Comments on: Do Young Entrepreneurs Need To Go To College?

By: Anoel

Anoel — Sat, 10 Jul 2010 05:40:32 +0000

Just wanted to say thank you for this post. I’ve gone to college, left, gone back and am out again and today was still pondering it (by which I mean surfing college sites) and this post helped soothe my anxiety about it. I am totally pro-college in the liberal arts sense of it but I do think it’s not for everyone and it’s not for everyone on one timetable right after high school.

I really admire your story and hope I can achieve similar results. I find it funny how I pick up new blogs and since I am most definitely going to be a new suscriber to you, here’s the story if you’re interested. Followed a delicious link from Ramit (from I Will Teach You To Be Rich), read a couple more links at the bottom of the post that were interesting and then got to this post and in that time, liked your contact, began to trust you as a source of information/integrity and emotionally connected with your story and words. Always cool to see a female geek too

By: Pieter

Pieter — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 13:54:29 +0000

Erica, I had the passion and the opportunity to go to college, but if I had gone to college I probably wouldn’t have had all the ‘expertise’ that I have today. I could make this a long story, but it’s your space.

By: Philam

Philam — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 04:52:26 +0000

Many people out there who were not able to finish their college but they are successful on their business. So, it really depends. Finishing college is vital but if you are very busy with your business then do it later.

By: Garey

Garey — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 21:54:52 +0000

Hi Erica,

I got a little teary-eyed reading your post; I am like that about authentically true stories. I didn’t make it past the first year of college. That first year was filled with angst and I was hiding out from the real world. Well, I continued to hide out for a long time and it took a while to reconcile all the childhood trauma with adulthood.

Whether one goes to college or not has very little to do with success. College is a weigh-station (or way-station), a place to figure stuff out, albeit in today’s MODERN world, a very expensive place to figure stuff out.

The crowning gem of the entrepreneurial universe is having access to start up capital even if you are bootstrapping using credit cards. The great thing about all things digital is that start up costs are very small and full fledge business can be run from a bedroom with a laptop. Testing an idea can be done for $100 or less.

A young person may not be experienced enough with paying the bills to know what it means to undertake such a venture and maturity does come with age for some of us.

So I am not sure whether it’s the right question, whether a young entrepreneur should go to college or not. You and Billy Gates, neither one of you no-goodniks ever finished college.

Ultimately having good parents, good counsellors, and good sense of self will make the decision easier. I have ten kids. Some have college degrees, some don’t. It’s the mindset, the intention, the inner knowing that will bring the answers to this and other sobering questions about life on planet earth.

By: Nelson

Nelson — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 17:38:43 +0000

My dad never went to college but was self taught in his trade and was a successful entrepreneur. I went to college, enjoyed it and have a good job but I have never started a business. My advice is if you want to start a business teach yourself what you need to know and do it. You can always go to college later if you feel there’s anything you missed out on.

By: Success online

Success online — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 17:30:33 +0000

The post is really worth reading, thanks for sharing your conversation with your mom as it resembles somewhat to my past.
Education is must but it should include much of practical experiences not just mugging up the books.

By: Christina

Christina — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 09:50:09 +0000

It was a lengthy post but honestly it was worth reading, I was actually touched when you shared your conversation with your mom and continued reading it. It all boils down to one, education could help a lot but there are various ways to learn, it’s more of the character of the person. If you know what you want and you believe you could do it, then go for it.

By: efosa

efosa — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 13:20:11 +0000

well erica, i’m inspired by your story, would wanna meet you. I have also read the post from others. I believe life is spiritual more than physical. It’s not what you hear but how you hear…. also, how you see. The bible says,” the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong but TIME and CHANCE happeneth to them ALL. Wisdom is the principal thing. Wisdom is the capital. Time and chance refers to opportunity. Erica believed with her spirit and held the vision. Thank God she undercharged at first becos, it helped her learn more and gain numbers… so many other principles i noticed. Folks, How do you know you are going to be rich, how do u know the future? The anchor for life is the WORD OF GOD. Jesus said, ” all things are possible to him ( ANYONE) that believes.

The point is , if you have a vision that you believe in, talk about it. declare that the materials, finances, people etc are coming to you. create the future with your mouth. Also read biographies, underscore the principles, get knowledge, be the best, give thanks, help many people. The end result is you will know the secrets of that endeavour…. because you did what other people werent doing.

By: Adriana

Adriana — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 02:47:49 +0000

I think college is important, and encourage my own children to go for it. But, neither I nor my husband attended college and we’ve been blessed with great careers. I do wonder how our lives would be different if we did go to college.

By: mike

mike — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 23:43:04 +0000

Thanks for the posting. I think any type of education is important. College or otherwise. Is it good to pick up some type of business degree if you’re running a business? well, sure…it certainly wouldn’t hurt.