Need Career Advice

[cdogstu99]

I've passed 2 exams..working with an Insurance Co as a student/analyst and i'm 30 years old. I really don't enjoy the work, hate the tests and am really pretty positive i will fail the next test. I have a finance background and ultimately want to work for myself and have my own business, just not sure of exactly what yet.

I had looked a 1 year MBA in Entrepreneurial studies at a very highly regarded local business school. Costs about $45K. Would I be crazy to leave the field and do something like this?

[silverfox]

Can you trick your company into helping to pay for your MBA?

[whisper]

Originally Posted by cdogstu99

I've passed 2 exams..working with an Insurance Co as a student/analyst and i'm 30 years old. I really don't enjoy the work, hate the tests and am really pretty positive i will fail the next test. I have a finance background and ultimately want to work for myself and have my own business, just not sure of exactly what yet.

I had looked a 1 year MBA in Entrepreneurial studies at a very highly regarded local business school. Costs about $45K. Would I be crazy to leave the field and do something like this?

You're crazy to stay in a career that you don't enjoy.

[cdogstu99]

i doubt they'd pay for my mba, since i'm in the actuarial program, I'm sure they'd wonder why I would need an MBA. My concern is that since I want to ultimately be involved with my own business, after graduating with 1 year MBA, i'd be in debt for 45K and drained of all my savings to live on for the year. Is it really worth it?

[SirVLCIV]

What type of business do you want to start, and how can you prepare yourself to start it?

[DW Simpson]

Originally Posted by cdogstu99

i doubt they'd pay for my mba, since i'm in the actuarial program, I'm sure they'd wonder why I would need an MBA. My concern is that since I want to ultimately be involved with my own business, after graduating with 1 year MBA, i'd be in debt for 45K and drained of all my savings to live on for the year. Is it really worth it?

There have been several recent BusinessWeek discussions about School Debt, the MBA and You --

Thirty & Broke, 2005: http://www.businessweek.com/magazine...6/b3959107.htm

The Ever-Costlier MBA Degree, 2004: http://www.businessweek.com/bschools...5621_bs001.htm

Is The MBA Overrated?, 2006: http://www.businessweek.com/magazine...2/b3976089.htm

Some others: http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&l...sinessweek.com

[DW Simpson]

Originally Posted by SirVLCIV

What type of business do you want to start, and how can you prepare yourself to start it?

Bingo.

[DW Simpson]

These discussions of alternative careers may be useful, too: http://www.actuarialoutpost.com/actu...13&postcount=8

[cdogstu99]

i had plans a few years ago to start an ebay drop off business, but someone has done such in my area recently, and I had second thoughts about the business model eventually. I graduated about 8 years ago with a finance degree, and have worked as a financial advisor, web developer, and recently actuarial analyst. I'm not exactly sure what type of business that I'd like to start, but I've realized that I despise working for others and that I want to be in a position where i will control my destiny. I feel that I'm too creative to be locked in a 9 to 5 job. I've had some small online businesses that have had minimal success, and so I'm not sure that I exactly have a definite business in mind. So frustration is definitely surrounding me. But i will take a look at the links you provided. Thanks!

[DW Simpson]

I don't know that an MBA would help you be successful in an online business, at least on your own and warrant the expensive outlay.

From what I've read over the years, part of what makes them so successful is that they never sleep. They're always working on their sites and new ideas. Yeah, it's not a 9 to 5 job -- sometimes it's a noon to 4am job for them.

You have a PM.