File Photo
02/25/2013 | 11:54 AM
Is an MBA a worthwhile investment when founding a startup?
The inherent risks of building a startup company from scratch could drive some budding entrepreneurs to pursue an MBA as a means of offsetting at least some of the said risks. But ironically enough, even the decision to pursue an MBA can itself become a risky business decision, especially when pursuing a startup. After all, maybe you can’t put a price on a good education.
But you CAN put a price on the years spent pursuing the degree and the thousands of dollars in student loan debt that await you after graduation day. And after all is said and done, can an MBA truly prepare entrepreneurs and innovators to successfully create a startup? Or is that a lesson that just can’t be learned in any classroom?
In this edition of The Exchange we ask the following question: Is an MBA a worthwhile investment when founding a startup?
David Cancel, veteran entrepreneur and chief product officer at HubSpot, says an MBA is a waste of money for anyone trying to create a startup . Instead, it makes more sense for a startup founder to have zero debt.
Slava Menn, chief executive of Gotham Bicycle Defense Industries, argues that the benefits acquired from an MBA program, from lessons in marketing classes to alumni connections, are invaluable to someone who wants to found a startup .
Weigh in on The Exchange: Let us know whether you think an MBA is a smart investment or a waste of time and money at hive@boston.com or on Twitter at @HiveBoston.
