I chose the Certificate in Management because I wanted to curate my own learning journey. The flexibility to choose four different programmes allowed me to develop my business in real time. After coming up with the initial concept, I chose the Mastering Digital Marketing programme, as I knew I needed to sharpen my digital marketing knowledge to get my company off the ground. At this time, the pandemic had hit and the future of the business world as a whole had become more uncertain than ever. That’s why I joined the Exploiting Disruption in a Digital World programme – it helped me expand my vision from digitising a product to digitising the entire company, and to look at it as one consumer-oriented digital product. I followed this with the Future of Work programme, which was timely considering the impact of COVID-19. It helped me develop my roadmap for future consumer acquisition against a backdrop of organisational transformation and job cuts, which was particularly relevant as Bevel empowers people to embrace change, be present and define their own lives. Next, I’m excited to join the Finance for Non-Finance Executives programme; to assist me with probability, scale and sustainable financing.
From the beginning of the pandemic to today, LBS has helped me to take Bevel World from just an idea, to a fully functioning business – offering inclusive, authentic leadership programmes. The past 12 months have been incredibly difficult for many, and the aftermath of the crisis will bring further uncertainty; I’m just happy to be playing a part in the prevention of human crisis and professional burnout, helping people change careers and ultimately live more fulfilled lives.
It's always risky launching a business in uncertain circumstances, but if anything, COVID-19 has accelerated the need for what we do at Bevel World. With job cuts across industries and people stepping back to reconsider whether they’ve prioritised happiness in their careers, there couldn’t be a better time for me to have started the business. It’s also a fundamental part of the entrepreneurial mindset to take something and run with it, no matter what’s going on around you. It’s about thinking positively and trusting yourself. You’ve just got to jump, which is exactly what I did.
The pandemic has been a moment of awakening for many people. Everyone has been forced to take a step back, slow down, reflect on their lives and think, ‘is this really what I want to be doing?’ Pre-2020, I was spending all my time either in the office or travelling. I’d be going from Geneva to Milan and then Milan to Taipei; my kids would call and ask where in the world I was. It sounds nice, but in reality it was physically exhausting going from one country to another, and mentally draining to spend so much time away from my family. Despite this, it’s easy to become accustomed to replacing happiness with perks like travel, a great salary and lavish business lunches and parties. In the past 12 months, many of those things have been taken away, and when people return to work, they’ll have a much clearer vision of what they want in their life, and will be questioning whether or not their career fits that narrative.
To be successful, existing leaders will have to drastically adapt their approach. If you think of an executive whose bonus is based on team performance, traditionally they would be results-focused, and do whatever they could to ensure their team hits those targets. Those days are gone. Micromanaging will no longer be accepted, and instead authenticity will be key. People have woken up, and will now feel more empowered to push for what they want, whether that’s flexible hours or remote working. Leaders will have no choice but to adapt or risk losing talent. Today and in the future, leaders will need to see people as people, not resources. The time I spent at LBS helped me understand the difference between management and leadership. And now, through Bevel World, I’m proud to be playing my part in helping other leaders to adapt their approach and truly connect with their people.