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College or A Business?

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doobiebrotha
Posts: 760 - Karma: 8
Just wondering what the more mature and older community thinks about this?


Either going to college for four years or however many. Or spending that time and exert just as much effort, if not more into creating a business?


solid answers and discussions would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

May 31 2011 8:16PM
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a_pla5tic_bag
Posts: 9215 - Karma: 5,398
depends on what kind of business.
May 31 2011 8:17PM
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doobiebrotha
Posts: 760 - Karma: 8
and yes i kept that pretty simple, would like to further discuss this with people and hear your opinions.
May 31 2011 8:17PM
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Brenone
Posts: 4944 - Karma: 296
What type of business?

If your life plan is to start a business going to school for business or entreprenurial studies is a good idea.
May 31 2011 8:18PM
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DJ_Pauly_D
Posts: 1043 - Karma: 42
college and them a business
May 31 2011 8:18PM
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nkmo.
Posts: 3994 - Karma: 285
Graduate college, then start a business.
May 31 2011 8:18PM
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.jersey
Posts: 1925 - Karma: 9
Go to a community college for two years with and get a degree in business and work while your in school and start a business and use what you are learning
May 31 2011 8:19PM
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nkmo.
Posts: 3994 - Karma: 285
No reason to dump money into a business and tuition at the same time. Thats just asking for trouble. Chances are you will fail miserably at one or the other
May 31 2011 8:21PM
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doobiebrotha
Posts: 760 - Karma: 8
so you really think if you're looking into starting a business you should go to school for it?

I mean even if it's a pretty simple business?


i guess it would be smart to learn about everything. I just feel like once i get out of college, i'm going to be kind of lost and not really no what to do next, even if it is for business. Rather then just spending a large amount of time into getting a business going from the start, and doing it right?


idk, i just want to do something that's going to really help me in the long run, and i think a successful business would. College also would, maybe? idk
May 31 2011 8:23PM
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THAT-GUY
Posts: 141 - Karma: 11
I'm a junior B-school student now and was in the same situation. Obviously I ended up in school and I don't regret it. However, when I was thinking about all this I was a junior in hs and the kid I was seriously considering going into business with decided to do it. Dropped out and got his GED. While I'm a junior in college he has two successful stores and hired another one of our friends as a construction manager for building his third.

Moral of the story that it can be done: he financed his first store with his college fund his parents put together for him and he weathered this economic downturn fairly well

pm for details if you care
May 31 2011 8:24PM
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THAT-GUY
Posts: 141 - Karma: 11
Look at Lesh too, has a few years of college at CU and said fuck it. Now it would appear he has a successful business
May 31 2011 8:26PM
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doobiebrotha
Posts: 760 - Karma: 8
thanks for some solid input!

I mean i just don't ever see myself working in a cubicle or any job like that by any means. And i feel like both aspects could lead to failure.. A business, maybe more so, but college also could lead to failure couldn't it?


i'd also love to hear from some people who've done this, and skipped college to do something like this??!

thanks
May 31 2011 8:27PM
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doobiebrotha
Posts: 760 - Karma: 8
Ya for sure, both ways could end up good or bad..

I'm going on my second year off, just chilling and working. I do have a college fund set up and that's why i really want to use it wisely, i know if i come up with a serious legitimate gameplan i will be able to use that money. I just feel like i'm running out of time and need to do one or the other..
May 31 2011 8:31PM
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BrewskiJr
Posts: 5738 - Karma: 1,478
Honestly, you just don't "start a business". I mean, technically you can, but someone in your situation has absolutely terrible odds of having success in the business, and once your out, you will have massive amounts of debt, and will be wishing you spent that money on college instead.

My advice:
Go to college. Get a degree in Entrepreneurial Studies and maybe a minor in management or something of that nature. Get an internship in the area you are interested in in the summer and get a feel for what it would actually be like. You will never find a job easier than you will in college. At least that's what my experience has taught me. Most decent business schools with a decent Entrepreneurship Department will hopefully have opportunities for students to get involved in start ups. Just the past 3 months I have had 5 interviews at 4 start up businesses. I was given these interviews solely based on the fact that I have an Entrepreneurship minor at my school. Get an internship there and go from there. You might find you want to start a business right out of college, or most likely, you will find that you might want to wait a handful of years before starting something, and at that point, you won't have wasted a few years, tons of money, and will be the majority way through college. Either way, going to college and waiting a while will probably give you the best results.

