Two decades of career growth helped Vanessa Fors build a name in design and product management. Her experience spans several markets from children's wear to women's sportswear, to the sports industry. In an authentic display of commitment to her chosen field, in 2016 she founded the first “un-conference” for the apparel and soft goods industry in Vancouver called ApparelCamp. 

When looking for the perfect business graduate studies program, the flexibility of the Diploma in Business Administration (GDBA) and the part-time nature of the SFU Beedie Master of Business Administration (MBA) program caught Vanessa’s attention. It gave her the ability to solidify the learning process—a means to explore new skills in the evening that she could then put into practice at work the next day.

My experience at SFU Beedie

“The instructors were very knowledgeable, possessing either years of study or years of industry experience. A lot of the course work involved team projects with ample opportunity to practice soft skills as well as hard skills. By working with people with different work styles towards a deadline, you quickly learn how to make teams work.

There is a point of view that you should operate in your daily work as if you own the business. My education allowed me to gain a more holistic view of the concerns of stakeholders and other departments, in order to be more critical in the decision-making process.”

My Journey

“Before joining SFU Beedie, I was transitioning from product development to product management. I found that product management is a career people come into from varied backgrounds, and that there is no clear path to product management. However, I knew that to be successful I would need a business education. I started by taking the Graduate Diploma in Business Administration (GDBA) program online, which fed straight into the part-time MBA program.

I had a desire to be more involved in strategic conversations at work. The courses taught me to think more critically, something that comes in handy when having to make decisions.”

Highlights

“It was a very supportive environment. In general, we all had similar backgrounds in that we had extensive work experience we could draw from and share. Many students either had family commitments or were just starting their families. Most everyone was trying to balance work commitments on top of it all. So there was a lot of empathy, making for a strong supportive environment.”

Where I am today

Vanessa continues to seek new ways to enhance her career and to make a meaningful impact in the product industry. She regularly speaks on the topic of Vancouver’s apparel industry, and about sustainability issues in the apparel sector. In 2017, she accepted the role of Category Manager for Mustang Survival, a Vancouver-based company specializing in innovative survival gear and solutions for military, water rescue professionals, and recreational users.