A Journey of Growth: My MBA Experience as a Black Woman in Business

Executive MBA candidate Amara Dimude shares how empowering and transformative it has been for her to receive the Black in Business scholarship. 

I am incredibly grateful for the scholarship I received as a Black woman in business, which marked a transformative moment in my life. It was the first time I had ever been awarded a scholarship, and it couldn’t have come at a more crucial time. I was unemployed and struggling to balance the future financial demands of pursuing an MBA while nurturing my small business. The scholarship wasn’t just financial support—it was a lifeline, a boost in confidence, and a validation that I was on the right path, engaging in ventures I am truly passionate about.

For the longest time, I doubted whether I was good enough to be awarded something like this. I always believed that scholarships were reserved for people who were either gifted or excelling in ways I thought I wasn’t. So, being granted this opportunity didn’t just alleviate financial stress—it reaffirmed my belief in my own capabilities.

The process of securing the scholarship was empowering in itself. For the first time, I confidently articulated my personal and professional brand—a Pan-African feminist with a vision to create multiple businesses that reflect Africa’s creativity, resilience, and self-sufficiency. Being selected for the interview was a milestone, and being able to share my vision during that process felt like a validation of who I am and what I stand for.

Starting the MBA programme, however, was not what I initially expected. I had imagined that I would be immediately handed all the tools and strategies to grow my business and, perhaps, even access to funding. But what I found was something deeper—a chance to reflect on how I could truly leverage this experience, do some introspection about where I fit in in the corporate world, and grow from that to become a formidable leader.

Through informal conversations with fellow entrepreneurs, particularly those building businesses across Africa like me, I’ve gained invaluable insights into the challenges and opportunities we face. Equally, learning and receiving advice from classmates who are in senior positions at world-class companies has been eye-opening. These interactions, combined with group work and strategy planning, have mirrored real-world business collaboration and helped me see how others perceive my business personality. This feedback has been vital in shaping how I approach teamwork, collaboration, and growth.

One of the most transformative experiences so far has been the Strategy in Practice module. It pushed me to make bolder decisions in my business—something I hadn’t been doing before. For example, I reached out to a competitor to explore potential collaboration, a move that would have seemed unthinkable to me before the programme. This, along with many other bold actions, was a direct result of the lessons and assignments from the course. Even small but significant steps, such as posting regularly on LinkedIn to share my professional journey, were inspired by a career’s session at the business school at The Shard. Those posts have not only increased my visibility but also led to valuable support and encouragement from my network.

I am also looking forward to modules like Design Thinking in Helsinki, which will broaden my perspective on tackling the right problems in the early stages of business development. Learning how to connect with clients and customers through data-driven insights will be instrumental in shaping the future of my ventures.

More than anything, this experience is shaping me into the leader I aspire to be—someone who plans strategically for both the short and long-term, who remains patient yet courageous, and who aligns business strategy with personal values. The mentorship and training I am receiving are equipping me with the resilience and vision necessary to continue growing my business, and to lead with purpose and confidence.

This scholarship was more than financial relief—it gave me the belief in my own potential, the confidence to embrace my unique identity, and the strength to pursue my dreams. I look forward to applying everything I’m learning to become the leader my business—and Africa—needs.