Cheers
May 31 2011 8:33PM
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panojibber
Posts: 3382 - Karma: 216
I've thought about doing other things with my life than college, but I eventually came to the decision that college is probably way more fun than the real world is, and will give you a much better chance at getting a job after. If you want to start a business, why not get an economics or business degree? College isn't an alternative job path, its just supposed to make you smarter and more hireable, and in the end more successful. Take the head start I say, go to college.

Like, you could even work a day job and spend evenings working on a business or something. Or even get a good job, make some money, quit and then start a business with some serious capital.

If you want to start a business, I would say college could do nothing but help you.
May 31 2011 8:34PM
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doobiebrotha
Posts: 760 - Karma: 8
ya i agree for sure, but honestly i just don't have the money for both options which makes it hard, obviously..

but ya that's some solid input and there's no way you can just go into starting a business with out knowing everything, that would just be retarded and asking for failure.


Do you think if you spent fair amount of time( 6months or so) doing your own studying/learning would you learn just as much?
May 31 2011 8:35PM
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Brenone
Posts: 4944 - Karma: 296
Well put.
Once your business starts to grow you are going to be faced with issues that are going to take you away from actually working your business. As mentioned, accounting, legal, possibly insurance. That is the type of invaluable knowledge you will learn in college.

Like I metnioned earlier a lot of schools are offering classes in being an entreprenuer. I wish they had that when I was in college, I def would of taken them instead of accounting. Not that I regret accounting.
May 31 2011 8:36PM
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lukewalnuts
Posts: 2730 - Karma: 152
true.... but for most people dropping out doesn't always work

he is one of the lucky few who succeeded in doing this
May 31 2011 8:37PM
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lands11
Posts: 1818 - Karma: 1,677
I didn't read the thread yet but I will, I would recommend looking into a school that has a two year business program and doing that then focus your time towards a business.
May 31 2011 8:38PM
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doobiebrotha
Posts: 760 - Karma: 8
ya man i definitely wouldn't be just starting a business within a few months and hope i do good.

I would put a lot of work, thought, research and everything involved into it.. I mean honestly if that's the path i choose the business itself probably wouldn't even be up and ready to go for at least a year or two.


the business would involve the snow industry, obviously not just for newschoolers and what not. but for everyone, cause if you ask me skiing will never ever die. Unless of course global warming went down! haha

but anyways, serious thanks to all these solid answers. wouldn't ever have thought NS would be this mature. lol


a lot to think about.. oh life!
May 31 2011 8:41PM
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ronalddregan.
Posts: 1564 - Karma: 260
both. why cant you work on a business while you are in school. if your business takes off like you are assuming it will, you can always put school on hold for a while if you need to commit all your time to it. but just not going to college cause you assume your small business is gonna take off and support you for the rest of your life would be irresponsible. not saying it wont. better safe than sorry.
May 31 2011 8:42PM
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An10a_Eng
Posts: 2505 - Karma: 26
college...then you can take what you learned and apply to that business later
May 31 2011 8:46PM
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doobiebrotha
Posts: 760 - Karma: 8
Starting a business isn't going to be cheap, same goes with going to college. I honestly don't see it possible doing both at the same time. Yes a few years after college after working and getting money together i could look into starting a business again. But for all i know the idea will be gone and in someone elses hands by then..



And one thing i've learned from family and friends, you can't ever just expect your business idea to blow up and support you for the rest of your life. Unless of course it's a ground breaking idea... I feel like you always got to be ready for it to be a complete failure, and build off that.
May 31 2011 8:49PM
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StreetsOfRage
Posts: 1180 - Karma: 4
i'd say college then a business. then if your business crashes you have something to fall back on. and if your business goes high and mitty then you have something to back up what you are doing and you are smart in a sence about it such as if you get a business degree or such.
May 31 2011 8:53PM
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doobiebrotha
Posts: 760 - Karma: 8
And i'm not looking for a business that instantly makes me rich as fuck, you have the chances of winning the loto before that. You know if i got a little successful business going that kept me on feet so i can just live life to it's fullest, ski as much as possible and just live it up. You know if the business blew up, fuck ya! but i'm perfectly fine with just getting by like most, but not be stuck in some job that you hate every year.

