Balance is the Key: My EMBA Journey as a Working Mom in E-commerce

–Priya Dutt, EMBA 2024

When you work in e-commerce, every day feels like a sprint. Add to that the full-time role of being a mom to a 5-year-old, a wife, and a daughter, and you’ve got a life scheduled down to the minute. That was my world at Noon.com, where I worked as a planner, managing complex operations in a fast-moving industry. But somewhere between work emails and bedtime stories, a question kept returning: “Is there more I can do to understand the bigger picture of business?”

I turned to SP Jain Global’s Executive MBA program to answer these questions, and after attending the “Meet the Dean” session, I was sure!

When I was looking for an EMBA program, I wanted clarity in my mind; I wanted to know how the Top management made decisions; it wasn’t just looking for a promotion or a shiny new title. I was curious to learn more. I wanted to know how strategy took shape and how I could contribute beyond execution. I wanted to make an impact by understanding end-to-end business activities through academics and implementing them wherever I work. I wanted to become a Leader who could influence change and evolve from being a high-performing professional.

And that’s what SP Jain Global promised and delivered.

I was sceptical because I had never heard of the Engaged Learning Online (ELO) format before. But the very first session changed my perspective completely. It wasn’t an ordinary online session where the facilitator was not engaged with the batch; it felt like a real-life lecture in a classroom with engaging interaction, debates, and group projects.

There was this one moment on Saturday afternoon when I was discussing my group’s Strategic Management project while my daughter quietly coloured beside me.

At that very moment, I realised that I wasn’t just chasing a degree; I was also showing my daughter that one should never stop learning at any stage of life, that growth matters, and that women can manage their homes and careers.

The challenging format of EMBA isn’t all about textbooks. It was about the transformation of thoughts into strategic decision-making. Now, I don’t see numbers without values. I associate them with an ultimate objective and always try to find the hidden linkages between the department’s decisions and their impact on the way it does in the balanced scorecard.

As a result of the program, I now confidently walk into meetings and contribute to conversations at the decision-making table.

I’ve learned to lead with purpose, question without hesitation, and step beyond my comfort zone’s boundaries. I no longer wait to be invited to lead—I step forward because I now know I belong there.

One of the biggest gifts of this journey has been the people- I am grateful that I met them here.

My classmates with whom I shared this transforming journey, professors who taught invaluable lessons that will stay with me forever, and the people behind this program are my support system and professional tribe.

Courses like the Global Strategy Immersion Project, Applied Strategic Management, and Integrated Decision-Making have trained me to look at problems differently and research deeper before making decisions. I learned how to connect data with insight and insight with action. “What began as supply chain planning has evolved into shaping strategies that impact the future of the business.”

It felt personal when I saw that SP Jain Global’s EMBA was ranked #23 globally by QS. All my sleepless nights, sacrificed weekends, and choices to keep pushing forward were validated. EMBA being #23 is not just a ranking—it reflects my world-class experience.

If you are waiting for the perfect time to start your EMBA Journey, believe me, it won’t come. You must commit to your personal growth and stretch yourself to succeed.

Once you have decided to grow, you must say no to one thing as a trade-off. For example, you might sacrifice going out with friends on weekends to attend to your assignments, but these EMBA hardships will surely change your life.

The EMBA taught me how to lead, decide, and, most importantly, believe in my potential, and I wish the same for you.

About the Author
Priya Dutt is a seasoned e-commerce professional with extensive experience in supply chain and planning. She is currently working at Noon.com. She is passionate about strategic decision-making, leadership, and lifelong learning. As a working mom, she inspires others by balancing career ambitions with family life.