I am a CA with an opportunity to start something on my own currently. But we all know startups are very risky. In order to mitigate the risk I am contemplating writing the GMAT as the score is vali...

Welcome to Ask Grapeviners's Private Community

I am a CA with an opportunity to start something on my own currently. But we all know start-ups are very risky. In order to mitigate the risk I am contemplating writing the GMAT as the score is valid for 5 years and then focusing on my start up. 

My plan is in case the startup does not succeed I can always pursue an MBA with the GMAT score I have. 

Personally, having a good GMAT score gives me the  comfort to take more risk in life. 

But somehow I am not able to study and I end up thinking and working on my startup.

MBA vs Doing something of your own

Founder’s Office

MBA vs Doing something of your own- Grapevine

Welcome to Business Roles's Private Community

People, who gone through the journey of GMAT, tier-1 MBA college India or US, how do you assess whether or not to join a early stage startup right after college, does it affect chances of getting in? keeping in mind I don't come from engineering background or tier-1 college.

Also, where did you study for GMAT? I gave it once after prepping for a year to score around 650. Any recommendations?

GMAT&MBA query

Intern

Welcome to Indian Startups's Private Community

How important is it to get an MBA for an overall network and growth perspective?
I have an experience of 3 years at a series A startup, I now feel my growth flatlining.
Would it be better if I go for an MBA or if I go to a different startup?

My profile is not the best in terms of grades (not bad either but 90% in 10th and 12th and 7 CGPA in college- BA Hons)  
Will ISB admit be possible given I crack a great GMAT score? I’m unsure if the Acads will hamper it.

Please upvote so that it reaches relevant folks for help. Thanks!

MBA for growth?

When you have an idea of startup & you're working on it . It's MBA  worth for doing??

I'm considering dropping out of my MBA to pursue a startup idea. Am I crazy to leave a 'sure thing' for a risky venture?"

Software Engineer

Welcome to Product Managers's Private Community

Some days going to office just feels like I am just existing to show up. 

Anybody feeling the same way?

Just Showing Up

Yeah Same Bro, My Office lacks a culture of keeping folks motivated, it fails to give a reason for people to come to office. No office parties or informal catch-ups for over a year makes it worse.

Product Manager

How important is it to get an MBA for an overall network and growth perspective?
I have an experience of 3 years at a series A startup, I now feel my growth flatlining.
Would it be better if I go for an MBA or if I go to a different startup?

MBA for startups/jobs

Hey all,

I am a recent MBA passout from one of the top 6 IIMs. After working for an year at a big ecommerce company, I wanted to work on more challenging problems and joined a startup at ideation stage as a PM. Its been a couple of months and now I’m not fully sure about the direction this startup is going towards. It will be a few more months before we exhaust funds and I doubt we will be able to raise more funds. Because of these thoughts, I’m unable to focus on current work as well and feeling anxious all the time. 

Any suggestions on what I can do?

Not sure what to do

Background: I completed my engineering degree from a tier 3 college in India and have been working as a software engineer in multiple early-stage startups in India and UAE for the past 7 years.

I have always had a desire to start my own company, and though I attempted it twice in the past, unfortunately, those endeavors didn't succeed.

I don't have any prestigious affiliations or connections. Neither have I worked for a renowned company nor attended a prestigious college. Consequently, I also lack a strong professional network. This makes me wonder if pursuing an MBA from a reputable college would be beneficial for my entrepreneurial aspirations.

Is getting an MBA helpful for a software engineer who wants to start their own company later on?

Overview: 
Everyone around me, be it old school friends to the people in the bangalore startup ecosystem are planning to or already in the process of doing an MBA. 

What is happening:
Most of the people I know, either are going for a tier 1 MBA in India or colleges like “Carnegie Mellon”/ “INSEAD”/ “NUS” these are really good places. 

Why am I concerned:
I dont have great acade, GEM candidate so I have decided to not pursue CAT at all, and MBA outside India is too expensive. 

