Turning career ambition into leadership impact

Mandy’s MBA transformed early career exploration into leadership, ambition, and a clear focus on social purpose.

• Name: Mandy Xie
• Current role: Director of Business Development and Growth, SquareTrade
• Program: Executive MBA, Melbourne Business School
• Cohort: 2024 – 2025
• Notables: Melbourne Business School Community Service Award

Finding her direction

Mandy’s career started in the hustle and bustle of communications and PR, but she quickly realised her interests lay more in business strategy and big-picture thinking.

After deciding to retrain in business management, Mandy knew she needed a job that would support her studies. She found a low-pressure admin role at a Melbourne tender-writing consultancy, which allowed her to focus on her bachelor’s degree.

But Mandy proved herself to be a quick learner with sharp business instincts, so the company tested her for a more senior role as a bid writer, researching and writing proposals to help clients win lucrative contracts.

“I found the work really exciting,” Mandy said.

“It was all around the power of storytelling and using my skills to influence and persuade decision-makers on billion-dollar tenders,” she said.

After finishing her degree, Mandy was keen to broaden her business experience. She started by applying her tender-writing skills in bid management, before moving into business development and eventually becoming Business Development Lead at SquareTrade, a global leader in consumer tech protection.

Mandy, however, was already planning her next step.

“I had all this ambition, but I needed to focus it in a more considered way so I could really start to make strides in my career,” she said.

By now, Mandy knew she wanted a role in senior leadership, but unsure of the best path to take, she sought the advice of senior colleagues, who pointed her toward Melbourne Business School (MBS) and the Executive MBA.

Why Melbourne Business School

Through networking and her own research, Mandy discovered that MBS was highly regarded in the business world, both domestically and, importantly, across Asia Pacific, a region she was keen to engage with.

Looking back, Mandy is keen to highlight that the school’s reputation was a real differentiator.

“For a potential student, you know you’ll be part of a high-calibre cohort. Thoughtful leaders who are in a growth mindset and are looking to expand what they’re doing and really challenge and push themselves,” she said.

Indeed, for Mandy, the opportunity to collaborate with and learn from a community of highly capable peers mattered more than any individual benefit.

“You can motivate yourself to an extent, individually. But you can be elevated and really push yourself to achieve things you wouldn’t think possible if you’re with the right peers, in the right environment, and with the right educators, too,” Mandy said.

Inside the MBA experience

The Executive MBA delivered what Mandy hoped for, a rewarding cohort experience and intense learning that pushed boundaries.

“It’s challenging, but you sign up for that. If you can make it through, and most do, you learn a lot about time management. It’s a balancing act, knowing where to give 100% and accepting less elsewhere.”

Mandy credits her cohort with helping her stay focused and getting so much out of the course.

“I got to know so many people really well. We had our residences, we had our trips, and being around such beautiful and intelligent people just makes the whole experience more rewarding. You get a lot of value out of being within a cohort community like that,” she enthused.

For Mandy, who kept her full-time role at SquareTrade during her Executive MBA, it was a chance to apply new skills from the course right away.

“We had valuable classes in corporate strategy and planning. The frameworks I learned were incredibly useful for thinking about how to expand our business into new territories and countries,” she said.

This was particularly timely, as her graduation from MBS coincided with being promoted into a director position.

The MBA did a lot for me,” she said.

“I graduated and was promoted at work. My remit has expanded beyond Australia and now I'm in charge of expanding our business in Asia-Pacific.”

Opening doors in Asia

It wasn’t just skills gained directly from the course that helped Mandy secure a promotion; a study tour to India organised by MBS broadened her mind to potential opportunities in the Asia Pacific for SquareTrade and gave her the confidence to speak from experience.

“About midway through the Executive program, my entire cohort travelled to Hyderabad in the south of India, and we spent a week learning about doing business in India, at the Indian School of Business,” she said.

“It gave me a high-level idea of working in emerging, complex growth markets like India.”

Later, when that promotion opportunity arose, Mandy was well positioned to take full advantage.

“I already knew how exciting business in India could be,” she said.

“That experience was a big part of the role I was considered for internally. It gave me the language and understanding to show I was the right person.”

Turning passion into action

Among Mandy’s proudest achievements is her work with Conscious Combat Club. The registered charity provides a safe space where women with trauma can heal and grow through trauma-informed martial arts.

Mandy was invited to join the organisation’s board as a non-executive director in June 2025, but her involvement with the charity dates back to a social impact project she completed during her MBA.

“We had the opportunity to work in groups with different social purpose organisations, and for me, the connection with Conscious Combat Club and Georgia Verry (Founder and CEO) was immediate,” Mandy said.

“I used to be an amateur boxer and understood the personal experience of going through a mentally challenging and physical growth journey like martial arts and combat sports.

“People say martial arts can change your life, and the growth you get from being part of a community like that is incredible.”

Mandy and her MBA group embarked on a full consulting project to analyse Conscious Combat Club’s business plan. It became very clear that although the organisation had enormous potential, it needed more secure funding to grow.

“That’s right in my wheelhouse,” Mandy said.

“Growing businesses and building networks are my core skills. Aligning these with my love of boxing and belief in Conscious Combat Club’s mission, let my passion shine through.”

“After we completed the project, Georgia asked me to join the board, and my answer was, of course, a resounding yes.”

There is currently one Conscious Combat Club in Melbourne, but Mandy is working with Georgia to scale the business and hopefully open more clubs.

For future students

Mandy’s message to future students is “Go for it.”

“The Executive MBA is intense,” she said.

“You’ll need to juggle your life, family, and relationships. But you’ll learn from amazing people, build confidence, and grow your network.”

Made. Not born. – Mandy’s interpretation

“To me, Made. Not born means wanting more for yourself and believing that growth comes from the effort you put in,” Mandy said.

“It’s about having the ambition and conviction to pursue your goals, while also encouraging others to want more for themselves and have the confidence to go after it.”