Camilo Lopez is an executive at Lokai, a business that helps you find balance in your life. Little did he know, that balance would become a very important part of his own journey. Only four months into his new job as CFO, he took on another big responsibility: He enrolled in the Executive MBA program of the University of North Carolina Kenan-Flagler Business School to advance his career.

Besides simultaneously working and earning his MBA, Lopez and his wife had a baby. Balancing family, career and academics wasn’t easy. Not to mention, he worked and lived in New York and flew to North Carolina for the weekend classes.

“It was one of the toughest things I’ve ever done,” Lopez said. “But it was very rewarding.”

The MBA has given him new skills to push the company in new directions and expand the business. Shortly after completing the program, he was appointed president.

The McColl Building at the University of North Carolina (UNC)

Lopez’s story isn’t unique. He is one of many graduates of the Executive MBA program who’s benefited from attending courses in the evening or on weekends to pursue an MBA without putting their careers on hold. There’s not only a wide range of flexibility with classes and elective options, but the immediate student-teacher and peer-to-peer feedback also accelerates understanding of complex concepts.

The program is structured to fulfil the needs of ambitious professionals who seek business education to advance in their careers, shift roles in industries or even launch their own business. Here are five reasons why an Executive MBA is worth the investment.

Unique, innovative format

A classroom filled with working professionals who are passionate about business, leadership development and growth creates a unique experience. Hugh O’Neill, strategic management professor at UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School, said students can tailor their courses to their specific career goals in a variety of ways. “The concentrations offered are more career-based than most executive MBA programs,” he said. “It’s a great opportunity to go further in depth into a specific part of their career.”

Instant benefits

Students see instant benefits. When you were in school, how many times did you wonder: “Am I ever going to use this in real life?” With this Executive MBA, you do.

Working professionals in the program often apply what they learn in the classroom to their jobs the next day. Courses are hands-on and immersive, so students apply methodologies and strategies to real work challenges, and benefit from live discussions with faculty and peers to develop solutions.

The pricing course was a clear example of direct implementation for Lopez. “I was able to apply on Monday what I had learned over the weekend,” he said.

Amy Manning, an alumna of the Executive MBA program, said she was instantly able to drive conversations with leaders who were four or five levels above her. “I was able to assess data and provide information and solutions to help with decision making,” she said.

High amount of flexibility

The weekend and evening courses provide a high-level of flexibility for professionals who are juggling demanding careers and personal commitments. The majority of classes are in-person with about 30% of coursework done online and via video-based presentations that they can review as often as they like.

Collaboration - with like-minded professionals and knowledgeable tutors - is the secret of success (UNC)

Manning is a mother of two, so finding balance was key for her. “It was important to me to be able to provide for my family, continue excelling in my job and directly apply what I was learning for maximum learning,” she said. “In addition, the approach of attending class every third weekend allowed me to be more present for my children and maintain a better balance.”

Besides the core courses, many elective options provide a more in-depth understanding and customize your academic experience to suit your career objectives.

Build a professional network

The MBA program attracts students from a wide range of industry, functional and cultural backgrounds, which creates a distinctive opportunity to build your network and share your expertise.

“I loved the immersive learning environment,” Manning said. “I was able to engage with people of diverse backgrounds, levels and skill sets.”

Lopez, likewise, found it very valuable to share a classroom with individuals from various backgrounds and see different ways of overcoming obstacles.

“The MBA program was challenging and competitive in a healthy way that created a great learning environment,” he said.

More and more careers are becoming non-linear. Knowing how problems are solved in industries other than your own could be relevant to your life even if you’re not working in the that space at the moment.

Ambitious goals

Achieving meaningful professional and leadership growth doesn’t have to come with the sacrifice of leaving the professional world. Students enter the Executive MBA program with an average of 12 years of experience, and take the skills they gain in the program to change how they do business.

Manning was promoted once while in the program and then promoted twice since she graduated just two years ago. Now based in Switzerland, she leads business planning, alignment and integration for global manufacturing operations for a major biotechnology company.