Need Advice To Gain Skills- I Will Not Promote

Hi everyone,

I’m currently working as a Business Analyst and come from a business related academic background. I’m trying to intentionally improve business understanding (similar to what people gain through top MBA programs or hands-on exposure in business environments).

Long term, I want to move into strategy/consulting type roles and eventually build something of my own. I enjoy problem-solving and understanding how different businesses operate, but I’m still figuring out how to build depth in this area.

Right now, I’m focused on:

- Learning financial statements and how companies actually make money

- Understanding different business models across industries

- Gaining practical exposure alongside my job

But I am tired of learning from youtube want to get i. and gain real time exposure

Challenges I’m facing:

- I don’t come from a top-tier MBA background

- Most entry-level roles feel execution-heavy and less focused on real business thinking

- I tend to overthink decisions instead of just testing and learning through action

- I don’t yet have a strong business idea, but I want to build the capability first

I’d really value insights from people who’ve gone through a similar path:What should I focus on to build strong, practical business knowledge beyond theory?

Which roles or experiences helped you move closer to strategy/consulting work?

How did you develop real business thinking early in your career?

Any advice on balancing a job while exploring business ideas on the side?

Not looking for shortcuts—just trying to build this step by step in a practical way.

Thanks in advance!