Lessons Learned:
I especially loved learning about Steve Jobs this week. His story is so inspiring. Going from dropping out of school to Apple is certainly a leap he was not expecting. Be he is a true innovator and didn't settle for the status quo of life. I really loved his ideas about dreaming big and finding work that you are passionate about. I really want to focus on finding a career I can be passionate about when I graduate and not just settle for the first job that comes along because I am afraid no one will hire me at my age. I was really able to use Steve's "connect the dots" analogy in seeing out my life has been a series of dots that were connected. Though I'm not sure I understand some of those dots yet, I have faith that they are for a reason. I like the way his perspective on life changed after his first scare with cancer. Asking yourself every day if what you are doing is important and a priority that will help accomplish your dreams. I liked Guy Kawasaki's lesson he learned from Steve Jobs. I especially like when he said "Customers cannot tell you what they need -- customers will tell you they want better, faster cheaper--that is, better sameness, not revolutionary change. Sometimes all you need to do for the customer is make something better, whether it's a process or a product.
$100 Challenge:
This week I did not work specifically on my $100 challenge because I am in the middle of moving. I have thought about different ideas I can look into when I get settled to create more business. I am going to look into medical transcription because those services always need typing done on a daily basis, and for the most part, you can accept as much work as you want. I would like to still find more ways to get work generated for my business. My numbers are the same as last week: Revenue $143, Expenses: $10, Net Profit: $133.
Thursday, June 30, 2016
Friday, June 24, 2016
Lesson 10 Entrepreneurial Journal
Lessons Learned:
I found the talk "United in the Building the Kingdom of God" by L. Tom Perry interesting. In particular the polar opposite conditions of humanity which, with the wrong attitudes, are condemned by the Lord. The wealthy can become prideful and look down on the poor; the poor, feeling deprived can blame others or the Lord for their situation. In either case, their hearts are turned away from God. This is the first time I caught the sinful trap the less fortunate can fall into. But it exists very much in the world today. My takeaway -- if you are blessed with abundance, always remember where it came from and be grateful. If you are not blessed with much in the way of material things, be thankful for the things you do have, and be grateful. When we seek for the things of God, we will find happiness in whatever circumstances we find ourselves. I enjoyed the "Then and Now" video by Guy Kawasaki that shows that entrepreneurial models change over time. As an entrepreneur, I would also need to change with the times I am in. If I tried to start a business using the 70's models, I would most likely fail. I was inspired by Catherine Rohr's example of using her talents to bless the inmates in prison. What an unlikely pairing, but it just goes to show how important it is to find your purpose and meaning in life and go after it. I taught me not to be afraid of opportunities that may present themselves in the future - you never know where you will be needed.
$100 Challenge:
This week my recipe book project came through and I was able to earn $55 and reach the $100 goal. Also, the client will have more for me to do. I am hoping I will get some word of mouth advertising through her, as she is well connected. Also, a book that I proofread this year just came out in print, so hopefully that will help my marketability as a proofreader. I plan on spending some time over the weekend looking at the virtualassistant.com jobs to try and pick up some work. I need to increase my income, as I will be moving out on my own next week. It's a scary thought, but I know if I work hard at my business I will be blessed to pick up the extra work I will need. I am thankful that the Lord blessed me with the skills, abilities, and desire to work hard. Financials to Date: Income $143; Expenses $10; Net Profit $133.
I found the talk "United in the Building the Kingdom of God" by L. Tom Perry interesting. In particular the polar opposite conditions of humanity which, with the wrong attitudes, are condemned by the Lord. The wealthy can become prideful and look down on the poor; the poor, feeling deprived can blame others or the Lord for their situation. In either case, their hearts are turned away from God. This is the first time I caught the sinful trap the less fortunate can fall into. But it exists very much in the world today. My takeaway -- if you are blessed with abundance, always remember where it came from and be grateful. If you are not blessed with much in the way of material things, be thankful for the things you do have, and be grateful. When we seek for the things of God, we will find happiness in whatever circumstances we find ourselves. I enjoyed the "Then and Now" video by Guy Kawasaki that shows that entrepreneurial models change over time. As an entrepreneur, I would also need to change with the times I am in. If I tried to start a business using the 70's models, I would most likely fail. I was inspired by Catherine Rohr's example of using her talents to bless the inmates in prison. What an unlikely pairing, but it just goes to show how important it is to find your purpose and meaning in life and go after it. I taught me not to be afraid of opportunities that may present themselves in the future - you never know where you will be needed.
