My last Lecture

Just do it! Life is too short to sit around wishing for the things that might have been or the things you want to do. Just do them. The fact is we will fail at things. Prepare for the fall and pick yourself up and keep on moving. Don’t let anything get in the way of your success. Success won’t come until after you start so get started! 

Much has been learned yet there is still much to learn. The entrepreneur’s journey isn’t an easy one that’s for sure.  It’s overwhelming and full of insecurities. The best way to combat insecurities is with knowledge.  Fill yourself with the knowledge of those you came before you. There’s zero need to reinvent the wheel. It works great as it is. Don’t waste your time when someone else has put in place a successful model. There are hundreds of great models out there set up for you. Find the one that you can relate to the most and embrace it. I found a book called The Ministry of Business by Steven A Hitz with Hames W. Ritchie was a perfect set up for me. Again find what’s right for you and run with it. Learn all you can.

It is vital you learn everything. Entrepreneurs are more than just a cool business idea.  You have to have more than that if you are to be successful. You must learn accounting/bookkeeping, filing. Add to that warehouse, storage, buying and selling. Don’t forget insurance to protect yourself from that random stuff life throws at you or your company. The more you know of these and many other aspects of business the more you can do on your own. Which means you’re saving money and you have more control of your business and the direction you want to go at least until it’s time to expand.

Don’t Settle! So many people settle in life for example in careers, or worse spouses. You deserve the best you can afford don’t settle for something less than that. Don’t go in crazy debt buying the best save buy quality the first time. Be picky about you friends and the people you put around you in both your personal life and your business life. Putting the right people around you makes all the difference in the world. The right people will lift you up and support you when you are down. They will be by your side through thick and thin and will say something to keep you out of trouble.

Lastly, Believe. To quote one of my favorite movies Serenity “I don’t care what you believe, just believe it” I believe our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Maybe you do maybe you don’t. Find your higher power, I guarantee He’s there ready to help you in your journey.

He believes in you as do I. 

Roundness

This week we learned of Randy Haykin a quite impressive individual. Who, like many, kept them busy and learned all they could learn in many areas. He’s a great example of what we all should be doing. Getting a job and just doing the basics isn’t enough we should go the extra mile. It may not be in our job descriptions to do a particular task but if we are able we should help. There are the types of attributes I aspire to and should I get the opportunity look for in employees. I would want my employees to want to learn the different jobs the business has to offer. It allows for people to try out other fields of interest and help them improve their skill set. Although it may take more time to teach someone how to do something instead of just hiring someone to do it, it’s worth it in the end. That’s what we should be doing helping those around us. As we encourage our employee’s to grow and learn they become better people. We may lose them to another company however we can sleep well at night knowing we helped them become better. Until I am in that position to help others in a business I will do I can to help the business I’m in by learning all I can. 

Doing all I can

The real justification for existence of business according to Charles handy is “is not to make a profit… it is to make a profit so that the business can do something more or better.”

We learned in this week’s readings and video’s just that. Yes, we need to put food on the table but we need get the business to do something more or better. We should treat our employee’s with respect and care and support them. This can be done many ways, days off with pay, lunch’s or treats. Perhaps allow pets to be brought in to the office. When you take care of your people they take care of you.

We should take some of the proceeds of the business and give back to a local charity help the 

community we are a part of. As we make it more personal we will establish stronger bonds with our clients/customers and which will help us make that much of a greater impact.

Finishing the book A field Guide for the Hero’s Journey by Jeff Sandefer and Reverend Robert Sirico was on our list of things to do this week. It was a good book with different takes from people of all walks of life from all different times of civilization. I started volunteering at 11 years old and it’s all I have ever wanted to do, give back. My dream would be to start my own foundation and give grants. In the book I just mentioned on the last page it essentially asks if you accomplished all you wanted to, what would you want to do? What would be your next adventure? Take care of mom and help the world is my answer. I am doing what I can. I am happy knowing I’m doing all I can now. 

Money

My attitude towards money:

For the longest time I didn’t like money. It seems to just get in the way of life. It was a constant reminder of having to deal with creditors and bills.  Now that I’m older and have a little extra to play with it’s not so bad. Money helps us live more comfortably. It puts food in our bellies and roof over my head.

I was fortunate enough to run a nonprofit for a number of years were all we did was give grants. It was an incredible job that I loved. Still the best job I’ve ever had.  It was great seeing how money could make such a difference in life. That would be dream job open my own nonprofit and just give money away.

