Kabir Yacoob’s Story: The MBA Journey

Kabir tragically lost his mother while completing his undergrad degree. As an only child who grew up in a single-parent household, this loss had a significant impact on him. Kabir had to make a decision: quit his studies and go straight into the working world or continue fulfilling his mother’s wish for him to continue studying.

“I think the most important thing when losing a loved one or losing someone close to you is just taking the lessons that they've imparted during the time that you had them and then using that as your goal.”

Kabir used his mother’s guidance and ambition as a driving force, leading him to complete his MBA a decade later. He successfully channelled his grief into resilience and determination through his consistent pursuit to make his mother proud.

A bursary awarded by the DSV Empowerment Trust was the key that unlocked Kabir’s decision to study for his Postgraduate Diploma in Business Administration. Almost a decade later, as Kabir was climbing the corporate ladder, he applied for corporate funding for the final stretch of his Milpark MBA – a challenging process during the COVID-19 pandemic. Originally a Chemical Industries Education & Training Authority (CHIETA) bursary beneficiary until funding was pulled, Kabir had to return to the drawing board with only a few modules of his MBA left.

“The other challenge was, when you go into a corporate job, and you are young, you just see the vision of you wanting to be a CEO, you want to be in top management, but you don't really realise that there are different types of senior positions, not just CEOs. And the opportunities are limited.”

Adaptability is part of Kabir’s story. He had to adjust to online learning after originally studying through face-to-face lectures with Milpark in 2012 before the institution became fully distance learning.

Despite this adjustment, Kabir still chose to study through Milpark for his MBA, knowing that this would contribute significantly to his leadership development. “The flexibility of attending classes after hours or on weekends and being able to keep a job was a big, big thing.”

He gives great credit to the lecturers who guided him on his journey. “I mean, you have strong lecturers at Milpark, some very knowledgeable people that I've met through the journey.”

Kabir has had to juggle multiple responsibilities at a time throughout his entire study journey. He acknowledges that it hasn’t been easy, but the support of his wife and Milpark has made it easier for him to succeed.

“My wife supported me quite well. She still does. I mean, she's a stay-at-home mom. She carries a lot of the work regarding the kids and other things related to home life. I think that significantly lightened the load, having that support structure in place.”

“My advice for anyone who needs it is to just see things through and push through the dark times. Focus on the end goal and don't give up.”

Having experienced his fair share of hardships, Kabir knows that nothing lasts forever good or bad. Savouring and staying in the present keep him grateful for each moment. 

“You have to have a clear vision of what you want and clear goals, and you need to push in and go for it through the good and the bad times.”

Kabir Yacoob started his career in corporate as a young man who had a lot to learn. Here are her tips for anyone starting out in a similar field: 

1.    It’s not an overnight journey to reach your desired goal or position. Remember that it will take time and consistency.
2.    Your passion is what will carry you through the ups and the downs.
3.    Don’t compare your journey to the journey of others. Everyone’s route to success is different.
4.    While it can be tough for goal-oriented people, Take everything in. It’s the journey, not the destination, that counts.

As for the future? Kabir is temporarily “studied out” but will continue building his career at DSV. He hopes to step into a Global Commercial role next. "I think the next time I study; it will be a leadership program at an Ivy League institution like Harvard.”

With his internationally accredited MBA as a foundation, the world is Kabir’s oyster for him to contribute to and explore. Find out more about our master's in business administration here.