An MBA is the difference between stairs and the elevator - Interviewed by Sunil Shejwalkar in November 2005

Amey Asuti, PGDBM IIM-A

Amey was one of the rare people who got final calls from all six IIMs. Advanc’edge MBA traces the story of his inspiring efforts that earned him a much-deserved seat in the A-one institution.

Did you always want to take up an MBA or was it a tryst with destiny? Can one chart out and work towards this dream or is it all luck?
MBA had always been my goal. Having lived in Mumbai for the better part of my life, my exposure to ‘big-city life’ and its business world was instrumental in influencing my decision of pursuing management education. Since then, my efforts were in the direction of securing admission in one of the country’s best B-schools. I was particularly concerned about my quantitative ability, as five years in bio-sciences had eroded whatever Math I knew. A focused and disciplined approach helped me clear the hurdle. As for luck, I do believe in the adage ‘fortune favours the brave’. Luck does help you out, provided you don’t rely on it alone, and decide to help yourself first.

Were you always a good student, studious and hardworking or were you choosy about what you studied and what you didn’t? Did you participate in extracurricular activities at school? How important are they?
Well, I was a good student as far as academics is concerned. But I never tried too hard to score good marks. I was always choosy about what I studied. That helped me a lot in my preparation for CAT, as I could focus on my strengths and keep getting better at my shortcomings. In school and college, I was at the centre of all the action. Debates, elocution, sketching, sports and college festivals helped me learn new things and made academics fun. I definitely believe that extracurricular activities are equally important, if not more important than academics. They help you become multidimensional, boosting your confidence tremendously.

Could you throw some light on your education so far and your strategies and approach to the CAT and GD PIs?
As far as academics are concerned, I graduated in Microbiology and pursued postgraduate studies in Biotechnology. I could have studied further in the field, and perhaps become a scientist. But my interests took over and I applied for management studies at the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad (IIMA).

I began my preparation for the CAT in May. Initially I worked on all areas, trying to figure out the topics I was comfortable with. After I had mastered a large majority of topics, I followed the strategy of maximising my scores by focusing on my strengths, rather than working on my weaknesses. Also, I developed the skill for locating the easier questions, the ones based on logic and commonsense, and scoring the maximum in the minimum possible time.

For the GD/PI, I read the Economic Times beginning June. Though initially it was difficult to grasp a little more than a few articles, within a span of two to three months my knowledge of the economic environment and business world grew by leaps and bounds. After the call lists were out, I practised group discussions in a group of seven-eight aspirants regularly, for one to two hours a day, five days a week.Your response to basic interview questions must go beyond mere facts. Make sure that you are helping the interviewer develop a mental image of you. It’s really important that you stand out of the crowd. I found that the best way to do it was to be myself.

Who was your inspiration, your role model? Did your family support you?
I have never believed in having any one person as a role model. At different points of time, I have had different role models. People who have achieved success in the various milieu of life have been my inspiration. Business leaders like Jack Welch, Akio Morita and Narayan Murthy have been a source of inspiration. My parents have always been very supportive of my decisions, guiding me at difficult junctures, but never really forcing their viewpoints on me.

What are the prerequisites or the innate skills required for a student who desires to take up a career in management?
First and foremost, a student considering a career in management should have a positive attitude. During the two years of MBA and also afterwards in corporate life, there are situations which are seemingly hopeless, but nonetheless need to be resolved through patience and perseverance. Apart from that, a willingness to accept challenges and a heart to give your best shot are the traits that should keep one in good stead.

What or who would you attribute your success to?
I would like to attribute my achievements to my ability to ‘work hard’ and ‘work smart’. And I would like to make a distinction between the two. As I see it, most of us tend to work harder and harder towards our goal only to find that we missed it just because we were not smart enough. So, it becomes really necessary in the competitive world of today to be wise enough to know the difference.

Is there a change in the way people see you today vis-à-vis what they used to?
As far as my family and close group of friends are concerned, I remain the same person. Others, who were apprehensive about things and looked at the odds in every endeavour, do acknowledge my success. In a way, it makes me feel more responsible to live up to my success story and be a source of inspiration and happiness to people around me.

Where do you see yourself 10 years from now?
An MBA from IIM Ahmedabad surely means that one is destined for the top echelons of the corporate world. Though I am not a soothsayer and I can’t foresee the future, I have the confidence that with the same level of dedication and commitment, I will be geared up for greater responsibilities as a top executive in one of the best companies in the world. At that point in time, I will definitely think about utilising the experience gained and the skills learned to venture out on my own.

“An MBA will take you a step closer to your dreams.” Your comment…
An MBA is the difference between stairs and elevator. It gives you a head start in your career like no other course of study or job experience. You learn the dynamics of modern business with people who you know will be the who’s who of the corporate world some years from now. If you have always dreamt of a life in the midst of business and management, then MBA is the key to realise this dream.

What would be your advice to students who plan to get into IIMA?
IIM-A is everybody’s dream B-school before they take up the CAT. But, very few of them really take the effort to make this dream a reality and actually try and be there. So, be focused, unleash your full potential and work towards getting there. It’s definitely worth a try!