[HN Gopher] Ask HN: MBA if I want to run a business one day?
       ___________________________________________________________________
        
       Ask HN: MBA if I want to run a business one day?
        
       I have about a decade of experience as an engineer and now about 2
       as an EM.  My goal ultimately is to own a business, perhaps start
       one. I'm not necessarily hyper focused on doing a tech unicorn
       startup, and am interested in potentially small businesses, maybe
       boring ones, etc.  I've come to realize I don't know jack when it
       comes to...finances or business or funding or anything at all.  Is
       taking a few years to become business savvy worth it? It'd be nice
       to have a top MBA (if I can get in) on my resume I imagine, but I
       know that I can probably learn all of this stuff online too. I'm
       the kind of learner that would really love structure and some kind
       of curriculum with tests/quizzes to follow.  Does something like
       this exist outside of trad MBA programs? Should I even look at
       MBAs? Would love any advice
        
       Author : volkk
       Score  : 6 points
       Date   : 2022-07-28 16:13 UTC (47 minutes ago)
        
       | ckluis wrote:
       | I have an MBA.
       | 
       | My opinion: MBAs teach you how to be middle managers.
       | 
       | But it could still be useful for exposing you in a structured way
       | AND exposing you to potential cofounders.
        
       | codegeek wrote:
       | I have a joke that I use all the time. "I don't do MBA. I hire
       | MBAs". If you want to run a business, MBA nas nothing to do with
       | it. Go start a business and while you try to run it, you will
       | learn things that will be your MBA.
       | 
       | Running the business IS the MBA. Nothing else.
       | 
       | MBA degrees are nice to get in consulting or other areas with top
       | employers. Perhaps you will meet a few great people as well if
       | you go to the top ones. But that's it.
       | 
       | If you want to entrepreneur, entrepreneur. Everything else is
       | just feel good stuff.
       | 
       | PS: I run a business for 8+ years with no MBA. I do have a
       | Bachelors in CS but that's it. Not even a Masters in anything.
        
       | legitster wrote:
       | If you want to lock yourself in as a middle-manager the rest of
       | your career, an MBA is a good investment. Business schools are
       | good at exposing you to big picture corporate strategy stuff, but
       | not very good at skill building.
       | 
       | If you just want to build a general business knowledge, a great
       | place to get started might be your local community college! Mine
       | had a bunch of retired business owners and experts who taught
       | some really good classes.
       | 
       | Some colleges (business or community) offer programs that exist
       | specifically to jumpstart business owners/founders. You might get
       | all you need from just a handful of classes.
        
       | sn0w_crash wrote:
       | Nobody I know running a business has an MBA. The one or two
       | people I do know with an MBA are reviled by their staff and doing
       | a mediocre job.
       | 
       | Take this as anecdotal feedback but an MBA really isn't
       | necessary, and can potentially work against you.
       | 
       | you would do well to spend a few months / years working in a
       | small / medium business. The hands on experience is 1000x more
       | valuable than anything you'll learn in an MBA program.
        
       | baybal2 wrote:
        
       | MeinBlutIstBlau wrote:
        
       ___________________________________________________________________
       (page generated 2022-07-28 17:01 UTC)