Meet Quantic’s MBA Class of 2022: Lucky Aziken

Lucky Aziken

Quantic School of Business and Technology

“I am a visionary entrepreneur with a blend of innovation, creativity and excellence in leadership.”

City, State, Country: Uyo, Akwa Ibom, Nigeria

Fun Fact About Yourself: My perfect day will start with good music and end with good food

Undergraduate School and Major: University of Benin, Doctor of Optometry

Current Employer and Job Title: Vision Care Givers International, Chief Executive Officer

Why did you choose an online format like Quantic? The 21st century education is experiential and having an opportunity to apply what I learn on a daily basis was my top priority. I wanted to be able to test business principles in real-life situations, in real-time, and get quality instruction from my teachers when it proves difficult.

Aside from your classmates, what was the key part of Quantic’s MBA programming that led you to choose this business school, and why was it so important to you? I took the business foundations courses and I loved the manner it was presented – simple everyday language. Initially, I was surprised at the way I needed to be involved in the learning process as in almost every 8-10 seconds I had to interact with the material. It seemed as if I was practically teaching myself. The active learning model suits me perfectly as it allows me to consistently reflect on the knowledge gained and develop actionable steps forward. I wanted an MBA program that allowed me to solve the daily business challenges in our social enterprise and the Quantic MBA was perfect.

Give us an example of a lesson you gained during your Quantic MBA and how did you apply it at work? In one of our modules, Customer Discovery, I came to understand the meaning of a startup and this was life-changing. I initially thought of a startup as a business within the first 2-3 years of operation, but I realized that it was about the time it took to search for a scalable, repeatable, and profitable business model. This was significant in helping our social enterprise to focus on testing our models and proving them before heavily investing in them. We were no longer afraid of failing as we had the option of pivoting if things didn’t go as planned.

Quantic is highly competitive and only about 10% of students who apply to the MBA program are admitted. What advice would you give to someone who intends to apply to Quantic to increase their odds of being accepted? Quantic is a school with a clear mission and purpose. Successful students at Quantic have a well-articulated mission and purpose of study. In my case, I was able to clearly show what I had achieved in the past without business training, what I am looking to achieve in the coming years, and how a Quantic MBA will help me achieve them. So, I believe accepted involves being able to connect your past accomplishments to your present and then describe a clear future following your studies.

What achievement are you most proud of as an MBA student? In 2006, one of my close family members became visually impaired following a traumatic experience. It was completely avoidable if there was access to quality eye care within the community. Following the experience, I became an Optometrist and decided to solve this problem across communities. I founded Vision Care Givers International with a mission to provide quality and affordable eye care services in underserved communities around the world. From 2016- 2020, we have provided quality eye care access for 15,000 Nigerians in 35 communities and 1,250 refugees in Dzaleka Camp, Malawi. Our health educational activities have reached over 2 million people in 187 countries. We set up four physical clinics running as a social enterprise. I am most proud of the impact we make daily in the lives of vulnerable people and the vision we have to reach all nations of the world.

What achievement are you most proud of in your professional career? Doing amazing work in the community and getting recognised even when it isn’t the priority is very fulfilling. I received the Eye Health Hero 2020 Award from the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB) for my role in helping communities access quality eye care. This was in recognition of my efforts, despite the challenges of year 2020, launching Project Riverine, which aimed to provide access to eye care for riverine communities and in the peak of COVID, beginning a mobile clinic service providing essential services and drugs to patients in their homes during the lockdown.  This is the highest award in eye care for young leaders under 35, whose work and engagement is making a real impact.

As if that was not enough, I was also conferred the LEAP Africa Outstanding Fellow Award for my innovative efforts and remarkable impact in improving the lives of Nigerians. Waking up to realize that your life has become a spring of good tidings, spreading love, joy and kindness to everyone around, is my greatest achievement.

What is your ultimate long-term professional goal and how has your MBA studies helped you make progress in this area? I want to be able to solve problems at a global scale and help make the world a better place for everyone to live and flourish. An MBA at Quantic is my opportunity to get global visibility. I am hoping I get noticed by the right people and make the necessary connections to reach my ultimate goal.

DON’T MISS: THE DISRUPTERS: MEET THE QUANTIC CLASS OF 2022

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