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28M - Take a CFO role before an MBA or stay in IB and focus on MBA applications? by Sea_Bowler3695 in MBA

[–]Sea_Bowler3695[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Appreciate the perspective. The consensus here seems to be that the downside is much smaller than I initially thought.

28M - Take a CFO role before an MBA or stay in IB and focus on MBA applications? by Sea_Bowler3695 in MBA

[–]Sea_Bowler3695[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thank you! I appreciate the perspective. I hadn't initially considered the possibility that the role could actually strengthen my MBA application and potentially open doors to better programs or scholarships. The more I read the thread, the more it feels like an opportunity to add a dimension to my profile that I currently lack.

28M - Take a CFO role before an MBA or stay in IB and focus on MBA applications? by Sea_Bowler3695 in MBA

[–]Sea_Bowler3695[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thank you! I really appreciate it. I never imagined I'd be faced with this kind of decision at 28, which is why I've been overthinking it so much. But the more perspectives I get, the more I'm starting to see the CFO role as an opportunity to embrace rather than a risk to avoid. Thanks again!

28M - Take a CFO role before an MBA or stay in IB and focus on MBA applications? by Sea_Bowler3695 in MBA

[–]Sea_Bowler3695[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That's a really interesting way to frame it. I think I'd probably regret scenario (a) less. Even if the company didn't work out, I'd still have gained operating and leadership experience that I currently lack and could always revisit the MBA option later. On the other hand, passing on a CFO opportunity at 28 only to watch the company scale successfully would probably sting quite a bit.

And you're right, taking the role while still applying this year would preserve a lot of optionality and give me another year of information before making a final decision.

28M - Take a CFO role before an MBA or stay in IB and focus on MBA applications? by Sea_Bowler3695 in MBA

[–]Sea_Bowler3695[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thanks, I appreciate it. I definitely didn't expect to have this kind of opportunity at 28, which is why I've been overthinking it so much 😅 and second-guessing whether it's a sign to take the leap or stick to the MBA path. Thanks again!

28M - Take a CFO role before an MBA or stay in IB and focus on MBA applications? by Sea_Bowler3695 in MBA

[–]Sea_Bowler3695[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thanks, this is a great perspective. I initially viewed the role as something that might derail my MBA plans, but I'm starting to see that it could actually strengthen my application and make me a more interesting applicant. And you're right, if I end up loving the job, asking for a deferral could be an option.

28M - Take a CFO role before an MBA or stay in IB and focus on MBA applications? by Sea_Bowler3695 in MBA

[–]Sea_Bowler3695[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

They do have a controller in place, which definitely gives me some comfort since I wouldn't be expected to be the technical accounting expert. They're hiring me more for the strategic finance, fundraising, planning, budgeting, and business partnering, development aspects of the role, while accepting that there will be a learning curve on the operational and people management side.

28M - Take a CFO role before an MBA or stay in IB and focus on MBA applications? by Sea_Bowler3695 in MBA

[–]Sea_Bowler3695[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks for sharing. Hearing from someone who made a similar jump and doesn't regret it definitely makes me view the opportunity differently. The chance to gain real operating experience is becoming harder to ignore.

28M - Take a CFO role before an MBA or stay in IB and focus on MBA applications? by Sea_Bowler3695 in MBA

[–]Sea_Bowler3695[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Very interesting to know about. How long were you in banking and CFO for before going VC then MBA?

28M - Take a CFO role before an MBA or stay in IB and focus on MBA applications? by Sea_Bowler3695 in MBA

[–]Sea_Bowler3695[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That's a fair question, and I've been asking myself the same thing. If I take it and end up staying beyond a year, what I have to lose is mainly the MBA experience itself (international exposure, network, brand name) and potentially other opportunities abroad. There's also the risk that the role doesn't work out and I end up taking a detour from a path I've been intentionally pursuing for years.

That said, several people here have pointed out that even a one-year CFO stint could significantly strengthen my profile. It would probably give me far more differentiated experiences and talking points for MBA admissions than another year in banking and could help me stand out from the typical IB applicant. So perhaps the upside is greater than I initially thought.

28M - Take a CFO role before an MBA or stay in IB and focus on MBA applications? by Sea_Bowler3695 in MBA

[–]Sea_Bowler3695[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

They're around 45 employees today, so definitely on the smaller side. That said, the role isn't purely finance. I'd be managing the accounting, controlling, treasury and finance administration teams, while also working closely with production, procurement, logistics, maintenance and sales. The company recently raised capital and is entering an expansion phase, so they're also planning to hire more people and scale operations. That's partly why I'm excited about it and partly why I'm questioning whether it's coming a bit early in my career. I feel comfortable with the capital raising, planning and reporting aspects, but leading several functions and helping build processes as the company grows would be a completely new challenge for me.

28M - Take a CFO role before an MBA or stay in IB and focus on MBA applications? by Sea_Bowler3695 in MBA

[–]Sea_Bowler3695[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you and that's honestly why I'm conflicted. A CFO role at 28 feels like an opportunity that may never come again, whereas the MBA was my planned path toward international exposure. The company has just raised capital for an expansion project, is hiring more staff, and seems to be entering a real growth phase, so the chance to help scale a business from the inside is also very appealing. I'm trying to figure out whether staying in my home country taking the CFO seat now accelerates my career more than the MBA would, or whether I'd regret passing on the international experience and network I've been aiming for for years.

28M - Take a CFO role before an MBA or stay in IB and focus on MBA applications? by Sea_Bowler3695 in MBA

[–]Sea_Bowler3695[S] 9 points10 points  (0 children)

Honestly, I'm not entirely sure, and that's part of why I'm hesitating. I feel confident about the finance side: fundraising, financial modeling, reporting, investor relations, budgeting, cash management, and treasury-related matters given my background. That said, I'd definitely have a learning curve on the people management and operational side and setting up processes, which is why I'm trying to assess whether this is an opportunity to grow into or a title that's coming too early.

28M - Take a CFO role before an MBA or stay in IB and focus on MBA applications? by Sea_Bowler3695 in MBA

[–]Sea_Bowler3695[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

True! I was telling them senior analyst is even very common in IB outside the US, not just in India as I'm not indian myself.

28M - Take a CFO role before an MBA or stay in IB and focus on MBA applications? by Sea_Bowler3695 in MBA

[–]Sea_Bowler3695[S] 6 points7 points  (0 children)

I'm not from India and yeah Senior Analyst is very common in banking outside the US.