after I graduate my my history degree. I was wondering if getting an MBA would help at all. I guess it would help me find a way to get the money to start up a small business. Any suggestions? Should I get an MBA? Where? What do you need to get in? Anything else useful? Thanks!

12/11/2005 4:28:26 PM

you dont need an mba to run a small business. experience >>>> mba

12/11/2005 4:38:56 PM

heres my train of thought:

to run a successful small business, ill require enough money to get a good location/advertise/start-up costs/etc.

to obtain that money, ill have to work somewhere else first.

with a history BA, there arent many options opened outside of teaching.

with an MBA, more opportunities will be avaliable, which will pay more money. ill have the money to start, but ill also have the money to bail out safely in case i fail.

thus, in the long term, an MBA will help me obtain necessary funds as well as give me more education (and you can never have too much education )

12/11/2005 4:47:09 PM

if you'd like to own your own online marketing business and make eleventy trillion dollars a year for the rest of your life, you should look into quixtar.

12/11/2005 4:53:03 PM

Why did you come to school for a History degree when you say it's only good for teaching and you don't have any desire to do so?

12/11/2005 4:54:09 PM

um...how many people graduate w/ a degree in what they originally came to school for? i started out in engineering like everyone else and switched when i realized i didnt enjoy it. dumb question.

and im 75% sure i want to teach, but 25% of me might want to try this at some point.

12/11/2005 5:01:37 PM

I started my own business....start up costs came from stocks and other investments...but i split it all 50/50 with my business partner. and Experience >>>> MBA

12/11/2005 5:11:03 PM

I'm gonna be brash: Why the hell did you get a history degree if you weren't 100% sure you were gonna teach for life? Seriously.

12/11/2005 5:15:20 PM

goddam it, you people are useless. OMG YOU CANT MAKE UP YOUR MIND ARE YOU RETARDED???

12/11/2005 5:22:42 PM

who cares what degree he has....most people don't even work in their majors field....so long as you have a piece of paper that says "i spent lots of money on my education" no one cares what you studied.

and so long as you know a few people in the right places, you are set even with a basket weaving degree

[Edited on December 11, 2005 at 5:27 PM. Reason : fda]

12/11/2005 5:26:46 PM

I graduated with a BS in History and had no problems finding a job. I just had to start low and work my way up.

I'm not a teacher either. I hate kids of all ages.

12/11/2005 5:28:49 PM

what type of business are you planning on starting?

12/11/2005 5:42:51 PM

Quote :

"um...how many people graduate w/ a degree in what they originally came to school for?"

*raises hand*. I added a second degree as well ... oops?

Starting your own business isn't as bad as it sounds. You need to do some serious research into the market you will be entering and the commitments (time, money, personal life, etc.) starting your own business will involve.

Having a couple of connections from college is always helpful, whether they be instructors or contacts in industry. Getting an MBA may help in high-powered negiotiations, but if you had a sponsor of your business with 30+ years of experience in the field your business is in, that will probably be a better thing.

12/11/2005 6:49:00 PM

Quote :

"um...how many people graduate w/ a degree in what they originally came to school for?"

the majority of people do this

12/11/2005 7:11:53 PM

I too want to do this PNB. The hard part is figuring out what I what I want to sell and/or what services I want to provide. The second hardest part is raising the capital to do so.

12/12/2005 1:37:56 PM

not to damped your enthusiasm, but if this is really your train of thought

Quote :

"heres my train of thought: to run a successful small business, ill require enough money to get a good location/advertise/start-up costs/etc. to obtain that money, ill have to work somewhere else first. with a history BA, there arent many options opened outside of teaching. with an MBA, more opportunities will be avaliable, which will pay more money. ill have the money to start, but ill also have the money to bail out safely in case i fail. thus, in the long term, an MBA will help me obtain necessary funds as well as give me more education (and you can never have too much education )"

you aren't going to be starting this particular business up. i would look into starting up the business and if it's 100% not possible, then a MBA might be a good idea to increase earning potential (as you pointed out the history degree isn't very valuable). your full-time job is not going to generate enough capital to allow you to start a business of any scale without financing

you will learn how to be a good corporate cog in a MBA program, which has it's benefits and will shed some light on how businesses run, but it won't teach you jack about how to run a business.

