MBA life sparks bold ideas, but not all survive beyond the classroom. This chapter reflects on the rise and quiet fall of a craft beer startup, capturing the tension between entrepreneurial dreams and the pull of stability.

Disclaimer

• All characters and events in this chapter —even those based on real people—are entirely fictional.
• The following chapters contain coarse language and situations and due to its content it should not be read by anyone.

Chapter 26 “ Entrepreneurship projects”

The fleeting nature of entrepreneurial dreams was something I witnessed firsthand during my second year at Anderson. A group of my Mexican classmates had become enamored with the idea of launching their own craft beer brand in Mexico. The concept was bold, with one of them planning to take a salary and focus entirely on the venture, eschewing the traditional 9-to-5 grind that awaited most post-graduates. I wish I could join them in that class during the first year, but I had to retake accounting at that moment with Professor Aboody.

I admired their ambition. There was something exhilarating about the prospect of creating a product from scratch, building a brand, and carving out a niche in an increasingly competitive market. It was the kind of risk that seemed to embody the entrepreneurial spirit we often discussed in class.

But as the second year progressed, reality crept in. Job offers started rolling in—high-paying, prestigious positions that offered the kind of security and stability entrepreneurial ventures rarely did. One by one, my classmates began to shelve their craft beer aspirations. The allure of a guaranteed paycheck, health insurance, and career progression proved irresistible.

By graduation, the craft beer venture had quietly dissolved, another casualty of practicality. While I understood their decisions, I couldn't help but feel a pang of disappointment. There was something captivating about their bold idea, and I wished the world were more forgiving to those willing to take the leap.

Even so, I recognized the beauty in their attempt. Sometimes, the most ephemeral dreams leave the most lasting impressions, even if they never fully materialize.