How To Build A Successful Career Without A Degree

Republished from Forbes Business Council

I barely passed high school. I never went to college. On paper, I wasn’t qualified to do much – honestly, I probably wasn’t even qualified to clean the streets.

So, I chose entrepreneurship. Not because it was trendy. Not because I had a master plan.

Because it was my only shot.

No degree. No safety net. Just curiosity, determination, and a strong dislike for being told what to do.

Today, I’m the founder and CEO of Virtual Coworker, a remote staffing company that now employs over 500 people and helps businesses across the globe grow without bloated overheads or local hiring headaches. We connect companies with top-tier virtual assistants in the Philippines, making it simple to scale without burning out.

How’d we get here? One rule:

Do what you’re best at, and outsource the rest.

School Didn’t Work for Me – But Business Did

I wasn’t cut out for the classroom. I couldn’t fake interest in things that didn’t matter to me, and I didn’t thrive in environments built to reward memorization over problem-solving.

But what I was good at was breaking down how things worked—and spotting how they could work better.

So I built things. Businesses. Some failed, some broke even, and some taught me lessons I still rely on today. I didn’t get an MBA—I got my education from doing.

Virtual Coworker: Built Out of Necessity

The idea for Virtual Coworker came from my own experience running a business. I needed help but didn’t need someone full-time or in the office. I needed flexibility, quality, and value—without the local overhead.

So I built what I wished already existed: a remote staffing company that handled everything—recruitment, vetting, payroll, compliance—with a focus on matching the right people to the right roles.

Fast forward to today: we have a team of over 500, and we’ve helped businesses in the U.S., Australia, and beyond build efficient, remote-first teams.

Scaling Isn’t About Doing More—It’s About Doing Less of the Wrong Stuff

Entrepreneurs love to wear too many hats. I used to do the same. But eventually, I realized that doing everything myself wasn’t a strength—it was a bottleneck.

When I started focusing only on what I was best at—and delegating or outsourcing the rest—everything changed. I had more time, more clarity, and more momentum.

That mindset is baked into how we operate at Virtual Coworker.

It’s not just what we offer. It’s how we grow.

When you stop trying to be everything, you finally have room to become great at the thing that actually moves the needle.

No Credentials. No Backup Plan. Just Execution.

Entrepreneurship wasn’t my second option—it was my only one. I wasn’t hired into anything. I built into it.

I didn’t follow a safe path, because there wasn’t one available to me. But I used what I had: instinct, drive, and the ability to figure things out as I went.

And that’s what got me here—leading a team of 500+, running a global business, and helping other founders finally get their time (and sanity) back.

Final Thoughts

If school didn’t work for you… that doesn’t mean success is off the table.

If you don’t have a degree… welcome to the club.

You don’t need credentials. You need commitment.

I failed at school. But I built a company that’s thriving.

Because I focused on what I do best—and outsourced the rest.