You Don't Know Until You Know

There is a saying that "it's a woman's prerogative to change her mind," although there is no internet source that names a person to whom this can be attributed. I will agree that because of our biological makeup, sometimes we can be indecisive. Our bodies are constantly changing so why should our minds be any different, right?

Maybe we humans change our minds because we think we have to make snap decisions before we can collect all the information about a particular subject. Or, maybe it happens because we base our decision on old information without realizing there is an update. Yeah, that's it!

I pretty much had my mind set on which site builder/web host service I was going to use because I had used them before. And, it was easy. But, prior to actually making a decision, I had to do some research where I was presented with new information. Based on new evidence, I decided to go a different route than the one I originally planned. 

The bottom line here is that sometimes we head down a specific path because we are not aware there is another option. Every so often, we realize there are multiple choices, but perhaps we aren't familiar enough with them to make an educated decision.  It is always a good idea to edify oneself when presented with a choice. After all, we are each responsible for where we individually end up. 

Besides, I would kind of like to know where I'm headed and what to expect along the way. I think that just might make my journey a little more pleasant and a lot more successful. 

Walk Like a Reptilian

Be careful, Meagan, your 80s are showing. 

Through some of my online discussions and reading this week, I have had the opportunity to reflect on my current business. I am also looking at what I want for my future online business for this class. It has taken almost 15 years for my online retail business to reach its current level of consistency. We have taken it slow and steady.

And, it is okay to do that again.

Aesop illustrated this principle in his fable The Tortoise and the Hare. We know what appears to be the fastest way to success is not always efficacious. While get-rich-quick schemes sound enticing, they seldom work out. In most instances, true wealth, true triumph comes through persistent, hard work. 

In the Spring of 2017, I read a book that illustrates this principle well. The Slight Edge illustrates the long-term benefits of doing the small, productive things on a daily basis, like the tortoise in the story.

I think I can make my new online business venture successful by following that tortoise...and The Slight Edge. 

What a Joke

I don't think that I think big enough. I tend to limit myself and what I think I can do. That needs to change. 


These thoughts are my main takeaways from this week's lessons in Web Business Creation. 

In order to create a successful online business (or multiple online businesses...why stop at only one?), I must think outside the box. I should look for problems that need solutions. Or, I could look at an existing business model that could be tweaked. I need to do some brainstorming exercises. 

In 1899, Punch Magazine, a comedic periodical, ran a story about why patents were no longer necessary because "everything that can be invented has been invented." Can you imagine if everyone thought that way? What would happen to modern medicine, transportation, education, politics, human rights...the list goes on.

And, we could add to that creativity. We will never unleash all the potential possibilities that our collective human minds hold! The trick is training myself to believe it (note to self: see blog post dated January 29, 2018, entitled "Brain Food").
Anything is possible. I'm working on it. 

All You Need is Love

I am not a huge Beatles fan. I mean, they were okay. But, I think by the end of their reign that some of them got a little bit too big for their britches. Although they had a song with a cool title that I borrowed to write my “last lecture” blog post, I think they totally missed the point of the subject of their own song.

Someone may be out there saying, “This is your final blog post, your ‘coup de grâce,’ and you’re talking about LOVE?! Where does that fit in entrepreneurship?”

Allow me to explain.

First, as an entrepreneur, you must love what you do. Most entrepreneurs I know work more for themselves than for any “job” they ever had. You will be spending a lot of time, effort, and probably money on your idea, so you’d better enjoy it. If you don’t, it will become a burden instead of a blessing.

For my second and third points, we need to turn love into an action word.

Although small (and large) business owner-operators do lots of work solo, they can seldom become truly successful without somehow involving other humans--they are your customers. No other species will do (thus, my second point). Sometimes you need help from a real person. Fruitful business ventures typically solve people problems. In learning to love others well, we learn how to treat them well. We develop good relationships. When we need something, we feel we can ask. Sometimes we don’t even have to do that. When we get to know others, we know what difficulties they face. Finding these solutions leads to win-win situations for both parties.

Lastly, we need to love God.

When we learn of our relationship to our Heavenly Father, we realize that we need Him in every aspect of our lives (I think this is where John Lennon messed up, may he rest in peace). We want Him to be involved. We need Him to be. He wants us to be successful. He cares about what we care about.  Through the Spirit, we can receive confirmation regarding our entrepreneurial endeavors. He can help us grow, progress, and learn so much faster than we can on our own. Loving Him encompasses getting to know Him through obedience, scripture study, fasting, and especially prayer. Loving Him involves serving His children. Loving Him means following His Son.   

