietro Cavallo

My name is Pietro and I grew up in Milan, where I am currently living. I work in Switzerland, in the Supply Chain division of a clothing multinational. I am the husband of an incredible wife and father of 2 crazy kids.

 

 

People define our experience!

Posted on | by Veronica Rafaniello | Leave a Comment on People define our experience!

 

Tossing your mortarboard in the air is the triumphant symbol to celebrate a new success hanging on the personal “wall” of one’s academic and professional life. I have always considered it as a moment of strength and integrity, while figuratively, the mind is flying high on the horizon but the feet are rooted on the ground to seize new opportunities. My dear 2017 International Flex EMBA classmates at MIP Politecnico di Milano Business School, TOGETHER WE DID IT! From today we are MIP Alumni. Congratulations to everyone!

It is not by chance that I chose this title for my last article as a MIP student. People might be concerned about the social networking aspect when talking about online study programs. I was, too, at the very beginning of this journey. But, reaching at the end of this wonderful and challenging experience, I am glad about the decision I made two years ago. Today, more than ever, I know the real meaning of these few simple words “people define our experience”. It doesn’t matter where you come from or what your background is, it is of little importance how often you meet someone in person, what really matters is the effort you put into a relationship and how open you are to learning something new from everyone you encounter during your life.

To explain the importance of networking better, I will cite one of my classmates, Jevan Malan from South Africa, who said: “The Full-Time MBA students may know each other better because of the extra time they spend together, but I don’t believe that their relationships are more real than ours. I don’t think it’s necessarily easier or more difficult to socialize online, it’s just different, because all relationships take some form of effort from all parties, irrespective of whether meetings are in a real class or a virtual one”.

Bonding and socializing are matters of culture, value, tradition and, of course, personal commitment. During these EMBA studies, I have had the chance to meet two other MBA classes: during one week in Milan with the MIP Politecnico di Milano 2018 Full-Time MBA class and the second in Provence, with the 2018 Part-Time EMBA class at the Aix-Marseille Graduate School of Management. These two experiences were completely different in terms of the learning process and social activity while, at the same time, both were great experiences from the point of view of my academic and professional networking. Having said that, the decision to go for an Executive MBA is based on a mix of personal factors and circumstances. Like many of my peers, I had to work to finance my studies; my opportunities were therefore limited to part-time or online programs. I decided on the online program and, in making this decision, I tried to put in the maximum commitment so as to gain the greatest benefit. This is so important. It is a relationship where you must give in such a manner as to get what you want out of it, to enlarge your own personal compass and to get the best return possible from your investment.

I am not sure about other online-class experiences, but I am trying to share our own experience, where almost everyone contributed in turn to make the online collaborative learning process at MIP so valuable, joyful and unforgettable. I may say we were lucky, because the synergy of the group was formed from the very beginning, during the first kick-off week in Milan. The positive energy created during that week was the fuel essential to motivating us for a long time, to make us put all our efforts into this online study program, while working and fulfilling family responsibilities. During the whole program we proved to be a real team by gaining and sharing knowledge, by helping and supporting each other in achieving tasks and deadlines, by being joyful in celebrating each other’s personal and professional achievements and, more importantly, by caring for each other in difficult moments in our personal lives. Behind the professional suits, we are all human beings!

Of course, the emotion you get when meeting in person is something very special and unique. No means of communication will ever replace the warmth of a hug. That’s why, during our EMBA program, MIP offered us several occasions on which to choose times, based on our availability, for meeting up with all our classmates, or at least some of them. Finally, during the graduation ceremony, we had the chance to meet each other’s loved ones in person. It feels like we have known each of them for a long time, because they have been part of our online meetings and discussions. Without their support and encouragement, it is almost impossible to succeed in such demanding undertakings. I am proud of my family and humble too; they have always been with me, they had my back, supporting, pushing and inspiring me during this winning path. Together in difficult and joyful moments, they have been the source of my strength, my courage and my motivation: united, we can always do better!

