Evening MBA student Ryan Bertee shares his experience as an entrepreneur with a social mission to reduce e-waste.
- By
- January 23, 2020
- Entrepreneurship
“Eighty-hour weeks are the norm in my world,” says entrepreneur and Evening MBA student Ryan Bertee. “For me, that’s tough to go through if I don’t have the control or freedom to choose what problems I tackle. The passion has to meet the work ethic. Otherwise, it’s virtually impossible to see things through.”
The freedom to tackle problems he’s passionate about drove Bertee to found the green initiative POH Solutions, which collects and remanufactures ink cartridges and toners to keep them out of landfills, where they can take hundreds of years to decompose. Today, he partners with upwards of 50 organizations across the globe. “Although my company’s done well, it wasn’t set up to grow the way I envisioned,” he says. “Honing my ability to solve problems on a larger scale was the big motivator to come to Booth.”
Through classes like Entrepreneurial Finance and Private Equity and resources like the Polsky Center, Bertee says he’s already learned things he’s been able to apply at POH Solutions. “My classes at Booth have really helped frame financial considerations for my business and hone my vision for my future.”
To learn more about the Evening MBA and Weekend MBA programs and to engage with the Chicago Booth community, connect with us on LinkedIn.
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