![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/media\/uploads\/2019\/12\/Naomi-with-one-of-her-cohorts-in-Boston-Back-Bay-492x345.png\")
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/media\/uploads\/2019\/12\/nestle-hackathon-with-hult-team-516x345.png\")
It\u2019s not your background – but your mindset – that matters<\/strong><\/h3>\n\u201cIt doesn\u2019t matter what your dreams are,” says Naomi. “Put your mind to it and you CAN achieve it. I\u2019d wanted to do an MBA for years. But when I told some people that I was thinking about leaving my job as Chief of Staff for a pan-African investment company to do an MBA, they pretty much laughed at me!\u201d<\/p>\n
But as you can probably imagine by now, this only strengthened Naomi’s resolve. \u201cI knew that my passion lay in business and I wanted to pursue that. I knew I\u2019d need to supplement my law background with an MBA if I was going to make the C-suite. I\u2019d also always yearned to be part of a global organization and I\u2019d wanted to do an international MBA since I was in my 20s. I was working cross-culturally at that time across the world and wanted to truly understand the global perspective of business regardless of where in the world you are.”<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/media\/uploads\/2019\/12\/graduation-day-with-home-friends-411x345.png\")
Naomi celebrating her graduation day in Boston with friends from home. “When I wanted to give up, my girlfriends were the ones who reminded me of the dream and pushed me. These were the friends that flew across the world to help me.”<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/h3>\n<\/h3>\nMoving mountains in the path to Hult<\/strong><\/h3>\nA number of financial obstacles threatened Naomi\u2019s dreams. But she wasn\u2019t going to let something as fickle as finances stand in her way.<\/p>\n
\u201cA very unfavourable exchange rate impacts people from Africa. We\u2019re an emerging economy. Initially I looked at schools with bigger scholarships, but as soon as I found Hult, I knew it was the school for me.<\/p>\n
\u201cI cashed in my personal investments at work. I sold my property. Got some Hult scholarships and financial aid, but I still wasn\u2019t coming close. So, I started looking at it as an entrepreneurship venture. I did some research and sent out a proposal to everyone that I knew. I was asking people to invest in me. It wasn\u2019t easy. But I wanted the MBA more than I cared about protecting my pride. After all, nothing worthwhile ever came easy.” she says with a smile.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/media\/uploads\/2019\/12\/Hult-class-tour-of-the-UN-554x345.png\")
Naomi at the UN after a Hult classmate who worked there arranged a class tour<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/h4>\nAchieving buy-in<\/h4>\n
\u201cMy then boss used my proposal to negotiate with the company. They agreed to fund me the equivalent amount of an African MBA to supplement my tuition.<\/p>\n
However, I still needed additional funds for living expenses, so I took out an educational loan. In order to be approved for this, I needed to demonstrate that I had a guarantor. In the end a friend\u2019s husband agreed to stand in as a favor. I named him in my life assurance so that he would be covered, no matter what!\u201d<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/media\/uploads\/2019\/12\/Hult-representative-at-Harvard-531x345.png\")
Naomi (second from left) volunteering on behalf of Hult for the Harvard Graduate Council Conference<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\nAnd you followed your dreams and made it to Hult. We\u2019re very glad you did! \u201cYes, and it changed my life in so many ways. I was able to study with some of the world\u2019s most in\ufb02uential thinkers and innovators. What stood out to me was the courage and ambition of my classmates. We were from diverse industries all over the world. But we\u2019d given up successful careers and moved across the globe to pursue our dreams\u2014and that\u2019s something we all had in common.\u201d<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/media\/uploads\/2019\/10\/Button-challenge-yourself-720x231.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n<\/h3>\nUnforeseen bumps in the road<\/strong><\/h3>\nUnfortunately, that wasn\u2019t the end of your money worries, was it? \u201cNo. My parents are elderly, and they ended up moving in with me\u2014literally the same month that I got the acceptance letter from Hult. My mum was so ill that she couldn\u2019t look after herself. But I was still as determined as ever\u2014this just added an additional level of financial responsibility. I managed to cover them while I was away. But then, sadly, my mum had some serious, unexpected health complications.<\/p>\n
“As a result, in my last semester, I realised I wasn\u2019t going to have enough money to cover my living expenses. I decided to run a Gofundme campaign to ask for help. It was an embarrassing thing to have to do. It made me quite uncomfortable seeing it posted and reposted on social media and having everyone know my personal situation. But I was grateful to my network and it meant that I was able to raise the funds and cover the course until graduation.\u201d<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/media\/uploads\/2019\/12\/Naomi-with-her-mom-funding-your-mba-blog-473x345.png\")
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/media\/uploads\/2019\/12\/Naomi-with-her-dad-funding-your-MBA-blog-423x345.png\")
