B
Boston VC Blog
bostonvcblog.typepad.com · Personal blog · on HN since 2008
The Boston VC Blog is written by a venture capitalist and covers startup funding, founders, MBAs, and the Boston and New York scenes.
What HN saysHN commenters argue with its claims, for example citing data that a third of recent billion-dollar companies had an MBA founder.
31HN people shared it
2linked it in comments
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Most-shared posts
- 1Unicorns and MBAs3 people · 6 points · first shared 2013 · 1 comments on HN
- 2Big Idea vs. Lean Idea2 people · 6 points · first shared 2012 · discussion on HN
- 3Built to Last vs. Built to Flip1 people · 26 points · first shared 2008 · 30 comments on HN
- 4Why VC's invest in Pigs not Chickens1 people · 13 points · first shared 2011 · 8 comments on HN
- 5Depressing Thoughts About Groupon’s Model1 people · 8 points · first shared 2010 · 1 comments on HN
- 6Why Hasn’t NYC Produced More IPOs (While Boston Has)?1 people · 6 points · first shared 2012 · discussion on HN
- 7In Over Your Head -- The Life of an Entrepreneur1 people · 4 points · first shared 2008 · discussion on HN
- 8The Bar Has Gotten Higher (thoughts from a VC on raising today)1 people · 4 points · first shared 2012 · discussion on HN
- 9Why You Should Eliminate Titles at Start-ups1 people · 4 points · first shared 2011 · 2 comments on HN
- 10What if it’s 1996, not 1999?1 people · 4 points · first shared 2011 · discussion on HN
- 11In VC deals, Price Doesn't Matter - But The "Promote" Does1 people · 4 points · first shared 2009 · discussion on HN
- 12Time For "A Millionare's Pledge"?1 people · 3 points · first shared 2010 · discussion on HN
- 13Groupon S-1: Mind The Ratios1 people · 3 points · first shared 2011 · discussion on HN
- 14Seeing Both Sides: Why Do "Asshole VCs" Survive?1 people · 3 points · first shared 2009 · discussion on HN
- 15Let's Play "Blame The VC"1 people · 3 points · first shared 2008 · discussion on HN
What HN people wrote when they linked it
eroo · 2014-10-13
This is empirically false. A recent look at 39 $1B+ companies founded in the last 10 years: 33% had an MBA founder, to say nothing of the MBAs that have played significant early-stage exec roles (e.g., Facebook's Sandberg, Evernote's Gullicksen)[0]
Amazon also does not appear to be "anti-MBA."[1]
A broader misunderstanding comes from the fact that MBAs are all a particular "type." Top MBA programs are going to have everything from engineers to Peace Core volunteers. Is there any reason to suspect comp. sci. majors who spent 3 years at [insert reputable tech, consulting, banking firm here] and then went to get an MBA are systematically worse for tech jobs than those who did not?
[0] http://bostonvcblog.typepad.com/vc/2013/11/unicorns-and-mbas.html
[1] http://www.amazon.jobs/team/university-mba-graduate
wehriam · 2008-03-11
Look at this graph of television ad spending over the last 30 years - http://www.nextcenturymedia.com/images/Image3.gif - (the associated article - http://www.nextcenturymedia.com/library/dougross-article-b.htm - is less pertinent.) While there is a noticeable lack of growth during recessions, it's anything but dried up completely.
Jeff Bussgang does a nice job of explaining why VC funds are more attractive to investors during a downturn - http://bostonvcblog.typepad.com/vc/2008/01/whos-afraid-of.html
The sky is not falling.