After over 15 years of leading IT projects across public and private sectors, Korede Oludiran knew process improvement and change management inside out. But when he launched his own management consulting firm, Echo Oscar Inc., in Ottawa, Canada, he realized something was missing. His technical expertise alone wouldn’t unlock the next level of growth. He needed a deeper understanding of strategy, marketing, and organizational collaboration.
That’s when Korede discovered the online iMSM (Master of Science in Management) from Gies College of Business at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. The program, he says, “helped me rethink everything about how I manage, how I serve clients, and how I grow my business.”
A career rooted in project and process management
Korede’s professional foundation was built on project management. Since earning his Project Management Professional (PMP) certification in 2009, he’s led IT projects and process improvement initiatives across multiple industries. “I’ve always been focused on how teams work together (change management, process efficiency, and getting systems to align),” he explains.
In 2022, he turned that expertise into an entrepreneurial venture as he launched Echo Oscar Inc., a management consulting firm helping organizations improve processes, enhance collaboration, and implement change effectively. “We work with businesses to make things function better, from process improvement to change management to team collaboration to training,” he says.
But as he began growing Echo Oscar, Korede realized his company’s offerings could be more strategic and more attuned to clients’ needs. This is when he saw the opportunity to upskill, gain an additional credential, and enroll in the online iMSM with the University of Illinois.
Finding the missing link: Strategy and marketing
“I thought marketing was more about ‘go sell,’” Korede laughs. “But during my time at Illinois, I discovered how robust it really is. It’s not just about selling. It’s way more strategic than operational. It’s about deeply understanding your customers.”
Through iMSM courses like Creating Value: Developing a Marketing Mix for Growth – a part of Marketing Management BADM520, Korede learned how to think from the customer’s perspective. “That course was a turning point,” he recalls. “You need to ask the right questions and understand what your customers really need. That’s what helped me pivot my business.”
Armed with these insights, he launched a new user-focused survey at Echo Oscar to identify client pain points and streamline offerings. “I realized that team collaboration is the pivotal driver of process efficiency. If your team can’t collaborate, you won’t get the ROI of your process improvement,” he says.
The iMSM didn’t just confirm what he already knew from years about the importance of team collaboration; it gave him the frameworks and data-driven tools to act strategically in real time.
Korede’s path to Gies
When Korede began looking for a master’s program, flexibility was key. “I explored universities in Canada like Queen’s and Ottawa,” he explains. “But I needed something I could do while still running my business. That’s when I found the University of Illinois through Coursera.”
He appreciated how accessible the process was: from applying online with his copy of transcript from Nigeria’s Obafemi Awolowo University, to participating in live lectures and office hours.
And despite studying virtually, the connections were real. “At graduation, I met people I’d been talking to online for over a year. It was incredible to meet classmates and professors in person,” Korede recalls. “I even reconnected with my Operations Management and Marketing Management professors on LinkedIn afterward.”
From insight to action planning
Today, Echo Oscar Inc. is expanding its offerings with an 8-module training program on team collaboration, developed directly from what Korede learned in the iMSM program. “It was published this year,” he says proudly. “We created it because our survey results clearly showed that collaboration plays a key role in employee engagement and the overall success of the organization.”
He credits courses in operations management, organizational management and marketing management with reshaping how he runs his business: “Those courses made me realize where I was falling short. I wasn’t reaching the right people or serving them effectively. Now, our approach is more strategic and more data-driven.”
Why the iMSM was the right choice
“The MSM felt like an abridged MBA,” Korede explains. “We studied many of the same topics as MBA students — strategy, marketing, operations, leadership — but in a more streamlined format. It’s very solid and I loved the courses.”
He especially valued how Coursera allowed him to keep learning beyond graduation. “I’m still on Coursera now,” he says. “I had my graduation ceremony last year, my first time back in a classroom since 2008, but I want to keep learning.”
So why did he return to school after more than a decade? “I needed more mental energy — a challenge,” he admits. “And honestly, I wanted the credit. The Nigerian in me wanted the degree!” Korede laughs.
But beyond that, he says, “I wanted something to propel me forward for my career and for my business.”
Advice for others
Korede’s advice for aspiring learners is clear:
“Find what you want and make a decision about how you want it to affect your life and career. The University of Illinois is a big deal. It’s not a small university, and if you can have that collaboration with Coursera, don’t miss it.”
He also believes consistency is key to any success:
“Whatever you set your mind to achieve, you can do it. It might be tough, but consistency is the game. No matter how ‘not good enough’ your product is, you’ll sell, you’ll improve, if you stay consistent. Being the most consistent is often better than being the smartest.”
A career, redefined
From managing IT projects in Nigeria to running a consulting firm in Canada, Korede’s journey shows what’s possible when lifelong learning meets entrepreneurial ambition.
“The iMSM confirmed what I’d always known, but it also gave me the tools to turn that knowledge into strategy,” he says. “Now, everything we do at Echo Oscar has a clearer purpose: improving collaboration, efficiency, and impact. That’s the real ROI of my education.” Learn more about the program →
