SoFi Blog

Becoming an entrepreneur is one of the most rewarding—and terrifying—things you’ll ever do. I started my own business, a business-planning software company initially based in Palo Alto, California, three years after graduating from business school. I’ve succeeded through several decades, but it wasn’t always easy given that I struggled with student loan and mortgage payments, and took care of my family at the same time. But today, I’m financially secure, my business is healthy, and I employ more than 60 people at our new location in Eugene, Oregon. Because I’ve dealt with startups and entrepreneurs for a long time, I’m well equipped to outline what you can expect if you’re planning to start your own business.

B-school has given other entrepreneurs exactly what it gave me: business fundamentals, including basic finance, marketing, and administration. An MBA program also teaches you how to plan and, most importantly, how to understand cash flow. But what school doesn’t teach you is how to wade through the entrepreneur clichés to get to the unvarnished truth.

These days, “pension” and “company men” are terms about as relevant as “on fleek” will be in five years. Until just a few decades ago, it was commonplace for a college graduate to get an entry-level job and work his way up the corporate ladder, retiring 40-some years later with a healthy pension and a parting gift.

But not anymore.

On July 27, SoFi hosted one of its popular community member events in New York City. Held at Interface, an intimate creative space and lounge in North Chelsea, the evening featured Matt Bachmann, co-founder of Wandering Bear Coffee, and Ben LeBlanc, founder of Good Stock Soups. Ainsley O’Connell of Fast Company moderated the lively panel discussion titled “MBA to CEO.”

Your desk is your sanctuary. Well, it could be. We’re all about sprucing up your workspace so as to keep the ideas flowing and good thoughts rolling. After all, it is where you spend a good chunk of your week. Here are five tips to make your desk truly, yours.

We recently announced the newest members SoFi Entrepreneur Program, a group of promising SoFi members who are starting businesses while also paying off student loans. As they progress through the program, we’ve asked each member to share important lessons they’ve learned on their road to startup success.