The Personal MBA Business Crash Course

Master the art of modern business... without getting an MBA!

This page will help you decide whether or not the online Personal MBA Business Crash Course is right for you. I'm sure you've seen a lot of hyped-up, over-the-top sales letters written by "get-rich-quick" internet marketers, who try to pander to your emotions, play to your insecurities, and pressure you to make a decision right away. This page is the complete opposite of that.

Josh Kaufman

My name is Josh Kaufman, and I'm the author of The Personal MBA: Master the Art of Business and an independent business professor. My job is to help my students learn the essentials of modern business practice - how to create something valuable, sell it to people who want to buy it, and make a lot of money in the process... all while having a satisfying and fulfilling life. One of the ways I help my students reach their goals is by teaching this online course, which covers 226 of the most important (and useful) concepts in business.

This information is highly practical and immediately applicable - and I'm the only person in the world who teaches it. After learning these essential ideas and skills, it's common for my clients to quit their job to start profitable businesses, double the profitability of their company, get promoted at their current job, or land a new job that finally pays them what they're worth.

The path to wealth, satisfaction, and business success...

I'm a lot like you - I know what it feels like to be confused about your next step, anxious about your job, or concerned that your big idea won't pan out. I know what it feels like to be intimidated by people with big-name credentials, overwhelmed by the magnitude of learning on your own, and scared to charge what you're really worth.

We're walking the same path, but I've walked a bit further. In order to learn the fundamental principles of business, I've conducted seven years of comprehensive research, read thousands of books, interviewed hundreds of experts, started several small businesses, worked as a manager in a Fortune 50 corporation, created new products in several markets and industries, consulted with clients ranging from one-person startups to multi-million dollar companies, put together multi-million dollar product launches, and published a book.

Along the way, I captured what I learned. I've spent years systematically isolating the universal principles of modern business practice - how to understand how any business works and immediately isolate the critical elements that will help you make it better.

This work started as a personal project, but it exploded once word got out about what I was up to. Entrepreneurs, creative professionals, and businesspeople from around the world began clamoring to know what I had learned - the simple, practical concepts behind how every business really works. I discovered that I was in a position to help people learn these essential skills - so I decided to devote my life to teaching them.

I can help you reach your destination much faster than you can on your own. I'm a firm believer in the power of "do-it-yourself," but I'm also a firm believer in "get the best help you can." You don't have to go through the effort (and pain) I've experienced to learn what I've learned. I'm happy to teach you the most important principles and tactics I've identified over many years, which will help you leap forward on your path to success more quickly than you ever thought possible.

What is the Personal MBA Business Crash Course?

The Personal MBA Business Crash Course is comprehensive online business training course designed to teach you the fundamentals of how businesses, people, and systems really work. This course will help you learn the essentials of sound business practice quickly and efficiently, so you can spend more time doing work that matters. (Even if you already have an MBA, this program contains concepts you've never been taught - guaranteed.)

The Personal MBA Business Crash Course is delivered completely online, so you can enroll and participate on your own schedule, wherever you are in the world. To date, we have hundreds of participants across six continents. (I'm still waiting on a research scientist from Antarctica.)

Here are the topics we cover in the course...

Value-Creation: how to create something people find valuable enough to buy.
Marketing: how to attract quality attention.
Sales: how to close profitable transactions.
Value-Delivery: how to make your customers happy.
Finance: how to keep what you earn.
The Human Mind: how people collect and process information and make decisions.
How to Work With Yourself: how to enhance your own daily productivity.
How to Work With Other People: how to productively influence the people around you.
Understanding Systems: how to understand the basic components of every system.
Analyzing Systems: how to figure out how any system works.
Improving Systems: how to improve a system without blowing things up.

This Crash Course isn't for everyone...

I'll be frank: my Business Crash Course may not be right for you, and that's okay. If you're looking for a shortcut to overnight success, instant internet bazillions, social media fame, or any of the other millions of business-related scams available, you're in the wrong place. If you believe you've already learned everything there is to know about business, that connections are more important than valuable skills, that financial wizardry beats creating real value, or that academic credentials are your only salvation in the business world, I suggest you find another program.

Here's the truth: no matter who you are or what you do, you must have a solid understanding of what businesses actually are and how they actually work if you want to succeed. You can learn these skills in many different ways, but you must learn them if you want to succeed. Whether you're an entrepreneur, a corporate manager, a computer programmer, an artist, a doctor, or a professional, participating in this course is the best way to learn essential business skills - critical concepts that even the best business schools in the world, believe it or not, simply don't teach.

