The EMBA through a founder’s eyes – an investment that paid off

For Maria Ruuska, the Hanken EMBA was not a step away from entrepreneurship, but an investment in it. By setting aside time to study and choosing to be fully present in the classroom, she created space for new insight, stronger leadership, and renewed growth.

After 13 years of entrepreneurship, it was a perfect time for something new.

As co-founder of Kaskas Media, a consultancy specialising in sustainability, Maria Ruuska had spent years building a business, leading a team, and helping clients navigate change. But after more than a decade in founder mode, the idea of investing in her own growth felt both timely and necessary.

Now set to graduate from the Hanken Executive MBA (EMBA) in autumn 2026, Maria describes the programme as a chance to step outside the familiar and gain fresh insight she could bring straight back into her company. For her, the EMBA has not meant stepping away from entrepreneurship, but renewing it.

Making time for an EMBA as a founder

For many entrepreneurs, the biggest question is not why to do an EMBA, but how to make it work alongside the business. Maria’s answer was simple, but deliberate. Even before she was admitted, she reserved time for studying. “I have blocked all Fridays in my calendar for my studies, and that has been a good decision,” she says. By protecting that time, she created a rhythm that made it possible to combine the demands of entrepreneurship with the demands of the programme.

That decision says a lot about Maria’s approach. Rather than waiting for a quieter season, she created the conditions for growth in the middle of a busy one. For founders, that may be one of the most relatable parts of her story: development rarely arrives with spare time attached. It must be prioritised.

Why the Hanken EMBA?

When choosing an EMBA, Maria was drawn to Hanken’s strengths in sustainability and service thinking, both closely connected to her own field. A recommendation from a friend who had completed the programme also helped make her decision. Importantly, the experience has lived up to her expectations.

I had a strong perception of the quality of the programme and that has been true — my perception and the reality is in balance.

New perspectives, new challenges

Although Maria came into the programme with years of entrepreneurial experience, the EMBA still opened new areas for growth. Studying in English, returning to academic writing, and approaching familiar questions from a business school perspective rather than a social science one all required her to stretch. In her words, “the journey has been very diverse. I have had to challenge myself in totally new ways.”

Just as valuable has been the opportunity to step outside her usual environment. After years in the company she co-founded, the EMBA has offered not only new frameworks, but a new setting in which to test ideas, reflect on her leadership, and see her business from fresh angles.

A warm, international group

Maria also speaks warmly about the atmosphere in the programme. The group, she says, is motivated, supportive, and easy to work with. For someone coming from an entrepreneurial background, the mix of industries, roles, and cultures has been especially valuable. She highlights that "the international atmosphere is something that I really enjoy”, noting that it makes the experience feel broader and more dynamic.

That diversity has made discussions richer and group work more rewarding. It has also created something more meaningful than networking alone: a dedicated learning community built on shared curiosity and commitment.

The power of being in the EMBA room

Although the programme offers hybrid flexibility, Maria has chosen to attend on site throughout. For her, that is where the experience becomes deeper. As she says, “it’s a much more profound experience when you are actually sitting around the same table and talking – not in a Teams breakout room.”

That sense of presence matters in a programme built around discussion, group work, and peer learning. The value is not only in the formal teaching, but in the conversations between sessions, over lunch, and around the table. For Maria, being in the room has been an important part of what makes the Hanken EMBA so impactful.

Learning that feeds directly into the business

One of the clearest benefits of the EMBA has been how directly the learning connects to Maria’s company. The assignments have not felt like abstract academic exercises, but tools she can apply in real time. Because she is involved in so many aspects of the business, the relevance has been immediate. “Almost every single assignment is somehow relevant to us,” she says.

One early assignment, focused on customer experience, was so useful that a board member of her company commented that the quality of the work was almost paying back the cost of the programme on its own. For an entrepreneur, that kind of practical value matters: the insight gained in the classroom can quickly turn into action in the business.

Advice for other founders considering an EMBA

Maria’s story is a reminder that growth does not stop when you become a founder. In many ways, that is exactly when it becomes most important. Her advice to others considering the journey is encouraging and direct. If doubts creep in about whether you are the right fit, she believes the best thing is simply to take the step.

If you have those kinds of considerations, my advice is to just apply, and you will be fine.

After 13 years in founder mode, Maria Ruuska made a deliberate choice to grow in a new direction. Her EMBA journey is a reminder that even for experienced entrepreneurs, making space to learn can be a valuable investment in both personal leadership and business growth.