Yael Kochman, Israel

Yael Kochman, Class of 2012

The Builder

 

“There was a constant feeling of entrepreneurship in everything we did, and for me as I was also starting my own business during that year, that was the perfect environment to study in. It just felt like everything in my life was connected.”

 

 

 

Hometown and current place of residence: Ramat Gan, Israel
Current job title and place of work: Marketing Manager, Roojoom

 

Why did you decide to pursue an MBA?
My decision to get my MBA came from my desire to make a transition from sales to marketing, to validate my knowledge, and increase my professional network.

What aspects of your IMBA experience, looking back now, do you really value?
If I were to try and pin it down, I would say that I most value the supporting environment the program provided because it gave me the boost of self-confidence I needed at the time to pursue my own business. In addition, I really value the overall entrepreneurial nature of the program. Whether it was my classmates that started a new life in a new country or the program itself being new, there was a constant feeling of entrepreneurship in everything we did. As I was also starting my own business during the MBA, the program provided me the perfect environment to study in. That year, it just felt like everything in my life was connected.

How did the program help you position yourself for your current professional role?
The program was flexible enough so I could choose the courses i wanted, and so most of the courses I took were relevant to marketing and business strategy. As I was aiming to make a transition into marketing with almost no experience in the field, it was really important for me to be able to gain “points” through my studies. Now working in marketing, I can tell you that this sector is so dynamic that what was relevant a couple of years ago is no longer in use. What I now really value from my MBA experience is not so much what I learned, but that I learned how to learn. I use this ability everyday at Roojoom as I strive to bring this amazing new product into the market.

Did you change through the course of the program? If so, in what way?
My self-confidence improved tremendously. The main reason is the constant feedback and appreciation I received from my peers and the staff. This confidence really helped me develop networking skills, which was one of my primary goals going into the program.

How did studying in the international program at Recanati affect your experience?
For me It was like studying abroad only in Israel. In addition to the international culture of the program,  I felt like the program held itself to a higher standard – something I hadn’t yet experienced studying in Israel. 

How did studying with students from all over the world influence your studies?
Being able to interact with peers and teachers from around the world taught me a lot about our own culture and opened my eyes to new ways of communicating.

Anything to add?
My initial goals were achieved – I did validate my knowledge and made the transition into marketing. But, looking back now,  the most important thing for me was that I simply had a great experience being part of the program, one that will keep influencing me in the future. The intensity of the program made us students more than peers – we became good friends.  I consider my classmates people I will always be able to trust and I know they will be there for me when I need them. This is the most valuable asset I gained.


To date, the Sofaer IMBA has an alumni community of more than 250 located all over the world engaged in a diverse range of professional pursuits, including entreprenurship.  We’re proud to introduce you to a few of them through our Alumni Spotlight series.  To learn more about the careers of our alumni post-program, we invite you to reference our IMBA Career Statistics.



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