#MyMBAStory - From ideation to start-up success with the Global MBA Entrepreneurship Track
With experience in management consulting and a keen interest to find effective solutions for the business world's challenges, Howard chose EDHEC because of the school’s strategic partnerships with global innovation hubs such as Station F and Plug and Play, coupled with its strong reputation for return on investment and relocation.
EDHEC's Global MBA programme offers a transformative learning experience that aligns with participants’ individual professional interests and ambitions, offering specialisation tracks in Finance, Entrepreneurship, Digital Innovation, and Global Leadership. Upon joining EDHEC, Howard Lee was particularly intrigued by the Entrepreneurship track. With a desire to explore his entrepreneurial potential, he believed that an MBA would offer the perfect platform to do so. It represented a safe and structured environment for him to delve into entrepreneurship, without the immediate risks of launching a new business on his own.
Discover the EDHEC MBA Entrepreneurship Track
The EDHEC Global MBA Entrepreneurship track provides a comprehensive curriculum, designed to offer a well-rounded understanding of the entrepreneurship ecosystem. It focuses on key aspects of launching and sustaining a start-up, guiding students from the initial brainstorming phase through to financial planning. The curriculum equips students with the essential tools to bring their business ideas to life and maintain their success over time.
“We did four courses. Course number one was about design thinking and how you go from an idea to the various different stages of a start-up. This course was very practical and ‘real-life’, we had to talk to potential customers and test our assumptions, for example.
Our second course was about the different start-up operating models and business models outlining the ways of generating revenue, what's important, and how to track and monitor your progress as a business.
The third course was marketing for start-ups with a past director at Ogilvy. We learned why setting up a brand upfront is important and how to market yourself and put yourself out there to attract customers. We also learned about examples of smaller companies whose brands succeeded in captivating a large audience.
Our final course was all about the financial side of running and growing a company, including valuating the business, building a financial model, and when to ask for equity. It’s a big challenge to build financial models before generating revenue so we learned different techniques to do so as well as all the elements of acquiring funding.”
"We can really use everything we learned practically when we build our first business plan and all the way into actually running the business. We now have a full toolkit to apply depending on the situation we are in. I’m very excited to use them as I go through my own start-up process."
Howard Lee
EDHEC Global MBA 2023
Berlin learning expedition: A unique blend of cultural and entrepreneurial lessons
A significant highlight of the Entrepreneurship track is the enlightening Learning Expedition. The 2023 Learnex took Howard and his colleagues to Berlin.
“It was fantastic to say in short. Each day had a theme, starting with meeting and discussing with small business owners on Monday which especially resonated with me. We heard from new venture founders, visited their offices, learned about their struggles and how they are overcoming them.
Berlin was a particularly great city based on its history. After the war, the city attracted a lot of diverse individuals including artists who started to innovate when rebuilding the city. This invited many start-ups into its open culture. This openness and diversity make finding unique talent easier, and because the city is so well known, it invites funding. The city is filled with accelerators and VC funds which make it an ideal learning ground for an entrepreneurship track like ours.”
Translating academic knowledge into real-world entrepreneurial success
“Everything we learned, we can apply, but at different stages. The ideation elements are so important but so is everything that we learned that goes into running a business going forward in two, five and even seven years. Talking to all these experts, we were able to see their trajectory and growth and learned from their challenges and mistakes. We can really use everything we learned practically when we build our first business plan and all the way into actually running the business. We now have a full toolkit to apply depending on the situation we are in. I’m very excited to use them as I go through my own start-up process.”
The EDHEC Global MBA's Entrepreneurship Track offers a comprehensive platform for those looking to dive into the world of start-ups. It provides tools for mastering leadership, managing growth, team retention, and meeting legal requirements, all while gaining insightful feedback from a network of experts. Participants are part of an international cohort, immersed in a thriving start-up ecosystem. Moreover, the track provides the unique opportunity to turn theory into practice by developing a robust business plan. This tailored project allows participants to harness the knowledge and skills they have gained from the programme. Over the span of two months, participants have the chance to craft a solid business plan within the supportive and expert-guided environment. This practical application not only enhances their understanding of the subject matter but also sets the foundation for their future entrepreneurial endeavours. Thus, participants leave EDHEC with a thorough understanding of entrepreneurship and a business plan ready for the real world.
The programme is not just about academic learning, but a launchpad for transformative business ventures, as demonstrated by Howard Lee's inspiring journey.
Ready to ignite your entrepreneurial spirit?
Inspired by Howard Lee's story? Take your entrepreneurial ambitions further with the EDHEC Global MBA's Entrepreneurship Track. Begin your journey today!
