Meet the Babson Olin MBA Class of 2018

Tamara Kvaratskhelia

Babson College, F.W. Olin School of Business

Describe yourself in 15 words or less: I am a passionate, meticulous dreamer who embraces creativity and diversity in work and life.

Hometown: Tbilisi, Georgia (The country, not the state)

Fun Fact About Yourself:  I play piano and have recorded a CD of classical music. I am also the mother of a wonderful, three-year-old boy.

Undergraduate School and Major: James Madison University, Bachelor of Business Administration

Employers and Job Titles Since Graduation:

Marketing manager at FC Dinamo Tbilisi

PR manager at Economic Prosperity Initiative (Deloitte-USAID project)

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: While working at EPI, I had an amazing opportunity to work with business school students and business owners across the country. We worked to create Harvard Business School-like business cases. Until then, Georgian students were unable to study Georgian businesses, which have unique operational characteristics. These cases have been published and are being used as course materials at leading business schools in Georgia.

Looking back on your experience, what advice would you give to future business school applicants? Being a successful student requires a strong work ethic and the ability to manage time wisely. I consistently set goals for myself, which I break down into smaller goals on the path towards the major milestone. I would recommend that every student identify his or her goals and identify a path to achieving those goals, step-by-step, so they can monitor their progress and celebrate successes throughout their journey.

Everyone in the business world will tell you that to be successful, you must be good at time management. I would enthusiastically agree. Future applicants should start early and work on their application often. Business school applications are more complex than they seem at first glance, and the sooner applicants start preparing all of the necessary documents, the better.

Finally, applicants should remember to allow plenty of time to prepare for the GMAT; make sure all of the required documents are organized and accessible; and (most importantly) make sure to choose the school that is the best match for them. I’d recommend that applicants talk to current students and alumni to find out which school fits their personality and style best.

What led you to choose this program for your full-time MBA? I have an entrepreneurial spirit and have always wanted to start my own company. Babson College is the perfect place for students, like me, who are driven by idea generation and development, along with those who want to build their knowledge and networks to start their own company. This unique approach not only inspires, it also pushes students outside of their comfort zone to dare to do something bigger, more important, and revolutionary. “Those who dream, we call dreamers, and those who do, we call entrepreneurs.” 

Tell us about your dream job or dream employer at this point in your life? My dream job is to become a successful entrepreneur with multiple start-ups. My business profile will focus mostly in the fashion industry and I will strive to empower other female entrepreneurs to start their own businesses. As a working mother, I know how difficult it is to balance motherhood with career ambition. I aspire to build a support network for creative, capable and well-prepared moms who are applying to MBA programs or struggling to start their own businesses.

What would you like your business school peers to say about you after you graduate from this program?  When I graduate, I want my peers to say that I came to Babson with a dream and I graduated with the knowledge and skills to pursue and achieve it. I hope that my peers will recognize that I have used the courses, the resources, and the wonderful educators, to guide me on my path to becoming a world-class entrepreneur and a pioneer in the fashion industry.