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A former Oracle employee says his MBA helped him understand business, quadrupled his salary and put him on a path that eventually led to building his own company
He says the biggest gain was not just the salary. (Photo: X/@Pradeepkannanj)
For many years, an MBA was seen as a ticket to better jobs and bigger salaries. But with AI tools and free online courses now offering business lessons at the click of a button, many people are wondering if a degree still holds the same value. One former Oracle employee believes this to be true, saying that his MBA helped shape his career and entrepreneurial journey.
Pradeep Kannan, who now runs Falooda Shop, shared his experience at X, explaining how his MBA changed the direction of his life. From earning Rs 25,000 a month at the beginning of his career to building a business worth around Rs 9 crore, he said the degree gave him the knowledge and confidence to take risks.
The MBA gave him a new direction
In his essay, Kannan said that he did not have much understanding of business before joining the MBA program in 2010. Coming from a tier 3 city in South India, he said that entrepreneurship was not something he imagined for himself.
“If I had not done my MBA, I would not have become an entrepreneur. When I started my MBA in 2010, I had no business acumen. I came from a tier-three city in south India,” he wrote.
Kenan explained that business school helped him understand how companies work and gave him a strong foundation that he believes would have been difficult to build on his own. He also said the degree helped him advance his career at the company.
He added, “Doing an MBA was my first opportunity to understand how companies actually work. It gave me a foundation that I couldn’t have built anywhere else. My salary went from Rs 25,000 per month to Rs 1,000 per month.”
Compare 2010 to today
Kanaan said the biggest change wasn’t just the increase in his salary, but also the way he started thinking about work. He noted that when he was teaching, there were much fewer ways to learn business skills outside of the classroom.
He wrote: “Today, in 2026, you can learn almost everything online. AI can teach you strategy. YouTube can teach you finance. Podcasts can teach you marketing. But in 2010, that world didn’t exist. For many people, an MBA was just another degree. For me, it changed the direction of my life.”
If I hadn’t gotten my MBA, I wouldn’t have become an entrepreneur. When I started my MBA in 2010, I had no business acumen.
I come from a tier 3 city in South India.
Obtaining an MBA was my first opportunity to understand how companies actually work.
It gave me a foundation that I couldn’t… pic.twitter.com/YzRUKJcihY
– Pradeep Kannan (@Pradeepkannanj) June 29, 2026
He later started his own brand
According to reports, Kannan continued to work in the corporate sector before deciding to become an entrepreneur in 2019. He quit his job and launched Falooda Shop, a sweets brand inspired by traditional Indian drinks.
What started as a small venture has now evolved into a business worth around Rs 9 crore. The brand currently operates over 18 outlets across India and Dubai, offering a range of faloodas, milkshakes and desserts.
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