My Last Lecture

Life isn’t always going to give you what you want. It might seem sweet at the time, but when you look back you’ll find you may have missed a few things along the way. This is how I saw this semester as I look back on it. It’s been so wonderful, especially with a new addition to my family- this is the sweet part. But when I looked back at my classes, I had good grades, but I missed out on a grand opportunity to create something. We were given a $100 Challenge where I worked on it, but not to the extent of true success.

Looking back at it all there are things that I could say I would do better, but in all reality, I would probably do it the same the second time around as well. My mother always had a sign up in our home that reads, “The Most Important Things In Life Aren’t Things”. It took me a long time to really understand what this sign means; in fact I don’t think I truly understood it until this semester.

Having Paisley in my life and having this new love for someone is absolutely amazing to me. It is the people in our lives that matter. I have found that entrepreneurship is not what I will be doing throughout my life and that’s okay. 

If I could tell you one thing, it would be to find what you love and enjoy the journey! Involve the people you care about in this journey and let them watch you succeed. Be there for them as they will for you and live life with joy in your heart. The most important things in life aren’t things, they’re the people in your life, never let them go unloved.

Picking Up the Pieces

 This week we talked about trial and error. This was really helpful to me as I would say my $100.00 challenge was more of a trial and error than a huge success. It was nice to see that I was not the only one and that just because I wasn’t victorious this time doesn’t mean that’s how it will always be for me. I need to find something I really, truly love and make it happen.

Passion, optimism, and creativity are very large keys to success. If you lack one you are less likely to succeed in the long run. Passion is the motivator and drives all else. Optimism is needed as it gives you hope for a brighter tomorrow and a solution to your problem. It is through one’s creativity that one can solve those problems. These three things work hand in hand together to create success.

As for my $100 challenge, it’s over. I was able to make a little profit which is great in my eyes. I think if I had more time to focus on the project it would have gone a little smoother and I would have been able to be more successful. 

Finished

This week we talked about running family businesses. This is something I don’t see myself ever participating in. If something does go well with everyone in the family it can affect not only family ties, but the business as well. Family is so important to me and this is not something I’m willing to risk.

As for the $100.00 challenge I’m just glad it’s coming to an end. As great as it was, with it being over I won’t be stressed about not making the $100.00 now.

Finishing Up

This week was all about franchises. I have learned that although they are very popular in the world, I really don’t want to run one. I would rather run my own store than own a franchise. It simply doesn’t fit in with my plans and I would rather do other parts of a business than that. 

I will not be making the $100 but it has been a good learning experience as I have come to see how important planing and following through really is. Things don’t progress when you aren’t able to fulfill your plans. 

The Importance of Educating Yourself

The thing that stood out the most to me this week was the Entrepreneur Interview. After Interviewing Corey and Sarah smith I was able to see how important it is to continually educate yourself. They do this by reading books and knowing what the market needs and wants. This is important as I will be trying to continually keep my business going and up to date. 

As for the project I’m pretty worried. I really just haven’t been able to do a great job. I guess I got caught up more in my other schoolwork and my new baby rather than focusing on the business. I haven’t done nearly as well as I had previously hoped to do. 

Finding Great People

This week was all about how to find great people to work for you. I enjoyed this week a little more than some other weeks. It’s easy to hire someone, but finding the right person can make a world of a difference for your company. I also liked learning about Jet Blue because David Neelaman was actually in my ward when I was living in Connecticut. I knew he was a great guy, but I didn’t know to what extent. He really is a great example of how we should treat everyone down to the baggage guys. 

As for my project, it’s coming along. I don’t know if I’ll be able to make the $100.00 though… 

Leadership!

This week we learned a lot about leadership. I really enjoyed the talks we read, especially the one entitles “Jesus: The Perfect Leader”. After reading this I not only wanted to apply those things to my business, but to my life in general as well. Later in the lesson we also took a survey to find out what style of leadership we lead by.  I was mainly participative with a hint of delgative style. I think it is important to know what kind of leadership you have so that you can best serve the business. By knowing this you are able to see how to lead and possibly recognize if you need to change.

As for my $100.00 Challenge, I don’t feel like I am getting anywhere I wish I could have taken this course on campus so that I could do it as a team and feel more confident in my business. I don’t know what it is about doing it alone in little Rexburg, but I’m not a fan. 

$100.00 Challenge Continues

The $100.00 Challenge is going alright; I really don’t know where I should be though. I had the brochure for the company made, but we have a new computer and it did some sort of check on everything and it is no where to be found-sad. So I will be making another one here shortly with some added foods. 

Elevator Pitch

This week we focused a lot on our elevator pitches and how we can make a better profit by up-selling. Here is a copy of my elevator pitch:

My name is Cheltsea Hildreth and I have a company called Your Personal Chef. Our products are geared towards many mothers and single college students who don’t have the time, skills, and/or knowledge to create a delicious home cooked meal. Your Personal Chef is a food company that will provide you with great food at a great price! Unlike the prepared freezer foods you may find at your local grocery store, our products are healthier as they don’t contain all the chemicals and sodium used to preserve their food. Your Personal Chef includes dinners, snacks, and desserts. We will bring you great satisfaction leaving you hungry for more. 

As for my $100.00 challenge I am in the middle of making the product and a brochure/menu. 

Start Up

This week we discussed a lot of things about starting up the business. One article we read inspired me when I saw how others were able to create a great business with less than $150. The article is called Start-Ups on a Shoestring by Colleen Debaise, Sarah E. Needleman, and Emily Maltby. You can find this article in The Wallstreet Journal. 

It was interesting to see how different people start up businesses and to see what is important to them. As for me and my $100.00 challenge, I have been collecting recipes and trying to figure out good prices for them.