Week 14       

        This semester has been filled with great lessons and advice from spiritual leaders and successful businessmen. What I have learned from the two is the importance of balance in all things. The family should always come first and be at the forefront of our life. Work will always remain and we can come back to it the next day. Also, to focus on work when we are at work and the family when we are with the family. In addition, keep a journal to track our daily progress so we can look back to realize patterns and successes and failures. This will help us to continue to make progress and keep a positive trend.

My last bit of advice for someone wanting to begin the entrepreneur journey would be to make your dream a reality. Start a plan of action and get advice from friends and family. Next, find a mentor to help you through the process of every step and to be there when things get hard.  Also, align yourself with those already in the business and see how you could potentially do it better. In addition, ask them questions pertaining to how they would handle certain situations guided by their experience.

My words of advice, direction, or caution I would you give someone if I had only one chance to give my own last lecture would be to remain faithful in everything you do and success will continually be with you. If we can align our-selves with the Lord and keep His commandments then we will prosper in the land; however, that does not mean we will not have trials nor failed prospects. It means that we will have the blessings we need to continue in our journey towards perfection and exaltation and the experience to help and uplift others.

Week 13

       What I have found to be most important int his week's readings was the importance of being a leader and learning from your failures. When we understand what it means to have lives in our hands (employees) then we will make better business decisions and calculated risk assessments.  Reading about Randy Hankins and his failed company has led me to rethink the way I look at the day to day operations and the importance of decision making.  Randy's thoughts on leadership were," a leader is someone who creates something from nothing." This could be getting others around you to support an idea or concept or solving an industry problem that has existed.  In addition, a leader will eventually be able to take a step back and listen to other ideas.  Also, a leader possesses magnetism like charisma which is an emotional element.  A good leader also has far more than just a vision he sees an endpoint and opportunities that exist before others do. 

Learning from our failures can be our greatest asset if we allow it to be.  For starters, we need to understand the dynamics of decision making and the balance between the two. If we can all learn from our mistakes, then they will never have to be repeated nor feel burdened by them.  Having a mentor will help in this process to navigate us through the resilient times.  In addition to that, failures are what you have learned not to do and thus we can turn them into what to-dos. Keeping a focus on the positivity will keep an equilibrium and strengthen the focal point for the planned vision.

These two important lessons have solidified what I have known to be true through my personal business experience and action. If we allow our experiences to help is grow, we can move along the path towards being our best selves.

           

Week 12

       

         In this week’s lesson, I have gained some new insights into the importance of helping others when in the time of need. Also, the real reason as to why one should go into business and the significance of being honest in reporting sales.  

After reading the article What’s A Business For by Charles Handy, I have realized how important virtue and integrity are so important to the economy. If we fail to report actual earnings honestly then it can have a negative impact on the business and those that work for the company.  This effect can cause job loss and hurt the local economy and the integrity of the company in the future; however, this does happen often as they report higher earnings to raise their stock portfolio.

The real justification for the existence of business is to make a profit so it can be used to do something better according to Charles Handy.  This has become a moral issue and one should not posses all the profits for himself without helping others. This also reminds me of the story about Tom Monaghan of Domino’s Pizza. He was buying every toy he could and had a home that was excessively large and realized one day that he really had not lived and was wasting his resources. He began to raise money for charities and help those around him.

Charles Handy gave two examples of how businesses can create better cooperate behavior and democracy to improve current culture in the publics' eyes. The contribution ethic is one where we can contribute to society and improve the world around us. In addition, to creating new technologies and products and improving new service businesses.

I believe that Mr. Handy has made some great points on how we can help those less fortunate to become successful.  Helping those around us is a Christ-like attribute and when shared with others it truly changes the world and helps it become a brighter place.  

Week 11

Some of the lessons covered in this week’s learning were impactful and inspired me the think deeply about the exchange between time and currency. Money and the responsibility of it and the trade-off necessary to earn it. Why do we put a value on time and how do we measure it?  These are some of the things I think about often and how it affects the way we live and the attitude towards our potential.

My attitude towards money and the responsibility to handle it comes from my grandfather who was raised during the great depression. We were reminded often to use every morsel of substance we had and wasting was not an option. He worked hard for his family and always had side jobs to bring in extra when he was not at the fire station. Even though he was gone many nights, he would always come home to see his family when needed.

How do we measure the value of money against time? This is a thought that has led me to a greater understanding of the importance of the family.  Often I ask my children what is one thig we are given that we can never be given back? The answer is time... When we acknowledge this we can see how time and money can be valued and the responsibility to handle it carefully. The balance between the two is crucial to have a successful life and endure many challenges.

