For Netta Dobbins, being featured among Adweek’s Women Trailblazers in 2022 was both a measure of her success and an invitation to move on.

Netta moved to New York City in 2014, after graduating from Middle Tennessee State University. Within 9 years, she founded MimConnect, which collaborated with companies ranging from Fortune 500 stalwarts to startups, helping them to recruit, retain, and nurture diverse, highly skilled workforces. Her success gained her visibility and accolades—besides being named a Trailblazer, Netta received a Jane Walker iFundWomen First Women grant and was featured by McDonald’s as an entrepreneurial changemaker. She soon became a guest contributor for Adweek and WorkLife.

At the same time she was building up her business, she was working in entertainment PR for such clients as PBS, Sony Legacy Artists, Airbnb, Marvel, and Clive Davis. “I accidentally began building this company and achieved so much success with it,” she says.

But by 2023, Netta was ready to move on to the next stage of her career. “I’d lost my passion, and I didn’t want to continue down a path I would ultimately not enjoy,” she says. “I knew there was lots of business knowledge I was lacking. I wanted a formal classroom experience to learn core concepts of finance and operations.”

At Vanderbilt, Netta focused on launching her marketing and consulting firm while earning an MBA. “I grew up in Nashville, and I knew I didn’t want to take classes online—I wanted to sit in the classroom,” she says. “I also knew I couldn’t commit to classes Monday through Friday—I needed something more flexible. Vanderbilt’s Executive MBA program was the perfect match.”

For Netta, small classes are a major benefit of Vanderbilt’s program. “I feel confident asking the professor—or even the person sitting next to me—questions,” she says. “And I love knowing everyone’s name and a little about them. The smaller class size allows us to engage and get to know each other.”

Netta particularly appreciates her C-team experience. “We mesh together well and understand everyone’s capacity, even though we all came from different backgrounds,” she says. “One of my C-team members is a neurosurgeon, another works for a nonprofit, and another is in operations—and I’m in marketing! These are completely different fields that require different levels of commitment. We made it work because we were always vocal about what we could and couldn’t do and where we needed help.”

Netta has gained confidence—and a network of skilled professionals she can call on. “I wouldn’t have been able to complete an MBA program without all the flexibility Vanderbilt’s EMBA provides,” she says. “This program has allowed me to build my company while increasing my business knowledge and skills.”

Fun Fact: After earning her undergraduate degree, Netta moved to NYC “without ever having set foot in the city” beforehand. She worked as a freelance publicist for a year before working for 2 social strategy agencies. 

You don’t just want to leave with a degree—you want to leave with valuable connections as well. The network I’m developing at Vanderbilt is amazing!