May 31 2011 8:54PM
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nkmo.
Posts: 3994 - Karma: 285
Also, college is place where you will accomplish your most successful networking. Even if you don't have the money right out of school, you will have professors who see how hard you work/how good your ideas were. In turn they recommend their colleagues to invest in said ideas, etc.... The people you meet is almost more important than what you learn.
May 31 2011 8:56PM
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SirFryanator
Posts: 11149 - Karma: 1,415
Go to college once you have a general idea of what you want to learn. Then once you get there you'll probably take a really interesting class that changes your mind. And then another one. And then another one. There is so much to learn out there that will blow your fuckin mind right outta ya skull that I see it as a missed opportunity if you don't go. To each his own, however...
May 31 2011 9:00PM
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MrPantyDropper
Posts: 5016 - Karma: 65
if your asking your not even close to being ready to start a business..let alone have it be a success.
May 31 2011 9:01PM
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BrewskiJr
Posts: 5738 - Karma: 1,478
If this is a serious business that you would like to run the rest of your life living off of, you will probably be losing a good deal of money for a year or two before you even turn a profit. Even then, it will take you years before you start to make money, and that money probably won't be enough to start a family, or live a "comfortable" life style so to speak. Skiing is an expensive sport/hobby. I'm just warning you, take a look at the consequences. What if your business goes under? You will be out all that money, and at that point, will college still be feasible? If not, what will you do?

May 31 2011 9:04PM
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Itsbackfliptime
Posts: 18901 - Karma: 75
Go to school and learn something. It doesn't have to be business. In fact, it probably shouldn't. College is a great time to learn and experience new things. It's when you learn to be responsible for yourself and more importantly, you learn how to learn.

As a computer programmer that's fairly active in the startup scene, I've met my fair share of "business" people and most of them are full of shit. The people I've met that are successful entrepreneurs aren't business majors. They came up with an idea that they were passionate about and went for it.

Go to school and learn. Get passionate about something. You'll know if it's right to leave school.
May 31 2011 9:18PM
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doobiebrotha
Posts: 760 - Karma: 8
oh shit sorry bro. guess ishouldn't have asked for opinions.


Thanks for being the only one in this thread acting like a typical nser...
May 31 2011 9:20PM
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mackinnon
Posts: 5153 - Karma: 161
starting your own business is a big gamble, especially if you're dealing with the equivalent amount of money as 4 years of college (or even just one year). businesses have a very real possibility of failure, whereas a college degree is a sure thing. PLUS, college is fun!
May 31 2011 9:21PM
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doobiebrotha
Posts: 760 - Karma: 8
Ya i totally agree with you, but same goes with college, if happened to fail and not be able to handle it. Not saying that's what would happen, but if for some reason it did i'd have no money and would be in the same position.


And for the guy above, what's the problem with spending 18months of your own time learning all this while working on your business? that's still less time then college and way less money spent!
May 31 2011 9:23PM
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doobiebrotha
Posts: 760 - Karma: 8
college is fun! real fun! almost to fun for me to handle haha
May 31 2011 9:24PM
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steezy_conmaster
Posts: 28 - Karma: 10
i saw mature at the start of this thread and all i could think of was a busty 90 year old lady getting stuffed by bill cosby
May 31 2011 9:25PM
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doobiebrotha
Posts: 760 - Karma: 8
didn't mean to act more douchey then you! but seriously, no shit i'm not ready to start a business. And it's not like i'm going to just go for it and start something up next week. Most likely i'd spend just as much time on creating something super legit as i would in college. if not more time.


May 31 2011 9:27PM
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Master_Debater
Posts: 1211 - Karma: 225
im 15, i know you said mature people only, but i think i were in this sitiuation id go to college, if your try and create a business and it flops your down money but with college you always have a degree to fall back on
May 31 2011 9:28PM
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doobiebrotha
Posts: 760 - Karma: 8
but what if college also doesn't work, then you're in the same position.
May 31 2011 9:29PM
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BrewskiJr
Posts: 5738 - Karma: 1,478
1.Not really. Chances are if you fail out of college in the field you want to start your business in, then you should seriously reconsider what you want to do in life. College will give you the building blocks for starting a business.

