Ask HN: Entrepreneurs, what do you think of my web-based startup idea?

#1

Post by lilsis » Sun, Feb 24, 2013, 1:31 AM UTC

Hi all,

Doing some early stage research for a startup I have in mind and I'd love to get some insight from other entrepreneurs.

It is basically an odesk-type platform for connecting small businesses to MBA students. The idea is that MBA students have valuable skills (many are former financiers and strategy consultants) and small businesses/startups in need of professional business advice for things like project valuation or corporate strategy may lack the resources to hire top-tier talent for these problems, or just lack the bandwidth to do it themselves. Essentially, you'd be getting McKinsey level talent for a fraction of the cost, maybe $100 per hour.

Is this a service your business might be interested in? Thanks in advance.

Re: Ask HN: Entrepreneurs, what do you think of my web-based startup idea?

#2

Post by roc99ceo » Sun, Feb 24, 2013, 2:49 AM UTC

This sounds awesome!

Re: Ask HN: Entrepreneurs, what do you think of my web-based startup idea?

#3

Post by thoughtcriminal » Sun, Feb 24, 2013, 3:40 AM UTC

Great idea. I don't know if I'd be blabbing this on HN though. The MVP should be your "research".

Re: Ask HN: Entrepreneurs, what do you think of my web-based startup idea?

#4

Post by scottbartell » Sun, Feb 24, 2013, 5:01 AM UTC

You shouldn't be asking startups this. Call small businesses and ask them.

Regardless, I worked for a small business while I was getting my BS in Business Admin. One thing I realized from this experience was that a lot of what I learned in business school was focused on the corporate world and not small business. A small business is much different than a corporation and I could argue that advice from an MBA would not be that helpful to a small businesses (to an extent of course).

Also, while this is only one data point, I can tell you that the small business I worked for would not use this service. This is because the owner would not seek out such help because he believed that running a business was something that couldn't be taught and that an MBA (who has never actually had a business) was not qualified to give any advice.

Edit: I reread your post and I think you might be considering startups and small businesses the same. I think you need to pick one of the two because they are significantly different.