If you want to learn real-world business skills you can use to succeed in any venture, and you want to learn them quickly without breaking the bank, this course is for you. If that sounds like something you're interested in, read on... you'll learn a lot about business in the process, even if you ultimately choose not to enroll.

Business Mental Models: the secret to a practical business education

Believe it or not, you can master each of these areas by learning 15-20 key concepts. If you've ever heard of "Pareto's Law" or the "80/20 Principle," you'll immediately realize why. To be fluent in a topic, you don't need to know everything there is to know - you just need to master a few simple concepts that provide most of the value in that area.

I specialize in teaching these concepts, which I call "business mental models." Instead of spending the thousands of hours necessary to identify them yourself, I'm inviting you to take full advantage of the years of research and tens of thousands of dollars I've spent tracking down these critically important ideas.

Here are a few of the 226 practical business concepts you'll learn in this course...

The Iron Law of the Market - why every business is limited by the size and quality of the market it attempts to serve - and how to find large, hungry markets.
The 12 Forms of Value - products and services are only two of the twelve ways you can create value for your customers.
The Pricing Uncertainty Principle - all prices are malleable; you can set any price you want, at any time, without limitation. Raising your prices is the best way to dramatically increase profitability - IF you know how to support the price you’re asking.
4 Methods to Increase Revenue - there are only four ways a business can bring in more money. Do you know what they are?
Risk Reversal - how to encourage your customers to stop being scared and start being excited about doing business with you.
Caveman Syndrome - why your brain thinks you're living 10,000 years ago, and what to do about it.
Goals, States of Being, and Habits - what they are, why they're important, and why you can't afford to confuse them if you're trying to get what you really want.
Counterfactual Simulation - the most powerful capability of your mind, and how to wield it consciously to reach your goals faster than you believed possible.
Resilience - how to be ready for anything the world throws at you, even in the face of change and uncertainty.
Standard Operating Procedures - how a few simple checklists, guides, and rules of thumb can make your company more profitable, less stressful, and more fun.

Useful business knowledge isn’t complicated, but it is essential. By participating in this course, you’ll be learning real, practical skills, not useless jargon and MBA-speak. My goal isn’t to help you simply look like you know what you’re doing – it’s to help you know what to do in any business situation you’re likely to face in your life and career. That kind of knowledge and confidence is priceless.

I teach these concepts because they work. Over the past six years, my clients have used this knowledge to start new businesses, create new products, make more sales, get promoted, land new jobs, and muster the courage and fortitude necessary to quit doing what wasn't working and start making real progress.

Once you know the fundamentals, it’s amazing what you can accomplish. This course is designed to help you learn the fundamentals of modern business practice as quickly and effectively as possible.

What actual participants have to say about the Personal MBA Business Crash Course...

“Thank you for putting this course together… I’ve already received 10 times the value of tuition fees, easily.“ – Keshava Murthy, IBM

"All in all, this is one of the best things I have ever done, and I will recommend it aggressively… The greatest thing about this course for me is that Josh walks the walk, he put his money where his mouth is and launched something using all of the principles he believes. Anyone in a very early stage business would do well to watch these videos." – Daniel Joshua Rubin, Screenwriter, Cartoonist, and Playwright

“The Personal MBA Crash Course is very interesting to me to apply it as an overview to my business. Things that it took years for me to learn have been summarized very well. Also, I have gotten additional value from other members comments. I have found it well worth the money.” – Scott Olson, General Manager, Bath & Racquet Club

“The course is excellent…. The material is clear, concise, with real world examples that helps clarify the concepts. One thing to remember is that once you sign up, you get all the lessons through the 12 week period. If the 12 weeks don’t work for you, having the video and audio allows you to stretch at your pace. I would highly recommend it.” – Shane Meche, Broadpoint

"Now I understand how businesses work, what is important and what is not – criteria for good leadership and management. Now I know what I don’t know and what type of skills I need to hire and have join my team.” – Omid Saadati, Google

"It would probably take 3 years to read the books on the Personal MBA reading list. Even if we get 75% out of the knowledge through the crash course, that will rank as the best business knowledge time saver ever." - S. Soundararajan

What to expect when you enroll...

