From Shakespeare to Startups: 10 Professionals Show How A Business Degree Isn’t Everything
These days, the line between what you study in school and what you do for a living is blurry–and as the people who work at Mandel Marketing can attest–this is a very good thing. In fact the founder and CEO of Mandel Marketing, Phillip Mandel is an English Literature / MFA in Creative Writing guy–as you can read in his book about professional communication, An MFA For Your MBA (2024).
Business schools might teach you the language of markets, but they don’t have a monopoly on professional success. From literature majors to former music producers, more and more professionals are finding that their non-business backgrounds offer surprising—and often invaluable—advantages in the workplace. Whether it’s the critical thinking learned in philosophy seminars, the customer empathy honed in hospitality jobs, or the systems thinking from engineering coursework, these nontraditional foundations are producing some of today’s most innovative leaders, marketers, and entrepreneurs.
In fact, some would argue that coming from outside the business bubble allows for fresher thinking, deeper connection, and a more creative approach to problem-solving. The ten voices featured here are living proof that success in modern business is not about the diploma on your wall—it’s about the transferable skills you bring to the table and the mindset you bring to the work.
So if you’ve ever doubted whether your background “fits” in the business world, consider this your permission slip. You’re not behind. You might be ahead.
Sales Psychology Transforms Phone Rep to Marketing Pro
Only ever took English 101. Wanted to give Uni a try, I did, and it was not for me. However, I fell into a B2B sales job in the automotive industry at age 21. Made my first commission my first day, and was hooked. Basically, I sold millions of dollars worth of new cars to car dealers over the phone. Grinding out cold calls for years, building relationships, solving unusual problems, all of these things taught me invaluable lessons about the psychology of business. It also spoiled me. I sold tangible goods that my customers would sell and profit from. A very concrete transaction. Unlike the millions of abstract goods and services on the market today.
Those lessons in psychology have translated well into digital marketing and copywriting. Studying psychology on my own has also been incredibly beneficial. If you want to do well in business, you have to be able to read people and press the right buttons.
John Raisor, Growth Director, Occam’s Raisor
Exercise Science Graduate Excels in Marketing Operations
I studied Exercise Science in college and now serve as the Operations Manager at a full-service marketing agency. My transition from exercise science into this role was abrupt, to say the least. Somehow, I found myself conversing with the CEO of Argon Agency, which ended with her asking for my resume.
The technical skills I gained in college, conducting research, writing articles, and giving presentations, have transferred seamlessly into my current work. The main difference is that I now apply those skills in the context of marketing rather than health and fitness. One particularly valuable asset from my academic background is the advanced critical thinking I developed, which helps me prioritize tasks and manage complex projects.
Looking back, I wouldn’t change my field of study. I genuinely believe my educational background has been instrumental to my success in this role.
Katie Thomas, Operations Assistant, Argon Agency
Policy Background Powers Innovative Logistics Platform
My educational journey is a bit unconventional for someone running a 3PL matchmaking platform. I studied Leadership and Public Policy at the University of Virginia, followed by a Master’s in Higher Education Administration. Not exactly the typical path to founding a tech company in the logistics space!
The transition happened organically through entrepreneurship. While my formal education wasn’t in business, the leadership principles and policy analysis skills I developed proved invaluable. After college, I worked at AT&T handling network engineering, which taught me the importance of reliable systems and technical infrastructure—something critically important in logistics.
My real education in eCommerce and fulfillment came from founding and running my own online brands. Nothing teaches you about fulfillment challenges like shipping thousands of orders and dealing with warehouse headaches firsthand. After experiencing the frustrations of finding reliable 3PLs for my own businesses, I eventually launched my own 3PL operation before creating Fulfill.com.
What I gained from my policy background was a systematic approach to complex problems. The logistics industry is full of interconnected challenges—capacity constraints, geographic considerations, technology integration issues—that benefit from structured analysis rather than purely business-oriented thinking.
My leadership studies taught me to build strong teams and partner relationships, essential when creating a marketplace that depends on trust between eCommerce brands and 3PL providers. The communication skills from my education help me translate between these two worlds, where miscommunication can lead to costly errors.
I’ve found that diverse educational backgrounds actually strengthen our industry. When everyone has the same business training, innovation can stagnate. My non-traditional path has helped me approach logistics challenges with fresh perspectives, ultimately creating better matches between growing eCommerce brands and the fulfillment partners who help them scale.
