Building a business or side hustle during the MBA: VIDEO

Our recap of the 2021 event: Side Hustles and the MBA

Starting a business or side hustle while in business school is an incredible learning opportunity that allows you to grow, learn and develop as a leader and entrepreneur.

MBAchic sat down with three MBA candidates who are growing their businesses while completing their MBA programs. They share what inspired them to launch their companies, what lessons they’ve learned about building brands, and how their MBA programs have guided them along the way.

Our guests included:

Farah Azmi: second-year MBA candidate at Harvard Business School and the founder of IXORA Apparel. Started in March 2020, IXORA is a DTC apparel brand aiming to change the way we shop, going to the opposite direction of mass production and creating apparel that is made just for you. Her background on Wall Street and experience with ill-fitted workwear drove her to start IXORA, where she’s been running it for the last year.

Lizzie Ann Jones: first-year MBA candidate at Rice’s Jones Graduate School of Business and the founder of Hey Lizzie Ann. HLA is an early-career consulting firm helping women land jobs at global technology companies, offering coaching, workshops and other resources to help her clients reach their goals. Her background in recruiting and HR and her industrial & organizational psychology helps her give her candidates an edge and she actually started her company before starting at Rice this past fall and continues to help her candidates land the dream roles in tech and beyond.

Saniya Waghray: second-year MBA candidate at the Wharton School of Business who seamlessly manages a number of side hustles. In addition to her on-campus involvement leading Wharton’s I&D Club which focuses on integrating human-centered design and innovation, she also serves as a career coach and mentor through Career Contessa, leads dance workshops through BollySoulDance, and more. Her background in marketing and passion for community building and design-thinking have driven her to advise on a number of organizations including BalletX, Red Crane Films, and more recently, MBAchic.

Watch the highlights from our conversation

Have you launched a business while in school? Tell us about it below!

Photos from Saniya Waghray, Lizzie Ann Jones and Farah Azmi