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Sep 2024
50m 6s

#225 Is an MBA Worth It for Startup Foun...

Darren C. Joe
About this episode

Should aspiring entrepreneurs get an MBA?

Bridget Pujals, University of California Berkeley Haas MBA '24 and Co-Founder of Saelo, shares her experience being an active founder during her Full-time MBA. What resources did she find most helpful? What should active and aspiring entrepreneurs consider before and during their MBA? And finally, what differentiates the MBA as a launchpad for founders?

Bridget shares specific steps she (and other entrepreneurs at Berkeley) took to de-risk their startups and increase their odds of success. After listening to this conversation, you'll get a much clearer picture of whether an MBA makes sense for your entrepreneurial goals.

Topics

  • Introduction (0:00)
  • How Bridget's entrepreneurial plans evolved during her MBA (4:00)
  • Lean launchpad at Berkeley Haas (7:50)
  • Co-founder dating (9:45)
  • What entrepreneurial resources Bridget found most useful at Haas (14:30)
  • Professors as an influential resource for MBA founders (18:40)
  • How other active & aspiring entrepreneurs approached the MBA (25:00)
  • Tips for active & aspiring founders to make the most of their MBA investment (30:15)
  • Importance of student culture for MBA entrepreneurs (33:30)
  • Should aspiring entrepreneurs get an MBA? (39:00)

About Our Guest

Bridget Pujals graduated from University of California's Berkeley’s Haas School of Business Full-time MBA program in 2024, where she focused on building her startup. She is Co-Founder and CEO of Saelo in San Francisco, which offers high-tech, clinical skin treatments.

Before getting her MBA, Bridget worked for Meta as a Senior Product Manager (Messenger) and Product Lead (Privacy for Instagram Direct), and before that, Postmates in business development and product management roles. Bridget graduated from University of California Irvine with a Bachelors of Science in Biochemistry.

Show Notes

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