#1.Breaking Boundaries: Balancing an MBA and Mom Life with Two Daughters

<日本語>

Hello, I'm Mei.
I've just graduated from IESE Business School in Barcelona, Spain.
(You can find my profile here)

Before studying abroad, I struggled with the conflict between pursuing an MBA and my life plan, feeling the challenges that women face when attempting an overseas MBA journey. However, upon enrolling at IESE, I encountered many "MBA moms" and realized that the world offers diverse paths and joys that I hadn't known before.
Up until now on Note, I've shared my own experiences in forms like "Maternity Retrospectives" and "Parenting Diaries". Wanting others to know about the variety of forms available, I decided to interview the wonderful "MBA moms" around me.

For the first interview, I spoke with Alice, a fellow IESE classmate.
Alice is a mother of two daughters and an extraordinary woman who embodies both resilience and grace. She applied to business school while pregnant with her first child and gave birth to her second during her final year of the MBA program. Throughout this intense journey, she managed to balance the demands of academics, parenting, and childbirth—all while maintaining a calm and warm smile.
Her story offers powerful insights for working mothers considering a similar path. In our conversation, I asked Alice what motivated her to pursue an MBA and how she navigated the challenges of parenting during the program.

About Alice

Originally from Europe, Alice majored in International Business at university.
She built her career in the retail industry, focusing on store operations and sales strategy.
In 2023, she gave birth to her first child, and later that summer, she enrolled in the MBA program at IESE Business School in Spain.
Just before graduating in 2025, she welcomed her second child and completed her MBA in May 2025.

Q1. What made you decide to pursue an MBA at IESE?
When did you first start considering this path?

I've actually been thinking about an MBA for about five years before applying to business school. I always thought it would be a nice way to change my career path, to take a new step. But I wanted to make sure it was done at the right moment and not just as a filler. I needed to get high enough in my career that it would be useful for me—the optimum point to make sure I took the right next step.

When thinking about MBAs, I always knew I wanted a European MBA because I knew I was going to apply when I was a bit older and more experienced. I wanted to make sure my MBA colleagues would also have that level of experience.

I applied to several schools in Europe, but decided on IESE mainly because it was a two-year program and very inviting to families compared to other MBA programs I found.

Q2. I remember your daughter was six months old when you enrolled—does that mean you applied for an MBA while you were pregnant?

Yes, I was pregnant when I applied. I even did the GMAT while pregnant, with a throw-up bucket next to me because of morning sickness! Pregnancy can be tiring, but I was also building my future, which was exciting.
There was uncertainty—will I get into my MBA school, and will the pregnancy go well? You can always have a miscarriage and things, and that's the scary part about being pregnant. Everything feels up in the air and you're a bit nervous about whether it will all work out. But it did.

I was working full-time while studying for the GMAT, which was probably the hardest part. All the weekends were hard work. I would start studying early in the morning on weekdays and then Saturday and Sunday would be just studying. I did a lot of practice tests—it was a three-month process.

I applied in the first round and got accepted in November, then gave birth in February. I had four months of maternity leave, and then took two additional months off before the MBA started. It was really nice because I ended up having six months before the MBA just to focus on the baby and to move.

Q3. Pursuing an MBA with a young child must come with unique challenges. Could you tell us about the support system you had?

My husband made a tremendous sacrifice by quitting his job to stay home with the baby full-time. I was really lucky that he was able to do that. It can be quite hard for men to quit their jobs and be at home with a baby full-time—it's a very big change for them, as it would be for anyone.

We had a babysitter once a week to give him a break. For my part, I tried to make sure I worked at IESE until 6 PM, then came home and focused completely on the baby. All weekends I was there, which allowed him to take some time off as well.

But I definitely missed my baby. The first couple of months when you're gone, you're wishing you were with your baby. You have to be very structured, and I didn't go to as many events as other students.

Q4. Even with support, MBA life can be extremely demanding. Were there any particularly tough moments or periods when balancing studies and parenting felt especially difficult?

