I would like practical, formal schooling on how to run a business.  Basically I want the content of an MBA without the prerequisite Bachelor's degree.  Does such a thing exist?  My second choice is the obvious one - find a successful business like the one I want to run and go to work learning from the owner in the real world.  If I can't find a good school I'll go the "real world" route.

Quoted: I would like practical, formal schooling on how to run a business.  Basically I want the content of an MBA without the prerequisite Bachelor's degree.  Does such a thing exist?  My second choice is the obvious one - find a successful business like the one I want to run and go to work learning from the owner in the real world.  If I can't find a good school I'll go the "real world" route.

I could give you my notebooks from business school, but, honestly, you either 'have it' or you don't.

Business school has been a real disappointment for me. One or two informative classes amongst a sea of boring classes and bad instructors.

But, hey, I'm cynical like that, so don't go on my opinion.........

Quoted: Quoted: I would like practical, formal schooling on how to run a business.  Basically I want the content of an MBA without the prerequisite Bachelor's degree.  Does such a thing exist?  My second choice is the obvious one - find a successful business like the one I want to run and go to work learning from the owner in the real world.  If I can't find a good school I'll go the "real world" route. I could give you my notebooks from business school, but, honestly, you either 'have it' or you don't. Business school has been a real disappointment for me. One or two informative classes amongst a sea of boring classes and bad instructors. But, hey, I'm cynical like that, so don't go on my opinion.........

Bummer.   Where are you going to school?

You might want to check out the cirricula of thw MBA programs of a couple of big business schools (Michigan, Whatron, Kellogg - places like that), and then buy the textbooks that are used in the required courses.

most business schools have required courses along the lines of:

Marketing
Accounting (usually both Cost and Financial)
Finance
Strategy
Organizational Behavior
Operations
Economics
Statistics


A lot of the technical stuf flike Financial Accounting, Finance, Stats, etc - are not really that useful per se, but can be very important in order for people to get jobs.  Plus, a huge number of MBAs at the top schools take an ass-load of Finance classes so they can get an I-Bank job in Manhattan and print their own money (and retire at 40).

I'd recommend getting some textbooks (or similar books) on Strategy, Organizational Behavior, Marketing, Operations and Economics.  Look around for the previous editions - they'll usually be a lot cheaper, but often have exactly the same content.

Spend some time working your way through those, and you'll already have a realyl good idea of most of the "bones" of what an underlying management education is all about.


(Obviously, that is only scratching the surface, and MBA students go ont to take numerous electives to specialize in their particular majors - but for a general insight into basic business principles, I think you'd be off to a good start).

Quoted: <lots of good stuff snipped>

Hey, many thanks for the detailed reply.

I went to Penn State for both undergrad in Economics and later went to MBA school [Smeal School of Business]; which usually ranks top 25 in the US. Let me tell it to you this way; you'll only use about 5% of education learned. I've worked for Daimler-Chrysler, AUDI and other major manufacturers and trust me, the MBA is only a passport. Dont expect it to teach you how to be a successful business person. It doesnt work that way.

Quoted: I went to Penn State for both undergrad in Economics and later went to MBA school [Smeal School of Business]; which usually ranks top 25 in the US. Let me tell it to you this way; you'll only use about 5% of education learned. I've worked for Daimler-Chrysler, AUDI and other major manufacturers and trust me, the MBA is only a passport. Dont expect it to teach you how to be a successful business person. It doesnt work that way.

That's what I was referring to.


I would be willing to sell you some of my textbooks......

There's a book called the Ten-Day MBA.  It covers the basics of everything taught in B-school.  The bottom line is that if you want to run an entrepreneurial business, B-school is the WRONG place for you.  B-Schools teach middle managers to be middle managers.  

That said, stuff you need for entrepreneurship are relatively simple and all start at the basic levels, and increase in complexity as your business grows.  Basic bookkeeping/accounting and basic marketing (strategy and pricing, not "advertising") are the core of any business.  They provide the process and controls while you execute your plan (I am assuming you have a business plan).  You don't need B-school for any of the basics, but later down the line they might help - the thing is, by that point, you will probably already know what you are doing.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Quoted: I would like practical, formal schooling on how to run a business. Basically I want the content of an MBA without the prerequisite Bachelor's degree. Does such a thing exist? My second choice is the obvious one - find a successful business like the one I want to run and go to work learning from the owner in the real world. If I can't find a good school I'll go the "real world" route. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I could give you my notebooks from business school, but, honestly, you either 'have it' or you don't. Business school has been a real disappointment for me. One or two informative classes amongst a sea of boring classes and bad instructors. But, hey, I'm cynical like that, so don't go on my opinion.........

a big +1 to arowneragain

I could have taught most of the classes that I took towards my MBA.

You should call some of the schools in your area, maybe Ohio State.  Ask them if they give any seminars like that.  If you don't get the right answer from the first person at a school, don't give up.  A place like Ohio State is big & you might have to call several different places, like the undergrad business school deans office, the grad business school deans office, the overall grad school, etc.  Some schools will have a single course that you can take for a semester, & for marketing purposes, they will call it a mini-MBA.

Here is one at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, MN:

www.stthomas.edu/cob/execprofdev/4d/sem_desc_results.asp?code=3002&codeprof=11&profctr=depd

Great info all, thanks again.

scrum, where can I learn how to create a business plan?

