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Business Education.Evolved.

Build a small business, not a massive debt.

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BLU University is the Premier Online Institute forEntrepreneurs and Business Leaders

We are exclusively devoted to providing the highest level of curricula and courses for entrepreneurs and business leaders. Our elite instructors have taught to international audiences, each has been tested and has established themselves as leaders in their field.

Our vision is to bridge the gap between traditional business academics and today’s innovative and ever-changing business climate. Our Mission is to provide the elite and innovative curriculum that very few currently have access to, and deliver it to the world through our digital curricula, conferences, and live seminars.

Our Curriculum

*Curriculum and instructors are subject to change

Meet the Minds Behind BLU:Your Guides to Success

Dan Vega smiling in a burgundy jacket and striped tie, arms folded on a table

Dan Vega

University Founder

Dan Vega is a seasoned entrepreneur, acclaimed business advisor, and renowned speaker with over three decades of experience across multiple industries. He is the founder of BLU University, an institution dedicated to teaching modern entrepreneurs innovative methods for wealth creation. Dan is recognized for his groundbreaking economic approach, EthoNomics, a mathematical system designed to solve business challenges and create lasting financial success.

Throughout his career, Dan has worked with the world’s top entrepreneurs, celebrities, and Fortune 500 companies, guiding them on strategies to minimize risk while generating billions. His influence extends into media, where he hosted the entrepreneurial talk show “Tuesdays with Dan” on ABC for six seasons, providing viewers with insights from global business leaders.

At BLU University, Dan combines his vast experience with his revolutionary economic model that champions abundance over scarcity, making him a leading figure in shaping the future of business education.

Licia Rester, smiling, seated outdoors among trees

Licia Rester

University President

Licia Rester is the President of BLU University. She is a Learning and Performance specialist, professor of Psychology, instructional designer, author, program facilitator, and licensed therapist with nearly 40 years of expertise in driving personal and professional transformation. An early adopter of eLearning and technology, she has collaborated with non-profits, universities, and numerous Fortune 500 companies, including Microsoft, Philips Interactive Media, American Express, Amgen, and others, to create innovative, interactive education. As lead faculty and Managing Director of the University of Santa Monica, Licia has worked with thousands of adult learners to achieve extraordinary growth and success by synthesizing psychology, technology, media, instructional design, and performance analysis.

Mark Samuel, smiling, in a navy jacket against a blue sky

Mark Samuel

Faculty

Mark Samuel is the CEO and Founder of B STATE, guiding organizations in achieving measurable breakthrough business results and accountability-based culture change within six months. He is the award winning & bestselling author of 7 books including Reimagine Teams and B STATE: A New Roadmap for Bold Leadership, Brave Culture, and Breakthrough Results.

Mark has been featured as an Accountability and Leadership expert on CNBC, Bloomberg, Fast Company, Fortune Magazine, and Forbes Coaching Counsel. Some of his clients include Michelin, Genentech-Roche, Royal Bank of Canada, Honda, Hewlett Packard, Kaiser Permanente, Siemens, Southern California Edison, Apple Computer, General Dynamics, Habitat for Humanity, University of California, Berkeley, and many more.

Derek Cozzens in a navy jacket and open-collared shirt

Derek Cozzens

Faculty

With over two decades of hands-on experience in corporate finance, global controllership, audit, financial reporting, strategic planning, M&A, and leveraged financing, Derek brings a wealth of expertise to the realm of Private Equity. A graduate of Stanford’s School of Business, he has personally managed financial portfolios totaling over $1 trillion, underscoring his deep financial acumen and strategic vision. Derek’s impressive track record includes pivotal roles as a CFO, CEO, COO, and leader of special projects within portfolio companies, where he has consistently driven success and innovation. Additionally, he is a seasoned real estate professional and a published author, further showcasing his multifaceted expertise. His specialties include business development, audits, financial modeling, and corporate restructuring across domestic and international markets.

Bear Wilson in a light grey jacket and blue bow tie

Bear Wilson

Faculty

Bear Wilson is a business development professional, entrepreneur, and experienced sales and leadership practitioner with more than a decade of experience building businesses, developing relationships, and driving results. His background in sales, management, entrepreneurship, and high-level client service has given him a unique perspective on the connection between leadership, communication, and business growth. Known for his integrity, strategic mindset, and ability to connect with people, Bear is passionate about helping others recognize their potential and communicate with purpose. At BLU University, he brings a practical perspective on sales, leadership, and building the client relationships that turn an idea into a lasting business.

Jared Green, smiling, in a black shirt

Jared Green

Faculty

Jared Green is an entrepreneur, business leader, media producer, and inventor with experience leading and operating multiple million dollar companies. His current work spans audio production, video creation, app development and real estate, combining business experience with creative and technical execution. At BLU University, he contributes a practical perspective on entrepreneurship, innovation, and bringing ideas to life.

How BLU University Stacks UpAgainst The Other Top Universities

The Problem withTraditional Education

Traditional education was built for stability, not speed. Yet the job market is being reshaped faster than schools can adapt. With the rise of artificial intelligence, automation, and robotics, many roles once performed by people are being replaced or redefined. McKinsey projects that by 2030, activities representing up to 30% of all work hours in the U.S. could be automated. The only real source of security in today’s ever-changing business climate is learning the skillsets that allow you to create your own job and provide jobs for others. When you have the knowledge to put yourself in a position to create opportunity, you have true security.

Dan Vega teaching a full BLU seminar room

While technology accelerates, education remains slow to evolve. Most schools still prepare students for predictable careers in a world that no longer exists. Pew Research reports that one in five U.S. workers are in jobs most exposed to AI, and 80% of occupations already include tasks that can be performed, at least in part, by tools like GPTs. Success now depends on adaptability, creativity, and lifelong learning, not static credentials.

The future of work won’t be defined by the number of jobs eliminated, but by how quickly people can reinvent themselves. Many cite that “65% of future jobs don’t exist yet” but perhaps even more critical is that nearly every job is evolving. Automation is rewriting the rules of employment, but human imagination, collaboration, and the courage to create remain irreplaceable. Those who keep learning will not only survive the shift: they’ll shape it.

Traditional EducationMeans Large Debt

For students pursuing a business degree, the cost of traditional education continues to rise steeply.

In 2025, the total cost of a four-year undergraduate business program (tuition and required fees only) ranges from approximately $44,000–$128,000 at public universities to $172,000–$260,000 at private institutions. These numbers don’t include housing, textbooks, or living expenses, which can add tens of thousands more over the course of the degree.

For graduate students, the costs may be even higher. The average MBA program now runs between $30,000 and $80,000 per year, while top business schools like Harvard, Stanford, and Wharton charge over $100,000 per year in tuition and fees alone. When living costs are included, a two-year MBA can easily exceed $230,000–$270,000.

In today’s economy, such enormous educational investments come with no guarantee of return. Many graduates face decades of student loan debt and uncertain job stability, clear signs that the traditional “degree = security” model no longer provides the safety it once promised.

Four-year undergraduate business program, public universities
$44,000–$128,000
Four-year undergraduate business program, private institutions
$172,000–$260,000
The average MBA program, per year
$30,000–$80,000
Top business schools, per year in tuition and fees alone
Over $100,000
A two-year MBA, when living costs are included
$230,000–$270,000

Download your free 50-minute class from one of our Lead Instructors

The Two Enemies of Success...and How to Overcome Them

Hint: It’s never time or money.

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