Entrepreneur Me

My Final Lecture             Just start. Let go of doubt and fear, put all your faith into what you believe you were made to do, and start. Decide now who you are and what you stand for. Decide what your purpose in pursuing entrepreneurship will be and go for it. Put your heart into it. Set your sights high on that star and reach it. You can do it. You have the potential. You know it’s right, so go for it. With the right purpose in mind, failures become stepping stones and boost you to the next step. It’s a lifelong process of becoming. It will not happen overnight. Look for people who share your vision, enthusiasm, and drive, but don’t depend on them for all your success. You oversee your business, and nobody will love it like you do. Though valuable relationships are forged along the way, it isn’t worth your life to sacrifice what you know to be true for someone else. In the same breath, trust those with experience. Be humbl...

Lessons learned: I am learning that the risks of entrepreneurship for me may outweigh the benefits. Though exciting and adventuresome it seems, I’m not sure I’m willing to risk the sacrifice of family time. I have learned a lot about myself in the process of hearing from other entrepreneurs. I’m sure I am capable of entrepreneurial success, but for me it would have to be an extremely small-scale venture if anything. It would have to be something my whole family could be involved in. My first obligation is to my God, who has placed me in the leadership position of “mother” to run the business of growing my family. To Him I will be true and find ways to continue to learn and grow and give to my family as I do so, not take away. Lessons Yet to Learn: I’m looking forward to learning what is next for me. This course has been truly eye-opening and I’m grateful for the knowledge I have gained. As I ponder “what now?” I feel anxious and excited for what I will be able to do with th...

Lessons Learned : Learning about becoming a game-changer has been a game-changer for me this week. I soaked in all the talks and articles about the purpose of business. Of course, Elder Holland’s talk on the beggar in us all was fantastic to revisit, but since I’d never heard the talk by Elder Gay before, I was hit by his message particularly hard. The concept of “rag missions” got me thinking about why I’m even pursuing this degree in business. Elder Gay says that a person’s attitude toward wealth is “critical” in business. He was humble and grateful in delivering his message and seems to have always had a sense of his “why.”   Lessons Yet to Learn : I still need to figure out what the Lord wants me to do. Maybe it’s right in front of me and I just can’t see it yet, but I feel like I need Him to make it even more obvious. I also need to rethink my “why.” I’m probably too motivated by the dollar signs, even though I want to justify my business ideas as service. I’ve got to...

Lessons Learned: Finding balance in an entrepreneurial lifestyle seems difficult, but not impossible. I was grateful to learn from many influential people this week that the entrepreneur’s life takes lots of work and brings lots of joy. As long as we don’t give in to the temptation to put our work in front of what really matters, family relationships, appropriate rest, etc., we will be able to balance our lives. Making money is a side effect of the good works we do. I’ve been too concerned with how to get more money. I was speaking with a friend this past week when she said, “I’m at a place where more money won’t affect my happiness. We have enough to take care of our needs and that’s all I want.” I’ve reflected on that every day. I’m not in that position yet, but I’m looking for ways to find contentment and happiness in my current situation. Wealth will not buy my happiness. Lessons Yet to Learn: I’m so excited to learn what is next. I’m anxious to put into practice the financial f...

Lessons learned: My favorite reading from this week’s assignment was President Dallin H. Oak’s talk, the Challenge to Become . Having a testimony or simply knowing information does not qualify us for exaltation. We must do and act in order to make use of what we have, and that allows us to reach our potential, as ones possessed with “the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ” (Ephesians 4:13). There truly is a difference in believing something and living what you believe. Lessons Yet to Learn: From President Oak’s talk, I found something I truly need to work on. He said, “…we should remember that our family relationships – even more than our Church callings – are the setting in which the most important part of that development can occur.” I know I can do better to develop better relationships with my husband and children. I need to do better to engage them in “wholesome recreational activities” (The Family: A Proclamation to the World). Our earthly time is limited, an...

Lessons Learned: I finished the book, “A Field Guide for the Hero’s Journey” this week and recommended it to my parents and siblings. It’s an easy read, but it is chock-full of great advice, lessons to learn, and instruction. I really enjoyed all the quotes and personal anecdotes provided to support the brilliant counsel given. I have learned that anyone and everyone can do great things. We all have unbelievable potential to rise and make a difference in the world, but it takes work. We must figure out who we are, who we want to become, and find the path that leads from one to the other. Lessons Yet to Learn: After reflecting on my own journey to becoming my best self, I’ve concluded that I struggle to see challenges as opportunities. I’ve noticed that I give up too easily. I believe this even goes back to my childhood. If something is not easy for me, or if I’m not the best at it, I’ll let it go. I need to learn to persevere, using different perspectives and asking questions l...

Lessons Learned: This week I learned that I shouldn’t doubt myself, especially when I’ve got God on my side. If I am doing something good for the good of others, and I’ve asked for help from Heavenly Father, He will be there for me and help me excel. I’ve learned this from many regular life experiences, and even through the process of starting a snow shack this past summer. When we involve God in our endeavors, whatever they may be, we can’t fail. I also learned from Elder Holland’s message that there is never a good time to give up hope. Only after the trial of our faith will be able to see the blessings of our efforts (Ether 12:6). Lessons Yet to Learn: I have yet to learn how to change my thinking. I don’t want to always go with my first idea because I know I can think more deeply creatively. I think I need to spend some time pondering and evaluating my ideas and maybe look at them in other ways to come up with something truly brilliant. I am looking forward to learning how to...