<\/p>\n
Naomi with her parents<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n
Paying it forward<\/strong><\/h3>\nAmong the projects you\u2019re currently working on, you mentioned that you\u2019re launching a scholarship fund? \u201cYes. Driven by my own challenges, it\u2019s become one of my life\u2019s missions to help others fund their dreams too. I can\u2019t talk in detail about it yet. But I started looking at how to set up a funding model for people to study abroad. I eventually settled upon registering a nonprofit. It\u2019s called Ndoto<\/strong>, which means \u201cDreams\u201d in Swahili.<\/p>\n\u201cI\u2019m also looking at potentially collaborating with other alumni from various global universities. For example, one person coaches the candidates through the GMAT, one approaches institutions, etc.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut the initiative I\u2019m most excited about\u2014which is still currently under wraps\u2014is the launch of a for-profit company running innovation challenges for entrepreneurs across Africa. We\u2019ll put the finalists through an incubation process and we\u2019re hoping to fund the winning teams. I\u2019ll be doing this with another Hult alum and a Hult professor\u2014so watch this space!”<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/media\/uploads\/2019\/12\/graduation-day-with-classmates-356x345.png\")
Celebrating graduation with some Hult classmates<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\nWhat are your top tips for funding an MBA on a budget?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n- Ask for advice. <\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
\u201cYou\u2019ll need to do a lot of research up front. Speak to people. Ask for advice.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n- Approach alumni<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
\u201cConnect with alumni who have been through the process. The alumni network is a great – often untapped – resource that can help you in the planning process. For example, coming from a hot country, it never occurred to me that, in winter in Boston, my electricity bill would be double what it is at home. This helps you know what you need to ask for when raising funds.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n- When you\u2019ve done your research, research some more<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
\u201cThere are lots of programs out there offering support. For example, there are often programs that want to fund women. You may not necessarily know about them yet but trust me – they\u2019re out there.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n- Think outside of the box! <\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
\u201cWhat worked for me might not work for someone else. I\u2019ve seen it with other students. They start with a business plan, and it might not work, but it makes them realise something else that does work. One example is a girl that I recently worked with. She set up her own website and regularly uploads personal vlogs and blogs. She managed to get funding through that.\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/media\/uploads\/2019\/10\/Button_dreams-720x231.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/media\/uploads\/2019\/12\/hult-alumni-day-538x345.png\")
Naomi (front row, second from left) recently reconnecting with her Hult network in Johannesburg at Global Alumni Day 2019<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\nMore like this<\/h3>\nHow to fund your Executive MBA<\/a><\/h4>\nHult graduate scholarships: What we offer and how to apply<\/a><\/h4>\nNaomi talks about her reasons for choosing Hult<\/h4>\n\n
<\/h3>\n<\/h3>\nMoving mountains in the path to Hult<\/strong><\/h3>\nA number of financial obstacles threatened Naomi\u2019s dreams. But she wasn\u2019t going to let something as fickle as finances stand in her way.<\/p>\n
\u201cA very unfavourable exchange rate impacts people from Africa. We\u2019re an emerging economy. Initially I looked at schools with bigger scholarships, but as soon as I found Hult, I knew it was the school for me.<\/p>\n
\u201cI cashed in my personal investments at work. I sold my property. Got some Hult scholarships and financial aid, but I still wasn\u2019t coming close. So, I started looking at it as an entrepreneurship venture. I did some research and sent out a proposal to everyone that I knew. I was asking people to invest in me. It wasn\u2019t easy. But I wanted the MBA more than I cared about protecting my pride. After all, nothing worthwhile ever came easy.” she says with a smile.<\/p>\nNaomi at the UN after a Hult classmate who worked there arranged a class tour<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/h4>\nAchieving buy-in<\/h4>\n
\u201cMy then boss used my proposal to negotiate with the company. They agreed to fund me the equivalent amount of an African MBA to supplement my tuition.<\/p>\n
