Spring Break
A "Student Entrepreneur" Experience at HBS
Scott Belsky, Contributing Writer
Issue date: 5/5/08 Section: News
My "starting salary" coming out of HBS will be a negative number. But Behance is growing quickly, and we now have a number of opportunities to get funding and/or partnerships with some established companies that can provide some security going forward. I also love the team we've built and the substance of the daily grind.
Was it worth it? I certainly asked this question a lot. Amidst the back-and-forth and the pressure of being "full-time" in two places at once, I wondered if HBS (or the business) came at the wrong time. The most difficult part was making a conscious compromise on both the HBS experience and the traditional approach to launching a business. I missed out on many social events and treks, and I was also absent during many of the late nights my team spent in the office. However, I depart HBS with new, great friendships. I have also been able to utilize the "inventory of knowledge" we were all promised at registration: I often find myself citing examples from our countless cases when my team and I are preparing for a negotiation with a vendor or tweaking the marketing plan. And I think the lessons on compartmentalization and balance were difficult at times but invaluable. Alas, the "HBS experience" was transformational, but certainly not as expected.
Was it worth it? I certainly asked this question a lot. Amidst the back-and-forth and the pressure of being "full-time" in two places at once, I wondered if HBS (or the business) came at the wrong time. The most difficult part was making a conscious compromise on both the HBS experience and the traditional approach to launching a business. I missed out on many social events and treks, and I was also absent during many of the late nights my team spent in the office. However, I depart HBS with new, great friendships. I have also been able to utilize the "inventory of knowledge" we were all promised at registration: I often find myself citing examples from our countless cases when my team and I are preparing for a negotiation with a vendor or tweaking the marketing plan. And I think the lessons on compartmentalization and balance were difficult at times but invaluable. Alas, the "HBS experience" was transformational, but certainly not as expected.
Viewing Comments 1 - 3 of 3
GauravSharma_India
Gaurav Sharma
posted 7/08/08 @ 10:38 AM EST
Inspiring!.... for a prospective MBA student with heavier 'right brain'.
cheers!
Gloria Capel
posted 3/11/09 @ 4:19 AM EST
Nice review! Thanks!
Justine Clowes
posted 3/15/09 @ 3:30 AM EST
Good scene, interesting post, thanks.
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