Quoted: There's a book called the Ten-Day MBA.  It covers the basics of everything taught in B-school.  The bottom line is that if you want to run an entrepreneurial business, B-school is the WRONG place for you.  B-Schools teach middle managers to be middle managers.   That said, stuff you need for entrepreneurship are relatively simple and all start at the basic levels, and increase in complexity as your business grows.  Basic bookkeeping/accounting and basic marketing (strategy and pricing, not "advertising") are the core of any business.  They provide the process and controls while you execute your plan (I am assuming you have a business plan).  You don't need B-school for any of the basics, but later down the line they might help - the thing is, by that point, you will probably already know what you are doing.

Exactly.

.

What are you trying to accomplish?

If you simply want to have your own small business, forget the MBA program and get into business as fast as you can. Learn as much about the industry/business domain as you can from the owner while taking business classes at night at the local community college.

If you want to get a job as a suit, that's a different route. Perhaps in that case a formal MBA is necessary to give you the credibility you desire.

If you have an idea that you want to pitch to VCs, in the end they will put in their own MBAs and give you the boot as soon as they can. So, perhaps in that case a better use of your time and energy is to put it to use coming up with that great idea.

Quoted: What are you trying to accomplish? If you simply want to have your own small business, forget the MBA program and get into business as fast as you can. Learn as much about the industry/business domain as you can from the owner while taking business classes at night at the local community college. If you want to get a job as a suit, that's a different route. Perhaps in that case a formal MBA is necessary to give you the credibility you desire. If you have an idea that you want to pitch to VCs, in the end they will put in their own MBAs and give you the boot as soon as they can. So, perhaps in that case a better use of your time and energy is to put it to use coming up with that great idea.

I want to run my own business.  I've been an employee all my life - time to try out the spot at the top.

anyone been through the patent process?  I have had several ideas that are very good and would make good products.  One even won an award in a contest but I have heard so many different things regarding patenting stuff.

Do it, you need to protect your IP

don't do it cause it'll get infringed anyway and you need major dough to fight it, use the money to get into production etc...


Any goood honest resources or ideas on getting my first patent?

.

Quoted: anyone been through the patent process?  I have had several ideas that are very good and would make good products.  One even won an award in a contest but I have heard so many different things regarding patenting stuff. Do it, you need to protect your IP don't do it cause it'll get infringed anyway and you need major dough to fight it, use the money to get into production etc... Any goood honest resources or ideas on getting my first patent?

Ideas are cheap.  Execution is what matters.  

Quoted: Great info all, thanks again. scrum, where can I learn how to create a business plan?

There are lots of books you can buy (or check out from the library), but honestly almost everything the books have can be found on the US govt Small Business Administration website.  It is a great resource.  In addition, lots of states have licensing and business assistance offices, many of which have their entire purpose set around helping guys get businesses off the ground (including grants, business loans, etc).  The SBA site has a business plan guide/developer:

www.sba.gov/starting_business/planning/basic.html

The Business Plan Archive is also a cool resource, as it has plans from both successful and failed businesses.  Often you can learn more from failures than the successes - ie, what to avoid.

www.businessplanarchive.org/

Another thing you can do to help yourself is find someone a few years ahead of you and talk to them.  Often the Better Business Bureau or local chamber of commerce can set you up with a business mentor if you don't already have someone you know.

Good luck, and remember the essential rule in life "measure twice, cut once".  As in think it through, think it through again to make sure it's really a good idea, then stop just thinking about executing and get on with the plan.  A lot of ideas (especially my own here - I am the big hypocrite on this!) sit on the drawing board and never get to action.

Quoted: Quoted: What are you trying to accomplish? If you simply want to have your own small business, forget the MBA program and get into business as fast as you can. Learn as much about the industry/business domain as you can from the owner while taking business classes at night at the local community college. If you want to get a job as a suit, that's a different route. Perhaps in that case a formal MBA is necessary to give you the credibility you desire. If you have an idea that you want to pitch to VCs, in the end they will put in their own MBAs and give you the boot as soon as they can. So, perhaps in that case a better use of your time and energy is to put it to use coming up with that great idea. I want to run my own business.  I've been an employee all my life - time to try out the spot at the top.

You don't need an MBA for that. In fact, it would be a diversion away from your primary goal.

IMO, it's better to jump it now and learn as much as possible about the business you will be involved with and then take formal business classes nights and weekends.

Quoted: Quoted: Great info all, thanks again. scrum, where can I learn how to create a business plan? There are lots of books you can buy (or check out from the library), but honestly almost everything the books have can be found on the US govt Small Business Administration website.  It is a great resource.  In addition, lots of states have licensing and business assistance offices, many of which have their entire purpose set around helping guys get businesses off the ground (including grants, business loans, etc).  The SBA site has a business plan guide/developer: www.sba.gov/starting_business/planning/basic.html The Business Plan Archive is also a cool resource, as it has plans from both successful and failed businesses.  Often you can learn more from failures than the successes - ie, what to avoid. www.businessplanarchive.org/ Another thing you can do to help yourself is find someone a few years ahead of you and talk to them.  Often the Better Business Bureau or local chamber of commerce can set you up with a business mentor if you don't already have someone you know. Good luck, and remember the essential rule in life "measure twice, cut once".  As in think it through, think it through again to make sure it's really a good idea, then stop just thinking about executing and get on with the plan.  A lot of ideas (especially my own here - I am the big hypocrite on this!) sit on the drawing board and never get to action.

Thanks again, scrum.  I'll be sure to check out those resources.