Alumni profile
Gordon and Helen Boxall, MBA 2010
You know when you look back on things and try to figure out how on earth you had the time or foresight to achieve all you have done; well, that's exactly how we feel reflecting on the past few years. We have had a series of five year plans that we have produced ourselves and then merged with each other's and adapted as we have gone along. There have been key decisions which resulted in life changing consequences and we can both recall perhaps the most significant, that we didn't wish to remain in our house of ten years but seek to build our own place in New Zealand. That was in February 2008, during what had become an annual trip to an apartment we had in Akaroa, a beautiful area just south of Christchurch.
Having the dream was one thing but what were we to do about current work' Gordon was founder CEO of what had become a large charity and Helen was about to become a director of a national mental health think tank, future work, emigration, family and the list went on. Upon returning home we did two things; we put the house on the market and we investigated taking an MBA, something which both of us felt to be important as we were likely to be self employed and needing current tools and techniques to support our practical skills but, perhaps as crucially, we may need them to enable us to get into New Zealand.
We investigated the options and chose Bradford as it ranked well, had what seemed a good distance-learning option and particularly as its course was internationally recognised. By the Easter we were up and running with the first module and that started two and a half years of complete immersion into studies which, particularly for Gordon, who had a theory that revision meant reading something for the first time, was a real culture shock. On reflection we were saved by two things; the quality of the materials and the access to listening to the lectures given to full and part-time students. I sometimes still here the start of Malcolm's dulcet tones if the i-pod is on random play! He would probably come up as a favourite too and we were grateful to all the lecturers who, with supporting written presentations helped provide a refreshingly different medium to the books and articles.
We sold the house quickly, bought some land overlooking the sea on a small peninsula we had identified as a perfect spot on our trip and moved into a rented house nearer to London to cut down on commuting. We also started the long process of applying to be able to live and work in New Zealand.
Meantime, the MBA was relentless with new assignments starting even before you knew how the last one had gone, something for the course planners to bear in mind as it can be very scary not knowing how well you are doing and with little time for recovery. We were able to defer on assignment though which was helpful when we moved house. We engaged an architect and builder and, at least on paper, our dream house took shape. We looked forward to the project management assignment literally giving us the tools we needed for this task!
With consents gained, the build started in December 2009 and we visited, as usual for a month in February 2010 which became a whirr of decision-making and touring builder suppliers and kitchen and bathroom showrooms. We got a two week extension for the latest assignment so we could at least concentrate on the house while we were away but were keen to keep the momentum up rather than defer anything else as we were planning to move in December 2010 so needed to complete the MBAs by the September. Gordon found the block weeks particularly helpful to concentrate time into the course but would have preferred the exam to have been soon after, particularly as the pace of change meant it was particularly difficult to have room to retain things.
We started our projects knowing that we needed good marks to gain our target; Helen was on course for a distinction and Gordon, a merit so we couldn't slacken our pace but we had good support from our supervisors and were particularly proud of our submissions. Having spent his 50th birthday the year before in an exam, Gordon finished his project on his 51st and then 'retired' from his job of 22 years the following week and we shipped our furniture off to NZ a week later, having achieved residency by this time and planned for Gordon to go over the day after graduating at the beginning of December with Helen following on Christmas Eve.
Of course the Graduation was cancelled due to snow which was really disappointing as we knew it was unlikely we would be able to get to anything that was rearranged. For Helen it was a real shame as she was due to receive the Alumni Association Student prize from the Dean, having achieved top marks across the entire Business School. Still, given all the things to go wrong, it was the one that probably mattered least.
Our arrival in Christchurch was challenging as the house build had, perhaps inevitably overrun and with escalating costs and a downward spiral of the value of the pound, we had real concerns we wouldn't be able to finish the project. Helen had a job to come to but Gordon was involved in finishing the house build whilst looking for contract work. Luckily we managed to sell our apartment and the bank took pity on us and then we had the earthquake...
Helen was right in the centre of it on the 4th floor of a central office building. Thankfully she and all colleagues got out ok and then began the nightmare journey home with no ability to communicate with loved ones and only an emerging picture of what was happening from the car radio. Gordon joined Helen's CEO to retrieve personal possessions some weeks later under supervision from the earthquake authority and was amazed from the devastation of the office how everyone managed to get out unscathed; it looked like a bomb had gone off in it. At the house Gordon's experience was almost surreal as the road seemed to buckle and the house swayed but then settled back into position. There were minor cracks but it was essentially sound and these were able to be tidied up as it wasn't finished. Since then the June earthquake has caused some damage, but again minor and we are hoping that the hundreds of after-shocks we have felt since then are beginning to subside.
It is an ill-wind though and Gordon got a call from the Ministry of Health a few days after the main quake asking him to support the disability provider sector to get back onto its feet. It was great to be part of the recovery, doing something useful at a time when, looking back we all seemed to feel at a loss of what to do. That worked lasted until the end of June 2011 since when there has been a stream of opportunities that have kept us both very busy and able to absorb some of the extra cost pressures.
We are now looking forward to a steady stream of visits from friends and family to show off our lovely home, superb location and, above all, the wonderful community we live in.
We learned so much from the MBA and wouldnt have missed the opportunity to take it at Bradford although we still don't know how we did it. Having different styles and approaches we were at least able to offer support to each other and there was no conflict about what to do at weekends as we had no choice both being in the same position. We are also proud of our achievements and are sure it is worth the concentrated effort for anyone considering taking it. We have even got so confident about the security of our house; we have put our certificates up in our studies - although we have used earthquake restraining hooks!