Family is our most important asset that our Heavenly Father has given us. We must give care and love to those whom we have been given charge of.  As we do this, it will be manifested through generations of our descendants. When we establish a pattern of investing time as apposed to wasting we will impower our children and our children’s to practice the same value in their homes and families.

Week 10

       What I found to be most significant in this week’s learning was the necessity of planning and action. We all have dreams and in order to achieve them, we must have these two crucial steps to be part of the process. To dream big is a key motivator to accomplish the life long goals of an entrepreneur and see the success of our endeavors. With all great things in life and spiritually they both followed these two important footsteps.

 We often find ourselves in challenging positions and wonder why or how we got there. Also, we can greatly miss the point of contact with a potential lead or sale with a client. Planning should be at the forefront of everyday life and business opportunity. While in the process of planning it’s important to complete the activities in phases.  This will rule out missed opportunities and be a constant guide and keep you focused on what’s important.

The next part of the procedure is to implement action. Taking action can be a difficult motion of the operation. The word action is a verb and it requires movement in the proceedings.  If we lack this component or do so lacking any real intention then we will be failures before the business operates.  At times we can become hesitant in the action process by our fears and doubts; however, we can call upon the Lord and ask for strength and direction to help us complete the motions. When we exercise faith then we will be shown the way through the Spirit and personal revelation.

To dream big is not to accept the status quo and settle for second best, its to make you dream a reality. Also, a dream is just a dream if planning and action are not put into place and acted upon.

             

Week 9

  I find my self pondering the things that I’ve learned over this week in class. One of the things that stood out to me the most was what Guy Kawasaki said about trust.  He began to explain that you need to trust your clients and they will have trust in you.  Meaning, it’s imperative to give the customer a product and let them try it out with them knowing that it can be returned with no problems. It has been stated by large companies that the most successful businesses have the best return policies. This also builds a great report and a lifetime customer that will continue to buy your products or use your services.

This brings me to another point I want to make about success in a company.  The people we hire make all the difference in the atmosphere and the overall structure and building blocks of its foundation. Getting the right people in the right place and having a solid culture brings about a positive formation securing the fundamentals and principles of operating a business. Though this can be time-consuming, being tenacious will contribute to the reward of it all coming together.

Being a leader is a major responsibility that requires someone to have empathy as well as strength. It’s been stated that you can be taught how to be a leader; however, I strongly disagree with that statement due to my experience working with them.  Generally speaking, I call them the term “Manager” and regard them as not being a leader.  Managers don’t listen to employees, show favoritism to non-producers that kiss up. In addition, they like to operate the company with a stronghold micro-manage everything and chase all the good employees away.  A real leader listens and is compassionate and can make decisions while being neutral.  People don’t leave companies to chase a better option they leave because of poor cultures.  

Week 8

When cornered with obstacles (and we will be continually) what’s the best way to overcome them and still remain on top of situations.  Also, what are some of the ways we can combat the things In the future? While pursuing our careers and having an active life with family how does one prepare themselves with setbacks?

One of my greatest lessons came to me when I had equipment break down and I was not able to meet my obligation for one week. I was not prepared for this type of occurrence and injunction. At that time I had five-hundred and fifty customers and they all were demanding service. This lesson we covered this week has reminded me of the time I was not prepared. The lingering question was, could this happen again, will I be able to turn this situation positive and will I lose my customer base for this pending problem.

My solution to the occurrence was needing to be prepared and establish a system for quick repairs and analysis. The machines had many moving parts so I would look at schematics and breakdown everything. I’d take the time learning the names of the parts and their respective purpose and how to identify it failed. There was a lot of time reading and studying and searching and buying parts.

This allowed me to take control of the problem by being proactive and I was able to understand the workings of the engine, hydraulics and wheel motors. In addition, I brought tools with me so I could work on the equipment in the field and continue with production. Having parts on hand allowed for quick fixes and the complex ones gave me the opportunity to have the necessary parts on hand without the delay of days from ordering.  Also, this allowed me to have a balanced life with my family and being proactive with my time.

Week 7

This week was intriguing with the lessons learned In the seven habits an how we can form them and become better individuals. The habit that I choose to write on is being proactive and what it means; however, this does not mean to be pushy, aggressive and insensitive. Instead, it’s more about controlling the situation for a more positive outcome. Though we may be free to choose our response we are not entitled to choose the outcome from our actions. As we develop and improve upon our proactive skills it will help us be better prepared during times of disasters

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 Other great habits to form are, to begin with, the end in mind, put things first, think/win, seek first to understand, synergize and sharpen the saw. These helpful habits will help to fill your life with passion and purpose as you seek better understanding and enlightenment through the processes of personal growth. Once you master them, your ability to accomplish goals and purpose will become greater and the time allotted will give heed to further success.

