Sonia Lavoie, HEC Paris MBA Class of 2023
Age: 34
Hometown: Montreal
Undergraduate Institution and Major: Polytechnique Montreal – Mechanical Engineering
Pre-MBA Work Experience (years, industry): 9 Years, Food FMCG
Why did you make the decision to attend business school? Why now?
I have been evolving within the same industry for several years and taking every chance to self-learn and gain skills. However, in the past 2 years, I started to interact with higher levels of management, and I felt some gaps in knowledge appear, which I was finding difficult to self-correct. As I loved the industry and wanted to continue my progress, it was time for me to step back and invest my time into learning once again. The MBA was the right program for me, given the broad theoretical and practical course it offers.
Why did you choose HEC? What factors figured most prominently into your decision of where to attend?
First, I believe that your success professionally and impact on society are deeply associated with how well you can lead. This view was one of the primary factors in my selection of HEC Paris. The program offers an exciting approach to modeling, educating, and creating future leaders through the MBA. The off-campus leadership seminar is what I am most excited about experiencing. Secondly, I believe the future of business will significantly change, and you will need the skills of entrepreneurs to offer the proper agility to even large companies. Having the possibility to participate in the CDL Certificate can teach me hands-on the realities and best responses to take when dealing with early-stage ventures, learning directly from the entrepreneurs of those companies.
What do you think is your most valuable or differentiating contribution to the Class of 2023?
I worked for the same business for many years and lived through spin-offs, acquisitions, and mergers. As a result, I can bring an interesting perspective on business transformation, including how to live through it and make the best of it.
Tell us a fun fact that didn’t get included on your application:
I pole-vaulted when I was younger and was able to get a Canadian athlete status. I even held a couple of Canadian records in the days, although I do not think they are still standing.
Post-MBA career interests:
I would love to be part of an in-house venture capital fund of a large company. I think it’s a fascinating area, which has seen growth in the past years and is bound to increase further. Otherwise, I think a strategic role that would allow me to pave a company’s future and have a positive impact would be another interest area.
Advice for Current Prospective Applicants:
– What is one thing you would absolutely do again as part of your application process?
Be true to yourself throughout the application. There is a lot of information to fill out, and you need it to blend well together. Not only will the school choose you for your accomplishments, but also for who you are as a person.
– What is one thing you would change or do differently?
If you have the choice, I would recommend doing the GMAT at a centre. Unfortunately, I completed mine at home, and my internet broke down midway through the test. This situation significantly delayed my application process as I needed to book another test over one month later. It was a tremendous amount of stress that I could have avoided.
– What is one part you would have skipped if you could—and what helped you get through it?
I was pretty worried about the recommendation letters, and I was apprehensive about asking for them from my managers. However, I think discussing the idea of an MBA and my motivations with my mentors helped me through the process. It was much easier to position myself and ask with confidence. Everyone through the process was extremely positive, and I am happy I did not let fear get the best of me.
What is your initial impression of the HEC students/culture/community?
They said the HEC Paris MBA is international, and you can feel that on the first day you step on campus. The interactions you have are fun, engaging, and diverse. The feeling transcends outside the MBA to the entire HEC campus, where you can interact with many other programs with similar values.
What is one thing you have learned about HEC that has surprised you?
Like many applicants to the MBA in 2021, I did not have the chance to visit the campus physically before applying. I was surprised by the very relaxing atmosphere with lakes and a beautiful forest. It’s crucial to have such an environment to decompress, given the pressures and stress of an MBA program.
Has the COVID-19 pandemic affected your personal application or admissions process in any way? If so, how?
I do not think that the pandemic influenced my application itself, but it gave me the time to reflect on where I was in my career and what I wanted to do next. It became evident to me through 2020 that I needed to make this step, the MBA, and make the sacrifices now to succeed in the long term.
What is one thing you are most anxious about in your first year?
I am anxious about the class workload. After being away from school benches for so long, I am worried about how fast I can switch over my mind to work on theory a lot more once again. However, it’s part of the challenge I signed up for, so I am optimistic that I will work through the transition.
What is one thing you are most excited about in your first year?
I am excited about the many conferences that will be happening at HEC over the next year. We have already heard from Christine Lagarde in the first two weeks, and next week we can listen to Daniel Kahneman directly on campus. These great minds have and are still shaping the present; hopefully, they influence me in doing the same.
