No matter how many detours, u-turns, side roads and fast-tracks on the road to the career of your dreams, the journey is almost always transformative. Three entrepreneurs from diverse backgrounds tell us about their experience and how going back to school brought about the most impactful change.

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Starting a business is an exciting journey and many INSEAD alumni have found the support, resources and network at INSEAD that gave their entrepreneurship start a boost. We spoke to three INSEAD alumnae - who are successful business owners in their respective fields - on why they decided to do an MBA at INSEAD, how the INSEAD MBA prepared them for a life and career in entrepreneurship, and what advice they have for aspiring women entrepreneurs.  

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Venture capital (VC) firms are a vital funding source for new businesses and a major driving force behind innovation. In exchange for evaluating a fledgling company’s growth potential and providing funds and mentoring to help it develop, venture capitalists gain an ownership stake – or equity – in the business. Often, they’ll aim to cash out of the investment once the startup reaches a size and credibility that will allow it to be taken public or sold to a major corporation.

• Read more about 5 Ways INSEAD’s MBA Programme Can Help Sharpen Your Venture Capitalism Skills

COVID-19 closed business school campuses and forced thousands of MBA students into studying online. But it has also been a trigger for innovation. Some of the world’s most exciting startups have come out of the pandemic, and many of them have been started by MBAs. Edward Tsim from INSEAD's MBA Class of 2020 shares how the pandemic has sparked a business idea and launched the next step of his career as a lawyer-turned-entrepreneur.  

• Read more about Starting a New Business During a Pandemic