By the Numbers: A CEO’s Nontraditional, Very Intentional MBA Journey
BY THE #s: My MBA took a bit longer (5 years!)- mainly because I prioritized peace, family, and not losing my sanity. Turns out, there’s no rush when you’re juggling life, faith, and a degree!
When I first considered getting my MBA, I sat across the dinner table from two of my trusted mentors—Ford Taylor (whom I lovingly call my second dad) and Mark Caner (a brilliant PhD and one of the wisest voices in my life).
Ford, ever the heart-checker, looked at me and said, “Brit, you don’t need a piece of paper to know your worth as a CEO. Are you sure this isn’t just your perfectionism trying to prove something?”
Mark, with a grin, quickly countered: “Go for it.”
And we all laughed—because they were both right.
So we made a deal: I would pursue the degree, but never at the expense of my peace, my family, or my purpose. If life got chaotic, I’d pause. If my gut said “not this quarter,” I’d listen. The result?
MBA by the Numbers
5 years start to finish
15 classes completed
45 credit hours earned
30 tests taken
45 papers and case analyses written
150 discussion posts contributed
1 global pandemic navigated
1 company resuscitated
1 memoir published mid-degree
8 times I questioned my sanity
Countless cups of coffee, tears, and prayers
1 new board member (a Xavier professor who became an incredible asset to our leadership)
3 Xavier co-ops who contributed powerful, real-world projects to our company
3.43 GPA (not a perfect 4.0, but perfectly imperfect to me!)
And 1 very full heart at the finish line
It wasn’t the fastest path, but it was the most intentional. I protected my peace, prioritized my family, and honored the season I was in. And I wouldn’t change a thing.
A heartfelt thank you to Xavier University. I was incredibly honored to be featured as a spokesperson for their MBA experience, sharing what the journey was like as a real business leader in the field. And the truth is, I truly loved everything about it. The faculty. The conversations. The way the coursework connected to real life. It wasn’t just academic—it was transformational.
Learning is my ultimate love language—so Xavier is my love story.
I didn’t just earn an MBA—I built it around what mattered most. My family. My faith. My mission. And in the process, I learned something no textbook could teach: you can chase excellence without sacrificing your soul.
To every working parent, every professional in the trenches, every dreamer who’s moving at your own pace: There is no timeline on growth. Only grace and grit.
Here’s to the long way around—sometimes, it’s exactly the right way.
xo,
brit
