SBS Blog > Going back to school to improve business by Ray Karimi

Going back to school to improve business

By Ray Karimi - Posted on 4 July 2019

Ray Karimi started his own business but realising he needed some formal entrepreneurial education he applied for the MSc EML programme. Here he discusses the benefits and strengths of doing so.

After completing my first degree in Business Management I decided to start my own business, Gala Marketing, a full-service digital marketing agency with the objective of helping small businesses, particularly start-ups, develop their e-commerce websites and improve their online presence.

At some point in running my own business I realised I needed a structured programme to help me further my understanding of how to develop a business, where to get funding and how to effectively manage a team of employees and that was the moment I decided to apply for the MSc in Entrepreneurial Management and Leadership (EML).

Entrepreneurship is a battle of one person against all odds. No matter which industry you choose to work in, or whoever you team up with, entrepreneurial studies will teach you the basic rules as well as providing simulations of situations you might face in your entrepreneurial journey.

The programme has been packed with a variety of workshops, seminars and lectures, all very interesting and challenging at times. Lecturers are all expert and fully competent in their delivery – something I have bragged about while speaking to my friends studying in other universities! Strathclyde, particularly the Business School, is beautifully designed, with brand new facilities and lots of help available from various organisations including the Strathclyde Entrepreneurial Network (SEN).

For me, there have been several aspects of the programme that have really stood out. These include:

The amount of resources that exist to help students with their careers and future aspirations
University links and contacts within the entrepreneurial ecosystem and being exposed to multiple business competitions and business events, such as the Scottish Edge, Start Up Summit, Impact Summit, S100 and RBS Accelerator
Countless events in various topics related to entrepreneurship and management studies all free to attend for Strathclyde students
A truly multicultural study experience with over 28 different nationalities in class

I’m also the vice president of a student-led initiative launched in 2016 called Strathclyde Business Network (SBN). This organisation brings thought provoking, experience-based teachings to help business students contextualise theoretical learning by inviting some of the business leaders and top graduate employers for discussions, events and workshops.

The SBN is also the organiser of the Glasgow Business Summit which is the first ever student-led business conference in Scotland for students and professionals to discuss and debate both international and domestic business opportunities and challenges.

Overall the programme has certainly influenced me to pursue a career in wealth management and private equity. It has equipped me with the skills to run my business better with studies that had a strong emphasis on balancing research-led teaching with experiential learning such as consulting for small-business owners.

As to the future, I’m developing a well structured business plan in preparation to joining the RBS Accelerator. I’m lucky to have a team of passionate and dedicated students who believe in me as a leader and the idea as a challenge and want to embark on a new journey in commercialising the concept.

I would absolutely recommend the MSc EML. I love the quote – “Success is where preparation and opportunity meet” – so my advice is don’t just sit back and wait for the right time, get involved if you want to start your own business – there are many activities at Strathclyde to make your dream come true. Today’s marketplace is very different than it has been in the past. An entrepreneurial skill set not only applies to entrepreneurship in its most conventional sense but also to the workplace in general.