“I Came Here to Learn How to Think”: The Executive MBA Journey of Andrian Gaju

When Andrian Gaju enrolled in the Executive MBA programme at the Prague University of Economics and Business, he expected to strengthen his business expertise. He anticipated sharpening his understanding of finance, exploring more sophisticated marketing frameworks, and expanding his managerial toolkit. What he did not expect was that the greatest lesson would be something entirely different.

“When I started the Executive MBA programme, I thought I was coming here to learn better accounting or more complex marketing frameworks. I was wrong. I came here to learn how to think, not what to think.”

For Andrian, an international executive originally from Romania who now calls the Czech Republic home, the Executive MBA became much more than an academic experience. It became a journey of reflection, perspective, and personal growth.

Returning to the Student Bench

After graduating from university in 2006, Andrian entered what he describes as the “corporate jungle.” Over nearly two decades, he built his career by doing: making decisions, solving problems, leading teams, and navigating increasingly complex business environments. Yet one question remained with him throughout those years.

Why?

“I learned many things through experience,” he says. “But I was always curious about why things are done the way they are. What principles stand behind them? What are these concepts called? I wanted to reconnect practice with theory.”

That curiosity eventually led him back to the classroom.

Learning Through Uncertainty

Andrian joined the programme in 2020. After the first in-person module, the COVID-19 pandemic transformed the learning experience almost overnight. At the same time, he was balancing multiple demanding roles: senior executive, husband, father to a young son, and frequent international traveller. “It taught me that although I thought I was efficient in managing my time, I had to become even more efficient,” he reflects.

The experience also reshaped his approach to leadership. “Before starting the MBA, I had a tendency towards micromanagement. During the programme, I learned to delegate more. I learned to trust people, to allow them to make decisions, even mistakes, and to grow through experience.”

For Andrian, leadership development was not only about acquiring new tools. It was equally about learning when to step back.

The Biggest Lessons Were Not in the Textbooks

When reflecting on his Executive MBA experience, Andrian does not point to a specific model or framework as the defining moment. Instead, he remembers the conversations.

“Looking back, the biggest aha moment was not in the textbook. It was in the middle of a heated debate during a Saturday morning case study.”

The diversity of the cohort brought together executives from different industries, cultures, functions, and professional backgrounds. The same business challenge could generate entirely different perspectives and solutions. “We could spend hours debating a single topic,” he recalls. “People with similar levels of experience approached problems completely differently. Those conversations opened my eyes.”

Those discussions encouraged him to become more self-reflective—not only focusing on what he was doing, but how he was doing it. “Before the MBA, I was more concerned about achieving results. Afterwards, I became much more aware of bringing others along in the journey.”

Three Things You Cannot Get from a Podcast

In his graduation speech, Andrian captured what he believes makes the Executive MBA experience truly unique.

“In my opinion, the MBA programme offers three things that you could not get from a podcast or a book.”

The first is the network.

“My cohort was not just a class. It was a sounding board of executives facing the same fires I was.”

The second is perspective.

“It forces you to go out of your functional silo, to stop seeing marketing, accounting, finance, and start seeing the business.”

And the third is confidence.

“You walk away with the toolkit to sit at any boardroom and hold your point.”

Together, these elements create something difficult to replicate elsewhere: a safe environment where experienced leaders challenge one another, expand their thinking, and prepare for the increasingly complex decisions they face in their organisations.

Success Is Never a Solo Achievement

Throughout the journey, Andrian came to appreciate another important truth: no executive completes an MBA alone. Family support became one of the foundations that allowed him to succeed.

“My family understood why this mattered to me. They knew I would not be home every second weekend and that sacrifices had to be made. Yet they supported me unconditionally.”

He remains deeply grateful for that support and recognises that every graduate’s achievement is shared with the people who stood beside them throughout the process. Behind every diploma are partners, children, colleagues, mentors, and friends who made the journey possible.

An Investment in Your Future Self

Today, Andrian continues to lead international ventures while remaining connected to the Executive MBA community, including returning to the classroom as a guest speaker to share his experiences with current participants. His story reflects what executive education can become at its very best.

Not simply a way to gain knowledge. But an opportunity to rethink assumptions. To challenge established habits. To learn from people whose experiences differ from our own. To become more self-aware leaders. And ultimately, to invest in the person we aspire to become. As Andrian puts it:

“If you are watching this, ask yourself where you want to be in five years from now. If it involves leading at a high level, this is the shortcut to it. It is an investment in your future self.”