What does the future of business look like?
Many folks have approached the LIFT team over the years to ask “what business skills, knowledge, and/or resources do I need to excel in the Next Economy?”
The question, along with our observation that many social entrepreneurs need grounding in the business fundamentals of vision, strategy, culture, and operations, led us to the creation of the Next Economy MBA.
What’s wrong with traditional MBA programs?
The content taught in the vast majority of MBA programs is based on outdated principles that were developed during the industrial revolution and oriented toward the outcome of producing functional mid-level managers of large multinational corporations.
MBA programs are also incredibly expensive, costing roughly $100k-$150k for a two year degree. This ultimately exacerbates the cycle of wealth extraction and forces aspiring entrepreneurs to become reliant on high-salary positions to pay down their debt.
The LIFT team has spent nine years working with more than 200 social enterprises that are building the Next Economy. We have identified patterns that we feel that every entrepreneur should know in order to be prepared for the future of business.
We also discuss topics like Indigenous economics, regenerative finance, the gift economy, self-managing organizations, multi-stakeholder cooperatives, comprehensive strategies to reverse climate change, non-violent communication, non-extractive investing, racial justice, how market rate returns are perpetuating white supremacy, and much more. No MBA program in the world teaches these types of topics.
What's in it for me?
The benefits of participating in this course include, but are not limited to:
Create a Next Economy business design or modify your existing business to be more aligned with creating benefit for all life
Learn about tools, tips, and strategies that you can apply to your own business
Increase confidence in your understanding of Next Economy business fundamentals
Feel more confident about a career that aligns with your deeper purpose
Join a supportive peer group that will hold each other accountable to achieving your goals and objectives
Save time by getting insights from experts who have worked in this field--without having to find all of the information out on your own
Build your thought leadership by learning how to publish and speak about the Next Economy
Influence a burgeoning new way of thinking about how to structure and organize a global shift towards an economy that works for all life.
See "Testimonials" below to see what others have gained from our previous courses
What does the course outline / content look like?
You can view a sample syllabus & course outline here. To give a brief overview, LIFT’s business design process is focused on four key areas: vision, culture, strategy, and operations.
We’ll discuss these four key areas and elaborate on strategies and common themes we have seen work for enterprises and organizations that are fundamentally transforming the nature of the economy and how you can apply these to your organization, your career, and your investments.
VISION
Clarify, articulate, and pursue your vision for maximum beneficial impact
Fine-tune your product and/or service design
Learn how to enhance your social and environmental performance while maintaining sound financial performance
Increase your confidence in the direction of the company and focus on your long-term goals
Learn about the mindset shift needed to create a regenerative economy
CULTURE
Strategic recruiting process to find and select the engaged, talented team you want to have
Fully engaged company culture aligned with your objectives and values
Defined values and cultural investments process to develop the highest impact culture possible
Learn about racial justice, dismantling white supremacy, and anti-oppression.
Move from a scarcity to an abundance mentality
STRATEGY
Conduct a gap analysis of the next economy goods and services that are missing/needed in your community
Develop a core value proposition and messaging to differentiate your brand
Attract mission-aligned investors
Cultivate your reputation as a thought leader
OPERATIONS
Create or reaffirm a clear organizational structure with documented roles and responsibilities
Create faster and more effective responsiveness to operational needs
Reduce stress and anxiety and create the space to resume the activities you enjoy
Who is teaching the course?
The team at LIFT Economy. A few select guest speakers will also be invited to help add value to the course.
What are the course dates? What is the format?
The course runs from January 16, 2020 through September 10, 2020 for MBA IV (nine months total)
The course will be taught online via webinar. Anyone in the world can participate.
Online classes will be twice per month for 90 minutes
Office hours for student Q & A will be on the Friday following each class at 12 noon - 1 pm Pacific Time
All of the bi-monthly classes will be on Thursdays from 1:00pm-2:30pm Pacific Time
Thursday, February 6, 2020 - Intro to Next Economy
Thursday, February 20, 2020 - Intro to Next Economy II
Thursday, March 5, 2020 - Principles of Next Economy Enterprises I
Thursday, April 2, 2020 - Enterprise Case Studies by Structure
Thursday, April 16, 2020 - Personal Strategies and Life Design
Thursday, April 30, 2020 - Vision Alignment
Thursday, May 14, 2020 - Culture I - Values and Team
Thursday, May 28, 2020 - Culture II - Communication
Thursday, June 11, 2020 - Strategy I - Positioning
Thursday, June 25, 2020 - Strategy II - Fundraising
Thursday, July 9, 2020 - Strategy III - Partnerships & Governance
Thursday, July 23, 2020 - Operations I - Organization Structure, Roles and Tasks
Thursday, August 6, 2020 - Operations II - Operating Projection and Financial Systems
Thursday, August 20, 2020 - Marketing I - Approach and Messaging
Thursday, September 3, 2020 - Marketing II - Branding and Sales Systems
Thursday, September 17, 2020 - Key Considerations for Stage of Development
Thursday, October 1, 2020 - Next Steps for the Next Economy
Thursday, October 15, 2020 - Next Steps for the Next Economy
Who should take the course? How many people will be participating?
The course is designed for entrepreneurs, aspiring entrepreneurs, students / recent graduates, employees, and folks who want to learn more about Next Economy business principles. We aim for an average cohort size of 30-45 people to keep the discussions focused and to ensure that we are able to serve individual needs.
How are you thinking about inclusion?
One of the biggest opportunities in creating the Next Economy is increasing the amount of diversity, equity, and inclusion from the start. Indeed, how can we create an economy that "works for the benefit of all life" without including people who have faced systemic barriers to success?
With this in mind, we aspire towards 50% spots in this course for people of color. People of color are also eligible for a 50% discount on the total price of the course.
Is this an "accredited" MBA program?
The program is not accredited. Indeed, part of the reason we created the Next Economy MBA is that no accredited business school in the world teaches the breadth and depth of the topics we discuss on this course. We had to create a comprehensive program that we would be interested in taking ourselves.
How much does the course cost?
We have three billing options:
Option #1: $4000 total ($500 discount) if paid upfront
Option #2: $4500 if paid in $500 installments over nine months
Option #3: $1000 if you want to register for the first six sessions only. These first six sessions give an overview of the Next Economy. If you want continue after the first six sessions, the balance will be charged in monthly $500 installments.
As noted above, people of color are eligible for a 50% discount on any of the above options (e.g., $2000 for Option #1, $250 per month over nine months for Option #2, or $500 for the first six sessions).
Please note that we have a 100% satisfaction guarantee for anyone who takes this course. We will refund your entire fee if:
After taking the entire course, from beginning to end, you leave feeling dissatisfied with the course value
You meet with us to discuss why you feel you did not receive value and what more appropriate reciprocity would look like
Are you ready to build an economy that works for all life? Join the Next Economy MBA today!
