Startup or MBA

Hey guys,

So I'm in a bit of a dilemma. I've been offered a founder role (think CXO level) at a startup recently seed-funded by a top-tier VC which I think has decent prospects. At the same time, I've gotten into a couple of good b-schools (top-10) as well starting next fall.. Really confused as to which way to go since the window on b-school is starting to close on me.

FYI, 3 years M/B/B experience, 1 year VC exp, non-business undergrad at a top public school.

Would love to get some advice on how to think about this.. would I be doing something stupid by not accepting the startup offer??

 

If you believe in the business I would take the startup job...you can always go back and get an MBA later if things don't work out while if you go and get an MBA and the startup takes off you'll be kicking yourself. I had an offer back in undergrad to join a friend's startup in a leadership role...I decided I wanted to start my career with big names on the resume and then go to a startup after a few years...now I'm kicking myself since my buddy's company got acquired for ~$150M. :S

 
harvardgrad08:
If you believe in the business I would take the startup job...you can always go back and get an MBA later if things don't work out while if you go and get an MBA and the startup takes off you'll be kicking yourself. I had an offer back in undergrad to join a friend's startup in a leadership role...I decided I wanted to start my career with big names on the resume and then go to a startup after a few years...now I'm kicking myself since my buddy's company got acquired for ~$150M. :S

this

 

Perhaps call the B-school, explain the situation, and see if they will let you defer? It would certainly be in keeping with most top schools' entrepreneurship-focused ethos...

- Capt K - "Prestige is like a powerful magnet that warps even your beliefs about what you enjoy. If you want to make ambitious people waste their time on errands, bait the hook with prestige." - Paul Graham
 
CaptK:
Perhaps call the B-school, explain the situation, and see if they will let you defer? It would certainly be in keeping with most top schools' entrepreneurship-focused ethos...
I'd never let an applicant do that if I were the b-school. If the applicant's business failed, he would then matriculate and the school would have an unsuccessful entrepreneur (okay -- i admit, failures are okay too). If the person was a wild success they would stay with the business and never look back. Lose/Lose!
CompBanker’s Career Guidance Services: https://www.rossettiadvisors.com/
 

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