How do you know when someone has done an MBA? They tell you. That must be one of the longest standing MBA jokes. I hear it all the time, and probably because it is true. So, to fall into the trap, I must admit to having done an MBA way back in 2002/3.
At the time of doing an MBA, I was incredibly naïve, especially in understanding the world of business. The MBA was a huge learning journey, and I immersed myself fully for 18 months. I have since come a full circle, and for eight years, I have taught four different business finance courses to MBA students. I have seen this degree from all sides.
Over the last year and a half, I have walked a new learning journey. One of content creation, copywriting, newsletters, email marketing, online marketing, and direct sales. Add to that shameless self-promotion. None of these elements forms part of any traditional MBA curriculum. The world of online marketing and direct sales is so fluid that I cannot imagine any academic community being able to evolve or innovate fast enough to keep up. Many MBA finance courses still teach outdated concepts from the 1960s.
The world of Podcasts, Twitter, and YouTube provides access to rich content with insight and learning potential. The challenge is to curate the content. To do this, one must seek out the best content creators. Unfortunately, the simple metrics of audience size, followers and views are not always accurate indicators of quality. I have uncovered some of the best content creators by diving down rabbit holes of discovery. My learning has been exponential as I have discovered creators from all corners of the world.
The problem with following the learning journey that I have over the last while is that there is no certificate to hang on the wall or add to your CV. There is no way to trade up in jobs or get a salary increase because you are now a graduate. There is no graduation. These are “new age” skills. These are skills of the digital entrepreneur. These are skills required to transition from the traditional world of work to the world of nomadic wealth creation. No one talks the language of MBA in this world. In this world, the MBA is dead!
Justin Spencer-Young @fastforwardjsy