HOW A MINI-MBA CAN HELP LEVEL UP YOUR BUSINESS
from MAKENZIE CHILTON, business owner at love your mondays
I’ve taken a lot of online courses before, for different reasons. But I applied to the Invited MBA because I needed some help on the financial side of business. I wanted a drill-down version of the “good stuff” that you would get in a full MBA, but in a shorter time period and with a better investment.
I was more nervous about our cohort kickoff meeting than I expected to be.
As a Career Coach in my business, Love Your Mondays, I’m often a facilitator and public speaker. But for some reason, the bigness of the term MBA got stuck in my head. It has been a long time since I was in school, and the courses I have taken have been up-leveling in an industry I’m comfortable in. On every call, I tell my clients to do things that push them out of their comfort zone. Here I was taking my own medicine.
When the Cohort Kickoff Meeting began, I realized quickly that other people were nervous as well. Introductions started, and I could feel everyone settle in. Looking across the virtual room, I could see people from a variety of backgrounds. Participants ranged from single moms, to ex-military, to people looking for a career change.
We were welcomed by Bjorn Billhardt, who developed the Invited MBA program based on his experience as the founder of Abilitie. (Abilitie is an award-winning leadership & development organization that works with Fortune 500 companies.) Though my nerves were not something I expected, they served as a good reminder. Sometimes, it’s the things that scare us that are in the most need of doing.
Sometimes it’s the things that scare us that are in the most need of doing.
Other courses I’ve completed consisted of pre-recorded lessons that required participants to simply absorb information. The Invited MBA was so interactive and interesting from the start. It really kept me thinking so the material could stick with me after the course was over.
LEVELING UP MY FINANCIAL ACUMEN made me a better businesswoman
One of the main drivers for me taking the Invited MBA was the finance module. I am not a numbers person, but I knew that enhancing this skillset was important for my business and professional growth. For a people-focused person, finance has felt daunting. Shockingly, I thoroughly enjoyed the finance module!
The finance simulation was so helpful to really solidify the learnings, and especially after the self-study portion of the online learning platform, the complicated concepts were pretty easy to digest.
All that said, I know I am not going to switch careers and move into finance by any means, and that’s okay! But being able to have the financial language and general understanding of how different financial levers can affect my business has already propelled my success further.
Since the Invited MBA, I’ve been able to lock in three new long-term clients, and I can without a doubt attribute that to my experience and the skills I learned in the program.
In fact, since the Invited MBA, I’ve been able to lock in three new long-term clients, and I can without a doubt attribute that to my experience and the skills I learned in the program. That sets me apart from other careers and business coaches. I have the Invited MBA to thank for that. This immediate shift in confidence shows me the program’s real effectiveness once you practice the lessons in the real world.
The program definitely increased my financial acumen, but that’s exactly what I expected. What did surprise me was how much I learned from the management portion, a field I’ve been in for some time.
LEARNING MORE ABOUT MYSELF and business case studies benefitted my BUSINESS
The Invited MBA also taught me that no matter what your skill level in a specific area is, there’s always room to learn more. Throughout the program, I committed to staying curious. Regardless of your leadership status or role in your company, there’s something you can learn from the Invited MBA.
One of the things that really stuck with me in terms of leadership and people management specifically was how to deal with people who were introverted. For an extrovert like me, realizing that when people go silent in meetings, it’s because they’re processing things and not because they have nothing to say – that has already shifted the way I facilitate my own workshops, making sure to give space for those that may operate differently.
Another valuable asset to the program is the case studies and simulations. There were real-world examples and exercises throughout to help solidify the business concepts in practice and memory. The Invited MBA mini-MBA can really level up your business with practical applications of changes you can make right now to become a better leader and business person.
THE INVITED MBA GAVE ME THE GRACE TO BE HUMAN
I take on a lot, so the commitment of a mini-MBA wasn’t something new or surprising to me. However, there were moments I began doubting my abilities and time management.
This program taught me not to be so hard on myself.
I didn’t need to go back to school for two years and spend hundreds of thousands of dollars to get … the skills I needed to enhance my career.
I wanted to do the Invited MBA because I knew it would give me the skills I needed to enhance my career, and I didn’t need to go back to school for two years and spend hundreds of thousands of dollars to get that.
This experience allowed me to be human, to have a life. It was a reminder to give myself grace to take a break and come back with fresh excitement. This is an exercise I also want to practice with my own clients and utilize in other areas of my life.
So, how can a mini-MBA can level up your business? For me, the practical learning in the Invited MBA related directly to the daily challenges of owning a business. I’m happy I completed this program and gained the skills I needed to advance my career, grow my understanding of myself, and increase my leadership abilities.
To learn more about Makenzie and Love Your Mondays, click here.
