Builders vs MBAs: When to Hire for Chaos

Companies live and die by their ability to build, break, and ship fast. In those first months, there's no system to optimize or process to streamline. You need people who are comfortable with mess, can duct-tape backend services together, and aren't afraid to break rules or invent new ones.

MBAs are often caricatured as process-heavy deck polishers. In truth, their real training is in speaking the language of other MBAs: investors, enterprise buyers, and Fortune 500 partners. That language isn't much use when you're still scrambling for product-market fit, but it becomes critical as you scale and start raising serious money, selling to big clients, or facing complex negotiations.

Creating vs Optimizing

The real gap isn't experience, it's skill set. MBAs are world-class optimizers. But at the beginning, there's nothing to optimize, startups need people who can create something from nothing. If you're an MBA who wants to thrive early on, get comfortable with chaos. Build just enough structure to keep the wheels on, then adapt fast as things change.

On the flip side, if you're an engineer or founder, don't underestimate the need for an MBA's translation skills down the road. If your startup succeeds, someone will need to bridge the gap with investors, large customers, and partners who expect you to speak their language.

You might meet MBAs who can out-navigate a junior dev, or senior engineers who run circles around MBAs on business. These hybrid talents are rare and expensive. Most companies hire what they're culturally comfortable with. MBAs flock to MBA-heavy firms, and engineering-centric orgs hire more engineers. Neither is inherently better; it's just about the kind of environment and chaos they organize best.

Know What You Need, and When

Don't default to hiring MBAs too soon, and don't assume you'll never need them. Early stage means survival and creation; later stage means stability and optimization. Both skill sets are valuable, just not always at the same time.

At the end of the day, it's about recognizing the kind of chaos you're best suited to organize.