My Entrepreneur's Journal

I have spent a great deal of time this week sorting, sifting,and planning the next BIG thing.  I want something that will take off, and reach new heights bigger than I could even imagine.  So how do I chose the next big idea?  According to my professor, Google ad words is a great place to start.  I have logged on, typed keywords and to my amazement the businesses that I thought would do really well on Google seemed to rank lower than I expected.  I have had to shift my focus to other business opportunities that I maybe didn't think twice about before.  Running an online business costs a lot more than I thought it would in advertising as well.  Google charges per click and you have to make sure that you set a cap on how much is allowed to be charged each day.  There are so many things that go into a business, my hope is that I figure it out asap.

I love entrepreneurs.  I love learning about businesses.  I love to imagine that I know enough about business that I could come in, take over, and turn a bad business good.  The facts that many small businesses fail within the first few years doesn't keep people from trying to find their niche.  The entrepreneurial spirit lives in each one of us, and I believe that it is a god given desire.  The ability to create something out of nothing is remarkable.  If you feel like you are being called to be an entrepreneur, answer the call.  Your limits are only as big as you make them. 

I am grateful for so many things in my life.  I think about how blessed I am and I  still can't believe that I have been given so much.  I live in a remarkable country that is free, and I am allowed to choose where to work, who to marry, and where to live.  I am grateful for my family.  They are entrepreneurs and work hard every day.  I have learned the value of the dollar, and also how much work goes into owning your own business.  I am grateful for my husband.  He has the ability to see a goal and make it happen.  He is really good a organizing and motivating me for the better.  I am grateful for my kids, they keep me waking up every morning wanting to take on the day.  I am grateful for school and having a clear mind ready to learn.  I am grateful for my church, it is amazing that you can come into a church after a move to a different state and still feel right at home there.   

I spoke with a friend about her childhood memories and she shared this story with me.  Her parents owned an ice cream parlor and every night after closing they would add up all the earnings for the day.  Every night she would hear her parents talking about how they were barely making ends meet.  She heard this for so many years, that as an adult she never wanted to own a business because it lacked security and she feared she would follow in her parents footsteps.  Our perceptions about money shape who we are.  When thinking about money ask yourself, where did this thought stem from? How does it help me on my journey?  How does having money help others?  If you can honestly examine these questions you are on the right track.

I have been thinking about what it means to have disciple leadership.  When I think about the purpose of our life here on earth, I think about how that applies to leadership.  If we are supposed to be here to learn and grow, how do we lead others to help them on their journey?  The first thing is to be a good example.  I need to run my business, and life in such a way that I won't be embarrassed to share it with others.  My company needs to have trustworthy, honest people and I cannot allow any measure of dishonesty or corruption at all.  My personal life needs to be one that draws people to the gospel.   

This week I read a summary of the book titled The 7 Habits of Effective People by Stephen R. Covey.  The book lists 7 habits to develop to become more effective in the workforce and an all around better leader to your peers.  It breaks down the steps into dependency, independence, and interdependence.  The habit that I found most interesting is Habit 7 Sharpen the saw. So what does sharpen the saw mean?  It means don't forget to take care of yourself while you are working with others.  Covey lists several ways to practice self care.  Physical exercise daily, spiritual renewal, mental dimension, and a social/emotional dimension.  As I type this post I am in school trying to finish my bachelors degree that was started 22 years ago.  I have always felt that I wold go back someday, and what I realized after reading this summary i that we are born as learners, soaking in everything.  When we don't progress mentally we are not fulfilled in all asp...

If you have not read or listened to A Hero’s Journey a talk given at BYUI, I highly recommend reading it.    Traditionally the hero’s journey goes something like this.   Phase 1 The Departure.   You leave the comfort of the life you have always known to go into the unknown.   Phase 2 The Initiation.   The hero faces some trials and tribulations and is tested. At this phase you meet allies, enemies, and mentors with supernatural powers to help you on your journey.   Phase 3 The Return.   Having endured the hardships and trials, having overcome obstacles, the hero returns a changed person.   Sometimes the change is physical, but usually the change is internal, and you cannot see it visually.   So, when the speaker in this talk states that, "You have a very special mission on this earth, a mission that will succeed beyond your wildest dreams, only if you have the faith and courage to pursue your entrepreneurial calling.” I immediate am cu...