Get a business degree or a certificate because knowledge is power, and I’m serious here. You can go to a community college or a night school program and quickly get this. It’s not about the name of the school or anything else. 

Not about the degree

My business degree was from Keller College — now owned by DeVry University — which is not a tremendously well-respected institution. Still, I’ll tell you what, I had a great program. I passed my project management professional test on the first try.

About the experience

I got all sorts of skills that mattered for my undergraduate. I went to Drake University, a great school for journalism, loved it, but I had been accepted to Northwestern, which was my dream. That got taken away from me because I couldn’t afford it, but Drake turned out to be so amazing.

I got so much from going there as well as met my wife and built lifelong friends and got the skills that I needed to succeed. It was my academic adviser who pushed me to try new things and forced me to look at things holistically. To really understand that it was not just the technology that mattered. So getting a business degree, it’s not about the degree and where it comes from. It’s about the practical skills, the experience you’re going to get as you’re forced to learn new things.

Project management is an essential skill

I recommend project management because it’s so crucial to what we do, but there are lots of options out there, and it doesn’t need to be a full degree. You can do a small certificate program that entitles five or six classes, get what you need. Hence, you understand things like contracts and negotiations and necessary business management principles.

Confidence

Business is one of the weakest areas for creative people, and they suffer for it all the time. Being taken advantage of. It’s going to give you the confidence you need. I don’t care if it’s a community college, but take the experience and get registered and get this business experience into your system really makes a difference. 

Can’t wait for the rest?

See all 31 resolutions right here (and be sure to watch the whole video for a free gift).