Entreprenuer

Entreprenuer

Saturday, December 19, 2015

Conclusion Week

12/19/15
The Last Lecture

Introduction to Entrepreneurship has been an eye opening and inspiring class.  The lessons, books, reading excerpts and videos all provided substantial knowledge and many gems that I can take with me throughout my personal entrepreneurial journey.  The book “The Ministry of Business” written by Steven Hitz was the most powerful business book that I have ever had the pleasure of reading.  This is a must read for anyone involved in business, especially entrepreneurship. 

The main three things that I learned about how to begin your entrepreneurial journey are to first, figure out what you can be the very best at while make the world a better place; second, come up with a business plan, including ethical guardrails; and third go for it!  Ethical guardrails are standards that you decide to live your life by, both in your business and personally.  You must reference these often and promise that you will not cross the lines that you have created for yourself.  There are so many other important things that I have learned from this class that must be remembered including avoiding unnecessary debt, living your life with balance, selecting the right business partners and choosing the right people.

Many successful business people do not have appropriate balance in their lives.  In order to reach their level of success they have let other things suffer, often times being family.  I have learned that at no cost should you sacrifice the importance of your family when pursuing any career.  Your spouse and children are the most important people in your life and you must find a way to balance all of the business, family, personal and spiritual aspects of life.  Thankfully this class provided countless examples of successful business people and entrepreneurs who have mastered this necessary balance. 
After everything is said and done, the most important thing that will matter at the end of our lives is what kind of person we were and if we made a positive impact in the world.  Living a life of service will help us to achieve this personal satisfaction and true and lasting joy.  We can use our successes to help others along the way.   It is also important to strive for responsible financial freedom by living within a comfortable means and simultaneously saving and investing. 


By combining and mastering all of the tools and practices listed above we can reach our entrepreneurial goals, make a difference in this world and serve others all along our journey.  

Saturday, December 12, 2015

Week Twelve

12/12/15
A Journey of Gratitude

Lessons Learned:
President Monson is such an incredible prophet of God.  His talk “An Attitude of Gratitude” is something that we should all read regularly.  It is so easy to get side tracked or worldly obsessed with what is going on in our daily lives and the goals and aspirations that we have for ourselves.  Although these goals are positive ones, and we should be enthusiastic to work towards them, we must also remember why we are here on this earth and the purpose that the Lord has for each one of us.  In our entrepreneurial endeavors we must remain focused on our eternal goals as well as our entrepreneurial goals.  By keeping balance in our lives we can cultivate our spiritual selves and care for all of our relationships with others.  By expressing gratitude and balancing ourselves we can reach all of our goals and help others along the way. 


Lessons Not Yet Learned:
In honest reflection of the lessons that I have not yet learned, I want to recognize my personal struggles with depression and anxiety.  Although I am always working toward living a life of hope and happiness, there are times when I let life get me down.  As I express gratitude it brings me happiness.  I have set a goal for myself to print positive quotes that promote happiness, gratitude, love, excellence and motivation to achieve my goals.  I will place these quotes around my house so that I can see them daily and remind myself of my purpose on this earth.

A Reference and Categorization Method:
Thomas S. Monson “An Attitude of Gratitude”: https://www.lds.org/general-conference/1992/04/an-attitude-of-gratitude?lang=eng&query=attitude+gratitude+(name%3a%22Thomas+S.+Monson%22)#watch=video

Identifying and Exploiting the Right Entrepreneruail Activity…For You: https://content.byui.edu/file/5c6a3828-db2c-4c81-bd4a-d86572fd2a76/1/808043p2.pdf


“Recognizing and Shaping Opportunities” parts 1, 2.1 and 2.2: https://content.byui.edu/file/70ddde60-1dad-4d7e-bc60-acc7a48384ba/1/8056p2.pdf

Saturday, December 5, 2015

Week Eleven

12/5/15
Becoming a Changemaker

Lessons Learned:
“Entrepreneurship and Consecration” by Elder Gay was a very moving video that I watched in this week’s lesson.  He emphasized that we must live our lives according to God’s will, never our own, and this includes in our business endeavors.  The Lord’s model and the world’s model are completely different and we must carefully make sure we are following the Lord in every aspect of our lives.  The statement that God left this world unfinished for man really impacted me.  Heavenly Father left us responsible to finish His work on this earth.  We must take care of one another and use our successes to fulfill the Lord’s plan.  Elder Gay stated that “It is not what you have, but who you are.  And who you are is not what you say, but what you do.”  He made many profound statements about all of these things.  Charity should guide all of our thoughts and actions, and this includes in our business choices and decisions as well.


