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. 

Mastery

We studied two things this week. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People and we finished the book Mastery by George Leonard.  

Of all the 7 habits I think sharpening the saw is the one I need to focus on the most. I am notorious for diving in head first and plugging away at something until I can’t do it anymore at that point I walk away. I’ve started a number of hobbies and gave up after I get burned out. Just this week I unearthed a sewing project that was about an hour away from being done from a few years ago I never finished.

This leads me to what I took away from Mastery. Focusing on the mundane everyday stuff and learning to enjoy it. Becoming aware in all I do not just the project. I need to include dishes, TV watching even driving.  

By sharpening my saw on a regular basis and taking the time away from projects I won’t get burned out and I’ll become that much better at them. Taking the time to stop and do something else will help me to focus on the everyday stuff, such as dishes etc. As I hone my focus skills on one thing it will help me to hone my skills on the next thing.

If time allows I will be finishing that project today. If not today my next day off. 

The Dreaded Plateau

Mastery: The Keys to Success and Long-Term Fulfillment by George Leonard has been the most insightful from my readings this week. I'm the master at starting up something and never finishing it, it's a trait that drives me crazy. It's true in almost ever aspect of my life as well. I'll pick up a hobby such as quilting, I'll work on it then hit a plateau of learning get board and move on to the next hobby such as scrapbooking. 

We painted the dinning room in our home and I missed a 3 foot edge along the ceiling I've never gone back to fix it. I'll do dishes and leave that 1 pot on the stove. 

I get so close to the end and never follow through, part of it is my ability to forget anything that's not in front of me. My husband has joked about putting "I totally forgot" on my tombstone. We're only partially way through this book but it's helping me look at plateaus as more of an enjoyment verse a hindrance. I wish I could say oh it was this one line or x chapter that woke me from my stupor but not yet so far one has to read the whole thing, no cliff notes here.

I know I'll forget things, I am human but now I know I'll be better about following through with things. For that I am grateful. Now to finish up some old projects. 

A Hero's Journey

We watched and read many things in class this week. This week we saw/listened to a speech which was good but I still have no idea who it is. I agree with most of what he said. 

One thing he said that I seem to have picked up on years ago, is learn to live a life of meaning. I don't know how or when I understood this concept but I've known it for a while. I started volunteering at 12 years old. I didn't realize what I was doing was work I just loved helping people. In my young years of volunteering I also learned the importance of small things and how even just the littlest thing can make a difference, a smile for example. Someone who's had a bad day or week, who's been nothing but dumped on could have their day turned around with a smile. Which is another thing I picked up on as a kid that he spoke about be happy. No one wants to be around a downer.

The only thing I didn't "agree" with and it's just for me personally is writing myself a letter to keep me on the straight and narrow path for when I want to cross a line. For me a letter isn't something I need, for me a picture of the Temple is more appropriate. I have a current Temple recommend for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. It's a wonderful thing that I don't want to lose because of poor decision making. 

Fears

This week in my business class we had to create a fear list. List all the fears we have about starting a business. The second column was how to break that fear down and combat it. For example, if you’re afraid of losing that great job with a nice income one could get a part time job to help offset the costs while the business takes off. The last column was how long it would take to get out of the mess should that fear come to fruition. I filled out the form because I had to do an assignment however I don’t have those kinds of fears anymore.

1 year ago, if not to the day, to the week my husband was laid off from his job. After a lot of prayer, meeting with a member of church leadership and going to the temple we got confirmation we were to sell the house and move out of state. It’s not a hard thing people do it all the time. For us though the Lord made it an interesting ride.

As we had confirmation and direction from the Lord we knew what we had to do. We had a few family members freak out with the idea and throw up a number of questions/concerns. We’d get all sorts of questions, what about jobs? What about where you’ll live? The Lord didn’t give us those answers. The only answer he would give us was to the question directly ahead of us. They stopped asking because we couldn't give them any answers. All we knew was get the house ready for sale. Once we did that it was put it on the market. Once that happened it was wait until we could accept an offer. 

We had no idea what the final destination would be. All we knew was if we just take one step the Lord would provide a piece of the puzzle. Once that piece fell into place we’d be given the next piece. This went on for 10 months!!!! I have to “say” that again… 10 months! It was a crazy but incredibly spiritual.

Our situation was complicated with moving my mother and her deteriorating health but we succeeded because we carefully followed the Lord's direction and walked the path he provided for us. We didn’t argue or complain we just did the next step directly in front of us. By walking in that deep of faith for so long I’ve no learned there’s nothing to fret about if it’s God’s will.

