Finding a new direction on the Bath MBA
After stepping back from startup life, Itishri used the Bath MBA to gain clarity, change direction and build a consulting career at EY.
Itishri Singh, Bath MBA Class of 2022
When burnout brought Itishri’s entrepreneurial journey to a pause, she saw an opportunity to step back and rethink her future.
Moving from India to the UK, the Bath MBA gave her the clarity and confidence to take a new direction. It helped her turn her experience as a business founder into a career in financial consulting.
Building something of my own
I’ve always been entrepreneurial. Even during my computer science undergraduate degree in India, I knew I wanted to build something of my own. In my final year a couple of friends and I launched a platform designed to help students find jobs they really cared about.
At the time, large companies were recruiting engineering students at scale, often without regard for individual skills or interests. We wanted to challenge that. Our idea became a skills-based recruitment platform, powered by machine learning. It would match students with companies based on what they were genuinely good at.
What started as a student project quickly grew into a major platform used by organisations including HP, HCL and Uber.
A chance to step back and reset
I ran the business full-time from 2016 to 2020. I was 19 or 20 when we started and learning everything as I went. There were plenty of highs, and plenty of mistakes too. Like most founders, I experienced the full spectrum. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, I reached a point of complete burnout. I knew it was time to step back from the business and reset.
I’d been thinking about an MBA for a long time. I knew that building companies required more than instinct. I needed stronger management skills, a broader perspective and a network I could lean on when making tough decisions. After selling my shares, I decided to start again with a clean slate and applied to the Bath MBA.
I needed stronger management skills, a broader perspective and a network I could lean on when making tough decisions.
Why Bath ?
I was very deliberate about where I wanted to study. I didn’t want a purely city-based experience. I wanted somewhere that allowed me to properly immerse myself in the programme. Bath immediately stood out.
What really attracted me was the hands-on nature of the course, particularly the Multi-Project Suite with live projects embedded into each unit. I didn’t want to just study theory, I wanted to apply what I was learning.
When I arrived in Bath, I fell in love with the place. I used to walk down from campus after classes and just sit and reflect. The skyline, the campus location and the ability to enjoy the city all made a lasting impression.
Through modules across finance, operations, marketing and strategy, I began to understand where my strengths really were.
Finding direction
During the MBA, I got involved in the Bath Entrepreneurial Society and Women in Business. Through mentoring and alumni connections, I secured a short internship during my studies, gaining hands-on experience in supply chain management.
More importantly, the MBA gave me space to reflect. Through modules across finance, operations, marketing and strategy, I began to understand where my strengths really were. The conversations with peers, academics and the programme team helped me feel supported and grounded.
Confidence doesn’t come from a qualification alone. It comes from immersion, speaking up and asking questions. The MBA created the space to do that, and over time it reshaped how I saw myself professionally.
Life after the MBA
With the guidance of my business coach, I moved into consulting after graduation. I joined a boutique finance transformation consultancy in London before progressing to EY as a Senior Financial Consultant, where I now work across financial services clients.
The biggest return on investment for me was clarity. I completely changed direction and found a career path that fits.
My advice is that Bath isn’t just about books or lectures. You’re buying into an experience. One where you’re supported, challenged and encouraged to grow, but you have to make the most of it.
Curious about what your own Beyond Bath story could look like?
Book a one-to-one conversation to explore how the Bath MBA could support your next chapter.