Anupam Mittal, the founder of Shaadi.com and a popular judge on Shark Tank India, recently shared bold views about MBAs on LinkedIn. He declared that “Most MBAs are outdated”, advising young professionals to focus on building products instead of relying only on management degrees.
According to Mittal, the best training ground for career acceleration or running a company is product building — not classrooms filled with case studies and frameworks.
🔑 Key Points from Anupam Mittal’s Statement
- MBAs are outdated → Traditional programs don’t prepare students for real-world complexity.
- Building products is the best MBA → It forces you to solve problems, innovate, and influence without authority.
- Real skills matter more than degrees → Empathy, creativity, analytical skills, and persistence.
- Redefining MBA → Masters in Building Awesome things.
📌 Anupam Mittal’s Advice to Young Professionals
“That’s how I started. As a Product Manager. Case studies and frameworks are nice, but they don’t teach you how to:
- Question the status quo
- Build deep empathy for customers
- Pursue global optima, not local wins
- Influence without authority
- Work backwards from the end state”
🆚 MBA vs Building Products – A Comparison
| Traditional MBA | Masters in Building Awesome things (Mittal’s MBA) |
|---|---|
| 2 years in classroom | Everyday learning on the job |
| Case studies & frameworks | Real-world messy problem solving |
| Focus on leadership theory | Build products, test ideas, fail fast |
| Structured environment | Political, creative, analytical mix |
| Graduate with a degree | Graduate every day with experience |
🚀 Career Paths Suggested by Anupam Mittal
He encouraged young professionals to become builders rather than just managers. Some suggested roles include:
- Product Manager (PM)
- Product Engineer
- Product Designer
- AI Builder
- Hardware Designer
- Robotics Engineer
- Even a Toy Designer!
Mittal believes the 21st century will be led by builders — those who can combine creativity, technology, and storytelling.
🌐 Why This Statement Matters
In a country like India, where MBA degrees are highly sought after, Mittal’s statement is a wake-up call. With AI, robotics, and tech-driven industries evolving rapidly, building skills might indeed prove more valuable than a traditional degree.
He does not completely dismiss MBAs, though. He added:
“If you MUST, do a top-tier MBA. Or hide for a few months & learn how to build, especially with AI.”
📞 Bottom Line
Anupam Mittal is challenging the conventional wisdom about management education. His message is clear: stop chasing degrees, start building skills. Whether you are an aspiring entrepreneur, engineer, or creative professional, the real MBA is not in business schools — it’s in building awesome things every single day.