I feel like my job and career are going fine with 4 years of professional experience I am making 25LPA in marketing. I am not keen on doing an MBA but I dont want to regret later.

I consider myself to be fairly smart but what happens when I am competing with people who have great brand names on their resume and are actually smart. 

People on GV with more experience, have you gone through this struggle? 


Sidenote: I also have friends who have cleared IIM ABC, ISB and not gone, because they just wanted the admit letter. Which is brave lol!

Will an MBA destroy your life or make it better?

Performance Marketer

Welcome to Office Gossip's Private Community

Engineering grad. Transitioned into marketing right out of college. ~2 years of experience. 

Started out on a shit pay, currently underpaid but getting good exposure and learning a lot. 

This was a conscious decision as I am focused on learning, growth and personal development. 

Feedback is, I have made massive professional progress in the last 1.5 years and the company too (at my request) is giving me more agency to explore and diversify my skill set.  

This means; mainly more responsibilities, a few operations related decisions & tasks and a few sales calls and client presentations.  

I work at a very small startup and I feel, despite having the opportunity to learn here, the environment or mostly the pay is too shit/low. 

I am already a star employee here and I feel it would be a good time to switch, to be amongst a group wherein I can get more challenges and opportunities. Of course, a higher pay would be wonderful as well. 

While, job switching is an option, I am also thinking about doing an MBA. 

I feel if I can build upon this momentum and get into a good college - it would negate years of grind that I would have to put (in the current scenario). 

I really would like you good people to analyse my situation and help me out, please.

TIA.

Work. Transition. Study?

Content Marketing Manager

I am working in a founder's office role. Seekhne ko bahut kuch hain lekin kuch certainity nahin ki future mein kya hoga.

Sochta hu CAT ke liye prepare karlu lekin time commit nahin kar pa raha alas ke chakkar mein.

Ek khayal yeh bhi ata hain ki experience leke MBA karo jyada better hain ek khyal yeh bhi ata ki padhai ke saath lage lagaye aage ka ho jaye to better hain.

Dosto se baat ab bahut kam ho gayi kyoki wo log bahut busy hain 😂.

Bas aaplog batao kya chal raha.

Kya Chal Raha Zindagi Mein?

Welcome to Confessions's Private Community

Hi Guys , I am currently looking to start my online MBA from manipal. I need advice on the same whether it helps in my career or not .( The ultimate goal is to either start my business in 5 years or go abroad and work in a MNC). I am 23. But job is not ment for me tbh 😔. Have a business background but it's not stable that's why joined corporate for get some money for ok life. Please need guidance like a big brother on whether I should not do it or start with it ( Btech background not interested in coding as such). Or any other life advice! Thanks

Online MBA

Associate

I'm an arts major working in the communications space, planning to do an MBA. I've GMAT focus books and English seemed doable on my own. I've been using online resources to study Math but I'm very confused as to what to study and how to study. So I've decided to go for a coaching but I've no idea which coaching is actually good, especially for someone who doesn't come from engineering or other Math background. Jamboree is charging over a lakh for coaching plus counselling on admissions while there's Y axis which is charging much lower at about 50k but doesn't have many reviews. I also read reviews on Jamboree being the typical marketing institute and not worth for money. Has anybody actually taken up or know anyone who has taken up GMAT coaching that helped them? It's critical I start preparing now if I have to start my MBA in 2025. As there are a lot of business folks here, I would appreciate any genuine help you can send this way. Thank you

Really need help with GMAT prep

VC Analyst

Welcome to Software Engineers's Private Community

I feel like I need different perspectives in my life and hence I’m planning to give GMAT. What would you suggest for a 29 yo software engineer who needs more perspectives in life what should be the right thing to do? I know building a product could give more perspectives but I feel like doing MBA from outside will add more value to my career

I am thinking of preparing for GMAT, need some advice (yoe 8, age 29)

Hi Folks,

I wanna prepare for GMAT and build a profile for a top business school. However, with the high demanding work and a lot of late nights I am not able to get enough time and at times enough motivation to study. 
Does anyone have any recommendations as to what should I do or what sort of plan I can follow ?

