From Ambition to a Career Milestone: Andrea on Her Executive Journey

For many professionals, joining an executive MBA (EMBA) is a strategic step towards a new level of professional growth. For Andrea Goeman, it was so much more than that. It was a combination of a long-awaited ambition and a career milestone. Balancing a career, family life, and an international move, she embarked on the Kellogg-WHU Executive MBA with a clear purpose: to sharpen her leadership skills, expand global insights, and join a powerful EMBA network that would support each other along the way.

A decision 15 years in the making.

“I always wanted to do an EMBA,” explains Andrea. “But it never felt the right time between managing my career and having young children. When I finally found I had the capacity for it, there was no looking back.” Andrea is speaking from her Atlanta home, where she moved in 2024, a big change that came towards the end of her Kellogg-WHU Executive MBA journey.

“I started working for JAS, a logistics company based in the USA, and it was always agreed that we would move to Atlanta. So, after a year with them, we left our life in Germany. It all happened during the program; we moved while I was writing my master’s thesis. It was definitely a challenge.” Juggling personal and professional commitments was no small feat. However, Andrea’s journey with the EMBA was about more than just academic growth; it was also about expanding perspectives.

Always learning, constantly evolving.

Like many executives, Andrea already had international experience, having previously lived in the USA and even Hong Kong for a short time. So, it was essential to her that a global perspective was integrated into her studies. “The diversity of the EMBA program was incredible,” she adds. “Even in our German cohort, we had professionals commuting from South Africa, Mexico, and the UK. The level of commitment from them was inspiring.

“I come from a small town in Germany, and my parents are farmers. Traveling when I was younger wasn’t really an option. So, I am grateful to have had these experiences through my job and as part of the EMBA. I enjoyed the Global Network Week in Evanston and the US and India international modules. The opportunity to connect to other Kellogg cohorts from diverse backgrounds and cultures was eye-opening.”

The power of women in leadership.

However, it wasn’t just a global network Andrea joined. Early in her EMBA journey, she applied to the Initiative Women into Leadership program (IWiL) through Kellogg-WHU. This non-profit organization empowers women in leadership through mentorship, visibility, and representation. A program co-founded by a Kellogg-WHU EMBA alum. “The program caught my attention as I mentor women in my company, and I’ve personally had a few male and female mentors earlier in my career. It can be hard to find that guidance when you’re already in a senior position. Joining IWiL helped me build a career trajectory with my mentor, who came from a different professional background and could open different perspectives to me.

“Women often struggle with self-advocacy—negotiating for themselves, taking the next step,” she observes. “Accessing male and female mentors who understand these challenges is incredibly valuable. As an executive, I believe we are obligated as leaders to take the time to empower the younger generation. Both sides can benefit from these conversations.”

Advice for the future.

Andrea has some straightforward advice for executives considering joining an EMBA. “I can say from experience that combining a family and a career change with studying is not easy! Consider the timing carefully: not only your personal life needs balancing, but also the weekend modules and travel schedules throughout the program. Overall, it’s a big commitment.

“Then there’s the network. Leverage it any way you can. You learn so much from your peers in the group settings, during the international modules, and through topic-related WhatsApp groups, for example, for women, entrepreneurs, or the local group in Atlanta. And with that in mind, my final advice is: Go for it. Leaving your comfort zone is beneficial for your growth. The two years fly by, and you’re surprised when it’s over as you realize how much you’ve learned and how your leadership skills evolved.”