As soon as you enroll in the PMBA Business Crash Course, you’ll get immediate access to all 12 weeks of course materials. You’ll also be added to the course learning system, which will help you work through the course materials in a logical, structured format. That way, you can preview whatever you like, then work through the entire course in a systematic way using the course learning system.

If you choose to enroll, you should anticipate devoting about 3 hours per week to participating in the Crash Course. Each week’s lesson will involve watching ~20 online videos, each of which will be 5-10 minutes long, answering a few key questions in your notebook or journal, and asking questions or discussing the concepts with other participants. If your schedule changes and you’re not able to complete the modules on a weekly basis, no worries – you’ll have lifetime access to the course, so you can complete the modules as your schedule permits.

Questions & Answers about the Personal MBA Crash Course...

"What's the difference between the Crash Course and the Personal MBA book?" The concepts are the same - the big difference is format. A book is static by nature, and space is limited, so I tried to capture the essence of every idea as succinctly as possible. The course gives us much more freedom to explore the concepts in more detail, as well as discuss them in real time. I can answer your questions, clarify if you're uncertain about a detail, and help you with your ideas, since we can actually interact. Also, if you learn better by watching or listening than by reading, you'll find the crash course very useful.

"What do I get access to when I enroll?" You'll be able to access all of the course materials immediately after you enroll (including videos, audio files, transcripts, and more), so you can start learning without delay. There's a ton of material in this course, and this helps you get started quickly.

"What time commitment should I expect for the course?" For best results, I recommend devoting at least 2-3 hours each week to watching the course materials, taking notes, asking questions, and experimenting with new techniques. Almost everyone can find at least two hours each week to learn - I recommend scheduling a specific time each week to go through the course.

"Is this course delivered live?" No. The course training materials are pre-recorded, so you can access them immediately. I do host live chats regularly to answer your questions; participation in these discussions is optional.

"Can I download the learning materials?" Yes. You can download the videos, audio files, and transcripts if you prefer to watch them on an iPod or other device.

"Do I have to work through the course on a set schedule?" No. I highly recommend setting aside a few hours each week to move through the course, but you're not expected to work through the course on a timetable. That's one of the benefits of lifetime access - you can work through the course at your own pace, on your own schedule.

"What does 'lifetime access' mean?" It means you'll have access to the online course materials for the foreseeable future - as long as I'm alive to keep the servers running, you'll have access to this course. It also means that you'll benefit from the upgrades I'm constantly making to the course without paying any additional fees. Once you're in, you're in for life.

"Will I receive an MBA degree when I complete the course?" No. This is not a degree program - this is a self-improvement program designed to help you learn the essentials of business. If you're looking for a certificate, you're in the wrong place. Participants in this program value learning and application above credentials. You don't need a piece of paper to master useful skills.

Small investment, huge value...

Lifetime access to the PMBA Business Crash Course will give you the critical business knowledge you need to succeed for less than...

The total application fees you can expect to pay if you want to enroll in an MBA program (let alone the $150,000+ cost of tuition)...
The cost of a single, narrow course on managerial accounting you'd take at a university....
The cost of buying all of the 99 books on the PMBA Recommended Reading List...

By enrolling in this course, you’ll get all of the knowledge at a fraction of the cost, both in terms of time and monetary investment. You'll gain...

A complete, comprehensive understanding of how every single business that exists (and ever has existed, and ever will exist) really works...
The knowledge of how to dramatically enhance any business' productivity and profitability....
The confidence that comes with rare, economically valuable skills...
The opportunity to make more money, either by being more valuable to your current job, or taking the leap and starting your own profitable venture...

If you don’t get at least 10 times as much real-world value as the cost of this program, I’ll gladly give you a refund. All I ask is that you hop on the phone with me to let me know how I can improve the course for other people. I'm in this for the long-haul, and I'm devoted to making this the single best general business education course on the planet. If you're not happy with your decision to enroll, I don't want your money.

You have absolutely nothing to risk, and a heck of a lot to gain – my clients have used this information to start profitable new businesses, increase their profits, get promoted, and make more money, so you have everything to gain and nothing to lose. Fair enough?

If you still can't decide...

