by Case Lane

Aspiring entrepreneurs have heard they do not need to go to college to obtain the information they need to run a business. There are other ways to obtain an education. But the ‘other ways’ are not always clearly defined.

The value of post-secondary education has always been in its formality.  Not only do you do through a prescribed set of courses that result in a diploma, but also the diploma is recognized because other people understand the process, and the value of the paper.

But given the cost, time and demands of a formal college education, many are opting to move forward with a business and you do not want to use formal education to help you.  Aspiring entrepreneurs want to learn in the real world, doing real business activities.

How do you succeed without the college formula?

Neither business school nor college is necessary to become an entrepreneur. Many successful entrepreneurs did not go to college, and few (as a percentage of all entrepreneurs) come out of the B-schools. 

But both business school and college are also considered outstanding opportunities. College is still the ticket to higher wages, professional careers and advancing in life.

The challenge is to determine which path fits for each individual situation.

Go ‘Offline’

An aspiring entrepreneur can obtain an education, learn the facts and concepts necessary for business outside of the formal college campus.  A self-disciplined person can pursue an ‘offline ‘course of study that will help achieve the success they’ve been looking for.

And self-discipline can be imposed if the person has some idea about what to do to achieve similar results to the formal college student.

This approach is Offline U because many courses of study are presented online, and are still formal methods of learning. 

Offline U means turning away from all structured education to learn through direct action, observation and doing.

You get the information you need from available sources, usually for free.  Following this path, you have to remember the information is not going to be presented in any particular order or context like in business school.  You are not going to be able to segregate the marketing information from the finance information.  You are going to require your own system for doing that.

So to start, you decide how you are going to organize the information you receive.

If you already have a business idea, the ‘offline’ course of study can be even more productive because questions and information gathering can take place within the context of turning your idea into a business.  The research becomes directly practical.

If you don’t have a business idea, you can use one that already exists to practice how to frame your ‘offline’ studies around a specific product or service.

Once the organizational infrastructure has been set-up for your offline education, you can implement the following practices to give yourself an Offline education that advances your business opportunities:

Read books and articles about successful entrepreneurs

The information you need about how entrepreneurs built their businesses is readily available in thousands of magazine articles and hundreds of books.  The blueprints are spelled out in black and white. 

If Sir Richard Branson were your best friend, you would read all his books to have the answers about how he built his business, not ask him to explain the story (or else he would know you had never read his books).

Reading the entrepreneur’s story allows you to understand the background how the enterprise was built.

Reading entrepreneurs’ stories also reveals one obvious and timeless fact – the most successful entrepreneurs did the work.  They worked night and day on their business enterprise, and reaped the reward. It’s as simple, and as difficult, as that.

Interview someone who is doing what you want to do

If you know anyone near you who is a successful entrepreneur, ask for an interview.  For the cost of coffee or a lunch, you may get information that is never taught in school.

To get the interview, honestly make the request from the perspective of a niche demographic that is either unique or aligned with the person’s causes or ideas. Even if you are a working professional, if you belong to any type of club or organization find a connection with the person you want to interview. 

You can also interview on behalf of the organization perhaps as a profile for their newsletter.  But make sure the request is legitimate.

Research the information other people are saying

Today you can find a lot of material about entrepreneurs and businesses, including interviews, documentaries and profiles that reveal more about how the business is run than you may have calculated.

Do a search for these resources, both positive and negative.  Give yourself time each day to spend an extra hour or two with stories that give you ideas. Take notes, and then go back and review your notes, and put them in the context of your own business idea.  

Meet like-minded people

Take a look at the meet-ups for entrepreneurs in your city or events that involve entrepreneurs.  If you’re shy, approach different people with the same prepared set of questions. For example, ask:

‘I’m curious, how’d you get started as an entrepreneur?’

‘What do you wish you knew from the beginning?’

‘What do you think was the one key to growing your business?’

People love to talk about themselves, especially if they have a willing, eager audience.  While stroking an ego, you can give yourself an entrepreneurship 101 lesson.

Go to work for an entrepreneur or organization you admire

If you want work that is meaningful, but are not quite ready with your own business, you can check the job openings at companies you admire, or with organizations you are interested in exploring. 

One caution, going to work for any company may not be as glamorous as you could hope, and you may never meet the founding entrepreneur.  In fact, the experience may even be a turn-off.  But you will learn.

All experience – work, education, going to the store – could teach you something you did not already know which could help you in your business. 

If there is a business run by someone you admire, and you think they could use someone like you, there’s no harm in applying, and earning money instead of spending it to get the information you believe you can use in your own business.

Attend conferences

Conferences will cost you some money, but the events are rapid-fire learning experiences.  Pick the conference that focuses on your business idea or industry, and use the opportunity to not only learn about the industry, but also to meet other people working in the same field. 

You might even find the connections that will feed back into interviews, meetings or employment opportunities that lead you exactly where you want to go.

In summary, to get an ‘offline’ business education outside of formal college or B-school:

• Read books and articles about successful entrepreneurs, and learn how businesses are built
• Interview someone who is doing what you want to do, and ask them about getting started and growing a business
• Research the information other people have about successful entrepreneurs including through interviews, analysis, documentaries and articles, that present both positive and negative views.
• Meet like-minded people at your local meet-ups or entrepreneurial events
• Go to work for an entrepreneur or organization you admire
• Attend conferences

Disclosure: links to books and physical products are Amazon affiliate links. I earn for eligible purchases at no additional cost to you.