GMAT prep recommendations with High demand job

So I left my job in Jan 2024 after 3.4 yoe.
I wish to switch my profile to HR, and therefore, I wish to pursue an MBA degree.
Now the problem starts:
my family is pressuring me that if I'm unable to convert any good colleges, how will I justify my gap year so I should take up a job.
I don't wish to take up a job since I want to focus entirely on CAT prep.
They are also pressurising me that if I'm unable to convert, then I will have to start from scratch in HR with a low salary and they wish to see me married within next 2-3 years so why would a nice guy marry a girl who is earning 25k-30k a month.
So I'm really stressed out. 
What should I do?
Take up a job and then prepare for entrance, or ignore them and just focus on prep, like what's the solution?
Everyone is talking about the problem, what's the solution?

Stressed out - need guidance - mba entrance

External Audit

I am deeply worried, to the extent of feeling depressed, about my career trajectory. I feel I made a mistake by switching tracks via doing an MBA with 10 yrs exp. I was a QA for a decade and tried a lot to break into PO roles( worked in a product based org on mobile apps for 6 years). It did not work and the director of PM advised me to do the one year fulltime MBA. Not sure why I gave in to his advice, but I gave GMAT and began with an 18 month Full time program at a Tier-1 Bschool. Cracked placement in the first go but got into IT services( not in WITCH), and now I am stuck being a PMO for a client.
Even when I look at my resume, I see a crappy profile, everything is disjointed and makes no sense now. No wonder I get no calls.
I don't want to go back to QA, this Project Management work is shitty( cannot see any learning happening, but the client is happy so I'm stuck in this project. )
I want to move to PM, thinking maybe CSPM can help, not sure where I am headed. 
Any guidance for this middle aged dinosaur 😞

Lost career graph( long post)

Program Manager

Hey All

I graduated in 2021 out of DU and parallely converted my internship with a preseries A fintech startup for a full-time role, pay was less that what I would've got in campus placements, but I prioritised steep learning curve or a 15k per month salary difference.

After spending 15 months reporting directly to the ceo in a 150 member team, I resigned. Initially the pace was enjoyable, later on it became toxic.

Moved to Bangalore and joined another start-up, didn't take a huge hike since I just wanted to start somewhere. After working here for 7 months, now I have much for focussed idea on what my strengths are and I'm working with experienced folks (avg 8+ years). I'm a 22 year old working in the founding team of pretty good product startup (funded by Kunal and bunch of other angels).

Currently I'm at 6LPA, and would reach a 12LPA in thr next 3-4 months subject to fundraise, what I would like an opinion on is if after completing an year and we don't raise a round, do I stay? Or do I go back home and prepare for Gmat or CAT, then do aan expensive MBA by taking a loan? Or do I find another startup asking for a 12LPA? or do I try for a established company role in program management or partnerships or something?

I don't have any family money or business to fall back on, but fortunately I didn't take a loan for my education yet, and my parents would be okay to give me another 2 more years to figure things out.

Would appreciate help from anyone who've been in a similar journey or just any piece of advice.

Thanks!

Started off career in startups

I want to move abroad in most likely hood and I was pondering if I should go for an MBA. You'll know my dilemma at the end. Tad bit about me:

Professionally:

3YOE
55 LPA xash
SPM in a series C company with 1 promotion every year.
Worked at 2 orgs in similar space 


Acads

BTech from tier 3 college
9.1 CGPA
Interned at an NIT and Ferrari in Italy (onsite)
Couple of international scholarships + talks + active coder

Financially

NW > 1cr liquid
Side hustle makes >2L PM and increasing MoM

Target school

Stanford GSB
Wharton
UCB
Chicago booth



Now, the dilema is that professionally and financially im doing okay but I'm not sure about how things are in India currently. I don't want my fam to be subject to the life i had(we can debate this later on)

Now, for folks who did MBA or knows someone who did similar stuff, please help me out

No negativity please 🙏🏻

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