Bridging Science and Business: Laura Jefferson’s Mini-MBA Story
Laura Jefferson, Director of Manufacturing at Bruker Spatial Biology (formerly NanoString Technologies) completed the Eastside Mini-MBA Executive Certificate program in Winter 2024. With a B.S. in Biochemistry from Western Washington University and an internship at Henkel Corporation in Germany through the DAAD, she gained invaluable academic and practical experience. These opportunities, along with a role at the Blood Bank of Hawaii, laid a solid foundation for her successful transition into the biotechnology industry. The UW Bothell Mini-MBA program was a key element in this transition.
Laura described the mini-MBA program as a “pivotal experience.” One of the most impactful lessons she learned was from Dr. Andrea Anthony’s Financial Analysis and Capital Budgeting session. Laura explained “I had a chance to put those return-on-investment tools to work right away. When previously evaluating a project, I hadn’t done a full cash flow analysis or factored in the cost of capital. Prior to this analysis, the project was looking like a good investment. Turns out, applying what I learned showed it was just the opposite! It showed us the project wasn’t actually the great investment we thought it was. Learning how to properly evaluate projects to make the best investment decisions was an important takeaway from this program. “
“The mini-MBA program transformed my patchwork understanding of business into a cohesive, practical toolkit, bridging the gap between my scientific background and the business world.”
For Laura, the mini-MBA program was a series of revelatory “aha!” moments. Coming from a scientific background with no prior business education, she had previously encountered business concepts in a fragmented manner. The program brought clarity to these concepts, turning vague notions into practical tools that she could readily apply in her role. A full MBA program was not feasible at this stage in her career due to time and financial constraints. The mini-MBA offered an efficient and accessible alternative, providing a broad overview of business essentials while keeping the door open for further studies if necessary.
Among the various topics covered, Laura found “while the entire mini-MBA curriculum was valuable, several areas proved immediately applicable to my role in Operations. The most impactful were business strategy, financial analysis and capital budgeting tools, data storytelling, and negotiation techniques.” These skills have proven invaluable in her daily work and have equipped her with the hands-on tools necessary to navigate complex business challenges.
Reflecting on her experience, Laura describes the mini-MBA program as a transformative journey that turned her knowledge of business into a “cohesive and practical toolkit.” Laura believes that the mini-MBA can significantly benefit individuals from any professional background, providing them with the essential tools to understand and navigate the business landscape. Looking back, she wishes she had access to such a program earlier in her career, as it would have provided a crucial framework for understanding business concepts as they emerged in her work life.
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Written by Riley Ovall, Events and Communications Specialist