In 2008-2009, marketing guru Seth Godin invited applications for people to learn business from him for 6 months as interns in his office.

Seth identified three things that students need from an MBA-like experience. Note that he does not give much value to connections. (aka networking).

1. Education.
2. Experience.
3. Scarcity.

Seth structured the 6 month program in his office in the following manner:

- One hour a day of class/dialogue
- Four hours a day of working on my projects
- Three hours a day of working on your personal project
- Five hours a day of living, noticing, doing and connecting

Seth focused on 11 core business skills:

design
analytics
strategy
marketing
sales
leadership
community development and coordination
technology (as a user, not a creator)
bravery
clarity
presentation skills

Seth points out that he won’t be focusing on stock market, industrial engineering, large-scale finance and accounting (only a little) as well.

He asked applicants to get in touch with him via a letter that addresses the following questions. (Note: The program is closed now)

What do you do now?
Why do you do it?
What are you hoping to learn?
After you learn it, what are you going to do with it?
Tell me a true story about making a change in the world.
Have you overcome a Dip?
What astonishing thing did you do before you did what you do now?
Make a wish.
What else should I know?

I think this program is far more hands on, immediate and practical than the dense stuff being taught in Business schools.

Read more on this topic
Do we need MBAs - The Presentation
The Manager's Bible: 100+ Things That Every Manager Should Know

You may want to read The Success Manual, The Encyclopedia of Advice. A list of all the articles in the series on one page can be accessed here.