David Chang studied chemistry in college but realized he didn’t enjoy life in the lab. When he returned to Taiwan, he began working for the China Credit Information Service, which had been founded by his father. It became clear that while he knew periodic tables, he didn’t understand balance sheets, so he needed to study business.

Ten years ago Ivan Gutierrez was a plant manager for Avon in Mexico. He didn’t see a possibility for growth with them, and so sold his apartment and car and invested everything he had in attending the IBEAR program. He explains: “I had a family back home to support, so I had to be very focused. It was a risk, but it paid off.”