Why EMBA with mentorship was a deal breaker | EMBA 2026A- Ajay Kumar Jha
- blogs, product management
- 4 min read
Authors: Ajay Kumar Jha – Technical Architect in Dynamics 365 Commerce
After spending nearly two decades building my career in technology, I’ve reached a point where I want to do more than work on products – I want to understand how to build and manage successful ones.
I’m Ajay Kumar Jha, and I work in the IT industry as an architect specializing in Dynamics 365 Commerce. Technology has been a significant part of my professional journey, but as I look at the next stage of my career, my aspiration is clear: I want to become a successful product manager.
That goal is what brought me back to the classroom and ultimately shaped my decision to pursue an Executive MBA.
From Technology to Product Management
Today, I already work closely with products. But working on a product and taking responsibility for its success are two very different things.
Over the next year, I want to develop the skills and perspective required to make that transition.
For me, becoming a product manager means understanding customers better, identifying what they genuinely need, and using that understanding to build products that create value. My technical experience gives me a strong foundation, but I now want to complement it with a deeper understanding of product management and business.
A year from now, I hope to see myself confidently stepping into that role and contributing to products that deliver better outcomes for customers.
Why Mentorship Made the Difference
While choosing an Executive MBA program, one aspect that stood out to me immediately: one-to-one mentorship.
At this stage of my career, I’m not looking only for lectures or theoretical knowledge. I want guidance from people who understand the challenges professionals face in real business environments.
Having access to a mentor creates an opportunity to discuss my individual goals, learn from someone else’s experience, and understand how to apply what I learn to my own career.
That personalized guidance was a major factor in my decision.
The second aspect that attracted me was the opportunity to learn from experienced faculty and industry practitioners.
When someone teaches from real-world experience, the conversation goes beyond what can be found in a textbook. You get to understand what actually happened, what worked, what didn’t, and what they learned along the way.
For me, those experiences are incredibly valuable.
Learning From People Who Have Been There
After years of working in technology, I’ve realized that some of the most useful lessons come from people who have already faced the problems you are trying to solve.
That is why the combination of mentorship and experienced faculty appealed to me so strongly.
I want to learn not just the frameworks behind product management but also how experienced leaders have applied those frameworks in real situations. How did they make difficult decisions? How did they understand their customers? How did they deal with uncertainty?
Those are the insights I believe can help me make the transition from a technology-focused role into product management.
Back to School After Almost Two Decades
Of course, returning to a classroom after 15 or 20 years brings mixed emotions.
There is definitely some nervousness.
It has been a long time since I was in a formal academic environment, and suddenly I’m back in school, meeting new people and preparing to learn in a completely different setting.
But there is also a lot of excitement.
I’m looking forward to making new friends, learning alongside professionals from different backgrounds, and exposing myself to perspectives that I may not encounter in my everyday work.
In many ways, it feels like the beginning of a new journey.
The Road Ahead
Outside work, I have always been passionate about biking. I enjoy going on long solo rides – sometimes more than 600 kilometres and exploring nature along the way.
There is something about a long ride that I enjoy: you have a destination in mind, but the experience comes from everything you discover along the way.
I see my Executive MBA journey in a similar way.
I know where I want to go. I want to move from my current technology role towards becoming a successful product manager who can create better products for customers.
The classroom learning, experienced faculty, my peers, and especially the one-to-one mentorship will all be part of that journey.
After nearly two decades in the industry, going back to school makes me a little nervous.
But more than anything, I’m excited about where this new road could take me.
