Joseph’s Dilemma: Startup or MBA?
Rakesh Gupta
Indian Institute of Management, Nagpur, Maharashtra, India
Volume 19: 2024, pp. 00-00; 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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