Beyond the degree: How my Cranfield experience shaped the way I see business

“If you already knew you would go back to your family business, why study abroad?”

This is the question I get asked whenever I tell people that I pursued my MSc in Strategic Marketing at Cranfield University and then returned to India to join my family business, Turbonet Systems Pvt Ltd.

Fair question but one that completely misses the essence of what studying abroad truly gives you.

For me, Cranfield wasn’t just about earning a degree. It was about learning to think differently, challenge myself, and gain a global mindset that I could later bring home.

Learning beyond the textbooks

The Strategic Marketing MSc programme at Cranfield was designed to make you apply what you learn not just memorise it. Every project was hands-on, built around solving real business problems.

I wasn’t naturally confident when it came to public speaking or presentations at first. The idea of standing in front of people and defending my ideas was intimidating. But Cranfield has a way of pushing you gently out of your comfort zone. After countless presentations, feedback sessions, and late-night practice runs, I started to find my voice, not just academically, but personally. That’s one of the biggest transformations I experienced there.

I also joined the Consulting Club, where we worked on live case studies and attended sessions led by real consulting managers. Those discussions taught me how to analyse problems fast, think strategically, and communicate clearly under pressure.

As the Marketing Lead for the TEDx Club, I learned how to shape ideas into stories that resonate with people, a skill that’s invaluable in both marketing and leadership. And because life at Cranfield is about balance too, joining the Salsa Club became my favourite outlet. Learning a completely new dance form taught me confidence, rhythm, and to never take myself too seriously.

My internship and thesis experience

One of the highlights of my Cranfield journey was my digital marketing internship and thesis collaboration with Bedford Coffee Roasters, a local coffee company in the UK.

My role focused on developing their digital marketing strategy, strengthening their online presence, and understanding how small, local brands can use digital tools to compete in crowded markets.

It was the perfect opportunity to see how theory meets practice, from analysing audience insights to building campaigns with limited resources. I learned the importance of storytelling, consistent branding, and data-driven decision-making.

Those lessons now guide me every day at Turbonet, where I’m using similar strategies to improve our brand communication and customer engagement. Whether it’s building our online visibility or designing more customer-focused messaging, that internship gave me a practical foundation I’m now applying in real time.

What life abroad really taught me

Many people say studying abroad isn’t as glamorous as it looks on social media, but I’d say it’s exactly as glamorous, just in a different way.

Yes, you work hard. You juggle assignments, groceries, laundry, and sometimes homesickness. But you also find joy in the independence, pride in your growth, and fun in the chaos.

You meet people who start as strangers and end up becoming your biggest support system,  the ones you cook dinner with, laugh with until 2am, share silence with on the hardest days, and celebrate every little win beside.

Sometimes, the biggest miracles are the people God sends your way when you’re alone in another country. Those friendships, that self-reliance, and those shared experiences are the real rewards of studying abroad.

 

Coming home, stronger

After graduating, I returned to India and joined Turbonet Systems Pvt Ltd our family-run IT Infrastructure, Services, and Solutions company. It’s only been about a month since I started, but it already feels like an exciting new chapter.

At Turbonet, we like to say, “Anything you can think of in IT — we cater to it all.” So, the next time you have an IT requirement… well, you know who to contact! 😉

Cranfield equipped me with the confidence and skills to bring a more strategic, modern approach to our business. From implementing marketing insights to improving our customer engagement and digital presence, I’m constantly applying what I learned just in a new setting, with deeper purpose.

Looking back and ahead

Completing my MSc at Cranfield wasn’t the end of my learning journey; it was the foundation for what comes next. It taught me to think globally but act locally to merge structure with creativity, and strategy with empathy.

Studying abroad wasn’t about changing where I belong, it was about expanding how I see the world.

Coming home didn’t feel like the end. It felt like the beginning of something bigger, a chance to build on my family’s legacy with fresh ideas, stronger confidence, and a global perspective.