Ross Keogh (Keoghs Crisps) – From Family Business to MBA

Ross Keogh, Keoghs Crisps

MBA 2017-2019

To say starting the MBA in DCU was a massive leap of faith and a culture change for me would be a severe understatement. Coming from a family business background it was clear from the outset that I was approaching the MBA from a different angle to most of my fellow classmates. Where they were wanting to further their academic learning, gain a competitive advantage within their respective businesses and get further up the corporate ladder, I was wanting to gain more structure to my business decision making, gain a more strategic overview of my business and to be able to apply all learnings from the course to my business and to aid it going forward.

We have just completed year 1 which has gone by in a whirlwind and looking back to the weeks leading to the start of the first semester, all worry’s and concerns that I had are well in the back of my mind. I came into the MBA with my wife due our second child as the course began and with my company in the busiest period in its existence. Alarm bells were ringing that it was going to be too much of a workload to handle and that I should re-evaluate the decision. But my gut feeling was to push on and dig in. All I can say is that it was genuinely refreshing going to class on a Thursday afternoon with like-minded people who all had positive outlooks on any issues at hand. Your fellow classmates are one of the biggest assets you will take away from the MBA, the wealth of knowledge they bring to the table from many different sectors of the business world is invaluable. Every Thursdays class left me with a pep in my step and my wife immediately noticed a change in my decision making from my personal life right through to my business life.

In regard to what the MBA has brought to my business. It has given me a more strategic way of how I look at issues within the business as well as looking to future development potential. I now critically assess all areas of my business more finely and now I can move forward with a decision knowing it’s the right one and that all avenues have been properly assessed. A highlight of the course so far would be the module in Organisation Behaviour & Change, in this module we had to do a project on Culture within your organisation. From this project, we took several findings and applied them directly to the company with positive results.

I have wanted to do an MBA for several years now and I put it off previously due to being too busy and not having the time. I started it last September at a time that I have never been busier. I ripped off the preverbal band-aid and took the plunge. It has been one of the best and most fulfilling decisions of my life. As with many aspects of life, there is never a good time to do something like this. If you are thinking of doing an MBA all I can say is just do it! It will be the best decision you will make. It’s hard work with a heavy workload, but it is very fulfilling and you have a lot of support from the College and your classmates and fellow team members. It has changed my attitude in both my personal and business life and I am looking forward to what year 2 can add to that.

About the DCU Executive MBA

The DCU Executive MBA is a two-year part-time programme, delivered one day per week, for executives with ambitions of becoming Senior Managers/CEOs. At DCU Business School we believe that the Executive MBA should be a transformative experience at a personal level.

1. Shape individuals to become effective business leaders
2. Help transform organisations to cope with complex change
3. Support an integrated approach to business across the enterprise
4. Influence the sustainable and ethical approach to business within society

For more information visit The DCU Executive MBA. If you are considering undertaking the programme, please contact Ruth Finnegan at ruth.finnegan@dcu.ie.