$100 Challenge:
This week my recipe book project came through and I was able to earn $55 and reach the $100 goal. Also, the client will have more for me to do. I am hoping I will get some word of mouth advertising through her, as she is well connected. Also, a book that I proofread this year just came out in print, so hopefully that will help my marketability as a proofreader. I plan on spending some time over the weekend looking at the virtualassistant.com jobs to try and pick up some work. I need to increase my income, as I will be moving out on my own next week. It's a scary thought, but I know if I work hard at my business I will be blessed to pick up the extra work I will need. I am thankful that the Lord blessed me with the skills, abilities, and desire to work hard. Financials to Date: Income $143; Expenses $10; Net Profit $133.
Thursday, June 16, 2016
Lesson 9 Entrepreneurial Journal
Lessons Learned:
After reading "Journey to a High Ground" by Elder Wirthlin, I started thinking about the pride cycles of the Book of Mormon. They are so clear to the reader when we can see the big perspective, but when you are living in the moment, you can't see the obvious. The obvious is follow the prophet and the Lord and live righteously and you will be blessed. It's sad that it's almost common sense as a member, but much of the world can't see it. It would be interesting to see if there are any studies of the world which follow a similar pattern. And it's always a good reminder to read about what can happen when the Lord blesses you with prosperity if you don't keep your heart in the right place. I was surprised at the videos with Guy Kawasaki and Mark Zuckerberg, where they were saying don't hire someone based on their skills, but hire someone who is passionate and believes in your company. I was still under the impression that skills and experience were the most important thing for hiring, but I can see how the culture fit it also important. I don't believe they used "culture fit" back in my day. I could also see how important comprehensive employee training is to ensuring the success of an employee. I think sometimes companies think the employee is the problem, when in fact they just haven't had the proper training to do the job right. I enjoyed reading about the JetBlue startup and how simple yet effective their company vision was of putting the customer's comfort and satisfaction as the number one thing. But equally important, they also showed that they cared greatly about their employees as well. They created a great environment in the company.
$100 Challenge:
This week I just had a small typing job and am still waiting for the bigger recipe book job. I decided to invest in a 1 month subscription to www.virtualassistant.com for $10 just to see if I could find any small jobs there. From what I have seen so far, it will be pretty difficult to get work because there are literally thousands of people competing for the same jobs. I applied with a proofreading service and they said they only hire 1 out of every 300 people that apply. I think I am better off looking for work locally like I planned on. When colleges are back in session I will look to advertise in some free publications that cater to the college students. My finances to date are: Income $88; Expenses $10; Net Profit $78.
After reading "Journey to a High Ground" by Elder Wirthlin, I started thinking about the pride cycles of the Book of Mormon. They are so clear to the reader when we can see the big perspective, but when you are living in the moment, you can't see the obvious. The obvious is follow the prophet and the Lord and live righteously and you will be blessed. It's sad that it's almost common sense as a member, but much of the world can't see it. It would be interesting to see if there are any studies of the world which follow a similar pattern. And it's always a good reminder to read about what can happen when the Lord blesses you with prosperity if you don't keep your heart in the right place. I was surprised at the videos with Guy Kawasaki and Mark Zuckerberg, where they were saying don't hire someone based on their skills, but hire someone who is passionate and believes in your company. I was still under the impression that skills and experience were the most important thing for hiring, but I can see how the culture fit it also important. I don't believe they used "culture fit" back in my day. I could also see how important comprehensive employee training is to ensuring the success of an employee. I think sometimes companies think the employee is the problem, when in fact they just haven't had the proper training to do the job right. I enjoyed reading about the JetBlue startup and how simple yet effective their company vision was of putting the customer's comfort and satisfaction as the number one thing. But equally important, they also showed that they cared greatly about their employees as well. They created a great environment in the company.