Lessons Not Yet Learned:
I have not yet learned how to use charity to guide my entrepreneurial journey.  Although I do try and live with charity in my current job, I have not yet given the chance to use charity as a leader in an organization.  As my husband is on his journey to become a PA, I know that he will treat his patients with charity and the love of Christ, and am excited to share this weeks lessons, readings and videos with him.

A Reference and Categorization Method:


What’s a Business For
Based on what you read in the first two pages, why are virtue and integrity so vital to an economy?
Virtue and integrity are vital to an economy because they keep men honest in their dealings with one another.  Too many people are dishonest in their reports to make themselves and their companies look better.  Without virtue and integrity corporations are looking after only themselves and do not care about their consumers and front line workers.
According to Charles Handy, what is the “real justification” for the existence of businesses?
The real justification for the existence of business is the purpose to make a profit so that the business can do something more or something better.
What are two solutions proposed by Handy that you agree with? Why?

Two solutions that Handy proposed that I agree with are to measure success in terms of outcomes for others as well as for ourselves, and better corporate behavior.  I think success should definitely be measured not only in terms of finance and profitability, but about the difference and outcomes that it creates for everyone.  A company who makes a difference in the world is far more successful than one who simply sells something to profit from people.  Better corporate behavior would allow a more cohesive company and encourage honest and virtuous actions.

Saturday, November 28, 2015

Week Ten

11/28/15
Measuring the Cost

Lessons Learned:
This week I really loved learning about work life balance and the importance of prioritizing and setting your standards from the beginning.  From the case studies, to the videos and readings there were many explanations of how to find a work life balance and why it is important.  There were also some honest opinions of how it can be impossible to find the balance if you are not willing to sacrifice in one aspect or the other. You cannot have power, money and family without giving a little in one way. This does not mean it is impossible, you just may have to miss one business opportunity in order to be with your family, or miss one child's sport game out of the whole season in order to make an important business meeting for your family’s financial stability.


Lessons Not Yet Learned:
I have not yet learned how to balance my work and life in an entrepreneurial journey because I have not yet begun my journey.  I also do not have children yet so I have not had the opportunity to handle those kinds of obstacles in work/life balance.  But with my husband we do have to communicate when we have late work nights or other things going on that will affect our plans together.  We recognize the importance of having one on one time and family time together now, and will continue to do so when we start having children.

A Reference and Categorization Method:
Is Work/Life Balance Possible: http://ecorner.stanford.edu/authorMaterialInfo.html?mid=2553
Balancing Your Life and Your Career Successfully: http://ecorner.stanford.edu/authorMaterialInfo.html?mid=998
Surviving the Entrepreneurial Life - Work and Family: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-zg-0JhfGgk
Action Hero – Corey Bell: http://www.actonhero.org/celebrating-heroes/stories-of-heroes/index.php?hero=corey-bell
Financial Fitness (password ll): https://vimeo.com/64392475

