Ani Kocharyan (MBA ‘13): ‘My motto is to approach every situation or person with genuine love’

5 min read

Ani Kocharyan graduated from the American University of Armenia (AUA) Master of Business Administration (MBA) program in 2013. Shortly after her graduation, she started to work at VFS Global LLC as country manager for Armenia. In our interview with her, Ani shared with us her fond memories of AUA, achievements and challenges at work, and how the skills and knowledge gained in the MBA program prepared her for her current position. Ani’s life motto is to approach every situation or person with genuine love. 

What inspired you to continue your education at AUA? 

My deep desire to become a full-fledged professional and receive a first-rate education on that path brought me to AUA. For me, AUA was the only educational institution in Armenia that provided the education I was looking for after earning a bachelor’s degree from Yerevan State University. Also, I often say jokingly that I came to AUA because I grew up looking at the University building from our home and wished to be there: the building itself had an impressive structure fit for visual branding.

So I applied for admission to the MBA program in 2011, when I was 19. After qualifying for admission based on my academic record and standardized test results, I was invited for an interview. The panel of interviewers inquired about various answers and statements in my application to assess my commitment to graduate studies. I knew how important it was to reassure them that I was capable of starting MBA studies at AUA. After completing the first semester at the University, I was awarded the Stepan Karamardian Endowed Scholarship for excellence. At 21, I was a proud AUA graduate coincidentally in the year of the 21st anniversary of the founding of the University. 

What is your most cherished AUA memory? 

It is hard to pick just one fond memory of my student years because I have many. The two years I spent at AUA were so rich in color, flavor, and adventure that I still cherish those days. I remember how we stayed after class in empty classrooms to complete assignments and prepare for the next day. It was a privilege to be allowed to use most rooms on campus as our semi-private study area. 

I deeply respect all my professors whom I have met at AUA. It is hard to single out any one in particular, though a few names come to mind, professors who have been and still are my mentors. I am sure that they will continue to guide me through challenging situations or issues anytime I reach out to them for advice. I appreciate that very much. 

I want to mention one experience from my student years that greatly impacted my perspective. When I entered AUA, I was somewhat reserved and less inclined to create presentations that would use attractive visuals or graphics. But a professor I had early-on in my AUA journey asked our class to deliver presentations in a creative way. That served as a motivation to unlock my creativity and do as asked. And once you do so, you understand that it is not so complicated, which drives you to want to do more and more. That class taught me how to deliver professional content with color and flavor; sometimes, presenting raw data can be tedious and may create barriers for establishing and maintaining contact with your audience. So, I have continued to use creative visuals in business meetings and presentations. 

How has your education at AUA influenced your career path? 

AUA has directly influenced my career path. In the MBA program, I majored in general management, and shortly after graduation, I found a position as a general manager that I still maintain. Before AUA, I worked as a marketing specialist, and I was sure it was my calling. But after diving into management, I felt that marketing was too limiting for me, and general management was more engaging; and I don’t regret it. So after graduation, I took the position of country manager for Armenia at VFS Global, the world’s largest outsourcing company that provides specialized services for diplomatic missions and governments across the globe. I started and grew the Armenia operations of the company from scratch. This year marks my nine years with VFS Global.

What skills did you gain at AUA that have served you well over the years? 

One of the notions I learned at AUA is valuing diversity: increasing our understanding of other peoples’ views and characteristics that are different than ours; a widely written concept that could be hard to implement, especially in monoethnic countries. In my job, I am exposed to diverse mentalities and people from different nationalities. AUA has helped me to have an open-minded mindset in dealing with different attitudes, ideas, and viewpoints. My keenness to be a lifelong learner has allowed me to meet people from different backgrounds, life experiences, or other sides of the business and always learn something new from them. 

Another skill I learned at AUA is dealing with and managing multiple external stakeholders; success in business is not only derived from managing internal operations, meeting high standards, and creating efficacious processes. The ability to make tough decisions dealing with external stakeholders is critical to success even if sometimes those decisions may disappoint some of them (stakeholders may include customers, contract holders, governments, etc.). In that context, when you deal with a certain difficult situation, it may feel very tough at first, but dealing with similar situations a second or third time makes it look not so difficult anymore and it becomes much easier for you to make decisions. 

What is the most exciting thing about your job? And what are the challenges? 

Though I deal with similar scenarios every day, the most exciting thing is that my work doesn’t bore me. Throughout my adult life, I have adopted a motto that guides me every time and everywhere: when facing a challenging situation, or a demanding customer, or even outside of work when meeting a difficult person, I take a breath and speak to that person with genuine love. When you fill yourself with love, you don’t get frustrated, you assess every situation or information calmly, and respond in a more constructive way. It helps to resolve difficult situations both in business and personal life. 

What achievement are you most proud of?

I am grateful for what I have accomplished in life and for the fact that I continue evolving, because no one can claim to be perfect or to have reached their highest potential in life. We are all learning as long as we live. I am proud to be continuously advancing, professionally and personally, which I consider my proudest accomplishment.

This year marks the 10th anniversary of your graduation. Looking back at your AUA journey, what do you think was your biggest takeaway? And, what is your advice to current AUA students?

One of my biggest takeaways from AUA are my friends, whom I call my sisters. They are precious and unmeasurable gifts that AUA gave me. From a professional perspective, I’m grateful for the knowledge and skills that AUA gave me that helped me establish myself as a professional. 

I would advise new students to keep working toward achieving their goals, aspirations, and ambitions, yet be ready to take life as it is. Work hard for your goals, but also be prepared that sometimes life may evolve in unexpected ways, and you should be ready to take a step back to adapt to the changes and then continue your path. Enjoy the journey and the process, even if you experience occasional setbacks.