How can money affect the way I live?

As I said previously it gives me a nice life style. I’m warm when it’s cold and wet out and cool when it’s hot and dry. I have warm showers and the most comfortable bed. We are able to have pets and feed the missionaries. Without money I could be like those that are living at shelters not knowing where my next meal will come from.

Rules recommended for prospering:

In this class we’ve learned all sorts of rules and they all have been good. Of course, save for the future, don’t take from your core funds, invest wisely the list goes on. To that I’ll add a few of my own rules I’ve learned along the way. 1. No spontaneous shopping. When shopping don’t just grab something and throw it in the cart. Stores are set up to get people to add extra items I do my best to not get caught up in that mess. 1a When you find that great item put it down and walk away. I’ve found if I roam the store or mall after time passes that item usually loses it’s luster, if it doesn’t go back and get it.  2. Don’t buy something just because it’s on sale. Just because it’s a good deal doesn’t mean I need to own that item.

These humble rules have helped me not get into crazy debt or buy random stuff I don’t need or want. All I need to do now is get a job we can recover from the curve ball life through us.

Get Busy Living or Get Busy Dying

It’s funny how things happen. We move to get life in order then I lose my job. One is supposed to be sad but to be honest I’m not. I didn’t like commuting so far away from my family and I needed to be home more to help my mom. We have 3 calling to tend to plus school I was having a hard time getting things situated. I know I should be freaking out with the money but I have faith the Lord will open doors.

This was a busy week with papers, readings my heads still spinning from, a week reflecting my doubts and fears.  My interviewee said “Don’t be afraid, there are a lot of things to be afraid of in life but sharing your abilities shouldn’t be one of them.” True words

In chatting with my interviewee some business ideas have popped into mind it’s time to stop thinking and get busing doing. I’ll make mistakes I’ll have regrets, those thing will happen but it’s time to take a step forward and move. No more cowering and doubting.  

This scene from the movie The Shawshank Redemption sums it up best:

Faith

Everything we have learned up until now and this week has been uplifting and helpful. I have yet to find anything I disagree with and usually spend my time saying... duh doesn’t everyone know that? It helps I having been in the work force since I was a kid. Having an extensive background in the non-profit world is pretty nice too.

For me this week has been a week of faith. 4 months ago my family moved across two state lines, essentially from one end of the country to the other. We have loved every minute here in the PNW and don’t regret this change. Once we got the house in order we set out to find jobs.  I found a good one for what we needed.

Yesterday I was let go from said job. As I have good friends and family everyone is expressing sympathy, which I appreciate however I don’t feel that bad because I have faith.

Yes, hiring ethical people is a good thing. Not extending one’s self further then one can is a good thing. Leading by example is a great thing. But the best of things is having faith.

Our church is a working church as such we are asked to do specific jobs at no cost. In four months we have been given 3 of these jobs. The 3 callings together add up to a part time job. I care for my other part time, got to school part time and actually work part time. As you can see there are a few to many part times going on in my life.

My prayers these past few weeks when we accepted the last calling was help me find the time so I can do it right. By putting it in the Lord’s hands he found away and cut one of the part times out for me. That same day another work from home option opened up. Faith is an incredible thing. 

Blood, Toil, Tears, Sweat

Winston Churchill’s famous “Victory- Victory at all Costs speech was in a different time. The threat of Nazi’s was on the horizon and the world was at war.

We may be at a different time but we can still offer up all that we are in all that we do. Which is easier said than done at times, well most of the time. My math class for this week is crazy, even my tutor can’t quite figure out what’s being asked or how to do it. The human side of me wants to run and hide but as we are learning here in business class we need to toil give tears, sweat and maybe even some blood.

 Those that do give up don’t succeed and can’t enjoy sweet victory. (My entire family will rejoice when this math class is over, it's been that stressful, what's crazy i'm good at math!) It is easier to give up, but it’s not the Lords way. I’m grateful Christ didn’t give up in Gethsemane. That would have been really bad. Which helps give me courage to keep on going.

Thankfully I do not have to take on the sins of the world just figure out math for the real world problems that I have in my 40+ years on this earth have yet to use. Starting a business seems to pale in comparison to word problems. But then I have years of experience managing a business and zero experience with combining probabilities.

I’m extremely grateful heaven doesn’t require word problems to get in. I've given lots of toil, tears and sweat this week. Let's hope my math class doesn't require much blood.