Starting or enhancing a family business can feel like a new adventure compared to a traditional job. Entrepreneurs face challenges that require careful decision-making. They must weigh the pros and cons of their choices. Expanding one’s network and perspective is crucial in today’s dynamic business environment. Recognising this need, Great Lakes Institute of Management equips students with essential skills for successful entrepreneurship. The Post Graduate Program in Management (PGPM) in Family Business & Entrepreneurship (FBE) features a diverse curriculum that prepares students for the many demands of managing and growing a business. Let’s explore what sets the PGPM-FBE at Great Lakes apart.

What are the unique course offerings?

Great Lakes offers a premier one-year, full-time MBA program tailored specifically for the emerging generation of family business leaders and entrepreneurs. The flagship program, PGPM—Family Business & Entrepreneurship (PGPM—FBE), helps family business owners, heirs, and entrepreneurs foster innovation and expand their ventures within a dynamic industry landscape.   The PGPM-FBE targets innovators, problem solvers, and driven individuals. This program stands out for aspiring entrepreneurs or family businesses aiming to excel in a competitive market through its unique course offerings that cater to the specific needs of family business leaders and entrepreneurs. It is offered at both the Chennai and Gurgaon campuses of the Great Lakes Institute of Management.

Accelerated Growth

The PGPM-FBE program accelerates growth in today’s fast-paced business environment. Students have a unique opportunity to maximise their learning and create value within a year, inspiring ambition and determination.

Exceptional Peer Learning 

At Great Lakes, students learn beyond the classroom. They benefit from their peers’ extensive industry experience. This collaborative setting fosters a supportive community where every student feels valued. Many alums cite this peer network as a key reason for their appreciation of the experience.

Experiential Learning

Students engage with guest lecturers and gain insights from industry experts and thought leaders. They tackle fully mentored live projects that enhance their classroom experience and provide a comprehensive educational journey, giving them practical experience in the field.

Industry Connections  

Over 150 industry leaders share their insights with students every year. Students also have the opportunity to network with venture capitalists and build valuable relationships that will benefit their future careers.

Curriculum Overview

The PGPM-FBE program explicitly tailors itself to the needs of emerging business leaders. Students leverage their knowledge and experience throughout the course, developing essential skills for effective business management. The curriculum encourages decision-making across various departments to identify the best growth opportunities. The program consists of seven terms. In the first three terms, students focus on core courses, while they choose Marketing, Finance, and Strategy electives in the last four. They cover compulsory fifth-semester courses led by a partner institution during the International Immersion.

The curriculum also includes practical skill labs for hands-on experience in innovation, strategy formulation, networking, data analysis, storytelling with data, and a capstone project.

Capstone Project  

The Business Plan Development module is a mandatory part of the curriculum. It equips students with the skills to create comprehensive and feasible business plans. Students identify market opportunities through interactive exercises and expert mentorship and conduct detailed analyses. They produce realistic financial forecasts and develop compelling business strategies.

Startup Challenge  

The Startup Challenge module encourages students to develop an entrepreneurial mindset and innovate. Participants create and present their business ideas in this module. They receive feedback from industry professionals and compete for resources and funding to launch their projects.

Karma-Yoga

The Karma-Yoga program is a Leadership Experiential Action initiative that creates a practical environment for individuals to learn about and experience transformational leadership. This program emphasises empowerment through education, health, agriculture, and small businesses. By establishing a mutually beneficial dynamic, enthusiastic leaders help villages progress toward their goals while students gain invaluable hands-on experience in driving transformation.

Gaining Global Perspective through International Immersion

The international immersion program at IÉSEG in Paris offers a life-changing chance to engage with diverse business environments and cultures. This experience broadens participants’ understanding of global markets. The program lasts 2 to 4 weeks, depending on the curriculum and location. The students will participate in an immersion program at IÉSEG or a European business school. 

The curriculum includes instructor-led sessions, industry visits, and extracurricular activities. Learners will explore international business management, focusing on expansion strategies and emerging technologies. This program also allows networking with peers from IÉSEG, enriching their cultural and global business practices.

Connecting Academia with Industry: Insights from Thought Leaders

Great Lakes empowers students by providing the inspiring opportunity to be mentored by prominent private and public leaders. These distinguished professionals share their invaluable perspectives and insights, fostering the development of future business leaders. Over the years, students have engaged with renowned figures from various industries, including Dr Srikant Datar (Dean, Harvard Business School), Mr Suresh Narayanan (Managing Director, Nestlé India), Ms Indra Nooyi (Former Chairman and CEO, PepsiCo), Ms Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw (Executive Chairperson, Biocon & Biocon Biologics), the late Dr Ratan Tata (Chairman Emeritus, Tata Sons Ltd.), Ms Lakshmi Narayan (Co-founder, Emeritus Vice Chairman, Cognizant), Dr Philip Kotler (Professor Emeritus – Marketing, Kellogg School of Management), Prof. Sunil Chopra (IBM Distinguished Professor of Operations Management, Kellogg School of Management), and Mr Sumant Padmanabhan (Group Head, Professional Services – Americas, Adobe).

Empowering Future Business Leaders for Success

The PGPM-FBE program, which stands for Postgraduate Program in Management—Family Business and Entrepreneurship, equips aspiring entrepreneurs with the skills and knowledge necessary to lead their businesses. Instead of providing traditional placements, this approach encourages students to become independent and self-sufficient. Upon successful completion, students receive a certificate equivalent to an MBA degree, which enhances their qualifications when they apply for jobs and helps them stand out in the competitive business landscape.