John Byrne of P&Q shares insights on business education after COVID

John Byrne, founder and editor of Poets&Quants, believes COVID-19  has changed corporate priorities for the better, as he told Roben Farzad, host of Full Disclosure, during a live interview held in partnership with the Robins School of Business. 

“People just don’t want a job, they want one where they think they can do something good for people,” Byrne said in the Q&A with Farzad and Mickey Quiñones, dean of the Robins School.

“Younger people who are much more idealistic, they want to do something that’s connected to improving the world,” Byrne said. “They’ve discovered there’s more to life than just making a paycheck and buying stuff.”

Byrne, who originally hired Farzad as a senior writer at Businessweek in 2005, started Poets&Quants on the philosophy of engagement, when few were making the leap from physical magazines to online reporting. 

“I had a lot of qualms about turning to online, but it was a revelation to me once I switched. My whole philosophy is engagement. I saw the online world as a place to combine community into that,” Byrne said.

He rewarded reporters who engaged in conversations with readers, used social media to help determine lead stories, and amplified original reporting by using engagement, community, and connection. Poets&Quants now has 15 full-time employees, five different websites, and generates more than four million dollars in revenue annually. 

In terms of trends he sees for the future of MBA programs, he shared that curriculum is changing now that there is a more diverse pool of applicants interested in graduate education.

“Many MBA students are digital natives. Their attitude about learning online is very different. Things have changed dramatically, many top-notch programs are in the online MBA game, and it’s legitimized the online degree,” Byrne said. “In addition, greater percentages of women coming into the program have broadened the interests of MBA graduates. The MBA is now seen as an all-purpose degree, for people who go to mission-driven organizations in particular.”

Finally, Byrne shared his hopes for a brighter future for the business world after COVID-19, due to a commitment by younger generations to join organizations that focus on corporate social responsibility. 

“I think young people are going to rise to power in these organizations to make a difference,” Byrne said.

For more information on Full Disclosure, click here. Or, find out more about The Richmond MBA and other programs from the Robins School.