Prepare for your next Career Move with The Mini MBA

When Mike Matthews, president and COO of Froehling and Robertson Inc. (F&R), wanted some of his key employees to have exposure to the broader aspects of business beyond their day-to-day areas of responsibility, he knew where to send them. 

Mike had participated in the 14-week Mini MBA certificate program prior to joining F&R, a civil engineering firm based in Richmond. The Mini MBA teaches leading topics in business covering everything from finance to marketing. It is designed for high-potential managers and professionals who would like to advance their career, update their business skills and education, or who need a solid foundation in current business practices.

Tara Mosby Brown, director of HR for F&R, and Ken Dalton, chief administrative officer for F&R, earned their Mini MBA certificates in December 2019.

“I found the program to be full of useful information,” Dalton said. “As someone who did not follow the traditional education path, yet through career experiences earned a leadership role in management, the course helped me put a finer point on skills and knowledge I had amassed.”

As Matthews had hoped, Dalton was able to apply what he learned in the program to his work right away.

“I gained foundational knowledge I was missing,” Dalton said. “In some cases, it exposed me to ideas and skills I was unaware of. I look at the material collected in the course binder over the class term as a roadmap in helping build a successful business.”

Brown particularly connected with the faculty during her experience.

“I felt like they were very engaging,” Brown said in 2019. “They brought energy into the classroom and subject matter that allowed us to participate well.”

She, too, shared that she started using the material the next day in her job.

“They imparted practical pieces and theoretical pieces, things that I could apply at work right away,” Brown said.

Matthews is grateful to have been able to send his employees to get a well-rounded understanding of business practices and says it has made a difference in their company.

“I feel the Mini MBA provides a great overview of many aspects of business, which is invaluable for those who tend to have limited exposure outside of their area of responsibility.”

Matthews, who went on to receive a Richmond MBA, has encouraged others to take the Mini MBA, as it has given him, and his team, tangible takeaways.

“The Mini MBA provided a better understanding of corporate finance, gave us different perspectives from other students on how they approached various challenges in their businesses, and several of the topics intersected with those responsibilities our students face in their jobs: negotiations, values-based decision making.”

For more information on The Mini MBA, click here.