you pretty much just have to make a plan, figure out where the money is going to come from, and start working hard

if it's bust and you decide to work for somebody else THEN go get a MBA, schools will love that you tried, even if you tried and failed, it's a good quality to have.

it's also a matter of lifestyle, maybe try out a corporate job and see if you really can't stand it and then go off on your own, getting some experience on somebody else's dime.

at least you're thinking it through, that's much better than just jumping into it.



[Edited on December 12, 2005 at 2:04 PM. Reason : gggg]

12/12/2005 2:00:11 PM

Amway?

12/12/2005 2:19:58 PM

start something small for a few years, something that can be done through loans, and with the help of close friends or family. pay the bitch off, and then work up to what you really want to start, this will all take a good 5 years though, this a track that i am really consideirng...

12/12/2005 2:57:42 PM

^ sounds like a sound plan

stuff doesn't happen overnight for small businesses, nor would you want it to

12/12/2005 3:06:05 PM

I just want to learn how to sell bullshit via infomercials. I wish someone would come on tv and sell me a book that teaches me how to do it.

12/12/2005 3:24:25 PM

Who has times for books? I'll sell you my 3 DVD* series on how to make billions through informercials. Today's crazy, insane price is only $199.99.**

I know you're thinking you can't be serious, that's an increible deal!

But wait there's more!

MORE!?!?!?!

Much more!

You'll also get the audio version on CD, complete with 30 minute seminar on how to say "That's an incredible deal" and really mean it.

BUT WAIT!

Order in the next 30 minutes*** and we'll cut the price to
$199.99
169.99!


*DVD may appear blank, not compatable with all players.
** Refunds available within 24 hours of purchase. Maximum refund is $10. Allow 4-6 weeks for shipping. $150 restocking fee on all returns.
*** 30 minutes is from time of viewing the ad, if it's been more than 30 minutes we will know that you're lying so don't even try it.

12/12/2005 4:04:20 PM

Quote :

"with an MBA, more opportunities will be avaliable, which will pay more money"

Not unless you have about 5 years of solid experience (not being a waitress).

12/12/2005 4:14:37 PM

I only had 2 years going in (and that was as a biochemist) and I'm past 2x what I was at going in and I'm only 6 months out from school.

In the past 30 months I've worked with ~12 companies and I'm headed to my second full-time gig since graduating. It's possible to get a lot of experience while you get the degree if you really work at it.

For those of us who we're smart enough to figure out as an undergrad that even medicore computer people make mad bank, it's not a bad plan.

Aside: as far as $ goes, science is for suckers - you've been warned.

[Edited on December 12, 2005 at 4:31 PM. Reason : yiyuiu]

12/12/2005 4:29:34 PM

^^^ That sounds pretty good, but there is a guy selling a book of cures that they don't want me to know about. I'VE GOT TO GET IT!!!1

[Edited on December 12, 2005 at 4:32 PM. Reason : ^^^]

12/12/2005 4:32:22 PM

i agree in this case that an MBA isn't going to help out all the much, MBA is more about climbing the corp ladder than running your own small business.

12/12/2005 4:34:17 PM

^^

Here's a little known secret from DVD 1...I'll go ahead and share because I want your business.

The Patriot Act was created to keep my informercial secrets quiet. How's that for what they don't want you to know about?

That's all my lawyer will let me say.

Make checks payable to cash!

12/12/2005 4:42:58 PM

Quote :

"and so long as you know a few people in the right places, you are set even with a basket weaving degree"

eg. wealthy relatives that subsidize my lifestyle that I don't specifically tell tdub about so I can look like a big balla and didn't earn any of it

12/12/2005 4:45:22 PM