Sardana Mikheeva
Duke University, Fuqua School of Business
Age: 39
“Global executive, mom, turned co-founder helping build and acquire businesses in Japan.”
Hometown: Yakutsk, Russia
Family Members: Spouse and two children under 12 years old
Fun fact about yourself: I was accepted to university at the age of 15. I nearly got kicked out freshman year, but turned it around.
Undergraduate School and Degree: B.A. and M.A. in Japanese Linguistics, Far Eastern State University (Russia)
Where are you currently working? Co-Founder at Japan Remotely
Extracurricular Activities, Community Work and Leadership Roles: MBA Class Liaison, start-ups mentor
Which academic or extracurricular achievement are you most proud of during business school? It was being selected as one of two class representatives. It was one of the most meaningful roles I’ve held, allowing me to work alongside the Fuqua program team to shape the experience for my classmates and strengthen the Executive MBA community.
What achievement are you most proud of in your professional career? Building and leading a global team of over a hundred people across five continents. I’m most proud of the relationships and the culture we built together. Leadership, to me, is a privilege; you have to earn it every day. Being able to support people’s growth, work alongside them, and years later still hear “we miss you” means more than any formal performance review.
Who was your favorite MBA professor? Noah Eisenkraft. He taught Managerial Effectiveness, but his real impact was deeper – how to lead with intention. His class covered everything from becoming a better leader and human to how to communicate with clarity and purpose. Most importantly, he showed us how to listen to your own voice and have the confidence to move in the direction that feels right.
Why did you choose this school’s executive MBA program? I chose Fuqua for its deeply team-driven culture. Relationships have always been central to me. From day one, the Team Fuqua spirit felt real, not like a slogan. Over time, I saw how it extends beyond the classroom to families and the broader community. The flexible format allowed me to be present both as a mother and as a leader at work. With 17 years of global experience, I was also looking for a program where I could meaningfully contribute, and Fuqua delivered.
What is the biggest lesson you gained during your MBA and how did you apply it at work? The biggest lesson is that I can build something of my own, that I don’t have to only execute others’ visions. Early in the program, I told my classmates, “I’m here to learn how to dream big again.” After years of helping founders and teams succeed, I had lost sight of my own ambitions. Through the program and Fuqua community, I began to reclaim that.
I applied this shift directly at work by transitioning from operator to builder, launching my own path as a co-founder and advisor, and securing my first commercial client in cross-border M&A. It was a mindset change: stepping into ownership and defining success on my own terms.
Give us a story during your time as an executive MBA on how you were able to juggle work, family and education? There’s no sugarcoating it: the struggle is real. Balancing everything requires taking care of yourself, both physically and mentally, or you simply won’t sustain it.
Some of the most valuable tools I learned came from classmates with military backgrounds. They brought discipline and practical techniques to stay steady under pressure.
During one particularly intense term, I remember feeling completely stretched. I still believe that term took a few months off my life. That’s when I leaned into what I learned. One day stands out: ice-cold shower, loud screaming, and breathing exercises. It sounds simple, but it worked. I reset, pushed through, and we nailed the project.
What advice would you give to a student looking to enter an executive MBA program? Build your support system before you start. An executive MBA is not a solo journey, it’s a team effort. That team includes your family, your workplace, and your broader support network. Make sure they understand the commitment and are ready to support you through it.
I’ve seen firsthand how much families carry behind the scenes, how colleagues step up to take on extra work, and how critical it is to have supportive partners and managers. I’ve also seen the opposite, and it makes the journey significantly harder.
No matter which program you choose, the outcome depends on how you show up. But without a strong support system, sustaining that effort over two years is incredibly difficult. Don’t overlook it.
What was your biggest regret in business school? It was not fully utilizing the university’s library resources and being physically distant from campus. The depth of research, databases, and available materials is enormous and I know I could have leaned into it more. I also had some FOMO about not experiencing campus life in the traditional sense. At the same time, I remind myself that our “campus” was the world, which made the experience unique in its own way.
What is one way that your business school has integrated AI into your programming? What insights did you gain from using AI? AI was integrated into our coursework in a very hands-on, experimental way. We tested its capabilities and limitations. In one Corporate Finance assignment, some teams worked traditionally in Excel, while others relied on AI to process the same data and concepts. While both approaches applied the correct formulas, the AI-generated outputs varied significantly across teams and often diverged from the expected range.
That experience made one thing clear: AI is a powerful tool, but not yet a source of truth. It reinforced the importance of judgment, validation, and understanding underlying concepts. I also saw professors adapt by training their own AI tools to guide students more reliably.
What was the main reason you chose an executive MBA program over part-time or online alternatives? Relationships. I’m a strong believer that to truly connect with people and build meaningful relationships, you need shared experiences. That’s not only rigorous academics, but long nights working side-by-side, going through challenges together, and showing up for each other beyond the classroom.
Fuqua’s Global Executive MBA format made that possible. While we had regular online classes and weekly team collaboration, we also traveled globally every few months and spent extended time together immersed in different cultures, often in intense, high-pressure environments.
Those experiences created a bond that goes far beyond a typical program. We’re leaving not just as classmates, but as one big global family.
How did you finance your EMBA and what did you do to make tuition and associated costs more affordable? I approached financing the EMBA as a combination of employer support, external funding, and personal planning. I secured partial sponsorship from my employer at the time, based on tenure, with relatively flexible terms. I also pursued private financing, including zero-interest options, which required preparation and negotiation.
I was fortunate to receive the Forté Fellowship, which helped offset tuition. The remaining costs were covered through personal savings. For additional expenses like international travel, I managed costs strategically, leveraging miles and points by using credit cards intentionally over the two years.
What is your ultimate long-term professional goal? My ultimate goal is to have the freedom to focus on ventures where I can create meaningful impact, helping them build, grow, and reach their potential. I want to define success on my own terms, and entrepreneurship feels like the natural path to do that while working alongside founders and teams.
Staff recommendation:
“Sardana exemplifies the spirit of Duke’s Executive MBA program through her extraordinary balance of leadership, global engagement, and personal commitment. As a class representative, she has been a steady and thoughtful voice for her peers, fostering connection and collaboration across a truly international cohort. Her academic journey has taken her across the globe, where she has embraced diverse perspectives and contributed meaningfully in every setting.
Beyond the classroom, Sardana’s achievements are equally inspiring. As a dedicated spouse and mother of two, she has navigated the demands of a rigorous program while preparing for an international move to Fukuoka, Japan, demonstrating resilience, adaptability, and unwavering determination. She leads with both intellect and heart, elevating those around her.
Sardana is, in every sense, one of the best and brightest, an exceptional individual whose impact will extend far beyond Fuqua.”
Karen Courtney
Associate Dean, Working Professional Programs
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