Last, but not least, my gratitude goes to MIP Politecnico di Milano for giving us the opportunity to grow and improve. Thank you, MIP professors and all the staff, for supporting and facilitating our learning process. What I take with me from this amazing journey, other than great memories, is the passion for innovation, the respect for diversity, integrity and the importance of failure. Every experience, encounter and failure is there to strengthen us to be more of who we are. As Mandela said: do not judge me by my successes, judge me by how many times I fell down and got back up again! The best is yet to come …

 

About the author
 Elivar Golemi

Elivar Golemi is an Albanian candidate at MIP International Flex EMBA. She is working as an Executive Director in the dairy industry, after a long experience in the banking system. Skilled in Financial Analyses, Risk Management and Internal Audit. Nature lover, passionate photographer and mountain climber.

 

 

A New Awareness promotes responsibility in fashion and fosters engagement for an inclusive fair change in the fashion industry

Posted on | by Veronica Rafaniello | Leave a Comment on A New Awareness promotes responsibility in fashion and fosters engagement for an inclusive fair change in the fashion industry

 

The first edition of A New Awareness was held at 10 Corso Como Tazzoli on the 18th – 20th of September 2019. Awareness Infinitum, Com.i.stra, Greenpeace Detox Campaign, Helen Kirkum, Duran Lantink, Manteco, Marini Industrie, Fashion Revolution, Bethany Williams, and Design Studio Wrad were exclusively featured to provide cutting edge solutions for a sustainable lifestyle. This first edition clearly illustrated how linear business models could be transformed through radical material and process innovation, circular design principles and multi-disciplinary collaborations.

On the 20th of September, A New Awareness hosted two panels to discuss the challenge of sustainability. The first talk explored how radical change can be made actionable in the context of fashion. With the participation of Sara Sozzani Maino (Deputy Editor in Chief of Vogue Italia, Head of Vogue Talents and International Brand Ambassador of Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana), Marina Spadafora (Country Coordinator of Fashion Revolution Italia and the United Nations Ambassador) and Matteo Ward (Founder and CEO of Wrad Living) under the moderation of Hakan Karaosman (Researcher at Politecnico di Milano School of Management), it was concluded that innovation, commitment, leadership and multi-actor collaborations are the initiating factors to the beginning of a sustainable fashion world.

“Today we all need to think in a more responsible way for a better future. Big changes do not happen in one day, but we need to convert our way of consuming to make this happen. A New Awareness wants to bring consciousness to consumers” comments Sara Sozzani Maino. Creating systemic changes requires an inclusive and interdisciplinary dialogue. Therefore, designers, academia, brands, NGOs, governments and civil society must come together to be part of the change. “Humankind is finally awakening to the reality of climate emergency” says Marina Spadafora, and adds “A unique scenario will have designers, artists, activists, opinion leaders and policy makers meet to discuss how we can all join forces to create a viable transition towards a sustainable future”. More than ever fashion now needs more innovative and engaging methods to communicate this new narrative for which transparency, truthfulness and reality appear to be the main ingredients. “Today the truth is the only key to set the tone for a responsible, inspiring and functional communication strategy” states Matteo Ward.

The second talk focused on how fashion’s sustainability transition could be accelerated. Three strong fashion leaders, Orsola de Castro (Co-founder and Creative Director of Fashion Revolution), Chiara Morelli (Group Operations Sustainability Manager at Kering) and Clare Press (Sustainability Editor-at-large at Vogue Australia and the Presenter of the Wardrobe Crisis Podcast) explained if, why and how fashion could become a catalyst for a responsible change. “Change is truly coming, I am quite optimistic”, states Clare Press. Even though the fashion industry has made progress in terms of environment, social sustainability is yet to be ensured throughout supply chains. Business priorities need to be merged with moral principles to spread social sustainability across upstream levels.