When talking about passion and loving what we do Guy Kawasaki said, “ Whatever you building it's about passion because you love it. If you love it and change the world you will be rich.” Often, I find my self in deep thought about the things that I would like to accomplish. Some, but not all of them will and can change the way we operate businesses and thus are world-changing and can result in high monetary payoffs. However, like Guy stated, it’s not about the money it’s about passion and the wealth that comes from the emotions of the success. There within one can find the greatest form of payment that’s endless and fills more coffers then one form of monetary payment could ever.  

Week 6

What I found this week to be most important was finding a balance in life and having boundaries. Entrepreneurs are often seen as people with no boundaries and poised to be successful with no added time for useless activities. However, we should set ground rules to live by and take personal time for our families. With balance we can achieve a higher means of greatness and prosperousness results. In everything we do if there is no equilibrium then there is a ricketiness and things tend to come apart from the seems.

Another great lifelong lesson is about having self-mastery and the ability to implement it by putting it into action. The two elements that an individual needs to succeed and put into action are first, to determine your course of action or our moral standards. The next element you need is the will power to succeed; what drives you to reach your goals.  Leonardo da Vinci said, “the height of a man’s success is gauged by his self-mastery.”  Having self-mastery is a skill we all need to obtain as it will help keep us balanced and on the narrow path.

In order to keep these relevant to our lives, an individual must have a journal of daily and weekly activities to reflect upon. This will ensure we have a balance in all things and hold to the boundaries we set and the ground rules. Solomon was a man remembered for his great wisdom but he said, “He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city.” Just like Solomon, once that we learn to control our own lives we will be able to master all the other things. Once we create the path then and only then the wind of prosperity will fill our sails and carry us through the seas of life.

Week 5

While I watched the video, "A Hero’s Journey" and the thought came to mind, what is a hero? A hero is someone who gives of himself in selfless acts of kindness and at times putting their life in jeopardy for the protection of others.  A man of great courage and a moral compass that surpasses most in the world. While watching this video I could see the journey that took Corey Bell into a path that he can be considered a hero.

I find myself intrigued as he speaks in a manner of such calmness and rudimentary form characterized by the strength of the spirit. He begins to remind us that we need to have a plan and align our life with it. Cory realized that the plan for his life was not heading in the direction as it was intended to. Have we not had dreams of success and wanted to break out of the norm and live life without regrets? Following the status quo is always the easy answer and the broader road.  In addition, it’s not fulfilling, and we need to break away from easy street and travel the narrow road where dreams are envisioned, and realities are made. Cory said, “the richest place in the world is the graveyard.”  That is where dreams are left behind and the words “what if” linger in the hearts of the deceased. We need to start every day by removing the doubts and the “can't” from our vocabulary and business model.

Cory Bell believes that we should do things that contribute to society and build and strengthen family ties. During the hurricane Ike, he traveled to Houston with employees to assist the communities with the notion of wanting to help. At the end of our lives the money we made won't matter nor the status or title we held. What we did will live on in our legacy and for future generations.

While I reflect on what a hero is Cory comes to mind with his selfless acts of kindness towards his family and those around him. He continued to believe in a dream and made it a reality while making an impact wherever he went.

Week 4

       This week was filled with many great key aspects that can be both productive and useful in life to help further one’s ability to grow both secularly and spiritually. Doing what we love will always result in us becoming better at what we do and inspire us as individuals to seek greater distinction. In addition, what we are good at is not essentially what we should be doing. Finding our true calling doesn’t necessarily mean to follow the instincts of others but rather what drives the passion within us. The considerable question one must ask themselves comes to mind is, “what are we born to do”?  Often, I can find myself in prayer and deep thought as I ponder the things the Lord would have me do and how He see me. What is my potential and how do I achieve it?

Some of the questions were answered when I read the book Launching Leaders by Steve Heinz.  His step-by-step process goes as follows. The cycle of spiritual guidance is the first step in the process of taking control of our lives. We need to recognize that we are children of a Heavenly King and are loved.  He is our creator and is intimately aware of who we are and our desires. This gives us peace allowing a sense of confidence embolden us in everything we do. It increases our trust in our inner voice and enable us to listen to the Holy Spirit as he guides us. We need to pay attention and listen as this is how Heavenly Father speaks to us. Often, we are given a nudge to do something that is positive or a bad feeling when we need to stay away from something.  The next step is to have faith to act the right way. We do this by recognizing the powerful influence of the Spirit and trusting in His guidance. Writing down inspiration we receive will help us to remember what we need to do. Be at peace with Heaven’s timing. There are many times in our lives where this step comes in after we have acted faithfully.

