GoGoVan CEO says MBA grads can help solve society’s issues

The path toward financial success has many hurdles. Aside from having to compete in heavily saturated industries, entrepreneurs must also ensure that they have the proper knowledge to stand out. Success can be measured by other metrics aside from salary, such as by how much one has contributed into solving the world’s issues.

A recent Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC) report says 89 percent of business school graduates secured a full-time job this year. They are situated in various industries including services, financing and consulting. Many graduates are paid $125,000 or more annually. While this may seem like good news for some, Steven Lam, CEO and co-founder of GoGoVan, says that graduates have the ability to upend the business world in their own ways.

In an interview for CNBC Make It, Lam says there are many other jobs graduates can fall to aside from typical financing and consulting careers. Recalling one of his first lessons as a student, Lam says graduates can put their skills to work in other outlets that address some of society’s biggest issues.

When he graduated, Lam decided to do something meaningful with his MBA. With his knowledge in business and understanding of society’s issues, he was able to co-found GoGoVan which went on to become a billion-dollar startup. It is a multinational on-demand logistic platform for deliveries in six countries in Asia. More importantly, the company employs 2,000 people and helps support 8 million drivers.

Steven Lam, the co-founder, and CEO of GoGoVan said that MBA graduates can address society’s biggest issues. (Photo by RISE via Flickr. CC BY 2.0.)

By shifting his career path into something that falls outside the norm, Lam was able to reach entrepreneurial success. Current and future MBA holders should take Lam’s word into consideration. Future graduates have a better shot at discovering something unique as online courses that give them time to work on other matters are growing in quality and quantity.

Lessons now more accessible thanks to online classes

Carnegie Mellon University’s Tepper School of Business is offering online courses geared toward MBA candidates who are working professionals. The program offers immersive weekend activities and online classes at the same time. With such flexible schedules, MBA candidates can start developing unique ideas for businesses. They can also use flexible schedules as a means to develop their skills even further.

The courses will be offered starting next fall. Many top schools already offer online courses and don’t sacrifice the quality found in school classes. For undergrads, this is an opportunity to develop their skills early on.

Successful entrepreneurship is a challenging task that not many are able to handle. There are bound to be troubles along the way and what is important is that people need to learn from the mistakes of others. There are many business moguls that they can get more tips from. It is also important to understand that learning does not stop after getting an MBA.