Attitude on Money
1. What is your attitude toward money?
Money is somewhat of a necessary evil in my opinion.  We need it in our everyday lives and to be able to afford to live in a house or apartment, drive a car or means of transportation to work and to purchase groceries and other needs.  Money is also what allows us to indulge in life a little, whether in materialistic ways or in vacations and travel.  As a young married person with little to no money and struggling to make ends meet I can get frustrated by money sometimes.  However I know that as we work toward using it in the right ways and learning to stick to a budget every month, instead of every other month, we will be able to have financial stability.  I believe that with financial stability and living within our means plus a little, we will be able to be happier, less stressed and feel more balanced.
2. How can your view of money affect the way you live?
If you view money for the materialistic things that it can buy and view credit cards as a means to get what you want then you will be in big trouble and face financial problems your whole life.  Keeping up with the Jones’s leads to an unhappy life financially and materialistically.  I do face some materialistic challenges and enjoy fashion which can cause me to spend outside of my budget at times, however I am trying to learn to second hand shop more often and to decide what my needs are versus my wants.  Your view of money can definitely affect the way that you live by living outside of your means or going into debt. If you view money as a necessary thing that allows you to live comfortably and happily then you can use it wisely and for your family’s security and comfortable lifestyle.  Once you are able to have financial stability it is very important to give back and help others.  Although the only service that we can provide right now is of our time, I know that when we do someday have a more substantial income when my husband is in his career, we will definitely want to use our money to help others who are in need.
3. What rules are recommended for prospering?
The rules to follow when prospering are laid out by Jim Ritchie in the lesson six video titled “Financial Fitness”.  We must deposit money into the correct accounts and create both a savings and investment account that we do not touch. We must also pay ourselves and have a savings account for our wish list. When it comes down to it we should live on a strict budget, and within our means, and save and invest the rest.  We also need to be paying our tithing and making charitable donations.  It is crazy to me to see how many millions of people cannot grasp this, including myself at the moment, but I am so thankful to be learning the necessary steps and rules so that I can implement and work toward living this way.  I have a great example of my in-laws who live well within their means but have a very comfortable lifestyle and have a great retirement set in place.   In contrast how I was raised and my parent’s financial situation is not nearly as great and I see them spend money on wants over needs which has impacted how I make financial decisions and purchases.  My husband and I are currently working toward sticking to a budget and plan to open an IRA in January and start contributing monthly toward that and a few other individual savings accounts.  Although we are nowhere near where we want and need to be financially, I know that if we make steps and work toward being better every day that we WILL get there!

Saturday, November 21, 2015

Week Nine

11/21/15
Dream Big Dreams

Lessons Learned:
“A Field Guide for the Hero’s Journey” chapter four is about finding out what companions you want with you on your journey, and putting in the work to create and nurture these relationships.  It is often difficult to admit that someone else is better at something than you are, however it is important to cultivate relationships with those that strengthen your weaknesses.  It is your own responsibility to surround yourself with people who will lift you up and share and encourage your passions and goals.

I had the opportunity to interview an entrepreneur who has successfully built a company with her husband, allowing her the privilege of being a stay at home mom.  I chose this smaller scale entrepreneur to interview because it aligns with my own personal goals and aspirations.  The five biggest things that I took away from this interview experience are hard work, integrity, spouse and family support, get to know who your consumers are and what they want, and lastly to simply go for it. 


Lessons Not Yet Learned:
My biggest goal with taking this entrepreneur class is to figure out what my personal dreams and goals are.  As we working toward starting our family right now and I am hoping to be a stay at home mom, I know that we will need something to supplement our income.  I have considered a few different options that have been offered to me in order to do that, such as selling DoTerra Essential Oils or MaryKay beauty products, however I am not passionate about these products so I know that I would not be successful in selling them.  My biggest struggle is creativity, coming up with something new and fresh that I can do that others haven’t already capitalized on.  Although I still have not figure this out, I am hoping to find something that I can do from home that will make me happy, provide some financial stability and something that I will enjoy sharing with others.

A Reference and Categorization Method:
Think Big: https://vimeo.com/27928168
License to Pursue Dreams: http://ecorner.stanford.edu/authorMaterialInfo.html?mid=1527
Action Hero – Kathy Huber: http://www.actonhero.org/celebrating-heroes/stories-of-heroes/index.php?hero=kathy-huber

Your Emotional Fingerprint (password ll): https://vimeo.com/64376282

Saturday, November 7, 2015

Week Seven

11/7/15
Overcoming Challenges

Lessons Learned:
“A Field Guide for the Hero’s Journey” is the new book that I started reading this week.  This book is full of motivational and inspirational quotes, poems and stories.  I enjoyed the three chapters that I read, chapters five, six and eight because they addressed how to overcome stones in the road, the giant of despair and fighting the big, bad, evil dragon. 

