M.B.A

[bb_wolfe]

the people i know with MBAs mostly run their own companies

sounds like everyone here thinks they're over rated

Yea, they are overrated. MBA, while it helps in certain verticals, is not a prerequisite of entrepreneurial success.

I'm not saying it hurts if you have an MBA, but it is not likely to make you any more successful.

Business is all about mitigating risk and if an MBA helps you identify methods to increase productivity/efficiency while maximizing profitability, then by all means go get it.

However, I've been self-employed for 10 years and can tell you first hand that each and every opportunity I found to further my company was found while I was working, not studying.

As I said earlier, most folks get the degree to further their corporate career. There is nothing wrong with that.



I however prefer to take the road less traveled, and that has made all the difference.




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[Jizzlobber]

You could be fisted from your ass to your throat with degrees but what it all boils down to in the corporate world is the level of douchebaggery that exists in the corporate culture and chain of command. When applying your MBA skills in a corporate environment you will soon see - pass or fail - how useless that education may seem once office politics comes into play. Decisions are made by upper management that make absolutely no sense at all and it will leave you scratching your head saying WTF?

I believe the best thing you can do is graduate with a BA/BS, work for a dysfunctional company for 5 years while earning your MBA on the side and let them pay for it. Leave this company to start your own venture armed with your MBA, some cash in the bank and plenty of lessons learned of how NOT to run a company.

 

[clockwork84]

Completely anecdotal, but I've never met an MBA (HBS, Penn, whatever) who has lauded the knowledge benefits of his/her degree. The consensus seems to be that b-school is great for network, getting a job, etc, but if you are a marketing entrepreneur, then I do not see the advantage.

 

[amanda11]

You don't need an education beyond grade 10 if you're an entrepreneur ... need more street smart shit, not book smart.

 

[KatherineB]

Large corporate employers like to see an MBA on a resume because it tells them - rightly or wrongly - that this person meets the benchmark education level, i.e. has the right entry ticket into the club. Mostly, corporate recruiters take the lazy route to assessing candidates, especially for entry-level or even mid-level jobs.

I used to be an i-banker and a consultant (and I got there without an MBA, but I had prior trading experience), then I was a headhunter. As an i-banker I worked with plenty of recent MBAs who could barely add two numbers and get the right answer. But they had been to Harvard, Wharton etc. and had all the right connections.

If you work in internet-related fields, you really don't need and MBA unless you want to do the corporate thing. Also, if you have decent work experience and proven skills, you can get away with not having one even in the corporate world. But it can be good for getting you thru the door if you are relatively inexperienced.

 

[stefanie]

I've considered going back for an MBA, but I always end up deciding against it. That said, if I had some startup ideas that needed a lot of capital to get off the ground, I'd almost definitely go for it. Schools like Stanford, U of Chicago, Northwestern, Harvard, Wharton, etc. have great networks and most have entrepreneurship programs you can take instead of the traditional garbage that will get you a boring 6-figure corporate job. It's not that you need what they can teach you, but if you seize the opportunities they give you, you'll meet a lot of very wealthy and connected people who enjoy nothing more than talking shop and getting involved in new ventures.