For three absolutely wonderful years, I called IILM UBS, one of the best BBA colleges in Delhi, my home. And what’s a home without its fair share of learning and life-changing experiences? Like many before me, I was also bitten by the bug of entrepreneurship that is still at the height of its power in our country. I like to believe that it was always in my blood – I hail from a business-running family, which is why opting a Bachelor of Business Administration degree course was never a difficult decision.
The dilemma lied in choosing the right college. And after finishing my BBA in Entrepreneurship from IILM UBS, I can proudly say that I couldn’t have picked a better institution to hone my skills and emerge as not only a better businessperson but also as a better citizen of the world. Here’s a low down on the six lessons that my BBA from IILM UBS taught me:
The earlier you start, the better
When you are right out of school and brimming with ideas, it is easier to fine-tune and shape you, which is exactly what the BBA in Entrepreneurship did to me. I was not even out of my teens, but the excellent curriculum helped sharpen my business acumen, right from leadership and communication skill development, to critical thinking and decision-making.
There is no better preparation for an MBA
After bagging a lucrative management job in a reputed firm after my BBA, I worked for a few years before pursuing my MBA. Honestly, thanks to the strong knowledge and skill base which the BBA course had provided me, MBA was a smooth sailing. The multi-disciplinary learning at IILM UBS set me up wonderfully for the challenging and dynamic environment of MBA and, later, the corporate world.
Faculty matters
Who says the spirit of entrepreneurship can’t be taught? If you have the right teachers, you can learn almost anything, and I was fortunate enough to have found many gurus during my BBA. The internationally-merited curriculum at IILM UBS is stipulated by the Swiss Business School, and the modules are delivered by highly qualified in-house as well as visiting foreign faculty and experts. With a teacher-student mix of 1:4, I never had complaints about not getting adequate attention from my teachers in my BBA who not only imparted practical knowledge of the industry but mentored me into the person I am today!
Exposure is critical
If businesses are never limited to one country or region, why should the learning experience be? My BBA was built on this very premise, and, honestly, the 4 weeks of my Global Study Program in my BBA when I went to a partner university in Europe was one of the most enthralling and enlightening experiences of my life. Studying business in a completely different environment, interacting with a different culture, and getting to test my skills on a global stage inspired a new-found confidence in my abilities and introduced me to the possibilities that lie beyond the border, not just for budding entrepreneurs like me, but the entire Indian business economy.
The other unique exposure that I would like to mention here is the one I had under the challenging Summer Internship Program, where I was thrown into the mix at one of the real-world corporates. It is here that I got my first taste of working in a high-velocity business conglomerate and under the tutelage of many high profile leaders in the company. All this taught me that without practical, on-the-field training, education is incomplete.
Time and stress management
So far, you might be thinking that everything was a bed of roses for me, but let me assure you, it was not. At the end of the day, the onus lies on you to make the best use of all the facilities and education you are receiving, something which I learned over the three years of BBA where live projects, presentations, case studies, lectures, events, etc. keep coming at you relentlessly. Under such a stimulating and challenging environment, I learned how to manage my time, priorities and stress. The key lies in never losing sight of your goal, which is the essence of entrepreneurship that my BBA taught me.
The art of being open
Above everything else, my BBA program taught me how to be more confident and open. There are so many avenues of learning in a BBA program, and if you have the right attitude, you will be able to benefit immensely from them all. All you need is an open mind and a hunger for trying out new experiences and challenges. As a business student, having a bright, positive attitude to everything is important, and trust me with this one: it was the stimulating environment that my BBA created for me which allowed me to inculcate the quality of being open to everything on my own.
At the end of the day, I discovered a strong sense of belonging at my BBA and became a part of a pioneering, passionate and driven community that has helped shape my entrepreneurship dream.