$100 Challenge:
This week I just had a small typing job and am still waiting for the bigger recipe book job. I decided to invest in a 1 month subscription to www.virtualassistant.com for $10 just to see if I could find any small jobs there. From what I have seen so far, it will be pretty difficult to get work because there are literally thousands of people competing for the same jobs. I applied with a proofreading service and they said they only hire 1 out of every 300 people that apply. I think I am better off looking for work locally like I planned on. When colleges are back in session I will look to advertise in some free publications that cater to the college students. My finances to date are: Income $88; Expenses $10; Net Profit $78.
Thursday, June 9, 2016
Lesson 8 Entrepreneurial Journal
Lessons Learned:
There were so many good leadership lessons in this week's readings. I like the 3 points President Kim B. Clark made about leading with a small "l". Leading by example in a business would be showing my employees that I am willing to do the work I require them to do. I am showing them the correct way and not just telling them the correct way to do a job. Leading with vision is important in business so that my employees can understand why they are doing their job, and how their role in the company is critical to the overall success of the company. It helps with motivation. Leading with love in business lets employees know that you care more about them than just the job they are doing for your company. When you have a boss who truly cares about you as a person, you are more inclined to do a good job for them. I relate this to my boss (a pastor). I have worked for him for 24 years, but he knows very little about me or my family, and until this past year he has never really cared about getting to know me at all, yet he trusts me completely to run his business. It just find that a little odd and sad at the same time. In the readings about sheepherders versus shepherds I could see the value in learning to lead people instead of push them to do a task. A true leader inspires his people so they will want to do a great job for him and for the company. Then they follow his lead. This would create a much more caring and trusting environment in a work setting. It was great to read through the leadership attributes of Christ and to apply that into the context of business. I learned that I need to make some adjustments in the accountability and responsibility areas of how I lead. One of my favorite quotes from the power point presentation was "When a true leader has done his job the people say 'we did it ourselves.'" (Author unknown) It's not about the leader taking the credit for what the team has accomplished, it's about the team, including their leader, and what they have accomplished that matters.
$100 Challenge:
I was really excited last week when I got a typing job after I sent out my Documents Done Right Facebook page to my friends. The one job I am going to do is typing a recipe book for a lady, but she has not gathered all the recipes yet for me to type, so I did not end up having any typing for this week, but I know it will be coming. I want to be careful that I don't have too many projects all at once because of my work/school schedule, so I haven't advertised anywhere else yet, but plan on doing so once I get the recipe book going. I can see that there is work to be had, but it will be a little more difficult than just putting the word out on Facebook. I do plan on continuing this business though because I will need a little more income once I am out on my own supporting myself. Financials for the week are: Total Revenue: $70; Expenses: $0; Net Profit $70.
There were so many good leadership lessons in this week's readings. I like the 3 points President Kim B. Clark made about leading with a small "l". Leading by example in a business would be showing my employees that I am willing to do the work I require them to do. I am showing them the correct way and not just telling them the correct way to do a job. Leading with vision is important in business so that my employees can understand why they are doing their job, and how their role in the company is critical to the overall success of the company. It helps with motivation. Leading with love in business lets employees know that you care more about them than just the job they are doing for your company. When you have a boss who truly cares about you as a person, you are more inclined to do a good job for them. I relate this to my boss (a pastor). I have worked for him for 24 years, but he knows very little about me or my family, and until this past year he has never really cared about getting to know me at all, yet he trusts me completely to run his business. It just find that a little odd and sad at the same time. In the readings about sheepherders versus shepherds I could see the value in learning to lead people instead of push them to do a task. A true leader inspires his people so they will want to do a great job for him and for the company. Then they follow his lead. This would create a much more caring and trusting environment in a work setting. It was great to read through the leadership attributes of Christ and to apply that into the context of business. I learned that I need to make some adjustments in the accountability and responsibility areas of how I lead. One of my favorite quotes from the power point presentation was "When a true leader has done his job the people say 'we did it ourselves.'" (Author unknown) It's not about the leader taking the credit for what the team has accomplished, it's about the team, including their leader, and what they have accomplished that matters.
