At 58 years of age, the owner of a couple of small businesses, I knew I didn’t need additional paper in the form of a master’s degree.  I did however sense that I was missing important information that could help me “finish well”.  My friends, knowing my ridiculously busy schedule, challenged my decision to enroll at Bakke Graduate University for the Executive MBA (EMBA) program.  In my spirit, I knew there was still much to learn if I was going to successfully pass the businesses, resources, and missions ministry to the next generations.  There were also other business activities and ministries that I wanted to start and pursue with my family. You might say I am not done dreaming of what God might do with my life. What I discovered was that Bakke Graduate University tailors its approach to learning around individual student needs and aspirations.  I also discovered that going to Bakke is much more than an educational experience, it is also a connection to a unique network of Christians around the world who share similar dreams/values and a desire to work in a way that honors God.  My experience thus far has resulted in being challenged as I try to apply the principles and tools the classes have afforded me.  I am learning the things I need to know in a dynamic environment.

The focus of my attention has been on treating my family as “the enterprise” and treating the other businesses and ministries that we do as a family as subsidiaries.  I am not sure how many MBA programs would allow that focus, but for me, it is critical as I try to learn how to pass values, relationships, capital, opportunities, etc. from my generation to the next and beyond.  Having only completed about a third of my courses so far, I can honestly say that I have learned far more than I expected and can implement.  I have enjoyed the interaction with other students and professors from all over the world.  This is the type of EMBA that is making a difference in my life. I am very confident that the program will have a similar effect on other small business executives that make the time to invest in themselves.  Your companies will be glad you did.  I certainly am glad that I made the difficult choice to enroll at the ripe old age of 58.

Watch this video where Fred’s Buds & Blossoms, a vertically integrated landscape design, plant farm and plant distribution family business in Houston, invests in the health and well-being of its neighbors. An alliance with Greg DuMontier and The Confederated Salish & Kootenai Tribe in Montana is collaboratively re-developing the tribe’s agricultural economy, its food supply, and its cultural connection to the land.