This is actually a very hot topic. Not so long ago there was a discussion within the community of researchers about whether or not one needs special education to become a researcher.

I have an established position on this, which I have held for several years now.

I think that NO.

Do you necessarily need an MBA to go into business?

Certainly with an MBA it will be a little easier in the area of some hard skills, but no more. The most important thing which is necessary for business building (as well as in any other business) — it is a fierce desire. If it is sincere, then no difficulties in the form of lack of special education, lack of knowledge of specifics — will not be global obstacles in the way. It will just be another difficulty to overcome.

It’s the same with research. Practical experience and desire are the key factors for success in any endeavor.

A PhD may give you an edge on your resume or at the start of your profession in theory, but no more. When it comes to practice, everyone is on an equal footing.

And I say this from my experience. I don’t have a specialized education, but I work as a researcher, and I bring pretty good results with my work, if you believe the words of my supervisor and colleagues.

And it’s not just like that with the research profession, but with business as well. When my partner and I started out — I had 0 experience building venture startup, but nothing, it was just a challenge that, alas, could not be overcome. Even so, we managed to get the project to a $1 million valuation and failed to develop further solely because of the different positions and views on project development between the founders.

I take the position that training should be purely on demand. If you have a problem that you do not understand how to solve, then you have to go to theory and solve the problem, applying theoretical knowledge immediately in practice. That’s how it was with research, that’s how it was in business.

To summarize, to achieve something you don’t need a specialized education, because the most important thing that you should have is the desire. If you have it, it will not be very difficult to get hard skills.

The main thing is that the lack of education or some other obstacle did not become the final point, because of which you gave up what you really like.