Chose a side hustle over a weekend MBA program 2 years ago and I don't regret it

Everyone told me I needed that fancy degree to move up at my marketing job. I looked at the $30,000 price tag for a local program and just couldn't do it. Instead I put that time into freelancing on Upwork, picking up small social media gigs for local shops. I made about $8,000 in my first year and learned more about real client work than any class could teach me. My manager actually noticed the portfolio I built and gave me a raise anyway. Has anyone else skipped the traditional path and seen it pay off in a different way?

3 comments

3 Comments

derekward26d ago

Ha, good for you. I did something similar with coding bootcamps versus actual freelance projects. The real world experience is way better than a piece of paper.

the_max26d ago

Exactly derekward. Everything's trending hands-on now. Degrees feel outdated.

west.anna14d ago

Agree completely @derekward, getting my hands dirty taught me way more than any class ever did.