"I always wanted to get my Masters of Business Administration (MBA) degree but I couldn't justify the high costs. After a little research, I found out that the average MBA program, including tuition and things like room, board, and books, costs around $140,000. If you account for the income you lose by staying in academia for another two years, the total jumps to $260,000! Still, I wanted to learn how to be a manager. After a long postdoc with a difficult principal investigator, I didn't want to start at square one in industry. I didn't want to start as an entry-level research scientist. Instead, I wanted to transition right into a more senior role. So after joining the Cheeky Scientist Association, I became a SMBA member to make sure I got the management training I needed. I'm glad I did because I was able to transition directly from my postdoc into a Senior Scientist position at Estée Lauder Companies and now, thanks to SMBA, I'm ready to lead."
Klodjan Stafa, Ph.D., Senior Scientist at Estée Lauder Companies
"I was about to enter my third year as a postdoc and was ready for a change. I knew with nearly three years of postdoc experience and years of teaching and mentoring experience that I was technically qualified for a management role in industry. I wasn’t sure if I had the business domain knowledge or management-level transferable skills I needed to get hired as a manager. This is why I went on to become an ScientistMBA member after becoming a Cheeky Scientist Associate. What impressed me most about the SMBA program was the high quality of the training materials and the details covered in each training video and document and the real-world applications. These materials are applicable to PhDs working in industry, including a Scientist or Senior/Principal Scientist. I recently transitioned as a Health Scientist level III and am in a very strong position to succeed thanks to this program. Now, when higher level executives approach me to discuss advanced business topics like corporate strategy, organization behavior, or culture, I can have a productive conversation with them. This has made a big difference in my career development and appreciate this opportunity."
Marylen Rimando, Ph.D., Research Scientist III at IHRC, Inc.
"I was research scientist in academia for almost 8 years after getting my PhD. I did two very long postdocs, one was almost 3 years and the one before it was almost 4 years. To make matters worse, I had been looking for a job in industry for over a year without making much progress. I had really high standards for myself and wanted a high-level job like a Medical Science Liaison or a Project Manager position, not just an entry level position. The problem was I didn't have any industry experience AND I didn't have any industry knowledge. When industry hiring managers interviewed me for these higher-level, they'd ask me advanced business questions that I didn't know how to answer. Or, they would mention business topics that I'd never heard of and I'd stare blankly back at them. It wasn't until I learned about Cheeky Scientist and joined their ScientistMBA program that things started to change. Now, I have the high-level job I want at a top biopharmaceutical company and couldn't be happier. The management knowledge I gained in SMBA has changed the trajectory of my career and I highly recommend it to other PhDs who have spent most of their lives in academia."
Yuri Klyachkin, Ph.D., Medical Science Liaison at Bristol-Myers Squibb
"After reviewing the ScientistMBA curriculum, I am very impressed with both the scope and detail of the modules. Not only does SMBA cover the core topics taught by MBA programs worldwide, it also goes beyond that and gives a broader feel of MBA style content than would be covered in most MBA classes. Completing a full or part time MBA is a costly and time-consuming approach to further education and many of those who begin the journey do not finish it. As such, in our modern economy, SMBA provides accessible and expert level content at a fraction of the price whilst offering access to a broad range of alumni. Whether your goal is to complete SMBA to further your own business education or as a taster for a part of full time MBA, I believe it provides a unique vehicle to personal and professional development for those people wishing to or transitioning into industry."
Michael Smith, M.B.A., Group Product Manager at Johnson & Johnson
"Cheeky Scientist is a brand that I can trust, which is why I came back to them after getting my first industry position. I’m a very driven individual who loves to learn and has had an interest not only in the R&D but also the business aspect of industry. I’m interested in pursuing a management position in the future and thus to prepare myself, I joined ScientistMBA. Let me tell you, the information in this program is highly informative. The program also gives you access to a much more exclusive online group. The SMBA group is easy highly personalized, and easy to navigate. I’m able to get my high-level industry questions answered instantly by MBAs and other industry professionals. What I love most about SMBA is that it was written by not only male PhDs and MBAs, but by female PhDs and MBAs too. It feels great to finally be part of an elite business training program that understands my unique obstacles. It also feels great to finally be 100% confident in myself and my business knowledge-base at company meetings."
Nikolett Biel, Ph.D., Senior Drug Discovery Scientist at Otsuka Pharmaceutical Company