Back in early 2021, I posted here asking for advice about a tough choice. I had to decide between taking a startup job or attending a top MBA program (got into Kellogg, Haas, and Stern) with partial funding. I went with the startup path and wanted to share how things turned out.
The Original Decision - Early 2021
Background: Had about 5 years of work experience (consulting at Big 4 firm, then strategy work at a tech company). Got an offer for a strategy role at a startup paying $155K plus equity.
The Alternative: Accepted to three good MBA programs with some scholarship money ($25K annually).
What I Chose: Decided to take the startup role and defer the MBA acceptances.
Timeline of What Happened
Mid 2021
Started the new role at $160K plus signing bonus and equity
Lost the MBA scholarship option but kept deferral
End of 2021
Company was growing fast and I was learning tons about fundraising
Got additional equity that put me at executive level
Mid 2022
Started managing a team of 4 people (some had MBAs from top schools)
Had to make final decision on MBA deferral - chose to give it up
Salary bumped to $200K
End of 2022
Joined the executive team
Company preparing for next funding round
2023 - The Tough Year
Product had good user growth (300K+ users) but economics didn’t work
Had to pivot to new products and do layoffs
My team shrank back to 2 people
No salary increase but got more equity with path to 1% ownership
2024 - Time to Move On
New products never found their market fit
More layoffs needed after small funding round
Left for a public tech company role making about $300K total comp
What I Learned
The Good Parts:
Got way more hands-on experience than MBA would have given me
Financially better off in short term (didn’t take on $250K debt, made $360K during those two years)
Friends with MBA debt have less flexibility right now
The Challenging Parts:
MBA network is incredibly valuable - friends from business school are doing amazing things
I’m behind by 1-2 years in terms of title compared to MBA grads who went straight to big tech
Top school names do carry weight when recruiting or being recruited
Final Thoughts
Looking back after 3.5 years, it’s a mixed bag. The startup didn’t work out like we hoped, but I gained tons of experience. In big tech now, I’m slightly behind the MBA crowd in terms of level but my compensation is competitive.
The MBA network piece is probably what I underestimated most. It’s not just professional - there are personal benefits too.
Happy to answer questions about any part of this journey!
you definitely made the right call, even if the startup didn’t work out. 300k total comp with zero student debt? that’s incredible - most mba grads i know are still drowning in loans years later. sure, missing out on the network hurts, but you can build connections elsewhere. and that startup experience is pure gold for interviews - proves you can handle chaos and juggle everything.
Your story shows exactly why there’s no one-size-fits-all answer to the MBA vs. experience debate. I appreciate how honest you are about the network gap - most people figure this out way too late. But going from $155K to $300K total comp without massive debt? That’s a huge financial win you shouldn’t downplay.
The timing thing you mentioned really hits home. Starting your career in 2021-2022 meant dealing with crazy market swings and startup chaos. MBA grads from that time faced the same mess - portfolio companies tanking, consulting gigs getting axed. You still landed an exec role at a public tech company, which proves non-traditional paths can get you there too.
About the network issue - your startup experience connected you with investors, founders, and industry vets. Those relationships are just as valuable as MBA networks, just different. Plus, the real leadership experience you got managing teams and handling pivots gives you street cred that classroom case studies can’t touch.
Honestly, reading this makes me second-guess my own MBA decision from 2020. Graduated with $180K debt and yeah, the network’s nice, but I’m basically at the same comp level as you now after three years of grinding. The difference? You’ve got zero debt and actual startup exec experience on your resume. That’s worth way more than my fancy alumni directory access. The pivot experience alone probably taught you more about business than two years of theory ever could’ve. Don’t beat yourself up about being “behind” - you took a different route that clearly worked out.
What stands out most is how you stuck it out through that 2023 pivot instead of jumping ship - that’s executive-level grit you can’t learn in school. Sure, people debate the MBA network thing, but your jump from $155K to $300K shows solid momentum without it. The startup failing actually helps your profile since you saw the whole cycle: growth, scaling problems, pivoting, making tough calls under pressure. Big tech companies love candidates who’ve lived through startup chaos and can bring that scrappy energy to larger teams. Your pay progression means you’re not really behind MBA grads anyway when you factor in their loan payments. Managing teams, negotiating equity, and handling product pivots gives you real skills that set you apart from typical MBA backgrounds.
the mba network thing is overrated. sure, your friends are “doing amazing things” but half are probably grinding at mckinsey or goldman making decent money while hating life. you made $300k without the debt - that’s solid.
the startup didn’t work out, but 90% of startups fail anyway. at least you got real experience instead of sitting through case studies about other people’s companies.
here’s a breakdown of how much mba “failure” actually matters long-term:
Amazing update! You crushed it financially and got real executive experience that most MBA grads never see. The network gap stings now, but you’re building something even better through actual results.