Elder Holland gave especially great advice in the readings and video this week.  I don’t think anyone expects the entrepreneur journey to be an easy one, but at the same time I think once an entrepreneur find great success they think it will continue to be smooth sailing and do not adequately prepare for the hard times that continually come in life.  Elder Holland reminds us that no matter what the journey brings we must push forward.  President Thomas S. Monson reminded us that we should recognize our past in order to move forward, and to appreciate everything that we have been through and experienced.


Lessons Not Yet Learned:
I have not yet learned how to overcome entrepreneurial challenges.  Because I have not begun my own entrepreneurial journey I will learn how to overcome my journey’s challenges when they occur.  But from this class, the books, readings and videos I will have great guidance on how to overcome any challenges when they happen.

A Reference and Categorization Method:
However Long and Hard the Road by Elder Jeffery R. Holland and Sister Patricia T. Holland:
Looking Back and Moving Forward by President Thomas S. Monson:


Saturday, October 31, 2015

Week Six

10/30/15
Moving forward with a driving passion!

Lessons Learned:
This week I finished the book "Mastery" by George Leonard.  The final section of the book consisted of finding energy for mastery, pitfalls to beware of and how to master the commonplace.  There were five guidelines given to help us stay on the path of mastery: be aware of the way homeostasis works, be willing to negotiate with our resistance to change, develop a support system, follow a regular practice and dedicate ourselves to lifelong learning.  When discussing how to have the energy to become a master, Leonard also discussed seven different ways to help us do this.  These seven principles include maintain physical fitness, acknowledge the negative and accentuate the positive, try telling the truth, honor but don't indulge your own dark set, set your priorities, make commitments and take action, and once you get on the path of mastery to stay on it.  
The book finished with how to master the commonplace.  If we can learn to love the plateau, master the five keys, and utilize all the tools that Leonard has given us then we can apply it to our daily lives and master each and every day throughout our life-long journey.
"Ultimately nothing in this life is 'commonplace,' nothing is 'in between.'  The threads that join your every act, your every thought, are infinite.  All paths of mastery eventually merge."  

This week we also discussed Franklin Coveys 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.  Although all seven habits are incredible and equally important to build upon one another, my favorite is the final step: sharpen the saw.  If we put in all of the work to achieve our success and goals, but do not continue to sharpen the saw, it has all been somewhat pointless.  I love the four dimensions of sharpening the saw including our physical, spiritual, mental, and social/emotional dimensions.  In order to continually progress we must repeat these cycles and principles we have learned over and over, and that is what sharpening the saw means to me.  I must continually take care of my mind, body and spirit to grow stronger, better and to keep my progression moving forward.


Lessons Not Yet Learned:
I am still on my journey of mastery.  The biggest thing I have taken away from this book is to love the plateau.  As I've continued reading the book and other materials for the week, I've realized more and more that I have always lived my life for the progression points and exciting stages.  I get bored and unhappy during my long plateau periods, but I need to learn to love them and enjoy fully every moment of my life.  I cannot live my life waiting for the next progression point or major life event.  I am learning how to master the commonplace and be present in the here and now.

A Reference and Categorization Method:
The basic summary of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People can be found here:
https://content.byui.edu/file/3dda7de4-cd79-4390-9bcf-3cb660c48dd1/1/The%207%20Habits%20of%20Highly%20Effective%20People.pdf
Stand True and Faithful by President Gordon B. Hickley
https://www.lds.org/general-conference/1996/04/stand-true-and-faithful?lang=eng

Friday, October 23, 2015

Week Five

10/23/15
So you want to be an entrepreneur?

Lessons Learned:
I continued in the book “Mastery” and read section two this week.  It consisted of five key practices involved in mastery: instruction, practice, surrender, intentionality and the edge.  I will provide a short explanation of each one below.

