Executive MBA degree: how to find success with Lauren Henderson

4 min read

Lauren Henderson’s story of completing an executive MBA degree is a compelling one. From jazz musician to IE Brown Executive MBA graduate, you might find it hard to connect the dots. But Lauren’s is just one of several success stories that prove thinking outside the box is the best way to advance in your career. 

Choosing the right place to study an Executive MBA degree

Lauren Henderson’s first dilemma was where to study. Ivy League universities have are a benchmark for quality in North America, making them a safe choice for an executive MBA degree. After all, American universities make up nine of the top 10 higher education spenders for R&D in the world, with their total equaling $97.8 billion in 2022. What’s more, the universities’ international reputation attracts world-leading faculty. At Brown University, for example, there were over 300 postdoctoral appointments in 2023. 

However, the number of American students going abroad has tripled in the past two decades. Gaining an international mindset is more important than ever—underlined by the fact that global B2B eCommerce valued around $20.4 trillion in 2022. Clearly it pays to understand different cultural mindsets. Looking further afield to prestigious institutions in Europe offers a competitive advantage for master’s graduates. 

So, how to combine the informational exchange of Europe with the priceless insights of an Ivy League university? The IE Brown Executive MBA. This world-leading partnership between IE Business School and Brown University is specially designed for seasoned professionals with a global mindset. Let us tell you how. 

Insights into a leading MBA in Europe with Poets and Quants 

The IE Brown Executive MBA is a partnership program that began its development around 20 years ago. We’ve now seen more than15 cohorts pass through our doors, with the average enrollee having around 16 years practicing in their respective industries. We ask for a minimum of 10 years of experience to ensure a diverse set of perspectives within the cohort. The course provides a potent mix of online learning and valuable in-person experiences. 

As detailed by Program Director Brendan McNally in a recent podcast with Poets and Quants, the two schools contribute their own strengths to the master: “IE [Business School] delivers most of the core business courses that we provide in the program. And then Brown’s contributions are many in the areas of social sciences and the humanities.” 

This approach brings students towards the frameworks and toolkits that sociologists might use. By combining innovative business studies with liberal arts, graduates will be skilled in writing from different perspectives and engage with industry from a diverse mindset. As detailed by McNally, a data analytics class with a project on a social issue is a unique way to engage both worlds of study. 

Alumni success from the IE Brown Executive MBA 

One of the many interesting success stories from the program is that of Lauren Henderson. Lauren applied for the course as a professional jazz and Latin jazz vocalist. Her aim was to be equipped in the face of a constantly changing industry: “It was imperative to me to have a strong understanding of the music industry and its many facets.” Having founded her own record label, Brontosaurus Records, Lauren subsequently set her sights on completing an executive MBA degree.

According to Lauren, “the eclectic courses are carefully designed to bring business and the humanities together… I also think it gives students the opportunity to share their expertise within their field or related fields, bringing the information we learn to life and giving it new meaning.” Lauren also commented on the strength of mixing online learning with residential periods, noting that “residential weeks are excellent for students who thrive in classroom settings… Much of the same is achieved online, but I also feel that the online sessions demand advanced organization and planning… This is a valuable tool to develop.” 

Lauren continues to achieve great success. In 2018, during her studies, she appeared in the Top 25 of the Breaking the Jazz Week Charts for six consecutive weeks and the Year End Jazz Week Top 100. She has featured in the Financial Times and the New York Times due to her eclectic, cross-genre vocals. To date, Lauren has performed in France, Italy, Spain, Germany, Russia, Belgium, Mexico and South Africa. The IE Brown Executive MBA helped expand Lauren’s horizons with “a versatile skill set” that helps her navigate the music industry. 

Apply for the IE Brown Executive MBA degree

Are you a career professional looking to step forward in your career? Whether you’re interested in the IE Brown Executive MBA or other elite business programs to elevate your profile, we’d encourage you to take on an MBA in Europe with IE Business School, including the presential Executive MBA in Europe to the Global Executive MBA. Thinking outside the box is our specialty.