Joe Spisak, CEO, Fulfill.com
Prison to Profit: Safety Skills Build Cannabis Success
I never studied business or even finished high school—spent over 11 years in and out of prison for cannabis-related convictions. My “education” came from construction work and safety consulting, where I learned compliance, risk management, and how to train people properly.
When New York’s CAURD program opened doors for justice-involved individuals, I pivoted everything I knew about safety protocols and training into the cannabis industry. The compliance skills from construction sites directly translated to navigating complex cannabis regulations—I already understood how to maintain strict standards and documentation. My experience training construction workers became the foundation for educating our budtenders and customers about products and consumption methods.
The biggest advantage from my non-traditional background is authentic community connection. When we launched educational sessions at Terp Bros, customers responded because I understood their questions from lived experience, not textbook theory. We saw a 40% increase in repeat customers after implementing these sessions, proving that sometimes the most valuable business education comes from the streets, not the classroom.
My construction safety background also gave me a different perspective on customer service—treating every interaction like a safety briefing where clear communication can prevent problems. This approach helped us build trust in a community that’s historically been criminalized for cannabis use.
Jeremy Rivera, CEO, Terp Bros
Theology Study Creates Unexpected Marketing Edge
I studied theology, nothing related to marketing, business, or anything you’d typically associate with a professional career in this space. My education was centered on interpreting complex texts, understanding abstract ideas, and making sense of layered meaning. So that trained me to think critically, read between the lines, and communicate clearly. These skills became unexpectedly valuable in marketing.
The transition wasn’t planned. I started writing online because I needed to figure out how to get attention without a network or credentials. So I tested headlines, rewrote intros, and paid close attention to what actually got people to engage. That led to learning SEO, content strategy, and eventually performance-focused copywriting.
What theology gave me was the ability to simplify complexity. In marketing, especially when working on messaging or positioning, that matters more than people think. Because it’s about understanding what people are really looking for, even if they can’t articulate it, and reflecting that back in a way that feels natural and convincing.
I also developed a strong filter for fluff. If something doesn’t feel honest or grounded, I won’t use it, even if the metrics say otherwise. That instinct came from years spent analyzing texts designed to persuade, challenge, and endure over time. So it taught me to focus on clarity, resonance, and long-term impact instead of quick wins.
The shift into marketing happened gradually. I built it through doing, testing, and adjusting. Because the foundation came from learning how to think deeply and communicate simply. That’s what continues to make the difference.
Josiah Roche, Fractional CMO, JRR Marketing
Literature and Hospitality Fuel Furniture E-Commerce Success
I studied English literature and hotel management in the UK but now run Rattan Imports, a furniture e-commerce business specializing in Southeast Asian pieces. My transition happened organically—10 years in UK hospitality taught me customer service isn’t just about being polite, it’s about truly understanding what people need before they even know it themselves.
The literature background gave me something unexpected: the ability to read between the lines when customers describe their “dream space.” When someone says they want their living room to feel “cozy but neat,” I can translate that into specific furniture recommendations because analyzing subtext in novels taught me to understand what people really mean versus what they say.
My hospitality experience became our biggest competitive advantage with older customers who struggle with online shopping. We proactively reach out when someone’s browsing our site, and I trained my team to guide them through the entire process like a concierge service. This approach converted 60% more baby boomer customers compared to our standard checkout process.
The combination works because literature taught me storytelling—I help customers visualize their spaces, not just sell furniture. Meanwhile, hospitality taught me that exceptional service creates loyalty that no discount can match. Our customers now send friends directly to specific team members, which never happened when we just processed orders.
Nino Russo Alesi, Acting CEO, Rattan Imports
Engineer Applies Formula Thinking to Digital Marketing
I studied engineering from one of India’s top Engineering colleges, not business or marketing. But over time, I found myself drawn to digital marketing. What clicked for me was seeing marketing like an equation, where changing one variable can affect the entire outcome.
For example, if you’re spending some X amount on a campaign to drive traffic to your website, and you’re getting 1000 visits. In this case, your CTR is let’s say 1%. But now, if you change the creative and your CTR goes from 1% to 1.5%, the number of visits on your page shoots up by 50%! (Assuming that other variables remain constant).
So, my engineering background helped me approach marketing logically and analytically. I was comfortable with data, testing hypotheses, and optimizing for results. That mindset made it easier to run A/B tests, analyze traffic patterns, and understand user behaviour. The structured thinking I learned in engineering now helps me break down complex marketing problems into solvable parts, and that’s been a huge asset.
