“I've been running Rainbow International with my husband for six years now. Rainbow is a franchised operation and in 2001 our franchise was voted the winner in the British Franchise Association's Franchisee of the Year competition. We have also been an Investor in People company since February 2002. We currently employ 12 people. We carry out fire and flood restoration for insurance companies and also carpet and upholstery cleaning for domestic and commercial clients in Leicestershire.

“At first, I was unsure how much work I would have to do outside classes, but I found that by setting aside 8-12 hours a week on a regular basis I was able to do a reasonable amount of additional reading, which was of great benefit when I was doing my coursework. I’m lucky because I have been able to take a day a week out of work to do this, but because I run a small business I wanted to give myself the best chance possible to develop the business.

“I was also quite worried about doing exams for the first time for 20-plus years, but as it turned out my grades in exams were at least as good as my coursework grades!

“Since I started studying for my MBA, colleagues at work have commented on how much more confidence I have. I am better at expressing my ideas and more able to justify them effectively. I’ve found that I’ve been able to put into practice straightaway concepts from the subjects we study in class and as a result I've been able to see the business change and grow.

“One of the best things about the course is the fact that you are studying alongside people from so many different industries. It’s a great opportunity to share ideas and experiences, which helps to broaden your business knowledge. I’ve really enjoyed the group discussions we have as it helps me relate academic concepts to live situations”