Where is Bob?

Biggby Coffee Birmingham #mbachat from Hajj Flemings on Vimeo.

I have an MBA and I own a Biggby Coffee am I wasting my degree?


I have an MBA which field should I go into? Have you ever thought about owning a coffee shop after completing your degree?

Let’s look at Joseph Glendinning co-owner of Biggby Coffee locations in Birmingham and Bloomfield Township in Michigan. In 2008 Joseph opened his first Biggby Coffee with his sister Rose Glendinning.

Joseph Glendinning Profile

Joseph Glendinning was an associate attorney in business, real estate and tax law in Chicago for Amari and Locallo law firm and River North Law Group. He has a Bachelors from Albion College, a law degree from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland and an MBA from DePaul University in Chicago.

Joe said that while practicing as an attorney he helped others achieve their goals, but he desired to achieve his own. “I wasn’t super excited to go to work every day,” he said. “I enjoyed my work, but I never felt satisfied with my career choice.”

“I invested a lot of time, money and effort into my career as a lawyer,” Joseph said. “It wasn’t easy to leave it behind for something that was not guaranteed to be a success.”

Work Life Balance

When getting an MBA what is most important? Is it having the bragging rights of working for a prestigious firm/corporation? Or is it more important to do something that you love? The average person spends over 50% of their waking life working, so why not do something that you love?

So is the right thing to do to own a Coffee shop after completing your MBA? What is the right decision post MBA in-terms of jobs and career placement? That is a question that you have to personally answer for yourself nobody can tell you what is right for you. Food for thought some traditional choices are more risky today so non-traditional MBA career path should be considered.

Joseph was able to apply the skills acquired from obtaining his MBA to the day-to-day operations of running his own business. His MBA also expanded his perspective on business, work life, and career path. MBAs have value for traditional corporate positions and entrepreneurial career options.

Advice for others: “I think the best advice is something that my father told me as a boy,” Joseph Glendinning said. “He always told me to find a job that isn’t a job, but a passion - something that I could wake up to every morning and couldn’t wait to start doing.”

Next MBA Chat: April 26th 7:30pm-8:30pm EST. Follow the hashtag: #mbachat



Posted by Hajj Flemings who is the Tech MBA Online Program Ambassador. You can follow him on twitter @hajjflemings
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