However, I still needed additional funds for living expenses, so I took out an educational loan. In order to be approved for this, I needed to demonstrate that I had a guarantor. In the end a friend\u2019s husband agreed to stand in as a favor. I named him in my life assurance so that he would be covered, no matter what!\u201d<\/p>\nNaomi (second from left) volunteering on behalf of Hult for the Harvard Graduate Council Conference<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\nAnd you followed your dreams and made it to Hult. We\u2019re very glad you did! \u201cYes, and it changed my life in so many ways. I was able to study with some of the world\u2019s most in\ufb02uential thinkers and innovators. What stood out to me was the courage and ambition of my classmates. We were from diverse industries all over the world. But we\u2019d given up successful careers and moved across the globe to pursue our dreams\u2014and that\u2019s something we all had in common.\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/a><\/p>\n<\/h3>\nUnforeseen bumps in the road<\/strong><\/h3>\nUnfortunately, that wasn\u2019t the end of your money worries, was it? \u201cNo. My parents are elderly, and they ended up moving in with me\u2014literally the same month that I got the acceptance letter from Hult. My mum was so ill that she couldn\u2019t look after herself. But I was still as determined as ever\u2014this just added an additional level of financial responsibility. I managed to cover them while I was away. But then, sadly, my mum had some serious, unexpected health complications.<\/p>\n
“As a result, in my last semester, I realised I wasn\u2019t going to have enough money to cover my living expenses. I decided to run a Gofundme campaign to ask for help. It was an embarrassing thing to have to do. It made me quite uncomfortable seeing it posted and reposted on social media and having everyone know my personal situation. But I was grateful to my network and it meant that I was able to raise the funds and cover the course until graduation.\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Naomi with her parents<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n
Paying it forward<\/strong><\/h3>\nAmong the projects you\u2019re currently working on, you mentioned that you\u2019re launching a scholarship fund? \u201cYes. Driven by my own challenges, it\u2019s become one of my life\u2019s missions to help others fund their dreams too. I can\u2019t talk in detail about it yet. But I started looking at how to set up a funding model for people to study abroad. I eventually settled upon registering a nonprofit. It\u2019s called Ndoto<\/strong>, which means \u201cDreams\u201d in Swahili.<\/p>\n\u201cI\u2019m also looking at potentially collaborating with other alumni from various global universities. For example, one person coaches the candidates through the GMAT, one approaches institutions, etc.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut the initiative I\u2019m most excited about\u2014which is still currently under wraps\u2014is the launch of a for-profit company running innovation challenges for entrepreneurs across Africa. We\u2019ll put the finalists through an incubation process and we\u2019re hoping to fund the winning teams. I\u2019ll be doing this with another Hult alum and a Hult professor\u2014so watch this space!”<\/p>\nCelebrating graduation with some Hult classmates<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\nWhat are your top tips for funding an MBA on a budget?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n- Ask for advice. <\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
\u201cYou\u2019ll need to do a lot of research up front. Speak to people. Ask for advice.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n- Approach alumni<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
\u201cConnect with alumni who have been through the process. The alumni network is a great – often untapped – resource that can help you in the planning process. For example, coming from a hot country, it never occurred to me that, in winter in Boston, my electricity bill would be double what it is at home. This helps you know what you need to ask for when raising funds.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n- When you\u2019ve done your research, research some more<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
\u201cThere are lots of programs out there offering support. For example, there are often programs that want to fund women. You may not necessarily know about them yet but trust me – they\u2019re out there.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n- Think outside of the box! <\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
\u201cWhat worked for me might not work for someone else. I\u2019ve seen it with other students. They start with a business plan, and it might not work, but it makes them realise something else that does work. One example is a girl that I recently worked with. She set up her own website and regularly uploads personal vlogs and blogs. She managed to get funding through that.\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/a><\/p>\nNaomi (front row, second from left) recently reconnecting with her Hult network in Johannesburg at Global Alumni Day 2019<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\nMore like this<\/h3>\nHow to fund your Executive MBA<\/a><\/h4>\nHult graduate scholarships: What we offer and how to apply<\/a><\/h4>\nNaomi talks about her reasons for choosing Hult<\/h4>\n\n
Moving mountains in the path to Hult<\/strong><\/h3>\nA number of financial obstacles threatened Naomi\u2019s dreams. But she wasn\u2019t going to let something as fickle as finances stand in her way.<\/p>\n
\u201cA very unfavourable exchange rate impacts people from Africa. We\u2019re an emerging economy. Initially I looked at schools with bigger scholarships, but as soon as I found Hult, I knew it was the school for me.<\/p>\n
