Recently, I have decided to join ThePowerMBA program. Since quite some people have asked me why I chose to attend the course, here is my answer.

ThePowerMBA in a Nutshell

ThePowerMBA program is a roughly one-year long online course that gives a broad overview over a variety of topics:

• Business model innovation
• Testing business ideas & lean startup
• Business and marketing strategies
• Leadership
• Entrepreneurship & fundraising
• Digital marketing
• Finance & accounting
• HR & talent management

The topics are taught in so-called microlearnings which are basically videos of ~15 minutes length every day. Some of the videos are in a more educational format, which means that ThePowerMBA staff walks through and explains the theory behind a concept. After the theory there are always interviews with entrepreneurs from big startups that have actually implemented them and walk you through how they did it and what was important to them. So hands-on experience with the theory from people of have walked the walk first hand.

Next to that, there are often live webinars on different topics, where every member can attend. For most of the topics there is also a discussion forum where people write about their experiences and thoughts on the particular topic.

Why I Chose to Attend

Being interested in entrepreneurship for a very long time, I have already read hundreds of blog posts, articles and books on the subject and listened to countless podcasts (thanks JLD). So why bother joining a one-year-long course?

1) 360 Degree View

First of all, I really like the promise of getting a 360 degree view of business and management practices. Looking at ThePowerMBA curriculum I am certain that we’ll be covering a lot of topics that I am highly interested in. While of course I have gained knowledge in subjects that I find interesting, I might have missed diving into some, such as finance & accounting. I’m sure that in 15 minutes a day it is not possible to cover all topics in depth, but knowing which topics are there and having a basic understanding why and how they can help allow me to deep-dive by the time I need them.

2) No Full-Time

I really love my day job, so I don’t want to take a year “off” to attend a traditional MBA. Also, I strongly believe that the quickest and best way to learn anything is by applying the things you have learned. Doing an MBA doesn’t allow you to apply things.

Working in a company allows me to take the things I have learned into action and helps spark conversations with coworkers that really move the ball forward. Also, establishing a routine to watch a 15-minute-long inspiring video is a fantastic way to start the day :-)

3) It’s About the Mindset

I’m pretty sure I could cover all the topics in traditional trainings that take 1-3 days. You go there, you get a lot of input, and then the daily madness moves the things learned out of sight and applying them two months later is way more difficult.

Spreading that across a year gives you a daily nudge to think. It’s pivoting your perspective on topics and helps you put that entrepreneurial thinking to action.

Wrap-up

These were the main aspects I took into consideration when evaluating whether ThePowerMBA was right for me. Let’s see in a year from now if those expectations help true. Are you considering taking ThePowerMBA as well? What are your considerations?