OP already answered the main question of this post, and I totally agree with. I believe most of the successful or rich people used and maximized their skills to start or run a business rather than the degree that they have. Yes, degree might be needed to some kind of businesses but it is not the main ingredient for a business to thrive, it might be only a tool but skill matter most because this will get you going especially during times of uncertainties and challenges. Skill is like an immunity that whatever happens, as long as you have it you'll make or find a way. So for me, I will take a risk to start a small business even without a degree as long as I have the skill. Because later on after using it to start a business, I may get a degree or trainings that will further help me become more successful.
Of course, if it leads to success a skill or skill is more promising than a degree. Basically, a degree will not help completely, but the combination of skill and skill is certainly a very good thing. What sometimes makes me annoyed is that there are some people who are arrogant with their titles but when they are told to show skills or skills that match their titles, the results are embarrassing. Maybe we can get a degree later when many people know that we have good skills in doing business as you say.
A degree is absolutely unnecessary for starting a business. A degree is absolutely necessary if you want to apply for a job, thereby having something substancial as your third-party acknowledgement of credibility by other a credible party (university). to verify your knowledge and skills.
Would you want to hire someone as a self-taught surgeon if he has no degree? That is too risky. Of course not.
But you are not hiring anyone when starting a business. You are investing in an idea.
But does having a degree make starting a business much easier and far more likely to succeed? Yes, definitely.
So get a degree if you want to improve yourself as a person or verify your knowledge to other people.
Indeed, no matter how high a degree a person has, it is not necessary to start a business because even people who do not have a degree can start a business if they have the intention, capital and others, especially if supported by having good skills and skills that will make him able to take a business that has a great chance of success later.
The other side of having a degree makes us sometimes easier to get connections because one of the good sides is that it makes us look like we are respectable and have a good educational history. Other statements not everyone who has a degree can work with certainty.