Josh Kaufman believes there’s a better way to understand the advanced world of business. He doesn’t think the hefty investment in an MBA is all it’s cracked up to be. While MBA holders and elite business schools alike may dispute Kaufman’s ideas, this 28 year old’s knowledge is worth exploring.
After finishing his undergrad in business at University of Cincinnati in 2005, Kaufman was on the fast track to corporate success with a good job at Procter and Gamble. However, Kaufman discovered the corporate world was not for him. The long days, the office politics—they wore him down. In his position, an MBA was almost expected, but with a six-figure price tag, Kaufman was less than enthused.
He set off on a journey to pick the best brains in business. This meant extensive reading from the top thinkers/authors on all categories of business topics. His do-it-yourself MBA inspired him to share his learning in The Personal MBA and has also allowed him to build his own consulting business.
MY TAKE ON THE BOOK
The Personal MBA is definitely geared toward entrepreneurs and small business owners, but that’s not to say other professionals can’t benefit from it. The book breaks down core business functions like marketing, finance, sales, psychology, personal interactions, and self discipline into individual chapters. Every chapter explores sub-concepts, each broken down by a sub-heading. A pithy quote from sources like business professionals, philosophers, and ancient literature introduce each sub-head and add a nice touch.
This structure makes for quick, easy reading and comprehension, but perhaps at the loss of depth. Many things are over simplified and leave the reader wanting more. However, says Kaufman, “…this book is organized in short sections that take less than ten minutes to read.” The idea is to introduce a plethora of business concepts and distill them down to their basic definitions all while maintiaining the reader's attention. It's a structure that works.
The chapters that deal with professional communication, organization, and time management are concepts that anyone can benefit from. However, some of the health and well-being chapters read like self-help and nutrition guides—seemingly out of place in a business book—but useful information for a professional seeking to develop the whole person.
KAUFMAN’S PERSONAL BUSINESS
Out of his explorations, Kaufman has built a Personal MBA empire at PersonalMBA.com. The overly simplified concepts discussed in his book are designed to encourage further reading, and from his trove of business research, Kaufman has outlined a reading list. Perhaps you don’t want to read all of the nearly 100 titles on the list, but if you’re looking to grow in certain key areas, Kaufman’s recommendations can certainly prove helpful.
The Personal MBA goes beyond just a reading list. Kaufman also offers workshops, lectures, and intensive courses to help boost the careers of business professionals. Perhaps that’s one of the things I liked least about his Personal MBA website: It reminds me of a website peddling get-rich-quick schemes. I know that’s not Kaufman’s intent; its just a personal observation on my part.
Josh Kaufman has created an interesting new concept and he’s built quite a business for himself, all before his 30th birthday. Will the Personal MBA catch on? Will employers accept it like they do a piece of paper from the hallowed halls of academia? That remains to be seen. However, for anyone interested in some easy reading that will teach the fundamentals of what makes a business tick, and how to find your place within that business, The Personal MBA is worth a glance.
GET IT
Buffalo Library has an eBook version available which is where I got mine. A print copy is not available through the library but may be ordered through Amazon or at any bookseller.
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