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Dajana Marsollek

My name is Dajana Marsollek, I am 29 years old, a sports lover, travel enthusiast and FS Full-Time MBA Grad 2018. I am one of the people who is always looking for the next challenge, personally and professionally. I am a true optimist and believer that anything is possible if you work hard enough.

"Building my own business might be the biggest and hardest challenge I have ever accepted but at the same time it might also be the most fulfilling one."

The FS MBA was one of the challenges that I was seeking to elevate my career. It was the turning point to become a Strategy Consultant at one of the largest and best global private banks as well as founding my own start up “worldler”. I always had the mindset of an entrepreneur and desire to build my own business. With “worldler” I am now pursuing this desire and accept the tremendous challenge and risk of failure that comes along with it. It might be the biggest and hardest challenge I have ever accepted but at the same time it might also be the most fulfilling one.

Despite all my ambition and rigor, I am always there for a good laugh and don’t take myself too seriously. So, here is a fun fact about me: I refused to eat ANY vegetables until age 24 and am now pursuing a fully plant-based diet for several years.

"My MBA changed the way I think about organizations and business."

How did your Full-time MBA at Frankfurt School prepare you for launching Worldler? To what extent did your MBA prepare you for the challenges of the job?

The Full-Time MBA triggered a fundamental mindset switch. It changed the way I think about organizations and a business. As a Fashion Buyer my mindset was very limited to my own operations, being only a small part of the organization. I was caught up in the everyday tasks of my microcosm and overlooked the bigger picture. And that’s exactly what the MBA taught me. It taught me to look at an organization as whole with a strategic, managerial and entrepreneurial point of view. It helped me to understand how to build and develop a business as well as to understand the rationale behind managerial decisions.  

Besides this fundamental mindset switch, the FS MBA also provided me with an important toolbox, ready to be used for any challenge on the job. It deepened my knowledge on how to prepare executive board presentations, problem solve and make it through interviews and case studies. All in all, it taught me strategic thinking and understanding a business context beyond the obvious.

Who had the biggest influence on you during your MBA? Any connections you made along the way while at FS to help inspire you?

While I established numerous valuable connections and true friendships during the MBA, there was one MBA student who had a relevant impact on my career development. He was already an entrepreneur when we met in the very beginning of the MBA. At his young age, he took over the family business and managed to develop the family business into an impressive empire ever since. Watching him operate and exchanging ideas, deepened my knowledge on how to manage a business on multiple levels. Most importantly, it prepared me to understand what it means to be an entrepreneur with all the responsibilities it comes along with.

"The MBA will give you the confidence to pursue your goals and stand up for yourself as a woman in any professional environment​​​​​​"

Why is it important for women to consider an MBA? Any advice for other women thinking of applying for an MBA?

In my view, considering an MBA is just as important for a woman as it is for a man. It provides everyone with an excellent education, regardless of the gender. However, I believe that as a woman this excellent education gives you this extra confidence that will make a difference in your career. You will develop your technical and personal skills, be surrounded by striving other students and build your network with other impressive women in business. All together will give you the confidence to pursue your goals and stand up for yourself in any professional environment. I am convinced that the MBA sharpens your mind to challenge the status quo, look beyond the obvious to always be a step ahead – no matter who you are competing with.

What was the highlight of the programme for you and why?

For me it was the diversity. Studying with and learning from classmates from so many different nationalities, professional and personal backgrounds was the best preparation for my post-MBA career path. I learned how to adapt myself interacting with different cultures and how valuable mixed teams and experiences are. This still helps me working in international teams today and in the future.

Please finish the following sentence: My time at Frankfurt School…

…was a game changer.