After more than six years in the corporate world, starting my MBA last year felt like stepping into the unknown. Like many of my peers, I wanted to do it all—but I quickly realized that trying to juggle everything spreads you too thin. The real skill lies in making smart trade-offs: prioritizing what truly matters while still gaining a rich and meaningful experience.
The first year has been incredibly enriching—culturally, academically, and mentally. But it was during the summer that I finally had a chance to pause, reflect, and process my experiences. Here’s what I learned.
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Be prepared for things to go off plan
My path has evolved since the start of the school year… but I’ve learnt to adapt when things go off plan!
At the start of the year, I joined the consulting club. Before my MBA, I had built my career in the consumer goods, retail, and e-commerce sectors, working with some of the most loved brands. However, I had limited exposure to the consulting world and knew only a handful of people in the field (though funnily enough, most of my friends now are consultants). I was eager to explore that path, and the club provided structured preparation, mentoring sessions, and mock interviews.
When interview season arrived, I did get a call from my top choice—but unfortunately, I couldn’t convert it into an offer. There could be many reasons: my preparation, fit, or simply not my day.
At the same time, I was exploring other industry roles, speaking with professors, and sending out my CV—but I felt disconnected because this wasn’t my “original plan.” Then, during a class discussion, we discussed a company that failed in its original mission and had to pivot to a second option, which ended up being the best outcome (you now know it as the small streaming site, YouTube). That example immediately made me reflect on my own journey, and I realized that the same could happen to me and indeed, it did!
Experiences like this is exactly what the MBA prepares you for: how to navigate setbacks, embrace present scenario and turn unexpected opportunities into success.
This experience reinforced my first point about being ready for plans to change and leads me to my second key learning: the power of networking
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The Power of Networking
Before the MBA, I was naturally more reserved—someone who preferred minding their own business and embracing the JOMO, the “Joy of Missing Out.” While this core trait has stayed with me, the MBA experience pushed me out of my comfort zone. Endless mentoring sessions, consulting networking events, 20+ coffee chats, lively class discussions, and even the vibrant Barcelona energy made networking—talking to strangers, reaching out on LinkedIn, and building rapport—a comfortable and enjoyable process.
The school taught me that networking isn’t just a formality; it’s an experience. It’s a way to connect meaningfully, leave a lasting impression, and build genuine relationships.
Many of my peers are naturally gifted at it—the way they make you feel after a conversation is inspiring, and I wanted to learn that too.
And yes, there’s a method to it. You don’t reach out to people aimlessly; respecting their time is step one. Then, thoughtfully connecting from one person to another until you reach the right link is how meaningful relationships are built.
I connected with Opptra, an emerging retail-tech startup operating in SEA, the Middle East, and India, founded by one of the co-founders of the e-commerce giant Flipkart. This summer, I had the opportunity to intern at their Dubai office, working on cross-regional projects.
This brings me to my third point: what I accomplished during my internship and how my MBA experience prepared me to take on these challenges.
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Internship Experience: Applying the MBA
This summer at Opptra, an emerging digital-first, AI-enabled retail startup operating in SEA, the Middle East, and India, I had the opportunity to intern at their Dubai office and work on cross-regional projects. This was something I had long wanted to experience in my professional life. When I joined, the teams were small, but they grew by nearly 2x during my three months there. The current leadership was very strong, with everyone bringing top-tier corporate experience and power-packed MBAs to the table.
My work spanned three main areas:
- Market entry potential for new international brands in the Middle East and SEA markets.
- Commercial planning and budget forecasting for existing brands.
- Defining the GTM roadmap for the company’s first offline footprint, integrating AI-driven technologies.
A beautiful summer night in Dubai, during my internship
My background in consumer goods and e-commerce businesses in the Middle East came in handy while approaching these projects, helping me understand market dynamics and business nuances. At the same time, the MBA prepared me with technical, analytical, and strategic skills, enabling me to navigate these challenges effectively. I also had the opportunity to present my work directly to the founder and CEO, sharing insights and recommendations to secure approval for projects in the pipeline.
These projects gave me hands-on exposure to strategic decision-making, cross-regional collaboration, and the operational realities of a fast-growing startup. Above all, they reinforced a key lesson I’ve learned throughout my MBA: success isn’t just about executing a plan perfectly – it’s about adapting, learning from unexpected outcomes, and turning every opportunity into a meaningful experience.
My summer at Opptra was more than an internship—it was a chance to put MBA lessons into action. I could feel a change in how I approached problems and communicated compared to before the MBA. I felt more confident, composed, and ready to embrace unexpected challenges, approaching issues with both an analytical and human-centered mindset. I also learned to treat networking as a meaningful way to connect and create impact.
Bonus point: During the summer, I also learned how to swim at the age of 31! For a mildly hydrophobic person, I consider that a personal achievement.
For incoming students: embrace the unexpected, invest in your network, and use every opportunity to learn, grow and give back.
Pursue your dream MBA! Take these next steps today:
