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Kerstin Sachl\u2019s BA in languages and extensive public relations expertise helped take the German native to scores of countries as the top in-house PR executive at Porsche Latin America and Bentley Motors Europe. Still, her trip to South Africa, part of the Executive MBA program at FIU\u2019s College of Business, brought her a brand new perspective by giving her a first-hand look: understanding the nuts and bolts of international entrepreneurship in an emerging country.<\/p>\n
As part of a team of MBA students from universities throughout the world, \u201cWe went into townships, and visited the entrepreneurs who founded businesses in these townships to address various needs,\u201d she said, adding they worked with a company called Department of Coffee. \u201cIt was inspiring to see how these entrepreneurs succeed, against all odds, and improve life for their families and communities. And we, as a group, had the privilege to give recommendations and feedback to help them become even more successful.\u201d<\/p>\n
Sachl, who now has her own PR firm focused on the luxury segment, joined three other soon-to-graduate EMBA students to share their experiences at a panel discussion, held at FIU Downtown on Brickell on March 9, 2016. Speakers also included Richard Crusan, the executive officer for US Southern Command’s Public Affairs Office; Liria Litano, manager of retail planning at Perry Ellis International, and John Farias,\u00a0a division manager for DHI Mortgage. The panel was moderated by Walfried Lassar, associate dean for the Chapman Graduate School of Business.<\/p>\n
All four are accomplished professionals. Still, they decided to take on the challenge — and earn the rewards — of pursing an Executive MBA. In doing so, they explained, they joined a unique program, whose professors integrate real-world business experience with theory, using a method that teaches practical information in concert with leadership and decision-making skills.<\/p>\n
\u201cAt first I wasn’t convinced I\u00a0needed\u00a0the program,\u00a0as I had achieved some level of success in the business world,\u201d Farias said. But, he added, undertaking the EMBA was one of his best decisions. \u201cIt\u2019s not textbook, it\u2019s practical. You start to see things\u00a0from an\u00a0entrepreneurial perspective,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Others echoed that view. \u201cIt\u2019s about putting yourself in place of the entire organization,\u201d said Sachl; figuring out how to set goals and help others achieve those goals. \u201cYou stop looking at what the industry is, and look at how it is functioning \u2013 and ask, \u2018how do the departments work together?\u2019 \u201d<\/p>\n
All agreed that learning to craft and give presentations was central to their growth.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn the first week of residency you have a presentation class,\u201d Litano said, adding that the professor critiques video-taped performances, a process that continues throughout the program.<\/p>\n
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Pulling as a team.<\/em><\/p>\n Still, no one sugar-coated the program\u2019s challenges.<\/p>\n \u201cSometimes you don\u2019t sleep much, but I\u2019ve already done things I never thought I could do,\u201d said Crusan.<\/p>\n Panelists underscored how the program\u2019s module approach, which centers around themes rather than functional course topics, facilitates internalizing the skills needed in today\u2019s business world.<\/p>\n For example, the first semester theme was \u201cnavigating in a global world.\u201d The international law, business, and accounting professors were in the lecture hall at the same time, discussing topics in an integrated manner. \u201cIt helps you get to a top-level understanding and CEO approach,\u201d Sachl said. There is also a leadership component, added Farias, \u201cthat stresses the importance of people. I learned to make changes with employees, and as a result, my career has been a lot more harmonious.\u201d<\/p>\n What really left the crowd breathless was discussion of the EMBA Consortium, the one-week international residency that sends students to top business schools around the world, giving them the opportunity to work with colleagues from dozens of other countries on real-world problems.<\/p>\n In addition to Sachl\u2019s experience in South Africa, Litano went to London, Farias to Italy, and Crusan to Chongqing, China, where the study centered on improving the efficiency of a computer maker. \u201cWe had to figure out where the bottle neck was,\u201d he said. Each of them emerged from the experience with a set of new business connections based throughout the world, and a network they hope to continue to tap as they progress in their careers.<\/p>\n Asked to name one thing that stands out from their experience, the panelists noted they gained confidence by meeting difficult challenges, and acquired analytic skills. But friendships made and camaraderie experienced with classmates stood out overall.<\/p>\n \u201cAll 29 of us bring knowledge,\u201d Litano said. \u201cIt\u2019s not who is best, it\u2019s how can we work together. Everyone puts their best foot forward. That is what I learned from this program.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Kerstin Sachl\u2019s BA in languages and extensive public relations expertise helped take the German native to scores of countries as the top in-house PR executive at Porsche Latin America and Bentley Motors Europe. Still, her trip to South Africa, part of the Executive MBA program at FIU\u2019s College of Business, brought her a brand new […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":75,"featured_media":26518,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[763,828,4000,2656],"amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/biznews.fiu.edu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26511"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/biznews.fiu.edu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/biznews.fiu.edu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/biznews.fiu.edu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/75"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/biznews.fiu.edu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=26511"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/biznews.fiu.edu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26511\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":36227,"href":"https:\/\/biznews.fiu.edu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26511\/revisions\/36227"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/biznews.fiu.edu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/26518"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/biznews.fiu.edu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=26511"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/biznews.fiu.edu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=26511"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/biznews.fiu.edu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=26511"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}