Gustav Lammerding

Jack Welch Management Institute

“I am an Entrepreneurial-minded career marketer that loves creative ideas embedded in strategy, supported by data.”

Age: 43

Hometown: Hobart, Tasmania, Australia

Fun fact about yourself: I photograph weddings as a spare-time hobby.

Undergraduate School and Degree: AAA School of Advertising – Visual Communications; Vega Brand Communication School – Honors degree in Brand Leadership

Where are you currently working? Banjo’s Bakery Café (Chain of bakery cafes in Australia) – Head of Marketing

What achievement are you most proud of in your professional career? Starting my own Brand Agency,

Why did you choose this school’s online MBA program? I knew of Jack Welch and his leadership at GE, so I was intrigued about the program when I saw it. Coupled with its excellent ratings, I was convinced it was the right institution for me.

What was your favorite part of being in an online MBA program? The autonomy of being able to manage the workload around my lifestyle. Being in Australia, I was able to expand my horizons through online interactions with other students from across the world.

What was the most surprising thing about an online learning environment? How connected you still feel to the class, professors, and campuses, which was not by accident. JWMI invests an enormous amount of effort into creating that connectedness.

How did your online experience compare with your in-the-classroom experience as an undergraduate student? The online experience was much more focused, and I had fewer distractions, which meant that I could work much more efficiently.

What is your best piece of advice to an applicant for thriving in an online MBA program? There’s three:

Get buy-in from your family before enrolling by developing a study schedule together.

Don’t fall behind. Do your weekly work diligently by breaking it up into manageable parts.

Open a master document for each course to collate thoughts, quotes, and insights into one place.

What would you change about an online MBA Program? It’s very well-defined, so nothing really.

How has your online education helped you in your current job? It has helped me massively improve my strategic ability and business sense, making me a more confident leader up and down the corporate ladder.

Did you earn a promotion while in the program or immediately after graduation? Yes, but in a different company. I moved to my current role, which is a step up from my previous position.

Why did you pursue an online MBA program instead of a full-time residential program? Locality. I do not live in a major metro with one of the top MBA-rated institutions. Also, Family. I am married and have three children, so I didn’t want to be going to class all the time. I wanted the class to come to me.

Number of Hours Per Week Spent on an Online MBA: 10-20

What is your ultimate long-term professional goal? Having a business that I can scale and passionately build something meaningful.

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