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I wrote a related post a while ago to answer to anyone who says MBAs can't start companies: http://wannabevc.wordpress.com/2011/10/15/mba-startups/ http://wanna

I wrote a related post a while ago to answer to anyone who says MBAs can't start companies: http://wannabevc.wordpress.com/2011/10/15/mba-startups/ http://wannabevc.wordpress.com/2011/10/15/mba-startups/

AdrianRossouw 13y ago
It really felt like you were scraping the bottom of the barrel to list companies founded by MBA's. It only illustrates the point that MBA's don't do startups. The only one founded in this decade is zynga, which is widely considered to be poorly managed. I'll give you sun though, and even electronic arts.. founded by trip hawkins. Although EA only hit it's hay days well after trip left the company, and he was responsible for some really spectacular fuck ups afterwards (see: 3do).
- Major_Grooves 13y ago
  Given I've listed a bunch of companies started by MBAs, the statement 'It only illustrates the point that MBA's don't do startups.' is clearly incorrect and a lazy thing to say. I just listed high profile ones. Does Kiva not count as recent? I know loads of fledgling companies started by other MBAs. Here's one for starters: http://www.tradechase.com http://www.tradechase.com
  - makomk 13y ago
    Kiva is probably not the best example, since they make even the worst tech startup look like a paragon of virtue. (Seriously. Their business model is based around convincing wealthy Westerners to lend them money interest-free, puportedly as a loan to a specific individual in a third world country, then actually handing that money over to a partner who uses it to make loans at substantial interest rates to whoever they consider profitable. Some of the loan companies have really unpleasant collection tactics too.)
- davidw 13y ago
  I would surmise that MBA's are more or less capable of doing startups, but don't have the incentives: with a huge debt load, they're better off with something that's guaranteed to pay a lot, like, say, a job in finance.
  - Major_Grooves 13y ago
    Tell me about it. Large amount of MBA debt, just about to leave job to do startup full-time. Not easy with that debt millstone around my neck.

AdrianRossouw 13y ago

It really felt like you were scraping the bottom of the barrel to list companies founded by MBA's. It only illustrates the point that MBA's don't do startups. The only one founded in this decade is zynga, which is widely considered to be poorly managed. I'll give you sun though, and even electronic arts.. founded by trip hawkins. Although EA only hit it's hay days well after trip left the company, and he was responsible for some really spectacular fuck ups afterwards (see: 3do).

Major_Grooves 13y ago
Given I've listed a bunch of companies started by MBAs, the statement 'It only illustrates the point that MBA's don't do startups.' is clearly incorrect and a lazy thing to say. I just listed high profile ones. Does Kiva not count as recent? I know loads of fledgling companies started by other MBAs. Here's one for starters: http://www.tradechase.com http://www.tradechase.com
- makomk 13y ago
  Kiva is probably not the best example, since they make even the worst tech startup look like a paragon of virtue. (Seriously. Their business model is based around convincing wealthy Westerners to lend them money interest-free, puportedly as a loan to a specific individual in a third world country, then actually handing that money over to a partner who uses it to make loans at substantial interest rates to whoever they consider profitable. Some of the loan companies have really unpleasant collection tactics too.)
davidw 13y ago
I would surmise that MBA's are more or less capable of doing startups, but don't have the incentives: with a huge debt load, they're better off with something that's guaranteed to pay a lot, like, say, a job in finance.
- Major_Grooves 13y ago
  Tell me about it. Large amount of MBA debt, just about to leave job to do startup full-time. Not easy with that debt millstone around my neck.