Celebrating the women on our MBA: Meet Archana Dhankar

Highly motivated and ambitious are distinguishing characteristics of our MBA candidates. Throughout March we're finding out more about the women on our MBA to discover what makes them tick. Our second blog of the series celebrates the achievements of Archana Dhankar, a master multitasker.

What makes Archana a stand-out MBA candidate?

A Marketing Leader, blogger, and social media influencer, with a following of 63K on Instagram alone, Archana is always ahead of the crowd. With 14 years of experience in digital marketing, social media and growth strategy creation, Archana embarked on an Executive MBA while continuing to head the Global Marketing team for Aspire, a speciality recruitment agency for the digital, media and marketing communications industry. Archana’s talents are vast, and her knowledge remarkably broad; she graduated from Delhi with a bachelor’s of engineering in Computer Science, and in 2012 founded FashionForRoyals, a lifestyle blog designed to empower women. She is also a mother and has her work-life-balance mastered. We spoke to Archana to find out more.

What led you to choose an Executive MBA at WBS?

I wanted to develop my strategic leadership skills, and strengthen my understanding of core business concepts and logic, to grown within my current job role. For me, the flexibility of the Exec MBA offered a great advantage as I could continue to work and apply my learning directly in practice. I also sought to expand my professional network, and one of my favourite things about the programme is that my class consists of international students from all over the world and from various backgrounds like healthcare, manufacturing and technology. I’ve found that the cohort diversity has added a great depth and breadth of knowledge into the group, which has benefitted our case study discussions. I’ve also made a lot of new friends, even in my final year. I was a bit daunted by the prospect of going back to school after working for a while, but you’re never too old to learn, and I’ve loved the challenge.

How have you found studying at WBS?

My experience has been truly exciting and enriching. The professors on the programme have been absolutely world-class. They deliver classes in a very interactive and engaging way, and real-life case studies are used to bring in a practical element. I like that the course is always kept current, and we regularly discuss current affairs and the latest developments in business. So far, it’s been a great run, and I cannot wait to see how the rest of the course unfolds.

How have you found the balance of working and studying?

Although the journey so far has been challenging, it’s also been incredibly rewarding. I’ve found that the challenges involved in studying and working together have also brought lots of opportunities; I’ve strengthened my network of like-minded professionals, and have been able to apply what I’ve learnt straight way. Having a dependable support system of family, friends and colleagues has also been invaluable.

What advice would you give to students embarking on the Executive MBA?

Chalk out a strategy to balance work and study and get into the habit of scheduling everything into your calendar. Don’t miss the introduction week as it helps you to form relationships, break barriers, and gives you a better understanding of the University, as well as offering an opportunity for you to meet the faculty and alumni before the start of the course. Make sure you give yourself time too, and achieve a balance so that you can do the things you love alongside the course.

Discover more from Archana via her blogs FasionForRoyals and All that Clicks.

Find out more about our Executive MBA.