I Thought I Knew Business — My MBA Proved Me Wrong

For the past two years, I’ve been balancing two identities: a full-time founder of two companies, and a student at Trinity College Dublin. I’d get into intensive learning sessions, and to be honest, I was genuinely excited about them.

I chose the Executive MBA program, which is made for people with full-time jobs. It let us learn and work together, with lots of group projects we made in our free time.

The program lasted 2 years, each year divided into 3 trimesters. Each trimester included a few weeks of lectures, 1-2 weeks for preparation, and a week for exams. We took core courses and electives, earning credits for each course we took.

Returning to a student mindset felt nostalgic. I remember preparing for my first exam on Financial Reporting for Managers at Trinity College Dublin. I felt the same mix of nervous energy and determination I had during my undergraduate days. The thirst for knowledge was alive in me, and I was so eager to grow. I’ve even bought my first calculator in 20 years!

I spent years trying everything, reading tons of books, but still felt like something was missing. An MBA seemed like the perfect way to level up my business skills — and spoiler: it absolutely was.

Here are four lessons I gained from going back to school as a founder of 12 years.

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1. Founders among executives

During my MBA, I was surprised to see so few business owners in my group. Out of 50 people, only two of us were founders — the rest were executives from large companies. This was a contrast to my experiences in Ukraine, where I’m from. Back home, MBA programs and similar courses are often filled with small- and mid-sized business founders.

This difference created an interesting dynamic. As a founder, your motivation is deeply tied to your business: growing revenue, scaling operations, and so on. For executives, the focus is often on advancing their careers and growing within an existing structure. Both are valid, but they bring different perspectives to the table.

Founders usually think about the big picture and how their decisions affect the whole business and bring more money to their bank accounts. Executives focus more on their specific areas, like operations, finance or marketing.

This dynamic gave me a better understanding of the priorities and mindsets of people working within larger organizations. It also reminded me how unique the founder’s journey is, where the stakes are very personal and often tied to your identity.

Related: Why Entrepreneurs Should Go Back to School

2. Filling the gaps

The second major lesson I took from my MBA was learning to see the “skeleton” of a business. Every organization, regardless of its size or industry, follows similar stages of development. Some universal principles and structures can be applied to every business as it grows.

Business owners who learn on their own try to reinvent the wheel at every turn. However, the MBA experience has taught me that reinvention isn’t always necessary. Sometimes, everything is just about understanding the frameworks that already exist and applying them effectively.

Frameworks like McKinsey’s 7s gave me tools to look at a business and see its underlying structure more clearly. I learned to identify the functions every team has to fulfill at different stages of growth. These frameworks have helped me see the gaps in my own businesses and address them strategically.

3. Collaboration over solitude

One of the best lessons I learned during my MBA was the power of teamwork. In almost every course, we had to work together as a group instead of on our own. Whether it was a presentation or just a group project, we had to assign roles, communicate and figure out how to work as a team.

Each time, we were given a list of names of people who were supposed to work as a group. There was no designated leader or specific roles — we had to figure everything out ourselves. It gave me a real sense of how flat, holacratic organizations operate.

The idea was simple: “Tell them what to do, and they’ll figure out how.” This experience taught me the true meaning of diversity, beyond the buzzword. Our group of 50 had people from 14 different countries, each with their own ideas and ways of solving problems. A lot of their thoughts and perspectives were so different from mine, I couldn’t believe it.

In business, it’s easy to get stuck in your own way of thinking, especially as a founder. Working with people who challenge your assumptions can lead to more innovative solutions and better decision-making.

Related: Why Strong Collaborations Will Change Your Business

4. Learning through cultural immersion

As I mentioned earlier, my MBA cohort was incredibly diverse, with people from 14 countries. It was my first time being in an environment so rich in different cultures, traditions and lifestyles. So, this wasn’t just a professional experience; it was extremely personal too.

Living and learning next to such a multicultural group has taught me to be more aware of other people’s backgrounds. I got to understand the small yet meaningful ways our daily habits and traditions differ. For example, during the poker nights we organized in our group, the host had to consider everyone’s dietary preferences and religious practices. That’s when I learned how dietary customs work — like Indians avoiding beef — and came to appreciate the importance of observing religious practices, such as Ramadan.

These insights might seem minor, but they taught me to approach situations with more empathy and understanding. In business and in life, small gestures of respect and awareness can go a long way toward building relationships. This mindset is especially useful when creating an ad or selling a product in a new market. It helps you avoid big mistakes in your strategy.

Summing up

We finished our studies in late July 2024, but the real highlight came in October at our graduation ceremony.

Held in the historic Ceremony Hall of Trinity College Dublin, it felt like stepping back in time. Everything followed old traditions; the whole ceremony was held in Latin, and we had an experience that was similar to all cohorts since the 1700s.

We went up in groups of six to collect our diplomas, also written in Latin. I had to use ChatGPT to figure out what they said! The whole experience was magical, like something straight out of Harry Potter.

All in all, this experience was very impactful. It didn’t just make my approach to business more structured — it also broadened my perspective in ways I didn’t expect.

When you’re a founder, your pace is usually nonstop, with constant decisions and adaptations. But still, this was one of the most concentrated and valuable periods of growth I’ve had.

Looking back, I can say that this MBA wasn’t just an academic exercise; it was a journey of personal and professional growth that I’ll carry with me for years to come. It’s been just 3 months after graduation, but these lessons are already shaping how I lead my companies now.