Alumni Voices: the Women of Acton

OCTOBER 1, 2014

“Speak up. If you want to effect change, you have to influence your colleagues. This is your education and your experience.”

Acton has always attracted strong women, each aspiring to be her own boss, create a business, and make an impact. And—in a program whose students were ranked the most competitive in the country by The Princeton Review—the women in the Acton classroom frequently prove to be the most competitive in the class.

Graduate business programs are known for attracting a higher percentage of male students. Unfortunately, even at Acton, men typically outnumber women by a high margin. But unlike all other entrepreneurial MBA programs, Acton’s program ensures that all students hold their own and make their case day in and day out. And our graduates tell us that this experience, and the skills they developed during it, continues to dramatically shape their careers, businesses, and livelihoods.

Women frequently emerge as leaders in the Acton classroom, sharing particularly insightful observations, proving to be tough negotiators, and conducting thorough case analysis.

We recently caught up with several of our women alumni and asked them to share a little bit about choosing Acton, their experiences in the classroom, and the impact it’s had on their careers and businesses.

The Alumni

Helen Mitchell (’06) is vice president of Investor Relations and Corporate Development of Systems Petroleum, an oil and gas start-up, where she helps the executive team strategize and pitch investors. They are currently raising US$35 million to deploy two assets in Wyoming. Helen also holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Loyola University New Orleans.

Angela Griffiths (’08) is a business advisor and growth consultant, with a focus on helping businesses launch new products and initiatives. She is also conducting opportunity analyses and market research for a potential new enterprise. Prior to Acton, she graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a bachelor of arts in Psychology, a bachelor of arts in Music, and a minor in Business.

Shibani Limaye (’10) is a program strategist for George P. Johnson Experience Marketing, where she oversees market and event marketing activities and intelligence on behalf of IBM and other clients. She also cofounded Flex Real Estate with an Acton classmate. It offers a menu-based approach allowing real estate buyers to pay for the services they use. Before attending Acton, Sibani earned a bachelor of science in Communication Sciences from the University of Texas at Austin.

On choosing Acton …

Shibani

I was running my own business and worked actively on the board of a nonprofit organization in Dallas. The passion that I felt while I was engaged with the nonprofit organization was lacking in my business. When I looked at MBA programs, Acton stood out as one that would help me apply my passion to a business setting as well.

Angela

I was looking for a program that could give me the skills I needed to start and run my own company. I’ve never been particularly comfortable working for someone else.

Helen

I’ve had entrepreneurial leanings for as long as I can remember. After a broad liberal arts education and a brief career in public policy, I wanted to start moving things from point A to point B. As I’d lived abroad for 12 years and traveled extensively, that literally meant that I wanted to start an artisan textile importing company. I knew an MBA would be the difference between a viable company and a Sunday stand on South Congress next to hippies blowing glass. In my MBA, I wanted a dedicated program that focused on entrepreneurship, and Acton’s curriculum, teachers, and governance model were exactly the challenge and experience I was seeking.

On the challenges being a woman presented in the classroom …

Helen

I don’t think it is a “problem” to be one of a few women. As entrepreneurs, aren’t we wired to see problems as opportunities? I enjoyed having to fight to be heard and understood. It forced me to articulate myself and ultimately made me a better communicator. I now find myself engaging in conversations with men 30-plus years my senior, and I know my contributions are heard and considered.

Shibani

I did not face any challenges in the Acton classroom specifically because I am a woman. Our Acton class had more women than the average class and we all bonded and worked well together.

Angela

In my class of twenty-three, there were only three women. As you might imagine, any time you have twenty people around you who share a common characteristic that you don’t (in this case, being male), clashes in perspective and challenges empathizing with each others’ life experiences are inevitable. When that happens, you have two choices: give up and continue the disconnect or continue to fight for the common ground that makes room for learning and growth. Luckily, I did not give up and neither did they. We are all the better for it.

On the advantages being a woman presented in the classroom …

Angela

It offered the opportunity to shift the perspectives of those around you in a deeply personal, and therefore significant, way. Often people think that beliefs shape personal experience, but I’ve observed the opposite to be true. It’s actually personal experience that shapes beliefs. This is one of the greatest challenges and opportunities we had as women in a male-dominated classroom. It’s not often that a person gets the power to have such a great impact.

Shibani

When we delved into cases, it was the women in the classroom who inevitably brought a unique outlook. Not only did we have diverse backgrounds, but we were also female consumers who thought from the customers’ perspective and made business decisions accordingly.

On how Acton has shaped their career since graduation …

Helen

I wouldn’t be in the role I’m in now without Acton. I’m part of a nine-person team working to launch an oil and gas start-up company. Each of my colleagues is very experienced technically, and the team has worked all over the world. I help them formulate strategy and communicate our plans to investors. We have negotiated agreements on two assets in Wyoming and are in the process of raising US$35 million that we will deploy over the next eighteen months to launch and establish production. We will then go back to the market for lower cost development funds. The lessons I learned at Acton have been invaluable to the process.

Angela

As a result of my Acton experience, I think differently. What I want out of life—and therefore a career—has been permanently altered. My priorities have shifted from finding ways to climb a “corporate ladder” to finding ways to “own my own time” so I can live a life that is meaningful to me, that best uses my talents, and creates a maximum positive impact on the world around me.

Shibani

The Acton experience has shaped my career in two ways. First, it gave me general business skills. Spending hours analyzing cases and spreadsheets, making decisions, and presenting plans gave me more exposure to the business world than I would have received at any other MBA school. More than memorizing the content, Acton taught me to think, to ask the right questions, and to analyze data so that it leads to sound decision-making. Every single day, whether it is in my own business or at my job, I find these skills incredibly valuable.

Second, I learned how to be an entrepreneur. The key lesson I learned from Acton was how to look at an opportunity, realize the key success factors, and use a framework to decide whether it is something I would like to do. After I graduated, I evaluated several small businesses in minute detail to better understand how they worked and if they would be a good fit for me. I dabbled in small experiments like going through the teacher training program at Acton, organizing my own for-profit event, and starting an online coaching business. Acton gave me the knowledge, tools, and confidence to take these steps. Most importantly, Acton has inspired me to always ask myself whether each choice I make in life is moving me towards my calling and aspirations.

Advice they’d offer to anyone applying to Acton or enrolled as an Acton student …

Angela

First, know why you want to be there. Make sure it truly is the right program for you. You’ll need this to inspire you when things get tough—and they will. Second, don’t be afraid to be yourself and fight for your perspective. Just because you are in the minority in the classroom doesn’t make your perspective any less valid. You are someone’s boss, employee, business partner, customer, supplier, or—if they are unlucky enough—competition. Never forget that.

Helen

Speak up. If you want to effect change, you have to influence your colleagues. This is your education and your experience. If you’re a shy person, recognize it, prepare thoroughly for a specific case, and then unleash your thoughtful analysis on your classmates. Each time thereafter will be easier.

Know your strengths and be honest about your weaknesses. I had very little exposure to Excel modeling prior to Acton, and I really struggled with the early valuation exercises as a result. I felt like I had to catch up for most of the first half of the program. But then again, we all felt like we were failing, didn’t we? Numbers are a critical component to this program, so make sure your math skills are tuned up and have proficient skills in Excel.

Lastly, remember why you are here. If you are like me, you came to Acton in pursuit of knowledge and excellence. There will be many times you don’t feel “excellent,” but have the innate confidence and resilience to keep coming back. One of my best classes was immediately after one of my worst.