Laura Witten
It is important to me to continue my education by getting a MBA for several reasons to increase the success of our current business, to be a good example to my children, to stay a viable option in the job market in these troubled times, and to learn more about an area of business with which I have long been fascinated but have not had the opportunity to proceed forward. I cannot say that any one of these reasons alone is more important than the others, but together they are powerful motivators. The only thing holding me back right now is the costs of a quality online education. To travel an hour or more to get to a school that offers an MBA simply isn't practical with a full-time job and small children in the home.
The first reason it is important to me to get an additional degree is that my husband and I, along with his brother, own a small business with only six total employees. We are running our local and online businesses, and each of us have to fill many roles within the companies.
My husband, Aaron, is CEO, CFO, sales analyst and personnel manager for GameStation, as well as being a financial planner in the evenings to bring in additional income. I am errand-runner, bookeeper, and retail & marketing supervisor for GameStation, and would like to help plan more marketing for my husband's financial business. This is where more education would be extremely helpful—I have no prior experience in marketing other than what I have searched out and learned on my own, through reading and through trial and error.
We have a good business model, good products and excellent customer service, but have yet to have a truly successful long-running marketing plan. I believe if just one of the six of us can truly excel in marketing, there will be no stopping our small business. If we can succeed and expand, we will be able to offer more jobs to our small, rural Kentucky town.
Not only do I have a great desire to continue learning to help our own businesses, but to learn for its own sake and to set a good example for our children. I work full-time, but part of that work is done from home so I can spend time with the children in order to teach them the values and lessons that are important to me.
I am currently expecting our second child, and our first son, Luke, is now three years old. He attends preschool at a local Christian school for half a day, for which I am thankful. Luke is the highlight of my life making me laugh and cry, asking me to slow down and just enjoy living. He makes me want to make this world, this country, and my own little corner of the globe a better place. I believe the key to making positive changes is to keep learning, get involved in some capacity in all the areas that interest you, and just do it!
Aaron and I are both involved heavily in Lions Club International, with our local church, and with the non-profit organizations in our industry. I am involved in coordinating two Mothers of Preschoolers (MOPS) locally, one of which is for teens. We are also becoming more involved in the local political process in order to make more changes in the future. As you can see, we do more than complain about the problems our society is facing.
I did graduate (with honors) with an B.S. in Agriculture from Western Kentucky University after graduating in the top 5 percent of my high school class. While my formal education ended there, I have never stopped learning and don't intend to, even though I cannot currently afford a master's degree. I go to local classes when available, and am on several marketing newsletters from reputable Web sites. I go to trade shows within our industry and talk to others facing problems such as ours, and attend relevant seminars.
I believe with the knowledge that comes with earning a MBA in marketing under my belt, I will be able to make great strides in promoting our businesses and seriously benefit the company, and therefore our community, through creating new jobs. If we should ever sell our business, with this advanced degree I will more easily be able to get a job that will help support the family. I appreciate the opportunity to apply for a scholarship to make these things possible.