Great things happen when you bet on your own success. Many people hesitate to ask for help under the mistaken impression that it’s "cheating" to receive assistance, or that "self-reliance" in the form of isolation is a virtue. Nothing could be further from the truth – I'm a firm believer in the power of "Do It Yourself," but that doesn't mean "Do It All By Yourself." I believe in the value of getting the very best help you can, and with my support and the assistance of hundreds of helpful Crash Course participants and alumni, you’ll achieve your business goals with surprising speed.

Evan Deaubl is a computer programmer and independent software developer who lives in Arizona. After just a few weeks of working with me, Evan was able to transform an offhand idea he had into a profitable business in less than 4 weeks – an astounding accomplishment! Here’s what he has to say about his experience...

A year ago, I was looking at becoming a software development consultant. I knew to be effective in that role I needed to develop skills outside of computer programming, such as entrepreneurship, leadership, marketing, and personal effectiveness. I had considered many options, including a traditional MBA, but the self-pacing and personal attention that Josh offered sounded much more attractive than the classroom environment I had happily graduated from a decade ago.

I have found that my personal life has greatly improved in several ways since I started working with Josh. I have gained a great deal of self-confidence in what I do. I have discovered a number of activities that I will enjoy for the rest of my life, and I am engaging with old activities in exciting new ways.

I can trace this all back to one fundamental concept I have learned from the Personal MBA: to take action and experiment. I have always been a procrastinator, and although I had attempted many different strategies to overcome that limitation in the past, I could never consider the problem solved.

Josh’s techniques on personal effectiveness are deeply rooted in psychology and how the human brain works. I have learned not only how to break through that resistance to act, but also why I have those feelings in the first place. Learning the "why" turned out to be the key that made the techniques stick, and it has made a night-and-day difference in how I approach life.

The process of developing an idea from conception all the way to the release of a product also changed many of the beliefs I had about starting a business. Starting a business was always a large undertaking in my mind, filled with thousands of questions that had to be answered before you could launch. Josh’s "business mental models" take these complicated (and in many cases, overcomplicated) areas of business and distill them down to core fundamentals, delivering much of the same information in a more accessible format.

I highly recommend Josh’s work to anybody who is serious about starting their own business or becoming an effective leader in their current job. The knowledge and techniques I have learned, the change of mindset I have experienced, and the mistaken beliefs about entrepreneurship I have dispelled in just a short period of time with Josh’s training, guidance, and encouragement have made me vastly more productive and successful in both roles, as well as making both more fulfilling.

Here’s the kicker: since Evan and I started working together, he increased his full-time programming salary by over 36%, in addition to starting his own profitable business on the side. Fundamentals are fundamentals - once you learn the essentials of modern business practice, you can achieve anything you set your mind to. Evan's investment in practical business training has paid for itself many times over.

You can choose to make this the year you transform your life the way Evan has – by learning what it really takes to start or improve an actual business, you’ll be amazed at what you can accomplish in a very short period of time. The Personal MBA Business Crash Course is the fastest way to upgrade your business brain – I guarantee it.

Enroll in the Personal MBA Business Crash Course Now:

This course will pay for itself many times over - IF you take action. The skills you'll learn in this course will help you start a profitable business, get a raise, get promoted, and make more money. Compared to applying to an MBA program (let alone enrolling in one), this course is a superior business education at a bargain price.

Don't hesitate - make a bet on yourself, invest in your own skills, and take the first step to become a confident, productive businessperson now. You have absolutely nothing to lose, and a set of exciting and profitable new skills to gain.

Personal MBA Business Crash Course
Lifetime Access (Upgrades Included)
One Fully Deductible* Payment of $1497

If you have any questions at all about the course, call me.
+1-888-927-5567 (888-9-ASKJOSH)

* This course qualifies as professional business training, which may be deductible as a business expense. Always verify potential tax deductions with your tax authority and/or personal accountant.

Mandatory FTC Earnings Disclaimer: I want to be absolutely clear about this course and your expected results. All businesses ventures carry inherent risks. This is neither a get-rich-quick scheme, nor a magic bullet. You must work very hard to succeed in any business venture. All quotes and results previously mentioned are personal experiences, and should not be interpreted as typical. Do not infer that these examples are promises or guarantees of earnings. Every person and market is different, so results naturally vary. I can't guarantee results (no one can), but I can guarantee a full refund within 90 days if you don't believe the program was right for you. I intend to make this the best business course you've ever taken, and the best investment you've ever made in your personal development. It's this simple: if you're not absolutely happy, I don't feel I've earned your money.