The toughest moments were when my daughter got sick right before an exam. In our first year, we had core courses like accounting and finance. I didn’t have a background in those subjects, so I needed much more time to study compared to classmates who were already familiar with them. I would spend days preparing, trying to keep up—and then, the night before the exam, I wouldn’t sleep at all because my daughter was sick, throwing up, or just not feeling well.

I still remember one night we ended up in the hospital because she was having trouble breathing. In moments like that, all your priorities shift instantly.

What got me through was learning, as a parent, that I’m capable of functioning on far less sleep than I ever imagined. Somehow, I powered through. And once you get past that moment, you remind yourself to rest and take care of your own well-being too.

Q5. You went through pregnancy and childbirth during your second year. How did you manage to navigate such a significant life event while completing your studies?

Having my second child during the second year was definitely easier than it would have been in the first year. The first year was more intense academically, while the second year felt more manageable—not only because it was less demanding overall, but also because all of the second year classes are electives so I was taking classes I was genuinely excited about. By that time, my daughter was also in daycare full-time, which helped tremendously.

Another thing that made a huge difference was having Mei as a friend. Mei, who is also my IESE classmate and the interviewer for this article, gave birth during our first year. Having someone who had already been through a similar experience was incredibly reassuring. She helped me navigate everything from hospital visits to dealing with insurance—no small feat when you're in a foreign country.

Honestly, I think pregnancy itself isn't the hard part if you don't have morning sickness. You just have to rest because you're tired—That meant doing social activities with friends during the day rather than evenings and prioritizing events with other MBA student parents.

The timing of my second childbirth was completely strategic. When you're working, you have less flexibility in your schedule for hospital appointments than you do during an MBA. Also, I knew that in six months when I start work after graduation, I can fully focus on my career because I've already had two children and I'm back on the job market fully. My kids aren't too far apart in age either, so they can be friends—my daughter can be a big sister and really enjoy taking care of the baby.

Q6. Were there any time management strategies or prioritization techniques you found helpful in balancing your academic and parenting responsibilities?

For time management, I treated the MBA like work hours—arriving at IESE at 7:30 AM and leaving at 6 PM, then going home and stopping all schoolwork. I didn't work on weekends either.
For prioritization, I focused on who would become really good friends and what clubs or societies I genuinely wanted to join. You really have to choose the areas you want to spend time on because you don't have time to do everything.

I used to be more of a perfectionist, but now I've learned it's okay if something isn't perfect. You have to be kind to yourself because you can't do everything 100%. With exams or essays, I know they'll be good enough, but not necessarily the perfect paper.

There were many parties during the MBA, but I didn’t go out much. Unlike many other students, I didn’t really experience FOMO—the fear of missing out. Instead, I came to truly appreciate spending my time with the people I care about and respect the most.

Q7. How has your experience with childbirth and parenting influenced your views on career and life?

This is something I really struggle with because I'm scared about going back to work. In my previous job, I was always so invested and often worked weekends. But now I prioritize my kids, and I don't know yet how I'm going to balance being a high-level professional and a parent. It's very nerve-wracking.

I think one change is that I didn't realize how much I would enjoy being a parent. At first, I thought it would be better to have a child early while I was still in my ideal childbearing years—it felt like something I should take care of sooner rather than later. I never imagined that parenting would be such a joyful and fulfilling experience, but it truly has been, and it’s something I now wholeheartedly recommend.

Does it make me a different type of career-driven person? Maybe. I always wanted to be CEO and reach the top, and now I'm questioning whether that's actually the most important thing in my life.

Q8. Finally, do you have a message for young women who are currently struggling to balance their personal and professional lives?

The main thing I would say is that they're incredible. It's not easy, but women are capable of doing so much. Remember that you are the perfect parent for your baby. No matter if you're tired or have to stay late at work occasionally, know that your baby still loves and respects you, and you're there for them.

I have full respect for working moms—it's not easy to do, but it's amazing what you can accomplish.

Thank you for reading until the end!
Please check out other interview Series.