And the really crazy thing about love? It isn’t just a secret weapon for the self-made individual. Practicing love works in every aspect of life. Go ahead and give it a try. 

We the People

I love musicals. One of my favorites is “Singing in the Rain.” There is a scene near the movie’s end that unmasks the true villain of the show. The studio owner, RF, tells his leading lady, hoity-toity actress, Lena Lamont, that what she’s demanding is extremely under-handed.

“People just don’t do things like that,” he says, to which she responds in her high-pitched, grating voice (which is the problem in the first place), “Peeeeple!? I AIN’T PEEEEPLE!!”

Of course, the truth is revealed, justice prevails, and Lena learns an important lesson—we are all people, and we all matter. This happens off screen, of course, and we are making some assumptions.

In business, and in every other aspect in life, it all comes down to people. Can you think of one where it doesn’t?!?. If we want to be successful entrepreneurs, we need people. We can be effective if we solve people’s problems, help people with a need, or make people’s lives easier. If we want our business to grow, we’re going to need help from… you guessed it… people. Making them feel valued and intelligent is a win-win situation for both parties.

While there are many different personalities in the big, wide world, “there’s only one race, and that’s mankind.” (Garth Brooks, “We Shall Be Free”). The Golden Rule still applies.   

What’s that Smell?

I am sure anyone that has ever purchased potatoes has had this experience: There is an awful smell in the kitchen, but the problem is elusive. Finally your nose directs you to where your potato bag lies, and one of them has spoiled. When that has happened to me, I toss out the whole bag.

In “The Harvard Business Review” What’s a Business For? Author Charles Handy makes a similar analogy using apples. He says that “the markets would eventually sort the good from the bad… the world would go on much as before.” This happens less all the time.

There’s something stinky in the business community.

Integrity and virtue have become rare commodities. “Markets rely on rules and laws, but those rules and laws in turn depend on truth and trust. Conceal truth or erode trust, and the game becomes so unreliable that no one will want to play.” Handy has a point. In order for our system of free enterprise to continue, virtue and integrity must be at the center of every transaction. This would allow businesses to fulfill their true callings—making a difference in the world.

Yes, earning a profit is important, but it’s not everything. Funny thing about business--when an entrepreneur sets out to help someone or solve a problem instead of looking to make it rich, the business becomes successful, and the owner can become wealthy. It kind of reminds me of the principle of service; in serving others, we forget about our own problems.

Maybe there was some Greek businessman whom we could name an oath after (think Hippocrates). Businessmen would have to swear under threat of death (well, maybe not DEATH) to “first do no harm.” That might make one think twice before doing anything illegal or immoral. I like the idea of giving the “worker” more ownership in the business similar to what Germany has done. It would give the common laborer a little more pride and remind CEOs they don’t necessarily own the company.

There’s always the “drain the swamp” idea. Man, those stink, too. Hey, if it works for politics…

New Glasses

I just returned from a business trip with a friend of mine. We spent five days together somewhere warmer than where we live. We talked, laughed, whined a little, and then reminded each other how blessed we really are. We each returned home more relaxed, rejuvenated, with creative juices flowing and ready to make some positive changes in our business and personal lives. It was good to take a break and get lost for a while. We have come back with a new perspective.

In this week’s reading was a pamphlet entitled, “Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness (A Cautionary Tale)”. The author listed methods of true happiness by getting “lost” in various activities, one of which was subtitled “Gratitude: Losing Yourself in Thanks and Generosity.” Some of the ways to do that include keeping a journal, volunteering, donating to a good cause, practicing gratitude, and having a positive attitude. I have had some personal success with consciously applying a good attitude to less than pleasant situations, and it has helped.

As an adult, I have had to get “new lenses” with which to view many things, including money. I recognize that the way I saw money in my childhood home has caused me to view it through an unhealthy filter as an adult. Incorrectly viewing one’s adult responsibilities can cause undue stress and strain on self and family. Skewed ideas about finances are no different. In fact, because money is so interwoven into every fabric of our lives, erroneous fiscal behaviors can be a leading cause of quick temporal, emotional, and spiritual decline.

In the Book of Mormon, Jacob teaches us the way to Lord’s way to prosper, “And after ye have obtained a hope in Christ ye shall obtain riches, if ye seek them; and ye will seek them for the intent to do good.” Wealth itself is not evil. And, if we seek it in the Lord’s way and for his purposes, we can achieve it.