Resilience, self-belief and a strong mindset can empower you to be the best version of yourself… and achieve the goals you have set for yourself along the way
Your organisation has won awards for its digital transformation, how did you digitally transform Spark Academy during the pandemic? Our intention was to create an online offering in 2026. Covid-19 changed everything – we were forced to implement new systems and processes quicker than we ever imagined. I am incredibly particular with systems and efficiency, and I believe that whatever we offer to our students online must be of the best standard and quality. During the first lockdown, we began to overhaul our CRM system and optimise our processes through automation. Spark Academy also partnered with a global IT firm to work together on bringing online learning technology to schools as well as to the students and parents at Spark Academy. What are some of the key changes you would like to see happen in education in general? I believe that blended learning is the future. Combining traditional teaching and learning techniques with powerful AI and technology is going to ensure that the children of today are fully equipped for a technological future.
you as a ‘mentor and role model for classmates that spearheaded programme improvements and promoted the MBA.’ How were you able to make the most of your MBA experience? I am a big believer in learning from one another and capturing knowledge from multiple sources. Furthermore, I felt it was really important to keep in close contact with the tutors and attend every seminar and residential (even if they were optional). The residential weekends and the 10-day masterclass were invigorating and refreshing – they kept me challenged and I was able to directly apply what I was learning and bring concepts together to sharpen my consultancy skills. You came from a scientific background to the MBA. Was it a challenge to move into a business mindset for the MBA? Not at all. I felt that the switch was relatively easy for me, especially because of my natural interest in social science. The theory was of a scientific nature and it was just related to a different context – in fact, I found it much easier as I was able to relate to it. During your MBA, were you able to build a network among your peers, and have you been able to leverage this network since graduating?
metacognition, behavioural therapy and education psychology.
What made you want to do an MBA and how did it impact you as a person? I felt my entrepreneurial drive and spirit could only take me so far and I wanted to expand my business with theoretical and practical applications. My MBA journey was incredible. I got to meet and network with the brightest minds in business, as well as learn from incredibly experienced and knowledgeable tutors. As a result, Spark Academy has grown significantly. Personally, it helped bring out my inner confidence in business, allowed me to think strategically and rationally, and reignited my love for lifelong learning. I will be forever grateful to my tutors and peers at the University of Leicester for showing me the possibility. You did your undergraduate degree and then your MBA at the University of Leicester, what drew you to the University of Leicester for your MBA? The University of Leicester had an excellent distance learning programme that allowed me to continue working on my business while I was getting my qualification. I was also recommended to do the programme specifically at the University of Leicester School of Business (ULSB) by a friend of mine who had already completed the programme. In your MBA Student of the Year entry, your Business School described
What’s next for Spark Academy?
We want to ensure that we are continually innovating in the space of education, whether that be technological or through science-based teaching techniques. We are also growing our team and have experts in
Our MBA peers continue to stay in touch via WhatsApp and through video calls. It
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