A day in the life of Kariema Price

MBA student and University of Cape Town Graduate School of Business UCT-GSB

About me In 2008 I started what was to become a very long and intense journey of personal development which has been the most enriching experience of my life. Back then, my husband and I were working hard trying to grow our company, Pyramid Electrical Contractors, which we established in 1999. Because of the challenges we faced, I decided to augment my business and management skills as a means to finding creative ways to improve the efficiency and profitability of our company which was, and still is, our pride and joy. I wanted to start small though and so initially registered for the Associate in Management (AIM) programme at the UCT Graduate School of Business. Armed with great new tools and an even greater passion to develop myself, I did the Post Graduate Diploma in Business Administration (PDBA) a year later. I am currently doing my MBA full time and am fortunate to have a small bursary from the Businesswomen’s Association (BWA) to help fund this. Although the other courses prepared me somewhat, nothing comes close to the commitment, drive and diligence needed for this intense business course.

Timetable My day begins at 05h30. Being up this early allows me to prepare for class and focus my mind on the day ahead. On days that our group requires additional time for discussion, we meet at 07h30 for an hour until our first lecture which begins at 08h30. My husband has been phenomenally supportive. He prepares the breakfast and lunches in the morning, before dropping our three kids at school. Generally, we have two lectures a day and finish at 13h00, although we may alternate on some days with three lectures and end at 16h00. We then take a short break and may have group sessions in the afternoon, as required. When possible, I work in the library before going home. Those are the days when my husband has the dinner covered. After dinner, I make time to engage with the kids individually and once they are asleep, I spend time catching up with my husband before doing my prep-work for the next day’s lectures. Some days I manage to juggle my schedule very well and some days it’s harder, but practice and the support of my family helps me to cope better with the demands of the course. Although there are no weekend lectures, project work and

lecture preparation still need to be done, so I try to squeeze in an early morning shift on Saturdays and some Sundays before the kids wake up. On weekends, it is challenging to work with

the kids also being at home so, if I have to study, I use the GSB library. Time management and prioritisation were key skills that I needed to hone early in the programme.

The MBA experience Being a full-time student was a huge adjustment for me after the years spent in the company and raising our children. To do the MBA full-time was a choice that my husband and I made as a couple. Having been a part of the growth of our business, from

start-up, I understand the challenges of establishing a business in the South African electrical industry and striving to ensure its sustainability. The core courses offered on the MBA have sharpened my skills in the management areas of Operations, Marketing and Human Resources. These courses are based on case studies that offer an interactive learning platform where it’s always possible to draw parallels with our own business experience. The GSB, through its intake of foreign students, has created a

diverse student body and, in doing so, has enriched the learning experience on the MBA. Our class discussions reflects ‘full-colour thinking’ through a rainbow of global voices. The group work has offered me the opportunity to learn from, and work closely with, a group of individuals from various professional and cultural backgrounds. It was in these situations, under constant pressure, striving for a shared purpose and with deadlines looming, that we learnt so much about ourselves.

Downtime I spend weekends with my family, where we try to engage in activities that are inclusive and fun for all of us. I also try to squeeze in some me time, even just an hour or so. The MBA has also rekindled a passion of mine – playing

a role in the growth and development of women. Having previously mentored start-up companies as a volunteer on the National Youth Development Agency (NYDA) programme, I have developed a sense of the challenges faced by entrants to the SME sector and want to contribute more purposefully to the development of entrepreneurship in South Africa. The MBA has given me the opportunity to improve myself, professionally as well as personally, by adding value to my roles as a mother and businesswoman.

This is part of our series featuring MBA students around the globe.

August 2011 | Management Today 87