Unique learning journeys: A pivot in country and in roles

Laura Liddell was born in the United Kingdom but grew up between the US and Hong Kong. With her family still in England, she spent a lot of time there and had the chance to travel throughout Europe. The first time she visited Spain, however, was in college, when she came to visit her now husband during his semester studying abroad. At that time in her life, she didn’t expect that one day she would be living and studying in sunny Madrid.

As an undergraduate, Laura spent her college days and the years after living and working in the city. She and her husband decided to make a huge change a decade later and they quickly moved to Madrid. “I was in a smaller startup in the field of international education, and I had climbed up to director level. I was working closely with the CEO and started to realize I had a bit of a knowledge gap in certain skills, which led me to decide to pivot and experience a new industry.”

Making global connections

Moving around as a kid helped Laura build a certain type of resilience. It taught her a lot about herself and gave her the confidence to make a change as big as shifting her whole life to Spain. And it’s a good thing she took the leap because studying the International MBA at IE University was exactly what she needed. “For me, studying an MBA abroad was perfect. There are the obvious, straightforward benefits, like cost and time, but there’s also the social aspect. I met so many unique people from all over the world and now I have friends on almost every continent.”

But more than just making new friends, Laura says this diverse group helped to expand her mindset. “In the US, we’re very much the center of our own universe. But here, I was able to see a whole different world and to work with people from different backgrounds who offered me a new perspective.” For Laura, her classmates were such a huge part of her IE Experience and, as the only American in her group, she definitely learned a lot.

Laura was also impressed by the faculty. She loved the fact that she was learning from people with different backgrounds and cultures, but all actively working in the same field. This firsthand knowledge was a game-changer for her because it allowed her to gauge what it would be like to enter into the world of work, something she saw directly from real-life case studies and hands-on experiences.

The IE Experience

During her time in the International MBA, Laura took advantage of a lot of the opportunities at hand. She participated in the Women in Tech Mentoring Program, where her assigned mentor was the head of data and analytics at BBVA. This initiative stands out for Laura because she met with her mentor several times to discuss her career, get advice and learn the ins and outs of being a female leader in the field.

Laura also was part of the IE Women in Business Club, where she served as the class speaker for the incoming cohort. Through this experience, she was able to prove to herself that she could hold her own. As someone coming from a small startup studying alongside people from big corporations and leading companies, it was invaluable for her confidence.

The professional benefits were multiple, but the personal ones were even more significant. “It was such a fun year and I would do it all over again if given the choice,” she admits. “You don’t get the opportunity to have cultural growth often, and I think this was the best way to do it. My husband didn’t even take the International MBA but he’s in all of our photos at the graduation presentation because he spent time with my classmates and grew alongside me. There’s really nothing like the IE Community.”

The next best Laura

After the program, Laura went on to join Amazon Web Services (AWS). She started out in a sales position, which was a direct result of her time in the International MBA. “I don’t think I would have landed this role without the program, to be honest, especially as Amazon is one of the top hires of MBA students globally.”

She moved from that to become a sales strategy and operations manager next. One major takeaway for Laura was that the program prepared her for situations of ambiguity. And in a company as diverse as Amazon, this lesson equipped her to respond better to situations or challenges that may catch her off guard.

Additionally, the program enhanced her soft skills, which are often overlooked in her experience. Her communication and problem-solving skills have helped her to get out of tough spots or propose solutions that work for all parties involved.

Going into the program, one of Laura’s main goals was to work at a big company. And thanks to the International MBA, she has achieved that. Now that she’s been there for around four years, she’s starting to think about where the future will take her. AWS has given her a chance to solidify her hard and soft skills, as well as enhance her resume, and she’s ready to take those benefits and shift them into a role in education technology. This would allow her to combine the role she had before the International MBA with the tech experience she’s acquired since graduation.

At the end of the day, Laura feels like the International MBA allowed her to grow both personally and professionally. She’s grateful for her time in the program and loves the vast community she’s built. She is still in touch with her friends in the IE Community and would recommend the program to anyone looking to make a shift or to advance in their career.