Abhishek Sharma, Digital Marketing Manager, Solarium Green Energy Limited
Literature Graduate Transforms Career Services Industry
I studied English Literature and Philosophy in college, then stumbled into career services when I started helping classmates with their resumes during senior year. What began as informal editing turned into paid work, and I realized I had found my calling combining writing skills with helping people steer major life transitions.
The literature background gave me something most career professionals lack: the ability to craft compelling narratives from raw information. When I work with clients, I’m essentially taking their career “data” and changing it into a story that hiring managers want to read. Philosophy training taught me to ask the right questions—a skill that became critical when I developed our certification programs at PARWCC.
The unexpected advantage is analytical thinking. Literature analysis requires you to identify themes, understand audience psychology, and recognize what motivates different readers. This directly translates to resume writing and career coaching. For example, when I’m training our 3,000+ certified professionals, I can quickly identify whether a resume will resonate with a corporate hiring manager versus a federal recruiter based on narrative structure and word choice.
My non-business background actually became our competitive edge. While other career service organizations focus on templates and processes, we emphasize the human element—storytelling, emotional intelligence, and individualized strategy. This approach helped us become the longest-standing certification body in the industry since 1990.
Margaret Phares, Executive Director, PARWCC
Art History Degree Launches Natural Health Business
I studied Art History at a liberal arts college and later earned a Master’s in Education—so, not exactly the traditional path to becoming a business owner. My professional background was rooted entirely in education and nonprofit work. I spent nearly two decades teaching, promoting arts and culture, and creating educational resources. At every stage, my work was driven by purpose and a desire to make a real impact.
The transition into business happened in 2016, when I founded Bona Dea Naturals—a company that grew from a very personal need. I had struggled with chronic infections my entire life, and conventional treatments weren’t working. With no background in health, product development, or entrepreneurship, I began researching essential oils backed by science for their antifungal and antibacterial properties. I developed a natural spray that worked for me, and when it helped my girlfriends, I started selling it online.
Although I didn’t study business, I credit my liberal arts education for preparing me in ways that were just as valuable—if not more so. A liberal arts background builds critical thinking, communication, and problem-solving skills, which are essential in navigating the chaos and complexity of starting a business from scratch. It teaches you to be flexible, adaptable, and resourceful in the face of change—exactly the kind of mindset you need as an entrepreneur.
More specifically, my art history degree gave me strong research skills, which were vital in the early days. Creating my product started as one big research project: combing through medical journals, university studies, and formulation guidelines to find a safe and effective solution. And my education background helped me distill complex information, communicate clearly with customers, and build trust—skills that still guide how I run my business and brand today.
So no, I didn’t study business or marketing—but I learned how to learn, how to think, and how to connect. And in business, that’s everything.
Jessica Rich, Owner, Bona Dea Naturals
Music Producer Remixes Skills for Marketing Success
I studied music production and performed as “Flaev Beatz” for nearly 20 years, but now I run Work & PLAY Entertainment providing full-stack digital marketing and SEO services. The transition happened when I launched my podcast “We Don’t PLAY” in 2019 and realized I needed to market it effectively to reach audiences globally.
Music production taught me the power of audio storytelling and sound design, which became my secret weapon in podcast marketing. I create custom musical jingles and sound effects for episodes that make content memorable and shareable. This audio-first approach helped my podcast reach the top 2.5% globally on ListenNotes – most marketers completely ignore how sound affects engagement and brand recall.
The music industry’s focus on consistent releases trained me to treat content like album drops. I publish episodes twice weekly and approach each one like producing a track – with intros, transitions, and emotional peaks that keep listeners hooked. This systematic content rhythm helped me build an email list of engaged subscribers who became my first clients when I started offering marketing services.
My musical background also taught me collaboration and remix culture, which translates perfectly to partnership marketing. I’ve featured guests from over 145 countries on my show, creating a network that refers clients and cross-promotes content. The music industry’s “featuring” concept became my client acquisition strategy – every podcast guest becomes a potential business partner or referral source.
Favour Obasi-ike, Project Scheduler, Work & PLAY Entertainment
Take Your Degree in Underwater Basket Weaving and Start a Business!
These ten professionals remind us that the road to business success doesn’t have to begin in a lecture hall labeled “Marketing 101.” In fact, the unexpected detours—the theology degree, the art history thesis, the cold calls from a car dealership—often build the strongest, most adaptable business minds. In a world that prizes both strategy and story, maybe your unconventional background is your best competitive advantage. The only thing you truly need? A willingness to learn and lead.