How UNB Fredericton’s MBA Program Gave David Shipley The Tools To Launch A Multi-Million Dollar Startup
When David Shipley first started his Master of Business Administration (MBA) at UNB Fredericton, he had no plans to start his own business.
At the time, he was working in the university’s marketing department. He saw an MBA as a way to advance his career within the organization.
“I specifically wanted to build a new set of tools, like a new set of frameworks, new references, new skills, that I could apply to the problems in my day-to-day work,” says Shipley. “My original plan was to grow in various management or leadership roles and communications and marketing and retire a lifelong UNB employee.”
But those plans changed on Mother’s Day 2012 when the university was hacked by a group called “Team Digi7al.”
“They gained access to some non-public budget information and a co-op job placement database and wrote a nasty note to a couple of dozen people at the university,” says Shipley. “I happened to be one of the ones who read it early that Sunday morning and realized that it was a thing and raised the flag to the IT team.”
That’s how Shipley went down the rabbit hole of cybersecurity. He was asked by the IT department to join the team in charge of defending UNB from cyber attacks.
“That was all about trying to protect the institution, which turned out to be an education in and of itself,” says Shipley.
It was the combination of this informal learning and the MBA that led Shipley to found Beauceron Security, which helps organizations execute automated cybersecurity awareness programs that empower individuals to make better decisions and reduce their cyber risks.
“I never imagined when I started my MBA that I would be the CEO of a 34-person, multimillion-dollar startup,” says Shipley. “I’m really super grateful that I had the tools to be successful when that all came to pass.”
Shipley credits the MBA program for giving him the skills to help set Beauceron up for success from day one. This includes skills around integrated marketing communications.
“These are skills I’ve been able to transfer into building our brand, our marketing materials and to successfully fundraise for a startup,” says Shipley. “When you are a five-person team, the CEO is the marketing department, so that was really huge.”
The MBA also taught Shipley about more difficult topics like statistics and accounting, something that as a company founder, you need to know.
“I was well equipped to be able to ask intelligent questions of our part-time and later our full-time financial staff to stay on top of all the issues and have a really good grasp on how our business was doing,” says Shipley. “It laid the foundation for success that we now have with the team today.”
The program also covered often overlooked topics, like giving back to the community and professional development.
“This might seem hilarious and silly, but probably the most practical tips I ever got was how to conduct yourself at a formal dinner. Where is your bread and where is your drink? You learned exactly how to play out those business dinners,” says Shipley.
“It’s simple, but certainly helps when you’re flying around North America and into Europe, sometimes having important dinners.”
But perhaps the most important thing Shipley learned from the MBA program was learning how to define a critical problem and develop solutions. This involves working with and learning from others.
“I realized that when you put a smart group of people together on a complex problem, and you focus on it, you can crack it. But there’s not one person or one perspective that’s ever going to be able to solve 100 percent of the problems 100 percent of the time,” says Shipley.
“It really taught me that the best thing you can do as a leader is surround yourself with smarter people, learn from them and figure out the problem. If you can learn that in your MBA … You will propel yourself so much faster in your career.”
The business world is full of stories of successful companies that were founded in basements and garages by brilliant people who had no formal business education. Though there are many different routes founders can go down, Shipley says his MBA from UNB has helped him avoid many mistakes founders make. He started his company with the tools he needed to be successful.
“I think the most important thing about an MBA program people need to realize is it’s not the Charlie in the Chocolate Factory golden ticket – that immediately when you have this degree you’re going to walk into a six-figure job and just be acknowledged as a business guru. That’s not it,” he says. “Think of it as you’re a mechanic and you now have all the tools you need to work on a problem.”
Though Beauceron Security has seen tremendous growth since its inception about five years ago, Shipley says he’s still reaching into his “tool kit” every day.
“Every single day I’m reaching into that tool kit and pulling something out to help me advance the business or be a better leader,” says Shipley.
This story was sponsored by the MBA program at the University of New Brunswick in Fredericton.