Jim Rogers MBA 2003

President and CEO, Nextrials, Inc., San Ramon, California

Jim Rogers has worked in clinical research for more than 20 years. In 1999, he and his partners founded Nextrials, Inc., a research consulting services company. Today Nextrials focuses on applying Internet technology to clinical research so that, in his words, "we can drag the industry kicking and screaming into the new age." Rogers, who has lived in the Bay Area since college, particularly enjoys the exposure to the New York business climate.

Beyond gut instinct
"My partners and I all have science backgrounds—no formal business training. And gut instinct and common sense take you just so far. I wanted business knowledge relevant to entrepreneurship and liked the breadth and variety of established, mainstream business classes in this program.
"Financial Statement Analysis, for instance, is a course that, on my own, I might have sidestepped. But the fact is, I learned a lot that I didn't think I wanted or needed to know. And Introduction to Venturing nearly gave me writer's cramp from taking notes so furiously.
"I could see my own company in the case studies we read and the models we studied. We also had the chance to talk to some really knowledgeable people about different aspects of startups."

Making "really good connections"
"Another great benefit to me as an entrepreneur is the networking. I've already identified key people I plan to make use of in the future—now I know who to call, for example, with a marketing question. We also have a good informal network: if someone sees an interesting seminar in the industry, they pass the word. I've already been to a couple of those and have made some really good connections."