In conclusion, the driving force within us will enable ourselves to develop a more full understanding of who we are, what are our passions, and what is our full potential.  That way we can fulfill our individual mission in life.

Week 3  BUS 110

Interesting things that I came across this week in my educational experience. For starters, we listened to Frank Levinson talk about his experience in business and the importance of surrounding yourself with good people. Frank said, “the world is not as clean as you think it is.” His expression of words meant that the people you surround yourself with may not have the intentions or desires that you possess and to be careful. In addition, keep a positive work environment and allow yourself to have family time.  Also, keep balance with work, family and church callings while striving to be a success.

Another great lesson to remember is to have some skin in the game. Jan Newman explained how this concept made the difference for him when he first started out. Having skin in the game or being all in means to put your own towards the business to keep it running and not rely on everyone else. This helps to ensure that one will do whatever is necessary to become a success and see every loose end tied.

In the case study about Magdalena, she desired to earn an education at an early age and come to America with her family. She applied to MIT and IIT and accepted the invitation to IIT graciously. However, within a year Magdalena left Chicago to continue her studies at Stanford where she earned her degree. She was an entrepreneur at heart and later discovered that burning passion inside and the excitement of closing the deal. One of the things that I admired about her was that she listened and offered advice.  When she asked questions, they were simple to understand and caused the individual to ponder deeply before answering.

I can see the importance of listening to those you interact with and asking probing questions into the daily dealings of business matters. Building rapport and maintaining the relationships you make is key for future endeavors and fulfilling life. I admire those who can maintain and keep the balance in all things.

Week 2 

Entrepreneur Journal:




The inspiration that I gained from this week came directly from the speech given by Randy Pausch. He was a Professor of computer science and believed in childhood dreams should be our pathway to individualism and a better life. He stated, "It's not how you achieve your dream but how you lead your life. If you lead your life the right way the karma will take care of itself." Although Randy has a profound reason to encourage us to live our childhood dream, he did so in a courageous and hopeful way. Albeit, these are the blessing from Heavenly Father in accordance with living a faithful life and working towards accomplishing goals.

 I realized that when we dream, we should inherently put them to the test. A dream is just a thought or expression of one's imagination until we put it into motion. I have learned from Tom Kelly that we should treat life, dreams, and aspirations like an experiment. I truly believe that failing forward helps us achieved many of our dreams through the process of experimentation. Nathan Hawthorne said, "Happiness is a butterfly, which when pursued, is always just beyond your grasp, but which, if you will sit down quietly, may alight upon you."

My childhood dream was to be educated, be self-sustaining and own a business. Throughout the years, I have achieved these dreams and realized that there are more obstacles like brick walls that cause cessation of your abilities to keep you from further success. Thus, only allowing you to be just a dreamer. Despite the difficulties, I have faced, I took the necessary steps to start my educational journey starting with Pathways. This dream has led me to see my potential and given me a light to better experiences

I have learned this week to create a path of steppingstones to ensure the balance, alignment, and accountability. In addition, we should find our own star and life is not a destination but rather a journey. Also, remember that we can all strive towards perfection through the atonement of Jesus Christ. 

BUS 110 Journal

Week 1 

Entrepreneur Journal:

        In this week's learning, I was able to see the potential of having a journal and writing in it weekly. The value of the lesson goes beyond what my thoughts and understandings have been to the subject. I have owned my own business for years before returning to school, and I can see the value of the amalgamation of the process. Having a preconceived notion that there was no value has been due to poor judgment and comprehension. Thus, I have gained a new insight into learning and how this can be a powerful tool for success today and the future. While I was in operation, I could have kept track of my daily, weekly and monthly progress, goals and aspirations.

 Starting with a date for each entry, combined with Lessons Learned section, Lessons Not Yet Learned section and a reference and categorization method will help keep it organized. The Lessons learned section should consist of observations, real-world exercise, and reflection. The Lessons Not Learned section should consist of things that you don't comprehend and mastered yet. In the reference and categorization method, you will have previously encountered problems and the skill used to solve it. In addition to that, adding an index will help keep everything organized with a quick reference guide.

 Taking time to reflect on daily activities will help me be better engaged in my operation and will hold me accountable for decisions and the functionalities related to my company.  However, my input is only as good as I apply the theory to my practice. In addition, what are the things that I can use to my advantage and incorporate for further success? I hope to build upon my reflections as well as gain new insights and strategies. New methods of my personal affair will include my instructor, classmates, family, and friends.