“We need to disinvest in growth and invest in social and environmental prosperity throughout the supply chain” addresses Orsola de Castro while pointing out “there is an elephant in the room and we cannot talk about the democratization of luxury in supply chains where democracy does not exist”. Fashion supply chains are complex, fragmented and globally dispersed; hence, providing the supply chain partners with knowledge, tools, and methodologies are as important as setting sustainability goals at the corporate level. Collaborations and capacity development are fundamental actions to reduce fashion’s footprint. “We translate our vision into action by directly working with our supply chain members to guide and support them to spread sustainability across the chain” highlights Chiara Morelli. Systemic transformations are required to change the way fashion business is coordinated; relatedly, “Practitioners, academics, consumers and policy makers need to act together” cites Hakan Karaosman.

It is also acknowledged that Generation Z and Generation Y will represent 45% of the global personal luxury goods market by 2025. The purchasing habits of young customers are shaped by intangible values such as diversity, equality and transparency. Thus, the fashion industry needs innovative and engaging ways to bring people into a responsible future. However, there is hope! Awareness is increasing and people are asking for transparency, ethical and environmental care.

Working at a public company before-during-after my MBA

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I work in Automotive Product Marketing at u-blox AG. u-blox is a Swiss company that creates wireless semiconductors for consumer, automotive and industrial markets. u-blox has grown organically over the last few years, also through several successful acquisitions. Some examples of these were connectblue in 2014 and Lesswire in 2015. u-blox was founded in 1997 in Switzerland, and since their IPO in 2007 the company has been listed on the Swiss Stock Exchange (SIX:UBXN). u-blox has several R&D and Sales offices in the USA, the Asia-Pacific region, Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

I could not imagine a better environment for proceeding with my MBA program than that of such a high-tech multinational company.
Let’s start from the beginning. The MBA welcomes you with nothing other than an express course in Financial Accounting. In my case, it was my first contact with this field. After managing the initial shock, as it’s not that easy to come back to the classroom after several years out, the first image in my mind was reviewing u-blox’s own Financial Statements. After several days of working on this, I understood how lucky I was to be in such an enriching environment. Being able to discuss those reports with our financial experts brought a completely new dimension to this course — one where the MBA is opening up your interest to new fields and making you a far more involved member of your company.

The case of Financial Accounting was far from being an isolated one. Personal development and HR Management allowed me to review the current strategy of our company’s organization so that I could understand the reasons for such organization, not only from a purely human management point of view but also from a financial one. The use of Cost Centers, Service Teams and Business Units made a lot of sense from then on.

Two of the courses that impacted the most on my view of the company day-to-day were those in Marketing and Finance. Starting with Finance, I was able to review different firms in my sector and understand their strategies. I reviewed the u-blox IPO, the reasons for it and its impact on the company and was able to understand the changes in the share price and the importance for the different entities connected to the company. As an engineer, I must admit that my views on marketing were really limited. I was sceptical about this course but the outcome was everything but trivial. I could now understand the reasoning behind our marketing campaigns, how we manage our KPIs and the different activities linked to public communication.

Last but not least, at the Innovation course I was able to study the reasons for the different acquisitions made over the years, the background on why we are currently proceeding with our joint venture activities and, overall, how such a high-tech leader firm is innovating to remain at the top of its industry.

My conclusion is the following: firms need to see the value of their employees proceeding with programs such as the International Part Time MBA. First, because their employees will increase their skills and capabilities but second, and even more important in my view because of their involvement and interest in the overall development of the company will be much greater. This will reinforce the links between the employer and the employee, leading to a stronger bond.

I hope you have enjoyed this article. In the next and last one, I will focus on how doing my MBA Project Work with professionals from completely different sectors enriched this experience in ways I could not have predicted!

 

About the author
 Pedro López Estepa
I am Pedro López Estepa, an International Part-Time MBA student at MIP Politecnico di Milano. I received a Master in Telecommunication Engineering from Granada University in 2010, spending the last year, including the Master Thesis, at the Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne.My career has been focused on high-tech corporations, initially as part of their R&D departments and during the last few years, the focus has been on developing long-term strategic partnerships in different sectors, including IoT, Automotive, Robotics and Medical.

Being part of u-blox strategy team allows me to working with international cross-functional teams inside and outside the organization, key partners, investors and at the same time that contributing to worldwide projects as business opportunities arise.

