Entrepreneur Me

What I Have Learned: This week’s readings and videos were effective in teaching me that entrepreneurship is a tough road. One must not only be dedicated through thick and thin but must also be willing to create balance. We can’t simply sacrifice our most important relationships - God, spouse and family - for our career (Jan Newman). To find success as an entrepreneur there are certain things a person should know or possess, such as network support and basic skills for running the daily operations. However, not every successful entrepreneur has to go to business school or be proficient in accounting. I have found this to be the case for me. I only have an associates of applied science degree. That doesn’t translate well into the business world, but that is okay. I feel like I have enough life experience to have started my business and that’s how I’ve learned the most, just from doing . From reading Mastery , by George Leonard, I’ve learned that it also takes consistent practice, a wil...

What I’ve learned: This week as I read about perseverance and how the journey of entrepreneurship is not for the weak or lazy, I discovered that I’m probably drawn to this path because deep down inside, I really am a strong, make-it-happen kind of gal. Though I may appear timid and indecisive, when I find something I want, I stop at nothing to get there. I’m a finisher and a doer, but I do require lots of help because I’m not as knowledgeable or experienced as others.   I’ve learned this week from Jeff Sandefer that I have a mission and it’s not to make a million dollars or to start a business. It’s to serve God’s children through my gifts and talents. I plan to take his challenge to ask five people what they think I do better than anyone in the world. I need to find out about myself in this way. Hearing it from others will be surprising and humbling, I’m sure.   I also want to mention a few key things I learned while reading the book, Mastery by George Leonard. The “m...

Lessons learned: This week we studied a lecture by Clayton M. Christensen about how we measure the success of our lives. He spoke of some of his college classmates and the various directions their lives had taken them. He noticed that those who were finding success in their careers had kept their life purposes in the forefront of their minds. Those who had lost sight of the things they valued most were the ones who had become too focused on work or making a buck, and all the other aspects of their lives suffered. We worked on establishing our own set of core values to help guide our lives. I think the core value statements I created will help me stay focused on what is most important and guide the decisions I make, whether in business, professional, or personal relationships. So, I learned that keeping my purpose in mind and sticking with my core values at all costs will take me far. Lessons not yet learned: I am excited to learn more about making the most of my life. I’m int...

Lynn G. Robbins gave an inspirational talk about making a living and a good life. He assigned grades to different levels of human intent. For instance, level-A teachers, store owners, whoever, are living life with God in the forefront of their minds. They love him and want to serve him first, then help their fellowman and then  earn money. Lessons Learned: This week I have learned that it's not bad for me to want to make money, but I've had to question my motives. Do I put God first? Why do I want all that money? What would I do with loads of cash? Would my morals, values and ethics stay the same? Maybe not. Maybe I'd waiver. Maybe I'd give in to the temptation of greed. So I'm re-evaluating my motives this week. I'm pondering different scenarios to see if my guardrails, though I've got them set now, are really, truly in place. I'm praying for my will to align with God's and that my mind and heart will both function strong together. I see what I wa...

Lessons learned: I’m learning that to live a good and meaningful life means setting goals that have boundaries, to keep me focused and grounded. It also means working hard, re-evaluating often and adjusting plans as needed. Though my goals and directions may change, my belief system and my guardrails must be solid. Those are what keep me on the path to my destination of who I want to become.   I feel like I’ve been building those guardrails all along this journey of life. I’ve had challenges and tests that have helped me see where my weaknesses lie, and I’ve had to strengthen those areas continually. I feel confident in my guardrails, those things that I will never do to compromise my course, and those things I will always do to ensure a straight path. Now I’m ready to name some stars and determine my steppingstones. §   Why do you think Randy Pausch was able to achieve so many of his childhood dreams? I believe Professor Pausch was able to achieve so many of his chi...

I'm almost 38 years old and I feel like an infant, no, an embryo in my learning. I say embryo because I know there's a whole world out there for me to discover and explore once I'm developed enough to survive it. I just finished a one year program called PathwayConnect, in which I have been introduced to online learning, effective goal setting, healthy time management, and basic math and writing skills. I have come to realize that the more I learn, the more I don't know.  I'm starting this blog as an assignment for my Introduction to Entrepreneurship class through BYU-Idaho, but I'm hoping it becomes a habit that sticks well after the class ends and I'm able to use it to document my learning and growth in all aspects of life.  This first week of class, we read articles and watched video clips about becoming ourselves - growing into who we are meant to be - and how to do that through dedication and taking control of our futures. I know that my purpose is ...