Shawshank wrote:
lahai1dj wrote:
This is fivilous drivel! Most people have reasons to get an MBA other than belonging to an exclusive club. And how does he come to the conclusion that "most startups (i.e. 51% or more) look down on MBAs"? If you find an anti-MBA startup, don't join it because they will probably not be around for long. And those that make it... Google, Apple, Microsoft... General Electric, Ford Motor Company (or better known as the Forturne 500) et cetera.... hire tons of MBAs.
I'm currently doing work for a tech startup, and yes, the founders do look down on MBAs. They believe that without strong technical skills, you are adding very little value to a startup. This is actually true in the early stages, when a startup is working on building up its platform, scaling, and continually modifying various features. Of course, once it matures and actually becomes a viable business, they should hire MBAs or at least those with strong business acumen. Mark Zuckerberg's disastrous tenure as Facebook CEO is just one example of the limitations of techies. However, this issue is completely tangential, so I don't want to digress away from the main topic.
Perhaps I am defining startup more broadly, as an organization <5 years old, pre IPO, with fewer than 50 people. Certainly, if you want to join a start up in someone's basement and volunteer your time as a computer programmer post-MBA, then don't get an MBA, it's superfluous. Startup's need revenue too, and angel investors, VCs and other sources of capital prefer to see someone thinking of future revenue at the helm (such as an MBA). On the other hand if the funding comes from the founders bank account or from Mom and Dad, then there may be discomfort with MBAs... more likely because they cost a lot of $$ to hire and Mom and Dad only have so much in their 401k.