Many people obtain an MBA prior to getting serious real-world business experience. Dave Russell, owner of PICA Corp. and Russell NDE Systems, did the reverse. He had already had multiple decades as a successful businessman before earning his MBA at age 70.
“I left school in England during what they call advanced level, which is about what would be first year in university in America,” Russell says.
So eight years ago, at age 70, Russell decided to finally continue his education. He found a course through the Australian Institute of Business that allowed him to do at-home learning at his own pace and completed the requirements for an MBA in a year.
“By this time I had been in business for over 40 years and you learn a lot by just being in business,” Russell says. “You have to deal with bankers, accountants, lawyers and insurance people. The fun part is developing the technology and being out in the field. But there’s more to it. It’s not just fun and games.”
Russell says he’s glad he finally formalized those many years of business expertise into a degree.
“Even though I was successful just learning on the fly, I always regretted not having a professional designation,” Russell says.
Read more about PICA Corp. in the January 2026 issue of Cleaner magazine.
