By Sloane Middleton Mann ’25 MBA
As I embarked on my Kellogg journey in 2023, I often reminded both myself and those around me: “One of the riskiest things you can do is start your own business. The least risky way to do it is to build while you’re at business school.” Having spent my career collaborating with small business owners, I had witnessed the tolls entrepreneurship can take. I always knew I’d create my own company; thus, I applied to Kellogg seeking to solidify the skills I needed to succeed as a founder.
Having just graduated from the school’s Two-Year MBA Program, I proudly take on my revenue-generating venture, Business of Vintage, a marketing agency dedicated to aiding vintage shop owners in enhancing their online presence. Throughout my time at Kellogg, I actively applied entrepreneurial frameworks, tested my ideas in real-time, and adapted quickly based on feedback. Below, I share five essential lessons that shaped my entrepreneurial journey.
1. Start with a Hyper-Niche Problem — and Solve It Well
One of the recurring messages in Kellogg’s entrepreneurial classes was to “fall in love with the problem, not the solution.” For me, the problem was glaringly evident through my experience in marketplace eCommerce: the vintage retail industry often lacks the marketing best practices that traditional retail enjoys. The unique nature of their inventory presents many challenges that small business owners face in a retail landscape not tailored for them.
I recognized that I could alleviate these pain points for the vintage sector by disseminating specialized marketing knowledge online and offering a done-for-you digital service model. By tightly defining the niche, I could sharpen my solution, which ultimately gave my business a notable competitive edge from the outset, garnering immediate interest from my target audience.
2. Use School as Your Testing Ground
Kellogg was not simply an educational institution for me; it provided a live testbed for experimentation. I approached every group project, marketing assignment, and office hour as an opportunity to refine Business of Vintage. This included crafting pitch decks for executive presentations, building my social media strategy for my final in Digital & Social Media Marketing, and rigorously testing my business model with classmates and faculty alike.
Alongside my academic endeavors, I co-led the Kellogg Founder Club, a community of builders that fueled my motivation and inspiration—an invaluable network that continues beyond graduation. Rather than postponing my entrepreneurial aspirations until after I graduated, I built my company hand-in-hand with my educational journey.
3. At First, Done is Better Than Perfect
One of my key takeaways was embracing the mantra of moving quickly and making adjustments later. During the early stages, my most significant decisions sprang from rapid testing of ideas. I learned effective ways to gauge messaging and offerings; for instance, through minimal investment in paid advertising and creating mock landing pages. These strategies allowed me to assess customer interest and purchasing willingness in real-world scenarios. The initial discovery interviews I conducted and the rudimentary solutions I devised to meet their needs stemmed from this approach, enabling me to convert several of these early contacts into paying clients.
4. When Scaling, Systems Are King
While quick tests and makeshift solutions were vital in shaping my business model, I came to understand that sustainable growth hinges on implementing robust systems and processes once I identified customer needs. As my client base grew, I realized that testing would only take me so far—efficient systems were essential for longevity. Thanks to insights from my professors and collaborative internships with classmates, I began documenting workflows, optimizing templates, and outsourcing tasks beyond my core competencies. It was through these strong Kellogg connections that I witnessed my business truly take off.
5. Your Story Is a Strategic Asset
Kellogg instilled the importance of storytelling in business leadership. After sharing my journey on Instagram via @business.of.vintage, I experienced firsthand how a well-articulated story solidifies connections with customers. Many of Kellogg’s courses featured impactful storytelling workshops—these insights greatly influenced how I cultivated the brand voice for Business of Vintage and for my clients, making them feel personal, approachable, and strategic. Vintage shop owners don’t merely hire me for my marketing expertise; they choose me for my skill in crafting their narrative to develop a loyal customer base.
Embarking on the journey of building a business while pursuing an MBA isn’t for the fainthearted. The emotional roller coaster of entrepreneurship can be overwhelming, especially when paired with rigorous academics and an engaging social environment. Yet, if driven by a clear mission and supported by the right community, the experience becomes one of the most enriching education journeys an entrepreneur could hope for. At Kellogg, I didn’t just learn about entrepreneurship; I lived and breathed it.
Building from the Ground Up
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