Blog Entry 12/15/21

If I had one final lecture to share with a group of students on what I have learned so far, I think I would talk about what it means to be an entrepreneur, how to balance family and business, and honest and business ethics. 

What does it mean to be an entrepreneur? Before I started this course, I had a general idea of what I thought an entrepreneur looked like. It was a very strict, successful model that was almost impossible to achieve. As much as I wanted that, I wasn't sure if I was capable of it. I learned that being an entrepreneur takes so many forms. One of my favorite ways to define it is "being an everlasting learner on the path of self-mastery." This isn't an unachievable feat! Anyone is capable of being an entrepreneur if they are willing to work hard, learn from their mistakes, and listen to Jim Ritchie!

Balancing business and family is one of the most challenging things an entrepreneur can face. It isn't like a normal 9-5 job or more lax than one, like a lot of people might think. It looks more like a 24/7 occupation that always keeps you on call. That is why it is so important to prioritize your family and not get caught up in your business. This takes commitment and consistency. Are you willing to miss your anniversary or your child's performance? Trying to find this balance is a question of what is most important to you.

Being honest and having good business ethics starts right now! One of my favorite pieces of advice was to make an "I will..." list and an "I will never..." list. A personal example is that I will always honor my promises, especially in business. I will never cheat someone or take advantage of them. Have you ever heard those famous words "easier said than done"? Well, it is so much easier to keep your commitments and hold on to your morals if you set them now, rather than struggle later on when you have not made them concrete.

My last bit of advice to someone wanting to begin the entrepreneur journey is to remember that 1 out of every 6 businesses will succeed. Failure is so much more likely to happen than success, regardless of hard work. It is important to learn, grow, and move on. Brick walls are going to be in your path not to stop you, but to see how hard you are going to keep at it until you conquer it. 

The best direction you can set yourself on is to find where opportunity meets passion. There will be a lot of both that will sway you one way or another. Having success and doing something you love will be in finding that balance.

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