Why this Google marketer chose MiniMBA over a master’s degree

Yanina Vidal joined Google straight out of uni. But it was MiniMBA in Brand Management that gave her the strategic edge to thrive. We sat down with Yanina to find out how the course levelled up her skills and propelled her career.

Thanks for having a chat with us today, Yanina. To kick things off, where did your journey begin, and how did you end up where you are today?

Well, as you might be able to tell, I’m not from London. I’m proudly Argentinian, born and bred. But life’s had me packing and unpacking plenty. I spent three years in Mexico before moving to the UK, where I’ve lived for the past seven.

I joined Google straight out of university, and I’ve now been here for 12 years. It’s safe to say Google has played a huge role in shaping my career.

I’m also a mother, which comes with its own challenges. Lack of sleep is just the beginning! So, pushing my career forward while raising a family hasn’t always been easy.

What was in your mind when you began to think about training in marketing?

I’d never had any formal marketing training. After more than a decade at Google, I knew there were still gaps in my knowledge. I understood the tools, the tech, the strategy — but I wanted to go deeper.

That’s where MiniMBA came in. It gave me the structure, the flexibility, and the deep insight into brand management I’d been looking for. It challenged me, supported me, and helped push my career forward.

After more than a decade at Google, I knew there were still gaps in my knowledge. I understood the tools, the tech, the strategy — but I wanted to go deeper.

Out of all the marketing courses out there, what attracted you to MiniMBA?

What first attracted me was that Mark is a practitioner. I didn’t want something too academic. I just wanted someone who was actually on the journey, doing the things that I wanted to learn.

His CV was a big part of it. And actually, it’s a big part of the curriculum, as well. He talks about his experience all the time, and I found that super useful.

The second thing that I really liked was that I could manage my own time. Also, there’s levels of commitments. You could choose to do the full project or just the minimum if that’s all you could do.

Theory Meets Practice

How did you find Mark’s teaching style? Was there anything that stood out or really worked for you?

While he’s a practitioner, the syllabus was still university-level. And he’s not particularly formal about things – that’s something that really appealed to me. the no-BS style, that’s what I like.

Every time you’re being taught marketing it always feels a little bit bleak. But MiniMBA definitely doesn’t feel like that at all. Mark’s fully committed with his opinions and then backs up all his opinions with data. So, it’s a perfect mix.

Was there anything that really caught your attention or surprised you while taking the course?

This may sound basic, but the quality of the videos is great. The editing, the pace, the possibility to listen in different speeds and that Mark came in and out of different frames, it was all really well made.

I really appreciated other firms trying, but it’s often just a recording of a Zoom meeting. This is definitely nothing like that.

Mind the Knowledge Gap

Before starting the course, what did you feel was the key marketing knowledge you were looking for?

From my experience, everyone that works in marketing always feels like a little bit of an impostor, right? So, we need the most amount of data and tools to get away from that.

I had never studied anything marketing or business, but it’s my daily job. I think that’s the case for a lot of people who work in marketing.

When you were thinking about taking a marketing course, what made MiniMBA stand out to you?

I’d thought about doing a master’s in marketing. But what I really wanted to know what being a brand manager is really like: what are their challenges, how do they make decisions. The course delivered exactly that.

It was super useful because my clients are also brand managers. For me, this course was the possibility of really understanding what’s their challenges are and how can I help them.

MiniMBA gave me a lot of tools, so I was better equipped to do my job. In fact, I even got promoted.

How much of an impact has MiniMBA had on your career so far?

MiniMBA taught me a language that I didn’t know. It meant I now have a shared language with my clients and better insight into the ways they think.

It gave me a lot of tools, so I was better equipped to do my job. In fact, I even got promoted after it.

If someone just starting their career asked you about the MiniMBA, how would you convince them it’s worth it?

I’d tell them it’s learning about brand management from someone who actually was in the trenches. It’s a very complete curriculum on how to address brand management. It’s got a lot of flexibility; you can really shape it around your life.

 

If you want to become a better brand manager, learn from one of the best as Professor Mark Ritson packs his decades of experience into MiniMBA in Brand Management –  a course that’s easy to follow, super useful, and can fit seamlessly around your life. 

Interested in team training?  Join leading businesses and supercharge your marketing department with MiniMBA. Contact our training team today to find out more.