Instruction:  There are many different types of instruction available, including teaching one-on-one, teaching in groups, books, movies, tapes, simulators, friends, classes and as it states in the book even “the street.”  When looking into instruction options it is important to look at experience, credentials, and especially interaction between the teacher and students. 
Practice: The general term of practicing is to learn a skill, improve, achieve goals or even make money.  In terms of mastery, practicing is considered a noun instead of a verb.  It is described not as “something you do, but as something you have, something you are.”  Practice in mastery is not to gain something from it but something that is done for its own sake.  Rewards from practice are nice, but they are not the goal of the master’s practice.  Masters love to practice and it will always be a part of their journey in mastery.
Surrender: Surrendering includes being humble and willing to surrender to your teacher at all times, without question.  A true master will obey his or her teacher and surrender to them.  My favorite part of this section was the parable of the cup and quart.  You must let go of the cup of milk before you can reach for the quart of milk.  This means that things may get worse, harder or messier before they get better.  But you will never be able to take the quart of milk into your hands without first letting go of the cup.
Intentionality: The power of imagery is very real and substantial.  By simply visioning something you can actually make it a reality.  Our minds are far more powerful than we give credit for.  If we want something we can visualize it, then we can believe our visualizations and create and cause them to happen.  “Every master is a master of vision”
The Edge: Masters will ultimately challenge limits and raise the bars of performance.  It is said that the key for a master is not either/or, but is instead both/and.  This section ends explaining that a master must first experience many years of instruction, practice, surrender and intentionality before reaching the edge.  And even then there is more training and more time on the plateau.  A master accepts this never ending challenge and lifelong path.

Lessons Not Yet Learned:
The idea of pushing past the edge is somewhat daunting to me.  I understand the process of a master and the key steps that must be followed, but the final step seems difficult and will push past comfort zones and limits.  I am still learning my capabilities and in the instruction phase of my mastery.

A Reference and Categorization Method:
There were a few readings that provided insight into this week’s lesson:
“Success is Gauged by Self-Mastery” by Elder Tanner
“How Entrepreneurs Craft Strategies That Work” By Amar Bhide (Harvard Business Review)
“So You Want to Be an Entrepreneur”
http://www.actonguides.org/pdf/SoYouWant.pdf


Friday, October 16, 2015

Week Four

10/16/15
Mastery

Lessons Learned:
This week we were introduced to the concept of mastery by reading the book called “Mastery”.  I found the different types of masters that he mentioned to be very interesting and related all too well with the first one listed.  I loved his explanation of plateaus and how we should thrive on them.  Instead I am like too many others who are always living for the excitement of the advancing portions of life.  I really had to step back and recognize this and am trying to learn to live my life with happiness and enjoyment of the constant plateaus of life. 
The video “A Hero’s Journey” talked about how each of us has a very important mission in life, which is to have the courage to find our entrepreneurial callings.   Jess Sandefer was the speaker for this lecture and he shared the three things that people asked themselves when pondering and looking back on their lives.  Have I contributed something meaningful?  Was I a good person? And who did I love and who loved me?  His lecture made me ponder on the fact that we start out as innocent and pure babies and children, eager to learn and grow.  Then as we do learn and find success we have pride in ourselves and become selfish.  But as we mature and grow older we realize the most important things in life, being family, our service and love to others, and if we have contributed to making the world a better place. 
I loved Sandefer’s idea of writing down a list of “I will not’s”.  In this list you create boundaries that you will not cross.  Then he explicitly states that not if, but when, you cross one of these, to immediately recognize it as a signal to pause, re-evaluate and correct yourself.  He said we should create “messages in a bottle”, being a letter to our future selves to read when we cross these lines.  He describes them as messages to read in the moment of our greatest temptation.  Overall, the video was filled with great insight into what each of our hero journeys will consist of and how to make the best journey in our lives.

Lessons Not Yet Learned:
I have not yet learned how to become a master at mastery.  I look forward to continuing in the book to learn how to thrive during the regular plateaus in life.   By doing so I know that I will be able to feel more joy in my day to day life instead of the constant waiting for the next big moment in my life. 

A Reference and Categorization Method:
“A Hero’s Journey” lecture by Jeff Sandefer


Wednesday, October 7, 2015

Week Three

10/7/15
“How will you measure your life?”  This was the important question asked during this week’s learning.  Throughout my lessons learned, lessons not yet learned and references I have pondered this question in regards to my own life. 