\u201cI cashed in my personal investments at work. I sold my property. Got some Hult scholarships and financial aid, but I still wasn\u2019t coming close. So, I started looking at it as an entrepreneurship venture. I did some research and sent out a proposal to everyone that I knew. I was asking people to invest in me. It wasn\u2019t easy. But I wanted the MBA more than I cared about protecting my pride. After all, nothing worthwhile ever came easy.” she says with a smile.<\/p>\nNaomi at the UN after a Hult classmate who worked there arranged a class tour<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/h4>\nAchieving buy-in<\/h4>\n
\u201cMy then boss used my proposal to negotiate with the company. They agreed to fund me the equivalent amount of an African MBA to supplement my tuition.<\/p>\n
However, I still needed additional funds for living expenses, so I took out an educational loan. In order to be approved for this, I needed to demonstrate that I had a guarantor. In the end a friend\u2019s husband agreed to stand in as a favor. I named him in my life assurance so that he would be covered, no matter what!\u201d<\/p>\nNaomi (second from left) volunteering on behalf of Hult for the Harvard Graduate Council Conference<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\nAnd you followed your dreams and made it to Hult. We\u2019re very glad you did! \u201cYes, and it changed my life in so many ways. I was able to study with some of the world\u2019s most in\ufb02uential thinkers and innovators. What stood out to me was the courage and ambition of my classmates. We were from diverse industries all over the world. But we\u2019d given up successful careers and moved across the globe to pursue our dreams\u2014and that\u2019s something we all had in common.\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/a><\/p>\n<\/h3>\nUnforeseen bumps in the road<\/strong><\/h3>\nUnfortunately, that wasn\u2019t the end of your money worries, was it? \u201cNo. My parents are elderly, and they ended up moving in with me\u2014literally the same month that I got the acceptance letter from Hult. My mum was so ill that she couldn\u2019t look after herself. But I was still as determined as ever\u2014this just added an additional level of financial responsibility. I managed to cover them while I was away. But then, sadly, my mum had some serious, unexpected health complications.<\/p>\n
“As a result, in my last semester, I realised I wasn\u2019t going to have enough money to cover my living expenses. I decided to run a Gofundme campaign to ask for help. It was an embarrassing thing to have to do. It made me quite uncomfortable seeing it posted and reposted on social media and having everyone know my personal situation. But I was grateful to my network and it meant that I was able to raise the funds and cover the course until graduation.\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Naomi with her parents<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n
Paying it forward<\/strong><\/h3>\nAmong the projects you\u2019re currently working on, you mentioned that you\u2019re launching a scholarship fund? \u201cYes. Driven by my own challenges, it\u2019s become one of my life\u2019s missions to help others fund their dreams too. I can\u2019t talk in detail about it yet. But I started looking at how to set up a funding model for people to study abroad. I eventually settled upon registering a nonprofit. It\u2019s called Ndoto<\/strong>, which means \u201cDreams\u201d in Swahili.<\/p>\n\u201cI\u2019m also looking at potentially collaborating with other alumni from various global universities. For example, one person coaches the candidates through the GMAT, one approaches institutions, etc.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut the initiative I\u2019m most excited about\u2014which is still currently under wraps\u2014is the launch of a for-profit company running innovation challenges for entrepreneurs across Africa. We\u2019ll put the finalists through an incubation process and we\u2019re hoping to fund the winning teams. I\u2019ll be doing this with another Hult alum and a Hult professor\u2014so watch this space!”<\/p>\nCelebrating graduation with some Hult classmates<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\nWhat are your top tips for funding an MBA on a budget?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n- Ask for advice. <\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
\u201cYou\u2019ll need to do a lot of research up front. Speak to people. Ask for advice.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n- Approach alumni<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
\u201cConnect with alumni who have been through the process. The alumni network is a great – often untapped – resource that can help you in the planning process. For example, coming from a hot country, it never occurred to me that, in winter in Boston, my electricity bill would be double what it is at home. This helps you know what you need to ask for when raising funds.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n- When you\u2019ve done your research, research some more<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
\u201cThere are lots of programs out there offering support. For example, there are often programs that want to fund women. You may not necessarily know about them yet but trust me – they\u2019re out there.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n- Think outside of the box! <\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
