Taz Guishard, EMBA ’16

Taz Guishard, EMBA ’16.

Taz Guishard is a district sales manager at AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals and a graduate of our Executive MBA program, a 17-month, weekend program designed for high-potential leaders.

Q&A

Why did you decide to get your MBA?

I was once asked to consider where I would like to be five years before I retire. After some thought, I came to the conclusion that I would like to be an independent consultant to a fortune 500 company. An MBA will increase my business acumen and marketability to make that dream a reality.

Why the UB Executive MBA program?

I wanted to earn an MBA that would carry weight in Western New York and beyond. UB and the School of Management’s national rankings ensured both ends.

What concerns did you have coming into the program?

I wondered if I would be able to keep up with the rest of the class because I hadn’t taken any business classes before. When I got to my first class, accounting, my fear was immediately relieved once the professor announced that the course was designed for students without previous accounting experience.

The EMBA helps balance my career—to do something that is so different from what I’ve been doing for decades but is still applicable to the business.

What recommendations do you have for someone applying to the program?

First, take advantage of an EMBA Preview Day—you’ll get to sit in on real classes and talk with current students. Then compare UB’s program to others and you’ll find that the UB EMBA program is world class. Finally, create a list of pros and cons, get buy-in at home and at work, and analyze how the degree can help you in your current role.    

What tips do you have for maintaining work/life/school balance?

  • Be realistic with your time
  • Surround yourself with positive and encouraging people
  • Plan down time
  • Ask for help early and often
  • Set expectations
  • Learn to say no
  • Remain flexible and open to change

What do you consider your return on investment thus far?

I’m halfway through the program now and I can already see differences in how I’m treated at work and how I process different situations in and out of work. As with any education, you come away with new perspectives and ways of processing your surroundings.

To measure my return on investment is impossible—my entire world is changing for the better as a result of this program.