 

 

We have reached the target

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Twelve months have flown by in the blink of an eye. The 39th edition of the Full-Time MBA journey has come to an end during the emotive graduation ceremony at Teatro dal Verme on the 20th of September, celebrating the 40 years of MIP.

But this is only the beginning of a new journey for me and my colleagues. We are a team of diverse individuals that has become a family. Even though many will go back to their home countries, they will be taking with them fond memories of this life-changing experience that we will all carry in our hearts and minds. All of our dreams and expectations have been transformed into new objectives and desires, thanks to the information we have gained, the methodologies we have learned, as well as the cross-cultural experiences that have augmented our points of view. Now is the time to start building new paths, knowing we are part of a global team of Alumni that strive for excellence and continuous transformation. We can rely on this global network to pursue our future projects and continue learning and developing our careers.

This MBA journey was not easy by any means. We couldn’t have done it without the support of our loved ones, our mentors and fellow classmates. It was a team effort, that made us aware of our strengths and willingness to grow. One of the most important lessons we have learned from our Professors at MIP is the fact that we are currently living in a VUCA (Volatile, Uncertain, Complex and Ambiguous) world. In order to face uncertainty, we must be flexible and adaptable to possible changes in our professional lives but also in our personal lives. With our newly acquired skills we also have a responsibility to our planet, to take care of it and make it better for future generations.

Now that I have finished my MBA studies I finally have some time to write and develop a new film, while I manage projects in a design studio and work as a consultant for digital communications. I have managed to diversify my career path while becoming a more methodical team leader in the creative industries. My dream is also to teach and continue spreading knowledge and experience.

There are many risky investments in our lives, but I believe education is one of the few safe bets we have for mastering new skills and inspiring others to take the plunge and change as well. What the future will bring is uncertain, but we will not fear it if we are ready to conquer every new experience with open arms.

Thank you for reading about my MBA journey during this past year. I invite you to dream big and pursue your wildest journeys, wherever they might take you.

 

About the author
 Roberto Niño Betancourt

Roberto is a student of the International full time MBA. He is a Colombian filmmaker and new media artist based in Milan.
He has collaborated as a post producer for MTV Latin America, as well as many European production companies. He is very passionate about international cross-cultural collaborations, craftsmanship and the sustainable conservation of natural resources.

 

 

How I swapped engineering at IBM for an MBA and a new career in Business

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Anand Yogi wasn’t satisfied as an engineer. He headed straight for an MBA to change career and hasn’t looked back since

 

It’s 2015, and after graduating from a bachelor’s in engineering, Anand Yogi got a job working as a system engineer for IBM in India. He solved problems, managed a small team, and handled numerous client relationships.
But his days became tedious, and he longed for a change. After two and a half years, he called time on his career at IBM and decided to pursue an MBA.
But where to go?
He knew people who had pursued higher education at MIP Politecnico di Milano School of Management (MIP), and after hearing of their experiences at the school, their recommendations resonated with him.
Now, after graduating from the program, he’s changed career and is working as a senior business analyst for BTO Research in Austria.
We caught up with Anand to find out more.

Why did you leave IBM?

As a first job experience, it was really nice, but it was not related to software development, which is what I expected.
I was enjoying the new work life in the capital of India and working for a great company. However, after some time I realized that I wasn’t learning much and I was doing similar work every day. That’s when I decided to do something to fix this.
I was passionate about computer science engineering from the beginning. I chose computer science as an additional subject in my high school and started to learn coding at a very early age.

Why did you decide to pursue an MBA?

As I wasn’t coding or working in software development anymore [as I was an undergrad], I lost my command on those skills.
But a new area of business which attracted me was project management. After seeing the powers and work of my seniors in a manager-oriented company like IBM, I got attracted to becoming one of them and that gave me the option of doing an MBA.
With all these things going on in my mind, a very close friend and a colleague told me that he was applying for his master’s at MIP as he had some friends who studied there and were now working in Europe. That was the best thing for me to hear at that time because I wanted to study and work internationally.
I was inspired to do an MBA because I wanted to learn about all the new technologies in the world for business. I didn’t want to go to the US as a majority of Indians do. MIP provided the chance to live in a beautiful country like Italy, which was a dream for me because I really love Europe, especially Italian culture and history.

