While most people associate the value of the MBA with a strong education, and network of peers, the recent interviews at Here@Hass reveal additional benefits below the surface. Other than an idea and a passion to turn the idea into a working product, most entrepreneurs seldom have all the skills required get their startup off the ground.
Apart from the amazing classes that one can take at Haas to learn about entrepreneurship, there are so many other benefits of starting a business while pursuing your MBA. Here are a list of 3 such benefits that we drew from our conversations with Haas MBA students on the Here@Haas podcast.
1. Leverage your MBA status to open new doors
Sam Tannor came to Haas with a goal of creating a refrigerated beverage for the consumer market. She immediately got working on Tannor’s Tea, an organic Matcha concentrate that reduces the time needed to make Matcha without compromising on the flavor. In this interview with Here@Haas, she talks about how Haas has taught her so much about the food industry through clubs such as Food at Haas and classes such as Food Systems Innovation, but also how a lot of professionals in the food industry have been so open to talking to her given that she is a student.
2. Connect with fellow entrepreneurs and even meet your co-founder
After working in the the fintech space in Latin America, Lourdes Amayo (Lou) came to Haas to learn business skills that would help her formulate a growth strategy for social impact companies in developing countries.
Almost by accident, she ran into Pedro Moura and Jessica Eting at LAUNCH, an accelerator program that helps UC Berkeley students launch companies, who were working on flourish, a company helping people in developing countries establish a savings habit. In her interview with Here@Haas, Lou shares the story behind the serendipitous partnership that fueled her foray into the social impact space.
3. Embrace risk-taking through strong support systems
Jen Deangelis had successfully started a digital arm at a marketing agency before coming to Haas. She joined Haas in order to develop the skillset needed to run a line of business such as accounting and finance. But her goals changed once she arrived: she quickly realized that her real goal was to become an entrepreneur. Haas gave her the support to let go of her fears of what other people might think and take a leap of faith in starting her own venture.
In this interview with Here@Haas, Jen talks about the importance of the Haas community in helping her realize and reach her dream. Today Jen is the founder and CEO of SuiteSocial, a marketing and advertising agency that uses AI to connects brands and influencers.
