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Joseph’s Dilemma: Startup or MBA?
Rakesh Gupta
Indian Institute of Management, Nagpur, Maharashtra, India
Volume 19: 2024, pp. 377-388; ABSTRACT
The case highlights a dilemma faced by many aspiring entrepreneurs... whether to continue with a startup venture or pursue an
MBA degree? Joseph was concerned about waste disposal practices in his native home of Kumbalangi, Kerala, India and was keen to
solve the problem. While working in his engineering college laboratory, he developed a process to convert the biodegradable waste
collected from near his village into bio fertilizers and organic manure. In his enthusiasm, he launched K.J Ventures in 2016 to
build on the opportunity while still pursuing his education. After completing his engineering degree in 2018, he devoted more than
two years full-time to the venture but encountered a series of challenges for which he was not adequately prepared to cope with.
Under pressure from his father and family, he eventually applied for an MBA at a top-notch Business School. Coincidentally, he received
a communication from Kerala Start-up Mission accepting his application for incubating K.J Ventures and a call from his friend Jibin
from Heythen Gelatin, a manufacturer of gelatin with substancial waste product to deal with, to renew the waste management contract
with K.J Ventures. Now he was caught in two minds; whether to pursue
the MBA degree or continue to focus on his venture and capitalize on this new window of opportunity?
Keywords: entrepreneurship, waste management, MBA, start-up, business opportunity.
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