\u201cWhat worked for me might not work for someone else. I\u2019ve seen it with other students. They start with a business plan, and it might not work, but it makes them realise something else that does work. One example is a girl that I recently worked with. She set up her own website and regularly uploads personal vlogs and blogs. She managed to get funding through that.\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/a><\/p>\nNaomi (front row, second from left) recently reconnecting with her Hult network in Johannesburg at Global Alumni Day 2019<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\nMore like this<\/h3>\nHow to fund your Executive MBA<\/a><\/h4>\nHult graduate scholarships: What we offer and how to apply<\/a><\/h4>\nNaomi talks about her reasons for choosing Hult<\/h4>\n\n
<\/h4>\nAchieving buy-in<\/h4>\n
\u201cMy then boss used my proposal to negotiate with the company. They agreed to fund me the equivalent amount of an African MBA to supplement my tuition.<\/p>\n
However, I still needed additional funds for living expenses, so I took out an educational loan. In order to be approved for this, I needed to demonstrate that I had a guarantor. In the end a friend\u2019s husband agreed to stand in as a favor. I named him in my life assurance so that he would be covered, no matter what!\u201d<\/p>\n And you followed your dreams and made it to Hult. We\u2019re very glad you did! \u201cYes, and it changed my life in so many ways. I was able to study with some of the world\u2019s most in\ufb02uential thinkers and innovators. What stood out to me was the courage and ambition of my classmates. We were from diverse industries all over the world. But we\u2019d given up successful careers and moved across the globe to pursue our dreams\u2014and that\u2019s something we all had in common.\u201d<\/p>\n Unfortunately, that wasn\u2019t the end of your money worries, was it? \u201cNo. My parents are elderly, and they ended up moving in with me\u2014literally the same month that I got the acceptance letter from Hult. My mum was so ill that she couldn\u2019t look after herself. But I was still as determined as ever\u2014this just added an additional level of financial responsibility. I managed to cover them while I was away. But then, sadly, my mum had some serious, unexpected health complications.<\/p>\n “As a result, in my last semester, I realised I wasn\u2019t going to have enough money to cover my living expenses. I decided to run a Gofundme campaign to ask for help. It was an embarrassing thing to have to do. It made me quite uncomfortable seeing it posted and reposted on social media and having everyone know my personal situation. But I was grateful to my network and it meant that I was able to raise the funds and cover the course until graduation.\u201d<\/p>\n Naomi with her parents<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Among the projects you\u2019re currently working on, you mentioned that you\u2019re launching a scholarship fund? \u201cYes. Driven by my own challenges, it\u2019s become one of my life\u2019s missions to help others fund their dreams too. I can\u2019t talk in detail about it yet. But I started looking at how to set up a funding model for people to study abroad. I eventually settled upon registering a nonprofit. It\u2019s called Ndoto<\/strong>, which means \u201cDreams\u201d in Swahili.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m also looking at potentially collaborating with other alumni from various global universities. For example, one person coaches the candidates through the GMAT, one approaches institutions, etc.<\/p>\n \u201cBut the initiative I\u2019m most excited about\u2014which is still currently under wraps\u2014is the launch of a for-profit company running innovation challenges for entrepreneurs across Africa. We\u2019ll put the finalists through an incubation process and we\u2019re hoping to fund the winning teams. I\u2019ll be doing this with another Hult alum and a Hult professor\u2014so watch this space!”<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019ll need to do a lot of research up front. Speak to people. Ask for advice.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cConnect with alumni who have been through the process. The alumni network is a great – often untapped – resource that can help you in the planning process. For example, coming from a hot country, it never occurred to me that, in winter in Boston, my electricity bill would be double what it is at home. This helps you know what you need to ask for when raising funds.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThere are lots of programs out there offering support. For example, there are often programs that want to fund women. You may not necessarily know about them yet but trust me – they\u2019re out there.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat worked for me might not work for someone else. I\u2019ve seen it with other students. They start with a business plan, and it might not work, but it makes them realise something else that does work. One example is a girl that I recently worked with. She set up her own website and regularly uploads personal vlogs and blogs. She managed to get funding through that.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/h3>\n
Unforeseen bumps in the road<\/strong><\/h3>\n
<\/p>\nPaying it forward<\/strong><\/h3>\n
What are your top tips for funding an MBA on a budget?<\/strong><\/h3>\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
<\/a><\/p>\nMore like this<\/h3>\n
How to fund your Executive MBA<\/a><\/h4>\n
Hult graduate scholarships: What we offer and how to apply<\/a><\/h4>\n
Naomi talks about her reasons for choosing Hult<\/h4>\n