Certificate of Business Excellence: Exercising Big Gains

COBE Alum: Rashi Mehta, Co-Founder & Vice President of Finance, Rahi Systems

Rashi Mehta co-founded Rahi Systems, a global enterprise information technology solution provider, with her husband Tarun Raisoni, chief executive officer, in 2012. They have since grown from a U.S./India-based organization of three employees, to a global entity with offices in 25 countries comprising more than 400 employees. 

Several years ago when Rashi looked into an MBA program in the United States, she was informed she could not enroll because she had already earned an MBA from ICFAI University in India in 2001.

Not satisfied with this limitation, Rashi looked for creative ways to continue her education, looking for the best program available that was not an MBA. That’s when she discovered UC Berkeley Executive Education and the Certificate of Business Excellence program. 

Rashi shares her experience with us in a recent conversation. 

Encouraging Career Growth and Helping Others Succeed

“I was looking for ways to gain new tools and new knowledge to keep a competitive edge in a dynamic landscape. That’s when I came across Berkeley Executive Education and the Certificate of Business Excellence program. The first course I took was the New Manager Boot Camp because I wanted to see what Berkeley had to offer. The course appealed to me because there were several managers within my organization who were up for promotions, and I wanted to experience the classes before recommending them to others. I quickly saw how beneficial this class would be for a new manager –– I also learned some useful tips in the program as well!  I recommended the course to the new managers and they came back full of excitement and eager to test their new-found knowledge. I believe this course helped them move effectively into that next phase of their careers. It’s rewarding to help others succeed, and to have the tools to make it a reality.”

New Ways to Present Numbers to Non-Numbers Colleagues

“Even though I’ve been in finance my entire career, I was pleasantly surprised at how much I learned in the Financial Data Analysis for Leaders program. Having studied finance in India, I was especially intrigued to learn about financial processes in the U.S., so that I could apply best practices in my current role. The most significant take-away from the class was learning how to present financial information to non-finance people. The short formulas I learned enable me to take complex financial concepts and communicate them in a stripped-down, simple fashion for the lay person. I will continue to use this method throughout my career.”   

Women’s Executive Leadership Course –– Tools and Techniques Prove Their Value

“As I’ve mentioned, I lead the finance operations for Rahi Systems, and my accounting and finance team comprises 11 employees, 10 of which are women. My team has the most women of any function within the organization. It’s no secret that our industry is male-dominated. I was drawn to a course focused on women in leadership not only for my own development, but also to help the women on my team develop as professionals. The Women’s Executive Leadership program gave me tangible tools and skills that have resulted in noticeable improvements in confidence and performance for me and my team. I could see a noticeable improvement in a recent presentation I gave, and the best part was noticing how confident I appeared being on stage in front of all of those people. That was not how I felt in the past! I have nothing but praises for UC Berkeley and this amazing class.”

“I elected to take the Venture Capital Executive program because Rahi Systems was looking into venture funding possibilities. I had absolutely no experience or knowledge about that area of finance, and I was eager to learn more. I wanted to determine if venture capital made strategic sense for my organization. I learned a lot in the course, especially the case study of another company’s model. Taking the course has helped me in my conversations about venture capital; I am much more fluent in this specialized area of finance.”   

Building a Network: One “WhatsApp” Group at a Time 

“One of the reasons I wanted to take programs with Berkeley Executive Education was to build a network of connections. All the students from the Finance class I took are now on a WhatsApp group, where we stay in touch by sharing articles, ideas and best practices with each other. Surprisingly, the group remains active after time has passed. I know if I encounter a challenging situation, I can reach out and ask others for their input. I have access to really successful and smart business professionals. It’s like having a guide and a mentor at my fingertips.”

“The women from the Women’s Executive Leadership program also started a WhatsApp group to stay in touch. I have made some very powerful and meaningful relationships –– we help each other with certain challenges and celebrate our successes together. I have appreciated the diversity of the backgrounds of all the women I met. We all come from different industries and fields and cultural and geographic backgrounds. I feel as if the class has helped to broaden my horizons through a worldly lens, and in countless ways.”  

“One contact I made through the Venture Capital Executive program met me for coffee –– and provided some guidance and insight that has really helped me in my day-to-day operations. The value of these connections is priceless.”

UC Berkeley Customized Program Brings Noticeable Results

“The UC Berkeley faculty is simply fantastic. They bring a wealth of knowledge –– it’s really an advantage to have access to that. I was so impressed with the classes I took, that Rahi Systems engaged UC Berkeley faculty to build a customized program for our organization to help our teams calibrate and communicate effectively. The customized program has proven to be extremely beneficial to our company. We have noticed a difference in our team’s ability to communicate and resolve issues cross-functionally. I give major props to UC Berkeley Executive Education!”