Deborah Carter
Program / Grad Year: Laurier MBA 2010
Previous Education: Master of Journalism, Carleton University, Media Leadership Fellowship (Poynter Institute for media Studies), New Media Fellowship (Newspaper Association of America), Bachelor of Journalism, Carleton University
Current Employment: Director, International Marketing and Commercial Partnerships, THNK – The Institute for Creative Leadership and Entrepreneurship, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
“Life can change in a New York minute. I’m living proof. In the middle of enjoying a career at the senior management level in Amsterdam, my youngest sister died suddenly after childbirth. I moved back to Kitchener-Waterloo to adopt her/my son and become a full-time, stay-at-home Mom. After two-and-a-half years, I returned to school to complete the full-time MBA at Laurier to take my career to a new level. Late nights, sleep deprivation, major struggles with the Math-oriented subjects — but I did it. Now, we’re both returning to Amsterdam, me to another Director-level position at a new institute focused on global innovation.
When life pushes you down, get back up and keep going. Turn hardship and suffering into something meaningful. You only have one life so make the most of it. “
Why did you choose Laurier for your MBA degree?
I chose Laurier based on its good reputation as a business school, its one-year, full-time program and its location close to my home.
How did the Laurier MBA help your career?
My studies gave me formal business training as well as specific models which can be applied to business development and management. Not coming from a Math background, the subjects I learned the most about were Finance. I really had to work hard at it but I now understand fundamental business concepts such as capital budgeting, risk and return, balance sheets, cashflow and financial projections and am comfortable discussing the financial aspects of a business.
What opportunities has your MBA degree provided?
My MBA degree has provided me with the opportunity to acquire fresh and practical skills and to explore specific areas such as innovation, finance, the marketing of services and globalization. I have also developed a number of strong friendships with students and professor and I look forward to continuing these relationships well into the future.
What did you like most about your Laurier experience?
After being in the workforce for so long, it was great to be in a school environment where all I did was learn, experiment, interact with students and professors and study. The time at Laurier allowed me to challenge my ways of thinking and explore new areas.
What’s next for you?
Resuming my career in Europe, with a focus on global business. Innovation is a major focus for me and working at THNK will provide me with the opportunity to learn more about business and social innovation around the world. A large part of my job will be working with companies to help make their businesses more innovative by tapping into the education, research and contact networks available at THNK.
I am also a work in progress in that I’m also focusing on achieving work and family balance. As a single mother with a demanding career, my son will always come first. I look forward to working in the Netherlands which provides a very family-friendly work environment and incidentally was voted by UNICEF as being the top place in the world where children are happiest.