How Getting an MBA Completely Changed My View on Business
How Getting an MBA Completely Changed My View on Business
When I started my MBA, I thought I was saying “yes” to business.
Turns out, what I really wanted was freedom.
Here’s the truth no one told me (and maybe no one told you either):
Business isn’t one big umbrella. And an MBA? It’s not the shortcut to entrepreneurship I thought it was.
The traditional MBA path is designed for leadership roles inside large systems—corporate orgs, hospital systems, universities. It’s about operational efficiency, financial modeling, strategic management... you get it.
But as a clinician—whether you're in healthcare, mental health, education, therapy, social work, or any other helping profession—I had a very different vision of “business.”
I didn’t want a boardroom. I wanted a business of my own. One built around people, purpose, and possibility.
👩🏻💻What I Really Wanted Was Entrepreneurship
I craved the freedom to make decisions without red tape.
The flexibility to serve my people in a way that felt aligned.
The fire that comes with building something that’s mine.
And if you’re a clinician wondering if you're leaning toward the same path, here are a few questions to help you get clarity:
Do You Want Business or Entrepreneurship?
Ask yourself:
Do I get fired up by ideas and possibilities more than policies and protocols?
Do I lead with heart and instinct, even when the data isn’t all there yet?
Do I constantly come up with better ways to serve my clients, patients, or students?
Do I want to build something that aligns with my values and vision?
Do I want to work on my own terms, even if that means taking the long road?
If you’re nodding along like “yep, that’s me,” then entrepreneurship might be your next chapter. 🙌
🐝 Clinicians: You Don’t Need an MBA to Build a Business
And I say that as someone who has one. 😅
If you’re a clinician sitting on a big dream—a consulting business, a supervision service, a coaching brand, a resource hub, an online course—please know you don’t have to spend tens of thousands on a degree to bring it to life.
What you do need is to learn the right skills:
✨ How to market effectively
✨ How to create offers people are excited to pay for
✨ How to lead with purpose
✨ How to manage the money side of your mission
✨ How to build systems that support sustainability
But before you learn any of that, you need clarity.
3 Ways to Get Clear on What You Really Want
Create your “dream workday” vision.
Literally map it out. Where are you? Who are you helping? What does your schedule look like? How do you feel?Experiment before you commit.
Start a small project. Take on a few private clients. Join a mastermind. Test your idea on a small scale—you’ll learn so much.Talk to people who’ve made the leap.
Find a fellow clinician who’s built their own thing. Listen to their story. Ask the questions you’ve been scared to Google. I've spent the last year networking with these people (unicorns) and can help point you in the right direction.
So, Is an MBA Bad?
Not at all.
If you want to move into executive leadership, operations, or finance in an established organization—an MBA could be exactly what you need. If you love structure and are building toward a traditional leadership role, go for it.
But if your soul is craving more freedom, more creativity, more impact... don’t waste your time trying to follow a map that leads to a destination you don’t even want.
There’s another way.
A way that honors your clinical heart and your entrepreneurial spirit.
You don’t need a new degree. You need a new direction. 🔥
Ready to go from clinician to CEO?
Whether you're just dreaming of your own online business or ready to make it happen, I’ve got tools, trainings, and support to help you make it real—without going back to school. 👩🏻💻✨
#ClinicianToEntrepreneur #TherapistEntrepreneur #CliniciantoCoach #OnlineBusinessForClinicians #PurposeLedProfit #CliniciansInBusiness
