An EMBA Graduate with a Difference – Jessica Dugan

Choosing to study an EMBA can be a daunting prospect, with the balancing act between study, work and – for many candidates – family being a big ask of anyone. But top candidates manage it somehow; candidates such as one recent London Business School EMBA alumna who managed to balance family, work and professional life from another country while studying for her executive MBA degree. Oh, and she also managed to launch a startup…

Jessica Dugan is not your typical EMBA graduate. She does not come from a corporate background but rather has had twenty years’ experience in equine veterinary practice. This path, unusual for an EMBA student, meant Jessica was the dark horse at a Parisian MBA event. However, this left admissions officers champing at the bit.

Initially she was worried that schools would not be as interested in her non-corporate experience, but says that British schools in particular were very excited about what she had to offer.

“I think they liked the idea of a student doing something different who could bring a new set of experiences to the table. To my surprise, I found that I was being headhunted by a number of British universities after I attended a Quacquarelli Symonds World MBA Tour event in Paris. Although there was a lot of schools to pick from, I was particularly interested in Imperial College and London Business School. In the end I chose London Business School because I personally found their brand and networking opportunities overwhelmingly larger and more interesting.”

Commuting from Paris to London Business School

Jessica commuted to London from Paris every other week to take part in the program, something which would no doubt humble even the grumpiest of London commuters into silence, and worked through the evenings to keep up with the demands of her course. However Jessica’s action-packed schedule did not stop her from taking part in the extracurricular activities the university had to offer – indeed, it was through such activates that she managed to gain key MBA skills.

“There are a lot of programs that students can get involved with during study but the university doesn’t pressure EMBA students to take part because they know how busy we are. It’s all down to the individual and whether they have the energy and time to take part. For me, I got involved because I came from a non-corporate background and felt that it was my responsibility at business school to put myself out there and be comfortable talking to a group of people.

“I’m usually the medical expert that people come to for advice; it’s a very quiet role, and so this was my chance to personally achieve my goal of becoming a more confident person and to be comfortable in front of crowds.”

Launching an EMBA startup

Despite juggling her personal and professional life, Jessica was one of the only students in her London Business School cohort to launch her own startup.  Poïesis Therapeutics is a biotechnology company specializing in the development of immune-based veterinary therapeutics and diagnostics. Jessica launched the startup between studying and insists she would not have been able to pursue this venture without the executive MBA skills she picked up during her program.

“It’s all thanks to the confidence the program gave me that I started it. Before study, I had confidence in my specialty but not to get up in front of big groups of people! For my career, the [executive MBA skills] have been essential. I wouldn’t have had the knowledge to start it previously. The connections I made at London Business School were very helpful as far as initial fundraising goes and getting people on my board who were willing to help out. Networking was crucial.”

“I was also lucky enough to be in a unique situation where I could outsource and delegate some of the work that needed to be done for my business. Because I had more control over how quickly the startup took off, I was able to wait until my coursework was nearly completed before I really went into overdrive!”

Networking for a global perspective

London Business School describes itself as having a ‘global outlook’ and seeks to foster leaders who understand how to conduct business in different countries and continents. Jessica believes that the international element to her time at LBS was invaluable.

“For me it was different. I used to go to school in California, so being in a classroom with people representing 27 different nationalities was amazing. What made it especially interesting and unique for me was that I wasn’t used to having a discussion-based class, so being able to contribute and hear other peoples experience from so many different backgrounds made that part of learning really interesting.

“I also think that internationalization in school is merely reflective of what’s needed in companies. When talking about what’s needed in teams – what makes best team – a group of similar people who all went to the same university? Or a diverse group of people who can really bring new perspective on issues or problems or how best to market something? I believe that the latter is better – so for me it was a valuable part of course.”

Executive MBA skills make price worth paying

It’s clear that Jessica values her time at London Business School, but she is also aware of the financial implications of embarking on executive MBA study. However, as with many EMBA graduates, she says that the rewards – the executive MBA skills and networking opportunities – from undertaking such a time-consuming degree far outweigh the negatives that could stop prospective students applying.

“I think that if aspiring students can find a way to do it, they should do it. It’s truly something that changes your prospective, career aspirations and networking ability. Every aspect of your life improves. If you are married then I would strongly recommend that you have to have complete support from your spouse before applying, which I was lucky to have, because it makes your time studying so much easier.

“Like I said earlier, I came from California and didn’t really know how I would find being back in the classroom, especially in another country. However I found it to be a huge inspiration, not just to be able to further my own career prospects, but to join so many interesting and diverse people on their journey too.”