Letting My Light Shine

The best way to sum up this week is this quote from Marianne Williamson's book A Return to Love: Reflections on the Principles of a Course in Miracles:

"'Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us.' We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small doesn't serve the world. there's nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t' feel insecure around you . . . We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we're liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others."

I am, and know, I am a child of mighty King why would I not allow myself to succeed? I, being treasured child, need to change my words and thoughts to be greater than what they are now. I am destined for greater things and need to put my best foot forward unafraid. Once I do a great many wonderful things will happen because of my lineage. 

The other thing I take away from this is the obligation I have as a child of King. There is lots of work to be done when one is royalty. Meetings, treaties, and improvements are required of someone of a royal line, such as me. As a daughter of the all might God and being royalty it is required I let my talents shine brightly. We learn in Matthew 25 not using our talents angers the Lord to the point he will take them away. I don't want to have my birthright taken away. Which means I have to have courage to learn what I have been given and magnify it. 

Being a part of a group has been going on since the dawn of civilization; it will continue to go on long after I have left this earth. Human nature encourages us to "hang with the crowd" and not rock the boat. What I love about this quote is, it is a reminder we shouldn’t dim our light too fit in but should let be as bright as it can be. Reflect the light the Lord pours down on us. As we do others will follow and do the same. 

It's a powerful quote that has changed my thinking. 

Childhood Dreams

Randy Pauch's last lecture was a required reading this week in class. Achieving your childhood dreams. As a child I don't recall having dreams of working at x company or becoming x profession.The only drive I was born with was the drive to find the true church. That is story for another day. It's a good one too.

My dreamless childhood wasn't because I had a hard life, it was because I was living the dream. I was raised by a single mom and during the summers my brother and I would be placed in YMCA day care while she worked. To say I thrived is a little bit of an understatement. I loved it! We'd travel all over Southern California and did it all, the beach, theme parks (all of them), skating, swimming. We even toured a city water treatment plant. I adored every waking minute. Once summer was over I would, what my mom called hibernate, until summer again. To this day I still smile when I smell summer coming. (yes, in May, in California there is a scent in the air. I now know it's a sent of fog but a scent non the less.) As I grew up I started working for "the Y." I've had just about every job a youth could have, lifeguard, swim teacher, after school site manager etc. I worked for them until 10 years ago. At that point I was engaged and as much as I loved working for the Y it didn't pay the bills we were about to incurred so it was time to move on. I was OK with it actually. It was time to move on and I, a new member of the church, had a different mind set.

He're I am 10 years later focusing on an assignment to come up with a new dream. From my childhood all I did was play. It's my first instinct. Like Peter from "Office Space" dream was to do nothing mine would be to play all day, and travel the world. I looked high and low for a job that did that but so far no luck. Although now that I have a home and a family I don't really want to go far unless they could go with me. It's funny how things change.

Randy Pauch accomplished a lot of his childhood dreams. His analogy of hitting the brick wall summed it up. The wall isn't there to stop you but to show how much you want things.

Dreaming helps launch us, it's vital. One can't go into space, let alone the market, without a launch. Where do I want to be launched next? Going back to school has been a dream for the last 15 or so years. That dream has started to take off. I'm finishing up my first year at BYUI. I only have 4 more years to go. Yay!

Future dreams, you may ask. To have fun, enjoy life, and of course, play.

The Beginning

It is funny how life happens and things we don't plan on end up being wonderful. Here I am blogging again, not necessarily by choice. It's certainly not a topic I'd want to write about...myself. But life has guided me to go back to school and the stars aligned to bring me here.

Here I am, at the start a of a new journey. Thank you business class. At this point in this journey my eyes roll and my fingers want to type no thank you. Some how I have a sneaky feeling I'll be singing or at least typing a different tune by the end of these next 14 weeks.

Part of my business degree requires I take an entrepreneurship class. This week we learned everyone is an entrepreneur. I've never seen myself as an entrepreneur, although there are things about it that sound great, working for myself doing something I love. I am not a go-getter and the last thing I am is competitive. I've always put my life in the Lords hands, a leaf in the Lords wind. Floating from place to place. He's never steered me wrong. By doing so I've had some interesting experiences. Experiences, that I questioned at first, dating my now husband for example, but now I've embraced them. This class makes me thing I could help guide which way I go in that wind. It is an interesting concept that could bring some deep insights.

As long as the Lord stays at the helm, I'm game.