MBA Alumna Enjoys Being the Boss Now

January 28, 2022

"Is something wrong with me?"

Natalia Villanueva García knew she wanted to study composition since she was 16. So at 18 she moved from Colombia to Vienna to make her dream come true. Soon she worked with Hollywood composers and found out that they were looking for a Viennese orchestra to record film music with, which is not booked two years in advance. To solve this she founded her own orchestra, the Max Steiner Orchestra.

Then she realized she is doing things differently as a boss. She thought, “Something is wrong with me.” and tried to change. Outside she was very successful and her life looked perfect on Instagram. However, inside she felt broken.

[Translate to English:] Natalia Villanueva García vor einem Dirigentenpult

Now, I Know That I Was Right From the Beginning

That is why she decided she wants to do an MBA at the WU Executive Academy. Since she already knew everything about music, she craved to extend her business knowledge and to see what it is like in other industries. During all her classes, Natalia asked a lot and at home, she reflected even more.

Little by little, she discovered that there was nothing wrong with her leadership style but that on the contrary she was right from the beginning. Natalia’s priority has always been the wellbeing of her team. This ensures a high level of employee satisfaction, which in turn enhances the output or as in her case, music’s quality. In addition, great musicians are attracted to an orchestra if they are treated well.

You Do Not Have to Change. You Can Be Who You Are and Still Have Success

The support she witnessed during the MBA boosted Natalia’s confidence. Today, others cannot influence her too much anymore. She trusts her perception and her own way of doing things. “You don’t have to change. You can be who you are and still have success.” she states. Natalia can proudly stand behind anything she sells because: “If it doesn’t feel good, I don’t do it.” This makes her success very sustainable and herself very inspiring. And most of all, she enjoys being the boss now.

At the end of her MBA journey Natalia felt way less stucked due to the new perspectives she gained. “The more people with different backgrounds you know the more ideas you get. My MBA network provided me with more choices and options to pick from.” she smiles.

Natalia still thinks music is amazing. However, she now wants to share what was helpful to her when she did not have any hope. Therefore, she adapted the tools from her Project Management MBA to use them for personal growth.

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