Listen, I get it. That degree, that fancy piece of paper, looks like a golden ticket. You spent years, probably shed some tears on calculus, and emerged victorious, were ready to conquer the world with their newly acquired knowledge. And, in many ways, you are equipped. You have learned how to learn, how to prepare your thoughts, and how to survive on Ramon noodles. Excellent skills, all valuable.
But here is the thing that they do not tell you in graduate speeches that are filled with platitude about "follow your dreams": this degree, in itself, is not an engine that will strengthen your startup in the stratosphere. It is like a fancy map of a distant land. Useful for the plan, may be, but absolutely useless if you never leave your couch.
Let's break that diploma, while a good achievement (seriously, congratulations!), Startup is not a guaranteed key for success, and what you really need.
Textbook vs Battle Grounds: Knowledge Gaps
Think of your degree as a comprehensive textbook. This information is full of principles and case studies. All this is very clean and organized, with clear titles and chapters summary. Startup life, however, is less about the knowledge of the textbook and more about navigating a minfield.
The real world throws curveball. You can update your business plan compared to market conditions faster. Customers demand the facilities that you never considered. Equipped with better marketing and cheap prices, contestants come out of shade like Ninja. No textbook prepares you for raw, unfliest chaos to make something from scratches.
Your degree can give you an theoretical understanding of marketing, but it will not teach you how to create a viral social media campaign that resonates with your target audience. This can explain the principles of accounting, but it will not prepare you for the nights of sleep, you will spend a decreasing bank balance, thinking that you are going to make parole.
The knowledge you receive in a classroom is valuable, there is no doubt. But it is inactive, potential energy is being awaited. It needs to be applied, tested and optimized to the dirty realities of the real world. And that application is outside the holy hall of academics, significant translation of theory, significant translation of theory.
Curse of "correct" plan: analysis paralysis
Graduates, especially with a degree related to business, often I say "the curse of the right plan". They believe that if they only analyze the market well, imagine the most comprehensive business plan, and do every detail for perfection, success is unavoidable.
Wrong.
The startup world is all about recurrence, experimentation and adaptation. Your initial plan, no matter how spectacular on paper, is guaranteed to be almost wrong. There is a need for market changes, technology develops, and unexpected obstacles will essentially arise.
Completing a commercial plan for months (or even years) that is obsolete the moment you launched, it is a huge waste of time and energy. This is actually like charting a course across the sea without the installation of the sail.
Instead of trying for perfection, embrace the principle of "minimal viable products" (MVP). Launch an original version of your product or service, gather feedback from real users, and repend depending on their requirements. This allows you to quickly learn, change market conditions, and avoid wasting resources on the characteristics that no one wants.
Remember, progress, not perfection, is the key.
Confusion of expertise: humility and early mind
A degree can sometimes cause a false sense of expertise. You have spent years in studying a particular subject, and you naturally feel confident in your knowledge. This is very good! Confidence is important. But it is important to avoid ego.
The best entrepreneurs are lifelong learners. They are constantly asking for new information, listening to the response, and accepting when they are wrong. They embrace the "beginner's mind", get close to every challenge with curiosity and desire to learn.
The startup world is filled with unexpected challenges and unconventional solutions. The expertise you get in the school may be helpful in some fields, but it is unlikely to be a silver pill that solves every problem.
To be humble Consult experienced entrepreneurs. Listen to your customers. Be open for new ideas. And never stop learning.
Bottom line
Your degree is a valuable property. This is a will for your hard work, intelligence and dedication. But this startup is not a guarantee of success.
The creation of a successful startup requires more than just knowledge. This requires a desire to take action, patience, continuous learning and failure. So, dust that diploma, place it on the wall as a memory of your achievements, and then go to work.
The world is not waiting for the right plans or innocent execution. This is waiting to make you something amazing. So, go there and so. And maybe, it may be, someday they will write a case study about your company in those textbooks.