Lessons Learned:
The Ministry of Business provides yet again, more incredible insight into living a successful business life, combined with living the gospel principles and living a fulfilling life.
Chapter seven discusses personal constitutions.  It all starts with the productivity pyramid.  The base is full of the governing values, next comes long term goals, from that comes short term goals and at the top of the pyramid are daily tasks.  Creating a personal constitution will help guide your life and be a key piece in times where you must re-asses or re-align yourself with your goals and who you want to be in this life.
Chapter eight is about giving back.  When we are blessed and can recognize those blessings we must give back by serving others and sharing God’s love and blessings with them.  I truly loved this book because of the example that Jim Ritchie and his wife provided of all their years of service and giving back in life.  I have a personal love for serving others and take advantage of volunteering my time in my local community whenever possible.  My husband and I like to volunteer at local shelters and even at the animal shelters.   
Chapter nine is called the unseen difference.  This chapter dives so much deeper into chapter eight, devoting your life to making an unseen difference in the world.  I loved the diagram that states “You lift me… and I’ll life thee… and we’ll ascend together”.  Live out your passions, remain humble, recognize your blessings, give back and most of all dedicate your life to serving others and making the world a better place. 

Lessons Not Yet Learned:
I am still learning what my deepest fears are and how to overcome them.  I personally deal with anxiety, and I do not want to let that anxiety stop me from pursuing all of my dreams and achieving success in all aspects of my life. 

A Reference and Categorization Method:
Personal Constitution (Ministry of Business chapter 7)
Governing Values
Prioritize a list of personal values and qualities that you want to possess.  Always use “I am” statements to provide a positive and direct language to direct you toward the action instead of merely wishing.
Long Term Goals
Write out goals in “I will” statements in order to commit yourself to these goals
Short Term Goals
Focus on short term goals that will get you to your long term goals.  Use clear, direct “A will” statements.
Daily Tasks
Begin with “Today I will” and write down your daily task list of things that will move you closer to achieving your goals.  These will provide incredible personal productivity and lead your way to your goals.
Be The Unseen Difference (Ministry of Business page 164)
Tom Rath’s eight roles to be filled by people in relationships: builder, champion, collaborator, companion, connector, energizer, mind opener and navigator.


Deconstructing Your Fears Reflection Questions
1.     If you pursue your calling with discipline, intentionality, and the help of fellow travelers, what are the chances that your worst case scenario will really happen?

I believe that we are our greatest enemies.  We allow self-doubt into our lives and prevent ourselves from reaching our greatest potentials.  If I pursue my calling with all of the principles and things listed above, my chances of achieving my goals are extremely high.  My worst case scenarios will probably only happen if I allow them to happen.  Although some things in life are out of our control, we can control our ultimate outcomes by the choices that we make each and every day. 
2.     As you look at your list of fears, what themes emerge? What is at the core of what you really fear?  Financial ruin? The judgement or disapproval of others?  Physical harm? Endangering the ones you love?  Embarrassment?

The biggest theme that emerges from my list of fears is personal disappointment.  I set very high standards for myself and I am so afraid that I won’t live up to my own standards.  I beat myself up and am way too hard on myself and my many short comings.  I need to accept that I do have short comings, as we are not perfect, and learn to overcome them with the power of my strengths.  I wish to live a balanced life with my family and then working when my future children are all in school, and in order to have the best of both worlds I need to accept now that I will experience some disappointments in life.  And that is okay!

3.     What is the risk of taking no action – not following your calling?  How do you plan to deal with fear when it pops up on your entrepreneurial journey?


It is impossible to achieve any joy without sorrow.  It is impossible to achieve the success and fulfillment of following my calling without taking the risks and action to get there.  If I do not try I will always wonder and question if I am even capable of achieve the goals I have set for myself.  And if I do not achieve every single goal I need to recognize that the Lord has a different path for me and that my journey led me to where I was supposed to go, regardless of if the end result was the same as I initially thought.  I will accept fear during my entrepreneurial journey and face it head on instead of pretending it is not there.  I will address the realistic possibilities of that fear, and then write out real ways to overcome them.