Why did you change your career?

From my high school days, I was inspired by IT and software, so I decided that I wanted to work in this sector in the future.
I am now developing software and living in beautiful cities around the world like Paris, Vienna, and Milan, so it’s like all of my wishes have come true.
Also, working in Europe is totally different than in India. I think I was made to work in Europe as Indian work culture never inspired me to grow as an individual.

How has the MBA enhanced your career?

I had a great experience during my MBA.
It was a great mix of people from all around the world and to study with them and learn from each other is what helped me the most.
Everyone’s past experiences and knowledge were the biggest learning aspects of this course. I am personally a changed person now with set goals and a correct attitude. I used to be a reserved person and not too confident but after the MBA, I am more comfortable with unfamiliar people and can easily have conversations with others.

Would you be where you are today without the MBA?

I don’t think I would be here, but I would say that I had some luck with me as well.
If I had chosen another course over an MBA, maybe I would be somewhere else, maybe I would have chosen a different educational institution in a different country like Germany, for example.
All of these decisions, one after another, put me where I am right now, and I am not complaining at all.

 

Originally published on

 

Meet the top fashion model who used an MBA to start a consulting career

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Belarusian model, Yuliya Shvets, could once be found on the cover of fashion magazines. But consulting proved to be her true calling

 

Strutting down the catwalk during fall 2014’s Paris Fashion Week, Yuliya Shvets is clothed in a simple black dress created by French designer, Rochas.
She has spent all season meeting stylists and befriending the biggest names in fashion.

After Paris, she jets off to New York, frequently travelling around and outside of Europe, making stops in Asia and gracing the magazine covers of Vogue Portugal, Harper’s Bazaar, Marie Claire and more, as well as modelling for Chanel, Roberto Cavalli, and DKNY.
Yuliya was living the dream for nine years after being scouted in her hometown of Mozyr, Belarus, during a beauty contest at the age of 18. Yet modelling wasn’t her dream.

She entered modelling after postponing a bachelor’s degree in economics and management. But the time came when she decided it was time to dedicate herself to higher education. An MBA was on the cards, and she enrolled at MIP Politecnico di Milano School of Management (MIP).

This Italian business school helped her transition from catwalks and fashion shoots to her current role as a business analyst for Business Integration Partners, based in Milan.
We caught up with Yuliya to find out how the MBA helped her switch careers.

Why did you leave the fashion industry?

Modelling was a beautiful chance to travel and work at the same time. I always knew I could finish my studies, but there wouldn’t always be a chance to be a model, so I decided to take the chance and postpone my studies a little bit.

At some point as I was working, I knew I had to go back to my studies. I was bored and wanted to learn more. I could have been a model for a while but in terms of age, modelling offers a much shorter career, and I wanted a long-term career.

I started to look into what I would like. I asked the people around me what they do and what their jobs were like. I had a lot of friends who were doing consulting and from how they were describing the job, it was very similar to what I was doing, with different projects and clients.

Why an MBA?

I wanted a 360-degree knowledge of business, which I thought was important for consulting because you can get projects in different industries and for different functions. You get better offers after an MBA compared to a master.

Many people thought it wouldn’t be possible because of the requirements and work experience you need to get an MBA, but I decided to look into how to get to where I wanted to be, and the MBA seemed to be the perfect match.

How did your MBA at MIP help you switch careers?

The university was very strong on preparing you for interviews, explaining the job market, and the right behaviour when working with companies. It was something that was very new for me as I’ve never been to an interview in my life.

Even now, I go back to my notes from my MBA to look at the methodologies and frameworks during my finance, strategy, and project management classes for my job. It has helped me to be proactive, because in an MBA most people do it not to just get a degree, but because they are really curious.

