The calendar says that I've been kickin' around for some 30+ worldly orbits. I've never looked forward to any single orbit like I have this one. 2010 is a personally exciting one for loads o' reasons…and one of them showed up on my doorstep this week. And here it is; a wonderful piece of tangible affirmation that, technically, allows me to put three little initials in my e-signature (MBA). …don't worry, no matter what the initials, I'll never ascend to that type of vanity.
It represents several years of juggling one of the more demanding marketing jobs in existence (…conservative estimate), a too long courtship of wife-2-be, and the additional rigors of life. Here's a list of the courses. Some contain fonder memories than others. My favorite courses were the ones that delivered strong personalities, passionate debate, and a wide range of perspectives. On the other hand, nothing was more aggravating than the quiet person(s) in class. Strong opinions drew me to Finance but the 'art of the deal' drew me to M&A. Few professions offer such a strong (and measurable) mix of art and science.
- Principles of Accounting
- Management People in Organizations
- Statistics
- Principles of Economics
- Marketing Management
- Operations Management
- Negotiating
- Global Corporate Strategy
- Relationship Management
- Strategic Information Fundamentals
- Leadership and Corporate Responsibility
- Business Process Management
- International Business Law
- Argumentation Strategies for Business
- Corporate Finance: Theory, Tools and Concepts
- Short-term Financial Management
- Corporate Finance: Applications and Advanced Topics
- Mergers and Acquisitions
- International Financial Management
…and some of the reading. By no means is this all inclusive but it's all that I could get my hands during a commercial break.
People often remark that the biggest takeaways from school aren't those on the syllabus. I've never found Finance (etc) very difficult, it just requires time and attention. Now that I've completed the Masters, I've become the beneficiary of my own time – it's tough to appreciate it until you don't have it. Now, I find that I can accomplish more in a shorter amount of time than I ever thought I could. I've also gained the perspective and appreciation for 'just how hairy the beast is.' I could go on (balance, confidence, insight, blah blah blah), but instead, I'll reward you for reading this far. J Fin.
