How I Designed My Own MBA: A Self-Study Blueprint from an Architect in Business
By Saif Smeirat
I’ve always believed that architects are more than designers we’re decision-makers, system-thinkers, and problem-solvers. Yet, after seven years of working in architecture, leading teams, and managing operations at Smeirat, my family’s firm, I realized something: I was hitting a wall.
Not because of design challenges.
But because I lacked a structured foundation in business, finance, and management science.
So, I decided to pursue an MBA.
But not just any MBA and not in the traditional way.
I’m building my own.
Why I Chose the Self-Study Route
Every day, I work from 9 to 6 managing design projects, supervising construction, and overseeing operations at Smeirat. Time is precious. Dropping everything to attend a full-time MBA just didn’t align with my life.
But that didn’t mean I couldn’t get an MBA-level education.
The world’s best business knowledge is out there on MIT OpenCourseWare, Harvard Business School Online, YouTube lectures, academic papers, podcasts, and powerful books. I realized I didn’t need a classroom. I needed a system.
That’s where my architectural mindset came in. I decided to design my MBA.
The Foundation: MIT’s Executive MBA Curriculum
I started by reverse-engineering MIT’s Executive MBA curriculum. MIT’s EMBA is designed for experienced professionals leading companies and navigating complex industries. That fit my goals.
Their core subjects became my syllabus:
- Finance and Accounting
- Strategy and Innovation
- Operations Management
- Organizational Leadership
- Marketing
- Analytics and AI in Business
I mapped these topics over 12 to 16 months, giving myself monthly goals and flexibility for real-life demands.
Each month, I focus on a core theme and blend sources:
- Online courses from MITx, Coursera, edX
- Case studies from Harvard Business Review
- Books like Good to Great by Jim Collins, Blue Ocean Strategy, The Lean Startup by Eric Ries, and The Hard Thing About Hard Things by Ben Horowitz
- Podcasts like Masters of Scale and The Knowledge Project
- Papers from journals like Harvard Business Review, Sloan Management Review, and McKinsey Quarterly
Every resource is chosen with intention, just like every line on a blueprint.
Monthly Milestones: Building in Phases
Instead of cramming everything at once, I broke the MBA down like a project timeline.
Month 1–2: Business Foundations
I studied accounting principles, how cash flow affects design decisions, and the fundamentals of financial statements. I wanted to know how to read a balance sheet the way I read architectural drawings.
Month 3–4: Operations and Systems Thinking
I mapped out the workflows at Smeirat like a supply chain. I evaluated delays, costs, resource allocation, and even applied concepts from Lean Six Sigma.
Month 5–6: Strategy & Competitive Advantage
How does Smeirat stand out in Jordan and potentially in Saudi Arabia or the Gulf? I evaluated market positioning, conducted a SWOT analysis, and began crafting a three-year expansion plan.
Month 7–8: Marketing, Branding & Storytelling
I deep-dived into branding techniques used by global firms. I looked at how platforms like ClickUp built their audience through storytelling. I began shaping our own message: “Design Smart. Build Sustainably.”
Month 9–10: People and Leadership
I studied leadership models, motivation theories, and organizational psychology. As we plan to hire more architects and engineers, I want our culture to empower, not control.
Month 11–12: AI, Data & the Future
This was my favorite part. I explored how AI is revolutionizing architecture from predictive project management to AI-generated design concepts. This blended naturally with my existing work using Midjourney, ChatGPT, and Revit-Dynamo automations.
I also looked at how AI is reshaping markets and jobs, preparing myself not just to survive but to lead in this new landscape!
Applied Learning: The Smeirat Sandbox
Unlike traditional MBAs, where projects are hypothetical, every insight I gain is applied immediately at Smeirat.
- I redesigned our project delivery pipeline using operations strategies.
- I restructured our financial tracking with better budgeting and forecasting tools.
- I’m implementing a cloud platform for site engineers, HR, clients, and designers to collaborate in real-time.
- I’m developing a smart AI-based client moodboard system to better understand tastes, styles, and budgets.
This is what makes self-study powerful. You don’t wait for permission to apply knowledge you just do it.
Accountability & Reflection
To stay disciplined, I write monthly reports. I track what I learned, what I applied, and what needs revision just like a project review.
I also talk to mentors, follow MBA forums, and network with professionals doing executive education worldwide.
In the future, I may still pursue a formal MBA for networking or accreditation. But this self-study journey already transformed how I think, act, and lead.
Final Thoughts
If you’re reading this while juggling work, family, and ambition, know this: you don’t need permission to learn.
You just need a blueprint.
Design your MBA like you’d design a building:
- Know your foundation.
- Build in phases.
- Think long-term.
- And always design for change.
This is the future of education. And I’m building mine, one insight at a time.
-SAIF SMEIRAT
References & Resources
- MIT OpenCourseWare: https://ocw.mit.edu
- Harvard Business School Online: https://online.hbs.edu
- MIT Executive MBA: https://executivemba.mit.edu
- Coursera: https://www.coursera.org
- edX: https://www.edx.org
- Harvard Business Review: https://hbr.org
- Good to Great by Jim Collins: https://www.jimcollins.com/concepts/good-to-great.html
- Blue Ocean Strategy: https://www.blueoceanstrategy.com
- The Lean Startup: https://theleanstartup.com
- The Hard Thing About Hard Things: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18176747-the-hard-thing-about-hard-things
- Masters of Scale Podcast: https://mastersofscale.com
- The Knowledge Project Podcast: https://fs.blog/knowledge-project-podcast/
- Sloan Management Review: https://sloanreview.mit.edu
- McKinsey Quarterly: https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/mckinsey-quarterly
- Lean Six Sigma: https://www.sixsigmaonline.org/six-sigma-training-certification-information/what-is-lean-six-sigma/
- ClickUp: https://clickup.com
- MidJourney: https://www.midjourney.com
- ChatGPT: https://chat.openai.com
- Smeirat: https://smeirat.com