Saturday, October 3, 2015

Week Two

10/3/15
Integrity is a crucial principle to have in all aspects of life. We must create ethical guardrails and clear goals and plans in order to achieve success.  Integrity must be present at all times in order to reach these goals.

Lessons Learned:
The Ministry of Business has yet again provided great insight into how to live a happy and successful life.  Chapter four is titled The Formula and Happiness.  We learn that private victories come before public victories.  And the formula for success both a basic approach and an expanded approach.  The” guaranteed six step formula for happiness” is:
1.    Get up early
Starting the day off right is important to personal and business success.
2.    Work hard
Every successful person out there has worked extremely hard, you are no exception.
3.    Get your education
We must be properly trained and continue learning throughout our lives and career. Develop a love for life-long learning.
4.    Find your oil
Find out what you are great at and pursue this.  Provide better service or better products.
5.    Make your mark
Make a difference in every community and every career opportunity we are given.  Make a positive mark on this world.
6.    Get prepared to be of service
This is what sets this formula apart.  The secret to eternal success is service and giving back, giving us the truest possible happiness.
Chapter five is called the value of strong mentors.  Having mentors in your life is important to help you succeed.  They will make you stronger, build you up, push your limits and guide you the right way.  They are truly invested in your success and happiness.  Chapter six is called financial fitness.  There are three accounts that you should have for financial freedom: independent account, budget account and savings account.  Financial freedom is having the means to survive plus a little bit more.


Lessons Not Yet Learned:
I have not yet learned what I am the best at.  I think I have the potential to be a great leader as in a healthcare manager or administrator, however I still have more to learn.  I am currently applying for a new health clinic supervisor position to prove my leading and training skills.  I want to continue to grow, learn and improve myself.


A Reference and Categorization Method:
PRIVATE VS PUBLIC VICTORIES (The Ministry of Business pages 90-91)
Private Victory:
1.    Be proactive (granddaddy of all habits)
2.    Begin with the end in mind (those who win private victories see where they want to end up)
3.    First things first (have a plan, then execute the plan)
Public Victory
1.    Think win/win (versus win/lose)
2.    First seek to understand, then seek to be understood (empathetic listening)
3.    Create singer (1+1 = anything greater than 2)

FINANCIAL FITNESS (The Ministry of Business page 123)
1.    Independent Account
a)    Pay yourself first
b)    Interests and profits from investments
c)    Gold Account – investments and assets
2.    Budget Account
a)    Tithes and offerings
b)    Domestic expenses
c)    Living expenses
d)    Family expenses
e)    All normal costs of living
3.    Savings Account
a)    Non-Regular Expenses: rates/taxes, Christmas, transport, vacation, medical, etc.

b)    Car, boat, cruise, yacht, dream, etc.

Saturday, September 26, 2015

Week One

9/26/15
This week we learned a lot about beginning our entreprenuial journey.  And in order to start you first have to figure out where you want to be in your life and what goals you want to accomplish.  There were many great inspirational articles and videos that helped me to think deeper about what good I want to do in the world and how I can coincide that with my personal goals and aspirations to have a fulfilling and happy career.

Lessons Learned:
The book titled The Ministry of Business provides so much insight into the right ways to become a successful entrepreneur and how to tie that into our faith as members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.  Chapter one discusses divine guidance in business and how important it is to recognize God's hand in all things.  I love how he talks about attending the temple for personal revelation and to listen to promptings.  I think one key piece of business that many people do not live by is to stick to your moral codes and values that you know to be true.  This can make all the difference in having a true and honest company that is doing good in the world.  Chapter two is about the power of covenants.  He shared his experience of leaving a current successful job in order to build his own company and the trials that stemmed from that, including a lengthy and hurtful lawsuit.  It is important to listen to divine inspiration, and uphold your covenants with God both in your personal life and business life.  Chapter three is called beware the double life.  This chapter really resonated with me, especially because my husband and I currently live our lives in a manner where we share everything with each other.  I never wanted to be in a marriage where work and home lives are kept separate.  I love that my husband and I are able to discuss everything about our day and to offer each other advice and counsel when we are struggling or in need of it.  Sharing and trusting with your spouse in every aspect of life is important.