2. You won't come even close to learning as much on your own compared to what you will in college. You think you can teach yourself all the financial, accounting, etc that goes into a business? No way. My accounting teacher literally wrote the book that we and 10 out of the top 20 Accounting programs in the country use, and it was tough as shit. You'd have to be a business genius to be able to learn all that stuff by yourself.
May 31 2011 9:30PM
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zues
Posts: 6434 - Karma: -5,330
college is valuable.... It's important to know how to start a business... thats what classes are for
May 31 2011 9:34PM
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H8CH
Posts: 2709 - Karma: 218
you learn a lot more at college then just your academic studies.... it really is a life lesson, and helps you grow up.

I can't help but say - you would make better decisions after college. You don't want to learn those lessons with all your own money / reputation / livelihood on the line.....

You have your whole life ahead of you - don't rush in to it - enjoy being young, making friends for life and learning a thing or two. Take it from someone who's been there - done that.
May 31 2011 9:34PM
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doobiebrotha
Posts: 760 - Karma: 8
word up!
May 31 2011 9:36PM
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steezy_conmaster
Posts: 28 - Karma: 10
you guys dont understand the value of slave labour. if only it was 1822 again....
May 31 2011 9:37PM
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BenWhit
Posts: 4654 - Karma: 3,256
well what kind of business are you planning to start?
I go to a business specific school and even with a year of general business courses under my belt i feel i've learned infinitely more than in high school. you really need that kind of education to effectively run a business.
start ups fail for four reasons:
1. lack of capital
2. managerial incompetence
3. neglect
4. weak internal controls system

what investor is going to take you seriously? not to be condescending, but the fact of the matter is you need money to start a company and the best way to do so is use someone else's money. however, you really need to convince investors your idea isn't a crock of shit. angel investors are the best to as for help. they're usually older people with a shit ton of money looking for an easy way to make some cash. venture (vulture) capitalists will give you money but will often wasn't majority ownership and control of your company.

i guess what it comes down to is are you 99% confident this business can fund your lifestyle?
May 31 2011 9:38PM
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doobiebrotha
Posts: 760 - Karma: 8
I'd be using my college fund for the business, if that's what i end up doing, i'd have a serious talk/game plan with my family about what they think of the whole idea and if they're willing to support me.

I also think when it comes to a business you can't just assume it's going to be a hit you know. You kind of have to expect it not be a hit, and work off of that! But also you definitely have to have some confidence in your idea that's for sure!




May 31 2011 9:47PM
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sbhr
Posts: 570 - Karma: 39
start a college
May 31 2011 9:49PM
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BrewskiJr
Posts: 5738 - Karma: 1,478
Do you mind telling us what exactly this business is going to be selling?
May 31 2011 9:51PM
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doobiebrotha
Posts: 760 - Karma: 8
I've got a few ideas i'll only mention the one that has to do with skiing and snowboarding cause that's the one that really get's me and i can't stop thinking about. Probably just cause i'm a skier and can't stop thinking about skiing in general! haha



Just give me you're thoughts on this and if you would buy them?

A ski and snowboard wrap, kind of like a car wrap and stuff like that, you would put it on your skis/snowboard almost like putting on grip tape on your skateboard. Imagine A super legit website where you design what you want on your skis. Whether it be a pic of your girlfriend, the mtns, wu tang symbol, a chronic ass nug, anything you can imagine. Either upload your own pictures, create your own design, choose from the thousands of pre made designs or whatever. Once you've made it, send in the order, we print them out and send em your way!


that's just a little idea i'm not going into explaining every part of it. But in general to make it blow up, you'd have to have a really good material(which i've found), a incredible website designer that allowed you to create anything imaginable, and a good tutorial to put it on! and many other things


so just tell me NS, if say newschooolers had they're own wrap or there was some sick ass wutang wrap or whatever, would you buy a wrap?
May 31 2011 9:58PM
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SirFryanator
Posts: 11149 - Karma: 1,415
listen to this dude. some people are living examples of having their shit together, he is one of them.
May 31 2011 9:59PM
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geteducated
Posts: 6410 - Karma: 86
college. not because you get an education, but you learn a lot about life and people in general. something that starting a business might cause you to miss.
May 31 2011 10:01PM
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doobiebrotha
Posts: 760 - Karma: 8
typed that out really fast just to get out it off my mind, sorry if there's grammar errors and all that!
May 31 2011 10:01PM
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