The decision to pursue an MBA is difficult at the best of times. As an MBA'21D at INSEAD, I am surrounded by a diverse range of extraordinary people who took a leap of faith amidst a global pandemic, in times of unprecedented uncertainty. Whether they are a young entrepreneur, rising star or experienced and skilled professional, most of my cohort will assure you they made the best decision and advise you to apply, so the real question you should be asking is “when?”. 

• Read more about The Right Time To Pursue an MBA

We see the light at the end of the tunnel ... and it is not a train moving in our direction. Quite the opposite, it is a feeling that you get when you are very close to the finish line but you actually don't want to cross it because it is all about the journey itself not so much about the destination. My GEMBA'22 journey started 10 months ago and there are four months to go. The last module was the Electives in July and, without exaggeration, a mind-blowing experience.

• Read more about It's Not the Destination, it's the Journey

The title of this article is quoted from one GEMBA alumnus in a conversation we had over zoom prior to the start of the GEMBA programme in a networking session during the daunting lockdown periods in 2020. I vividly remember his exact words: As much as I will tell you, it’s difficult to do justice to the experience you’d undergo in the electives during your GEMBA journey; it’s the gemstone of the programme.

• Read more about The Gemstone of the INSEAD GEMBA

From the early stage of my career I always leaned toward nurturing a strong expertise. I believe dedication will always pay off in one way or another. The idea of applying for an MBA was in my long term agenda with no rush. Across the years, my trading role naturally evolved into a mid-ranked managing position.

• Read more about TIEMBA Journey: Matthias Soreau

At INSEAD, we learn how business can be used as a “Force for Good”. With a strong interest in entrepreneurship and a dream to have a start-up ourselves someday, my classmate, Gijs Wilbers, and I, Manasvi Srivastava, wanted to discover how entrepreneurs are using technology, particularly in the financial world, to disrupt the industry and positively impact society.

• Read more about Tour of the Baltics: INSEAD MBA Start-up Journey

It has been one year since the opening ceremony of the TIEMBA Class of 2022. Since then, six modules out of 10 have been completed. Currently, my cohort is planning how we will use our thesis projects to individually demonstrate all that we have taken away from the programme thus far.  The sixth module this past July gave us the opportunity to learn non-technical skills that are not related to a specific business field.

• Read more about A Year of Reinvention

I am now 10 months into the GEMBA journey, with only two more modules left to finish it off; and I can’t help but feel that it has gone so fast. Don’t get me wrong, these 10 months have really been a transformational experience; this programme makes you challenge yourself in every possible aspect, which not only made me grow as a better professional, but also as a better person.

• Read more about GEMBA: A Fast-Paced Transformational Experience

"The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why." - Mark Twain At the Executive MBA level, the end of the Core Modules is like the midpoint in a full marathon. Although we are closer to the finishing line, we are still living with some uncertainties ahead of us.

• Read more about The Pioneers, the Believers and Those Who Make Miracles Out of Thin Air

Hello MIM22,   One week (nearly) done – and what a week.   It is a true honor to meet you and get to know you, and I can tell you for sure that many are envious of the situation in which you are.

• Read more about Welcome Letter to MIM'22

It is true that there is always a sense of triumph, achievement, and accomplishment when you reach the halfway mark and start taking steps into the last subsequent half. It gives momentum and confidence with the knowingness that the end is insight. INSEAD celebrated this milestone by offering a break from the gritty, demanding details of finance and presenting us with an opportunity to explore the significance of qualitative instruction.

• Read more about EMFIN: A Breath of Fresh Air