Who does an MBA to be an entrepreneur? That is the question I get time and time again when I state emphatically that I want to start my own venture upon leaving Ivey. Of course when people think of Canada’s top business school they instantly think Investment Banking and Consulting, but more and more aspiring entrepreneurs are entering Ivey in a bid to upgrade their skills and compete on a higher level than ever before.
After completing a college diploma as well as a B.Comm in Entrepreneurship I still believed that to compete with the best and brightest the world has to offer an Ivey MBA would be a terrific asset. I also believe in the philosophy that entrepreneurship is all about risk mitigation and having those 3 letters after my name can provide a safety net. Of course Ivey is known for opening doors and that is simply essential for those looking for partners, capital, knowledge etc. However, I cannot impress upon you how valuable the Ivey alumni network is to any business venture. Having business leaders from around the world at your fingertips is the Holy Grail for any small business manager. Also, the plethora of knowledge captured in the brains of every professor and each one of your fellow students is simply mind boggling.
Furthermore, Ivey has allowed me to sit with world leaders and business moguls from around the world, many of whom have started their own ventures. A small list includes, Larry Rosen, Kevin O’Leary, Stan Shih, Tony Lacavera, Brian Tobin, Vincent Siew, Nicholas Winsor, just to name but a few. I am proud to say that Ivey’s resources have helped me with my startup www.MotorMonkey.com which is the newest of a string of businesses I have been involved in and it truly is a labour of love.
And the answer to my original question “who does an MBA to be an entrepreneur?” well in my opinion if you are serious about being a successful entrepreneur and scaling your ideas and taking them to the next level, the answer really should be you. This need not be right out of Ivey but who doesn’t dream of being their own boss? The skills captured from the case method as well as the highest caliber of professors and speakers will serve any business leader well.