$100 Challenge:
I was really excited last week when I got a typing job after I sent out my Documents Done Right Facebook page to my friends. The one job I am going to do is typing a recipe book for a lady, but she has not gathered all the recipes yet for me to type, so I did not end up having any typing for this week, but I know it will be coming. I want to be careful that I don't have too many projects all at once because of my work/school schedule, so I haven't advertised anywhere else yet, but plan on doing so once I get the recipe book going. I can see that there is work to be had, but it will be a little more difficult than just putting the word out on Facebook. I do plan on continuing this business though because I will need a little more income once I am out on my own supporting myself. Financials for the week are: Total Revenue: $70; Expenses: $0; Net Profit $70.
Thursday, June 2, 2016
Lesson 7 Entrepreneurial Journal
Lessons Learned:
I enjoyed the story about Stew Leonard and the sour eggnog, where in the end he decided "the customer is never wrong." I'm not sure I agree with this totally, but I know there are many stores who follow this policy. I do think in today's society there are customers who take advantage of that policy and who are plain rude. I think there are ways to to tell the customer you are sorry they had a bad experience without telling them they are right, and you can appease them at some level, but I don't know that I believe "the customer is always right" mentality. I learned from the JetBlue reading that you don't necessarily need to offer everything a customer could every need in your business, just the things that really matter most to them. The personal television concept was brilliant and gives passengers some say as to what they engage in on their flight. Something I learned this week is that culture is part of the company's brand. I have always thought that culture was more of an internal idea in terms of how your company operated from the inside. But I can see how the Zappos culture of top notch customer service plays into the branding of the company and if one of the reasons people would choose Zappos. I learned how important customer loyalty is to the bottom line of a business. I didn't realize the cost differential of retaining a customer versus finding new customers. It makes sense to try to keep your current customers satisfied. I can see where it can be difficult to get employees invested in the importance of customer loyalty when they don't have a vested interest in the company. Perhaps if they were vested financially with rewards-based bonuses that would help.
$100 Challenge:
This week was fun with my $100 challenge. I created a Facebook page for my business: https://www.facebook.com/documentsdoneright. I shared it on my Facebook feed and asked some of my friends to like my page. The next morning I had a typing job to type a recipe book for someone. I was pretty excited to have immediate success with that page. I hope to generate more business through this page. Financials: Total Revenue $70; Expenses $0; Net Profit $70.
I enjoyed the story about Stew Leonard and the sour eggnog, where in the end he decided "the customer is never wrong." I'm not sure I agree with this totally, but I know there are many stores who follow this policy. I do think in today's society there are customers who take advantage of that policy and who are plain rude. I think there are ways to to tell the customer you are sorry they had a bad experience without telling them they are right, and you can appease them at some level, but I don't know that I believe "the customer is always right" mentality. I learned from the JetBlue reading that you don't necessarily need to offer everything a customer could every need in your business, just the things that really matter most to them. The personal television concept was brilliant and gives passengers some say as to what they engage in on their flight. Something I learned this week is that culture is part of the company's brand. I have always thought that culture was more of an internal idea in terms of how your company operated from the inside. But I can see how the Zappos culture of top notch customer service plays into the branding of the company and if one of the reasons people would choose Zappos. I learned how important customer loyalty is to the bottom line of a business. I didn't realize the cost differential of retaining a customer versus finding new customers. It makes sense to try to keep your current customers satisfied. I can see where it can be difficult to get employees invested in the importance of customer loyalty when they don't have a vested interest in the company. Perhaps if they were vested financially with rewards-based bonuses that would help.
$100 Challenge:
This week was fun with my $100 challenge. I created a Facebook page for my business: https://www.facebook.com/documentsdoneright. I shared it on my Facebook feed and asked some of my friends to like my page. The next morning I had a typing job to type a recipe book for someone. I was pretty excited to have immediate success with that page. I hope to generate more business through this page. Financials: Total Revenue $70; Expenses $0; Net Profit $70.
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