My Journey through EMP

I first heard about the Entrepreneurial Master’s Program (EMP) a few years ago. When I researched it, I was intrigued to find that the program’s mission was to coach entrepreneurs on their journey to building “giant” companies. Over the course of three years, EMP brings together 65 remarkable entrepreneurs for four days of intense learning on a suburban campus of MIT in Boston, Massachusetts, USA+. Interested in learning how to become a better business owner, I applied and was selected for the class of 2012.

My entrepreneurial journey began after seven years of working for other people, first in banking and then consulting. I thought I knew everything, until the first three years of trying to start a business convinced me I knew nothing at all. EMP is designed to teach you about proper execution, covering everything from making quarterly plans to hiring the right people, developing a company culture and everything in between. In addition to its objective, the program has two unique features— the selection of speakers and its diverse participants. Rather than offering “theory” professors, EMP offered a mix of unique business minds, including an Ernst & Young “Entrepreneur of the Year” award recipient and a global authority on hiring.

The second remarkable feature of EMP was its classes. Through a competitive selection process, our group was hand-picked from many qualified applicants, with the sole goal of creating a high-voltage, peer-to-peer learning environment. The richness of the class lays in its diversity. Participants stemmed from a variety of industries and entrepreneurial stages; from startups with little revenue to businesses with more than us$500 million in annual turnover. Not only was I able to network with the best and brightest minds in business, but I was able to do so in a high-octane learning environment.

Overall, the program was intense— 12 hours of learning a day for four straight days. Throughout this time, participants shared their fears, hopes and failures. I was glad to see I wasn’t alone on my journey! When we parted ways at the end of our first class, we knew we had established relationships that would last a lifetime. What’s more, we knew we’d be back the following year for more learning and experience sharing. All in all, EMP taught me that the entrepreneurial path doesn’t have to be a lonely one. There are a ton of people who can help you on your journey to greatness; you just have to know where to look.

Nikhil Nath is the founder of Knowcross solutions Pvt. ltd. E-mail Nikhil at [email protected].