š Is getting an MBA worth it?
Plus, a new feature to unsend texts...
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š WWDC updates. Apple hosted its annual developer conference this week, bringing a slate of new product announcements! The highlights?
A new operating system, iOS 16, is coming - and it will have the ability to edit or recall texts š
Apple Pay is adding BNPL, allowing shoppers to pay for purchases in four installments with no interest
New MacBooks, which will come with a M2 chipset that is 18% faster (on a CPU basis) than the M1
š¢ Flexport gets a new CEO. Ryan Petersen, CEO of global logistics co Flexport, is transitioning into an executive chairman role - and welcoming a new chief executive, Dave Clark. Clark was formerly the head of Amazonās worldwide consumer division. Petersen tweeted that the only fear he has for Flexport is āthat weāre not living up to our potential,ā and he feels bringing in Clarkās skillset can āmake Flexport the best supply chain company in the world.ā Flexport has raised $2.3B in VC funding.
š® Identity theft marketplace gets shut down. The FBI, DoJ, and IRS teamed up this week to take down SSNDOB, a marketplace for trading Social Security numbers, credit card numbers, and other personal information taken from over 24 million Americans. The site has reportedly been active since 2013, and had generated $19M in revenue. A report from security company Chainalysis estimated the marketplace had received $22M in bitcoin since 2015, across 100k+ transactions.
š StitchFix and RTR report earnings. This week brought earnings from two fashion tech companies - StitchFix and Rent the Runway. StitchFix reported a 5% drop in active clients and an 8% drop in revenue YoY, and is laying off 15% of its salaried workforce. The decline is largely attributed to a return to in-store shopping that has depressed user growth, as well as rising expenses. Rent the Runway, on the other hand, outperformed expectations - subscribers grew 82% YoY and revenue doubled as consumers return to IRL events.
what weāre following š
YC announced that it will be returning to an IRL program.
Sound Ventures launched a Fatherās Day Shop (with Canal!) for last minute gifts.
Spotify is getting into the audiobook business.
LA founders & investors - fill out this form to join IRL events with the a16z team!



Iām a business school graduate! Now that Iām officially done with the degree, Iām ready to answer a question I get all the time: āIs an MBA really worth it?ā
I understand the skepticism - MBA programs are expensive, in both the actual money you pay and the opportunity cost of your time. Taking two years off of full-time work isnāt a decision you should make lightly. And the value of an MBA seems increasingly unclear when many careers no longer require it to move up the ranks.
There are countless resources on all of the reasons why getting an MBA isnāt worth it - and for some people, that may be true! However, after two years at the Stanford GSB, Iāve seen a number of classmates recognize massive benefits from coming to business school. Hereās a few scenarios in which getting an MBA might pay off:
š Youāre looking to make a pivot. Iāve tweeted about this before - I think business school is one of the best possible places to make a career pivot. You get two years to talk to people with experience in every industry (classmates, guest speakers, alums), hear about what they do on a daily basis, and leverage their connections to explore new roles. Depending on the extent to which you pay attention in class, you may even learn new skills š. Itās also a valuable opportunity to be an intern again and try a new role without a FT commitment.
š You want to start a company. This one is truly a ~hot take~, but I think that business school can be very useful for future founders! Again, it gives you time and space to explore future ideas without committing to one thing. You can leverage your ā.eduā email to get access to experts, tap into grants or other resources that your school provides, and may even find a co-founder among your classmates. Itās also hard to deny that going to a top business school may give you a leg up in fundraising (similar to going through a program like YC).
š Youād benefit from a āsignal of quality.ā Like it or hate it, people make pre-existing judgments about others based on where theyāve worked and went to school. If you didnāt go to a prestigious undergrad or spent your career in a non-traditional industry (or geography), the āsignalā an MBA provides may help you. Itās not only about getting admitted to a competitive program, itās also about what you gain there - employers will assume youāre graduating with a baseline knowledge about business and a valuable network.
š“ You want a break. Business school is as intense as you make it, which means that it can be a two-year vacation if thatās what youāre looking for! I see this quite frequently among people who are coming from PE, banking, or consulting - they want some time to rest and recharge before deciding what to do next. Business school also provides a great opportunity to meet new friends and travel internationally.
Thatās it from me! I hope you enjoyed my unsolicited rant about business school. Itās certainly not for everyone, but I donāt think it deserves the bad rap it has in many circles today. If you have particularly strong feelings about MBAs, feel free to tweet me @venturetwins (I may regret thisā¦)
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Guild Education - Chief of Staff, Product & Solutions* (Remote)
Dave - Rotational Product Manager (Remote)
Expa - Associate, Principal* (SF, LA, NYC)
Temasek - Blockchain Investment Associate (SF)
CAA - M&A Associate (LA)
Lerer Hippeau - Associate, Principal* (NYC)
Stripes - Consumer Investment Analyst (NYC)
FirstMark - Associate (NYC)
RapidSOS - Associate Product Manager (NYC)
*Requires 3+ years of experience.
internships š
Jamf - Business Intelligence Data Analyst Intern (Remote)
Daughters Capital - MBA Intern (Remote)
Wisetack - Business Operations Intern (SF, Remote)
Firstcard - Marketing Intern (SF, Remote)
Shepherd - Product Analyst Intern (SF)
X - Software Engineering Intern (Mountain View)
Holy Grail - Ops Intern, Data Science Intern (Mountain View)
Cann - MBA Ops Strategy Intern (LA)
Small Door Veterinary - Digital Marketing Intern (NYC)
Rose - Business Analyst Intern, Research Analyst Intern (NYC)
puppy of the week š¶
Meet Luna and Nali, two Eurasier sisters who live in Wisconsin. Eurasiers are a spitz type breed of dog that originated in Germany.
They enjoy playing at the beach, helping plant things in their garden, and watching birds and squirrels.
Follow them on Instagram @luna.nali_the.eurasiers!
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