Duke University (Fuqua)

strategic knowledge to modernise our traditional business, and Duke's MMS offers the blend of academic rigour and global perspective to help transform it while sharpening my leadership at this crucial growth stage. At the family business, I've led marketing initiatives, built the brand's online presence, and strategised key developments such as planning a flagship store. Earlier, I gained diverse experience through roles at Company A (a consumer-goods manufacturer) as a finance analyst, Company B (a housing-finance firm) as a strategy intern, and Company C (a wellness centre) as a management intern, building a foundation in business analysis, strategic planning, and problem-solving that complements my commerce degree and a postgraduate diploma in digital marketing. Managing 20 seasoned professionals who are older and more experienced than I am, I often face the challenge of asserting leadership while keeping everyone aligned; leading a traditional family business in a fast-modernising market, I also see the need to bring more structure to our operations, from marketing strategy to the frameworks for our new flagship store. While my experience has honed execution, I seek a deeper understanding of strategy and marketing to attract clients and position us as a leader in domestic and international markets. Conversations with alumni convinced me the Duke community will help me make that transition. Duke's MMS offers the rigour, experiential learning, and network I need. Its global cohort will let me partner with peers who bring diverse perspectives, and its distinguished speaker series offers firsthand insight from world-class leaders. Academically, I'm drawn to courses like Strategic Execution and Entrepreneurship & Venture Initiation, and to a US-based client project through which I could apply insights directly to our business. Studying at Duke will give me the credibility to modernise our business and build toward a global brand rooted in innovation and cross-cultural collaboration, which matters especially as our local jewellery market grows saturated.