Hi, I'm Felix, a Senior Consultant at Roland Berger in Munich, a PhD candidate at the Technical University of Munich (TUM), and currently at MIT Sloan School of Management in Cambridge, Massachusetts. I am passionate about the automotive industry and entrepreneurship and currently support companies, venture capital funds, and founders – all within the scope of my PhD Educational Leave.

Previously, I advised international companies in the automotive industry in areas such as power electronics, app launches, and strategic management. Before I joined Roland Berger, I studied Business Administration and Mechanical Engineering at RWTH Aachen, Stanford University, and Tsinghua University and obtained master's degrees in Automotive Engineering, Business Administration and Engineering.

A PhD is the new MBA

Forbes recently published this headline – I'd sign off on it. In a PhD program, you become a "perpetual hypothesis testing machine" and learn to ask the right questions. Like in consulting, I pushed myself to my limits and supervised more than 50 master's and bachelor's theses – and learned the skills of delegation, team management, and mentoring. My previous work experience in consulting has proven very valuable in leapfrogging steps but also in preserving speed. While projects at Roland Berger are shorter, working on a two-year project came with immense insecurity – but I personally was well prepared by my previous experiences.

When you're deciding whether to pursue a PhD, look behind the curtain and consider the entire learning experience. Also ask yourself when the right time is in your career!

A PhD is a gateway to new horizons

In marriage research, you can predict divorces quite accurately – by 90%. I applied the findings from marriage research to founding teams to predict founder breakups – a transfer of knowledge that is quite beneficial for founders and investors. At MIT Sloan School of Management, I looked into Y-Combinator: A US startup accelerator, where the key trends of the VC industry converge. You can see the full spectrum, from failed ventures to breakout successes. I analyzed every YC founding team and venture, tracked their performance (over time), and faced the big question: What's most relevant for practitioners? As a consequence, I work with venture capital funds – either by interviewing them, advising them on their deal flow, or getting detailed information on early-stage ventures.

When you're thinking of your personal research topic, bring passion to the table but be open when it comes to the specific research topic.

A PhD is not a career break

Rather than a career break, a PhD is an opportunity to invest in yourself. At TUM and MIT Sloan School of Management, I've met fascinating personalities beyond my own research that I can learn from. Besides this, I've always seen it as a step aside from everyday consulting life, allowing me to return to the firm more energized and focused. Talking to other people was not only beneficial to me, it could also be helpful to you if you're considering starting a PhD program.

When talking to people about their personal PhD experience, ask them how it shaped their personalities and the direction of their careers and personal lives. You'll be surprised by the impact aside from academia!