One Venture, Ten MBAs: A Warrior Guide to Building Startups

5 Star Review

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Editorial Book Review:

By SB Borcy

Some startup books teach theory. This one teaches survival. One Venture, Ten MBAs stands out because it is built from experience earned the hard way, not polished frameworks pulled from a classroom. From the opening pages, it feels like a founder speaking honestly to other founders, sharing what actually happens when ideas meet reality and pressure replaces optimism.

Reading this book feels energizing and sobering at the same time. You can feel the stress of making big choices, the fatigue of changing your mind, and the clarity that comes after you realize you've made a mistake. It makes you think deeply about strategy and finance, and it also pulls you in emotionally with moments of doubt, grit, and persistence that anyone who has built something from the ground up will relate to.

Most of the book is about being strong, making choices when you don't know what's going to happen, and the difference between theory and practice. It talks about both being ambitious and being humble. These ideas go beyond startups and into leadership, taking risks in your career, and taking responsibility for your own life. Whether you are launching a company, considering one, or simply curious about how bold ideas survive hostile terrain, the lessons feel widely relevant.

Ksenia Yudina’s writing is direct, clear, and refreshingly unsentimental. She blends narrative with practical guidance, moving easily between story and strategy. The structure keeps momentum while allowing space for reflection, and the language avoids buzzwords in favor of precision. When she uses metaphor, it sharpens the message rather than decorating it, reinforcing the idea of entrepreneurship as a disciplined form of combat rather than a glossy adventure.

This is not a book that flatters the reader. Some sections may challenge those looking for easy wins or neat formulas. But that honesty is exactly what gives it weight. One Venture, Ten MBAs leaves you with sharper instincts, steadier expectations, and a deeper respect for the work it takes to build something real. For anyone serious about startups, or serious about learning from reality instead of theory, this book earns its place on the shelf.

About the Author 

Ksenia Yudina

Ksenia Yudina, CFA, is a fintech entrepreneur and the founder of UNest and Mostt - two platforms created to help families invest in their children’s financial futures. After a decade in traditional finance, with roles at Capital Group and J.P. Morgan, Ksenia saw how the industry often overlooked the needs of young parents. That insight led her to launch UNest in 2018, a mobile-first app that made it easy for parents to open tax-advantaged investment accounts for their children. The company raised nearly forty-million dollars from  top-tier investors and was featured in The Wall Street Journal, on CNBC, and on TechCrunch. 

Ksenia earned her MBA from the UCLA Anderson School of Management and holds the CFA designation.

She was named one of the top 25 women leaders in financial technology by The Financial Technology Report and an honoree of 40-under-40 by Investment News.