The Long Way to an MBA

Looking at Shanti Procopis, a senior marketer working on accounts like Optus and Apple, Ruth Palmer a board member and leader in government, advocacy, and policy and Ben Martin a sales manager in food manufacturing at All Natural Kitchen, you would be pressed to see anything but three driven, accomplished MBAs.

But there was a time when things were different, Procopis went to the kind of high school where the focus was on “learning to survive” and has worked and lived out of home since she was 16, Martin found an apprenticeship and started in a kitchen at 16 years old and Palmer had taken off interstate with her boyfriend at 15.

They do say that the cream always rises and all three, despite a truncated high school education, found their way to the top of their fields. None would characterise their paths as being easy though.

While being a bit light on in the degree department all were willing to work hard, when you do that people tend to notice.

Starting at the very bottom, Procopis’ rise through the ranks was rapid, “I put in extra hours, jumped in to help on projects outside of my role, offered to help and/or take on work of those in more senior roles than myself.

“Organically, through doing this, I gained the attention of an incredible woman in a senior leadership role - let’s call her G. G took me under her wing and helped me apply for and secure three consecutive promotions in three years.”

At age 25 Procopis won a National Program Manager role for Motorola ($1M annual budget and 7 staff) and went on to secure management of the agency’s largest client Optus, ($8m budget and 80 staff), at age 28.

Ben Martin has a similar story, “Success smiles upon effort. Every employer wants value from their workforce. If you can show the results, the progression will come. Some of my achievements involve business development activities (double-digit growth year on), delivering projects (building works, rebranding), recruiting high-performance teams, and strategic decision-making.”

After leaving school, Ruth Palmer was determined to work at the Port Hedland Regional Hospital, where her mother was employed. Lacking experience, she initially faced multiple rejections but refused to give up.

“To gain relevant skills, I volunteered at the hospital’s switchboard and medical records department. After persevering through two unsuccessful job applications, I secured a role as a radiology clerk.

“By the time I was 17, I was offered the position of Staff Development Officer in the hospital’s library, making me the youngest employee in the entire WA Health Service. In this role, I organised administrative training for staff and nurses, which also allowed me to participate in self-development courses. This early experience laid the foundation for my career, teaching me resilience, persistence, and the importance of continuously striving for growth.

“I wouldn’t say I actively sought to impress; rather, I maintained a strong work ethic and commitment to my responsibilities. Even when I was unwell, I remained dedicated to my job, always seeking opportunities to take on more responsibilities and multitask effectively.”

As their careers progressed, there were some raised eyebrows when others found out that they lacked degrees. All three have now completed an MBA at The Australian Institute of Business, which is Australia’s biggest provider of online MBA courses.

“I recall the first time someone asked me what Uni I went to. When I responded that I didn’t go to Uni, he looked shocked and I felt instantly judged. This was not an uncommon occurrence,” says Procopis.

Impostor syndrome is a thing as well, it happens to the best of us.

Palmer says, “When I was first offered the Executive Director role, I was a newly single mother with a six-month-old and a five-year-old. My confidence was at an all-time low, and I initially turned the job down out of self-doubt.

“To make matters worse, a male told me outright that I ‘probably only got the role because they wanted to sleep with me.’ That comment shook me to my core, reinforcing my self-doubt. I was physically ill for two weeks after accepting the position, plagued by the fear that I wasn’t good enough.”

Gaining an MBA has helped to underline value as an employee, added a level of legitimacy and provided skills that have helped in achieving business success.

A return to formal study after years away from school can be daunting though.

Martin says, “I was shaking in my boots when I signed up for the MBA program. I left school at 16 and had not written an essay since 1994. However, I was pleasantly surprised by how helpful and understanding the course, staff, and online platform were. The Online Facilitators gave me the tools, feedback and confidence to tackle all assessments and tasks.

“I was only ever going to be able to complete the course if I sacrificed and applied myself to the best of my ability.  Again, success smiles upon effort.”

Work experience is valuable in an education context and helped to flesh out and bring context to what was being taught in the classroom.

Procopis says, “The work experience I had put all of the course work into perspective and provided real life scenarios I was able to draw upon as case studies. I was also able to complete projects as my assessments. These were projects I’d always wanted to do but wasn’t able to find the time.

“Furthermore, through my working experience, I gained contacts to bounce off when completing MBA subjects. I reached out to my CEO for ops and finance, head of HR for SHRM, and mentors and clients for a multiple of other subjects relevant to their skill sets.”

Procopis went on to complete the MBA in 18 months while juggling a newborn and a toddler, she also won three Dean’s Awards for good measure.

Palmer says, “People often ask if I regret leaving school at such an early age, I have wondered what it would have been like, but I would not be the resilient and sometimes stubborn, person I am now today.”

Palmer’s daughter often says to her, "Mum, you didn’t finish school, and look where you are!"

“While I acknowledge my journey, I encourage them to focus on education as a valuable tool in today’s competitive world.

“That said, I firmly believe that work ethic, resilience, and experience are just as crucial as formal qualifications. My daughters understand the value of both - my eldest eagerly started part-time work the moment she turned 14, and my youngest has begun selling eggs from our chickens, complete with her own custom-made stickers and packaging. These small entrepreneurial efforts teach them financial literacy, responsibility, and the importance of hard work,” says Palmer.

“For those struggling in school, I suggest exploring vocational education, apprenticeships, or entering the workforce early to gain hands-on experience while keeping learning opportunities open."