Letters of Rec for an entrepreneur?

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Letters of Rec for an entrepreneur?

by bigeater1 » Mon Mar 30, 2009 4:34 pm
Hi all,

I graduated in 2004. I have about a year and a half of "corporate" experience working for an advertising agency, and media company. However, for the last few years, I have partnered with my brother (an MBA) in starting a number of successful small businesses - cafe', retail store, real estate investment holdings, import/export.

My question is how can I obtain any relevant letters of rec if my most recent experience has been as an entrepreneur? I certainly don't have any current supervisor I could ask.

Please help! Thank you very much.
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by mayonnai5e » Mon Mar 30, 2009 10:36 pm
You could think about getting a recommendation from your old "corporate" supervisor. As far as your entrepreneurship experience goes, vendors, partners, etc could write one also - you have to be a little creative since you don't have a direct supervisor. You can look online for other ideas since this is something many entrepreneurs must face when applying.
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by bigeater1 » Tue Mar 31, 2009 7:45 am
mayonnai5e wrote:You could think about getting a recommendation from your old "corporate" supervisor. As far as your entrepreneurship experience goes, vendors, partners, etc could write one also - you have to be a little creative since you don't have a direct supervisor. You can look online for other ideas since this is something many entrepreneurs must face when applying.
Thanks, mayonnai5e. Good advice. My only worry in seeking out an old supervisor, is that their recommendation may not exactly gel with the way I'm branding myself in my application (i.e. as an entrepreneur). Or maybe I'm wrong?

Also, a vendor or other kind of colleague may work - good idea! - but my direct partners in starting these businesses have been my brothers. So I probably can't go to them for letters.

Thanks!

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by VP_MBA_Guru » Sat Apr 25, 2009 9:56 pm
Hi B,
Whoever you choose to write your letters of recc (I agree with the previous poster about possible options), make sure you give them a good sense of your candidacy and even 'steer' them into what you want them to write.

Esp with those unfamiliar with writing MBA letters of recc, it will be helpful to guide them along the process. Make sure you give them ample time to write the letter. Also, refresh their memory and give them backup information about projects/deals/work you did with them.

best of luck,

N
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