It’s an environment of people who are willing to learn a lot and where everybody is competitive. This mentality helps me in my current job, to remind myself to always be proactive, never stop learning, and just go for it.

During the teamwork assignments, we often had to deliver projects in very limited time with classmates from different backgrounds, with different points of view, different temperaments and coming from different cultures. It was a personal challenge, but it helped me to improve my soft skills by learning from other people and from my own mistakes.

What tips would you give to professionals who want to switch careers?

It is possible to have a career change and start working in business even if your experience is not related to business. Many people, including headhunters, were sceptical about whether I was going to make it, however here I am, and I have achieved my goal of working as a consultant.

I would suggest to all prospective applicants to work hard on their dream because it pays off, and of course, believe in yourself and never stop learning. Thanks to the MBA, I have transformed from a model from a small town in Belarus to a business analyst in an Italian consulting company, in just in one year.

 

Originally published on

 

What makes a good entrepreneurship program?

Posted on | by Veronica Rafaniello | Leave a Comment on What makes a good entrepreneurship program?

 

Greta Maiocchi, head of marketing and recruitment at MIP Politecnico di Milano, answers our Applicant Question of the Week

 

Every week, we give you the opportunity to ask one of our chosen admissions experts anything you want to know about getting into business school. One question each week is chosen for our expert to answer.
This week, our question comes from an anonymous applicant, hoping to kick-start an entrepreneurial career through business school.
Their question is answered by Greta Maiocchi, head of marketing at the Milan-based MIP Politecnico di Milano.

 

Applicant Question of the Week

Dear BusinessBecause,

What are the best business school programs for someone hoping to become an entrepreneur, and how can I improve my chances of being accepted onto this kind of program?

 

The Answer

Within the collection of courses offered at MIP, the school provides several programs specifically focused on the topic of entrepreneurship, designed to meet the needs and aspirations of both future leaders who want to take their first step into the business world, and experienced professionals with the aim of updating their skill-set or searching for new opportunities.

First, we offer the International Master in Innovation & Entrepreneurship (IMIE), a 12-month program taught in English and designed for graduates with entrepreneurial mindsets.

Through the combination of class teaching, digital learning and on-site experiences, IMIE candidates will acquire the analytical skills and the creative thinking needed to become innovative leaders able to be in charge of developing and managing ground-breaking projects.

Participants on this program will access the Pre-incubation Lab, a nine month project co-designed and supported by Polihub – the internationally-renowned incubator at MIP – in which students are encouraged to work in groups and develop a full-fledged business idea.

Also on offer is the Entrepreneurship, Innovation & Startup module. This is a three-day course taught in Italian and delivered in partnership with the Politecnico di Milano’s in-house start-up incubator. The aim is to provide C-levels and professionals with a concrete vision of the development and evaluation methods of a startup in contemporary markets.

Participants can explore approaches and methods emerging from the world of startups, understand the issues surrounding corporate entrepreneurship, and acquire practical knowledge of design tools, assessment and development of new business models, useful for operating in a culture dominated by risk and innovation.

Although there are plenty of specially designed entrepreneurial courses to choose from, at MIP and elsewhere, undertaking a broader qualification such as an MBA or EMBA can also be beneficial for those with an entrepreneurial mindset.

These programs can often be tailored to support entrepreneurs, and provide a broad foundation for understanding how businesses operate.

For example, at MIP, MBA and EMBA participants can access Polihub, and carry out a supervised entrepreneurial project with faculty guidance as part of their qualification.

When it comes to being accepted onto a program, each one has a specific set of entry requirements. When applying for courses with an entrepreneurial focus, it’s important to understand that personality and passion are just as important as academic qualifications.

You must be able to demonstrate your ability to work in a team and possess a practical, agile mindset. Drawing attention to circumstances in which you have acted as leader is also helpful when applying to programs that focus on entrepreneurship.

Finally, having a clear vision of your ambitions for the future will also help selection committees understand exactly what you hope to get out of business school.

By using these selection criteria, business schools can create a network of high-value professionals able to enhance each other’s journeys, and impart a real impact on society.

 

Originally published on