An Online M.B.A. Empowered Dallas Business Techie To Start Her Own Company
Linda Wilson realized that the people around her at work had master's degrees and saw that in order for her to stay competitive, she would have to get an advanced degree. She embarked on her master's degree program at the age of 45. Because her position was high level, her time was very limited and she could only take one class a semester. She took online courses for five years in order to get it done.
"I got my M.B.A. with a concentration in technology from University of Dallas before I turned 50," said Wilson.
Wilson survived several layoffs at Bank of America, but eventually her number was up and she found herself without a job.
"I wanted to start my own e-commerce business for years but I didn't have the courage to do so. I speak Geeklish and English," said Wilson about her ability to crawl around on the floor hooking up hardware and then writing programs and designing software.
"When I earned my M.B.A., I gained the confidence to start my own e-commerce business – www.acandlegift.com," said Wilson.
When it comes to pursuing a master's degree, Wilson had this advice: "You are never too old. I hadn't been in school for 20 years and I wasn't sure if I could do that level of coursework. The ability to study comes back. I think I learned better today than I did when I was in college."
"Maybe it has it do with the drinking that college kids do. It takes dedication to get it done, requires a time commitment. Whether you have family, friends or dogs, they have to understand that time commitment and be committed with you. It does take time away from them. Make sure to talk with the people who love you and make sure they are committed with you because they have to sacrifice too. If you ever get the feeling that you want to quit, having them around to cheer you on helps you stay in it."
"Make sure you take advantage of reimbursement programs that might be offered at your place of work, make a schedule. Work hard when it is time to work and play hard when it is time to play."
Robin D. Everson is a native Chicagoan who resides in Dallas, Texas. Her appreciation for art, food, wine, people and places has helped her become a well-respected journalist. A life-long lover of education, Robin seeks to learn and enlighten others about culture. You can find her work at Examiner.com