Lessons Not Yet Learned:
I have not learned enough about myself to know what entrepreneur goals I have.  I still have more work to do in order to figure out where I want to be and how I want to get there.  Starting a family is very important to me and I know that I will not be able to reach all of my business goals and be the best mom that I can be.  So I may start changing my goals to help my husband get to where he wants to be first and then figure out how I can accomplish my own goals in the later years when my kids are in school.

A Reference and Categorization Method:
Randy Pausch's Last Lecture was a very strong lecture and is something that I think everyone should see. His advice applies to everyone, business oriented or not.
The link to part of his speech is: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yVIvHKTNsqg
The link to the entire transcript of his lecture is: http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~pausch/Randy/pauschlastlecturetranscript.pdf


My professor also asked that we respond to a few questions in regard to Randy Pausch's Last Lecture.


Q: Why do you think Randy Pausch was able to achieve so many of his childhood dreams?
A: Randy Pausch was a very determined and imaginative person.  He had that special personality already alive inside of him to achieve anything he set his mind to.  I do believe that some people have this stronger inside of them than others, but everyone has the potential.  He worked extremely hard and did not give up.  He was able to learn from his mistakes, learn from those around him, and use his creativity and perfect his skills.

Q: Do you feel that dreaming is important? Why or why not?
A: Yes dreaming is very important, it is how we begin to create our goals and aspirations, based off dreams.  If we never dreamed of the incredible things we could do in life to make us happy then we would have pretty pathetic goals and would not have achieved as much.

Q: Discuss at least one of your childhood dreams. Explain why you believe you can or cannot achieve this dream.
A: One of my childhood dreams was to work in a Zoo.  I absolutely love animals and always wanted to work with them and experience their world.  Although as I have gotten older my desire to work in a zoo has decreased I have altered that dream to helping animals instead.  I cannot volunteer for the zoo because they require a long training period and I work full-time, but I have in the past and still do volunteer with animal shelters or local animal rescues.  My husband and I used to go to the Humane Society bi-weekly to play with and care for the animals there.  We would also help encourage people to take them home and adopt.  My love for animals is still relevant and although my childhood dream may have changed slightly, I can still achieve my dream of working with animals through volunteer work.  And someday I still would like to volunteer at the zoo, possibly when I am no loner working.

Thursday, September 17, 2015

Introduction Week

9/17/15
This week I started back in classes after taking two semesters off.  My Introduction to Entrepreneurship class requires that I create a blog to keep a journal of my thoughts, experiences and the things I am learning.  I will break down each post into three sections: lessons learned, lessons not yet learned, and a reference and categorization method.  And here it begins!

Lessons Learned:
This week has been a basic introduction of what an entrepreneur is.  From the readings and videos I have learned that becoming an entrepreneur is not only about making money for yourself and having a successful business.  But it also entails your personal journey, doing what makes you happy and surrounding yourself with others that build you up.  It all starts with integrity and the best of intentions.  Having a strong sense of who you are and knowing that you can and will succeed, despite the bumps and inevitable changes you will experience along the way.

Lessons Not Yet Learned:
I really enjoyed the video "Lesson 1: Introduction of Launching Leaders" and the friends and principles of success that Jim Ritchie shared.  I look forward to gaining a deeper level of understanding into each of these principles and steps.  I also have yet to learn about the many risks that instill fear in me when it comes to starting a new business.  It seems like the number one reason people do not being an entrepreneurial journey is because of the fear of failure.  I'd like to learn more about how to overcome that fear and how to create a plan to overcome changes and problems along the journey.

A Reference and Categorization Method:
As the introduction week to the course I did not encounter any specific problems or tools that I felt necessary to reference.  I really enjoyed the video from President Hinckley of the building dedication.  I want to remember the love, emotion and spirit that I felt watching that video.  And keep those words with me throughout my entire schooling, career and life.  Here is the link to that video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_B6ad6stHo