Winding Down

As this semester is coming to a close, I've come to realize that I'm going to miss these weekly reflections and the time to consider the week's materials.  I think that I've liked the videos most of all, because they have offered a more personal glimpse into the real world of business and entrepreneurship through real world applications and experiences.  Here is some of the things I learned this week"

"Avoid the Wrong Job"  Stan Christensen

I really enjoyed watching this video and thought that Mr. Christensen gave good advice when he pointed out three key assumptions that people make that can lead to trouble.  These assumptions are:

• Building your resume.  Too many people build their resume with the intention of out guessing with the employer wants.  He suggests that you should use your resume as an opportunity to begin telling your story.
• Picking a job to get to the next level.  Many people will pick a painful job with the intention of only doing it for a few years simply to get to the next step in their career.  Most people make this mistake right out of college.  Instead, Christensen suggests that you pick your first job based on something you think is fun and that you might enjoy.  It will still be work, but your chances of prospering in that setting are greater.
• Specialization is not always the best route to success.  The idea that you have to specialize in something is the only way that you can succeed and advance is a faulty assumption.  If you stick to one specialty in business, you will always be pigeon holed to that one thing.  Instead, you should focus on generalizing in order to do a variety of things and take advantage of opportunities as they come up.

"Action Hero Larry North"

I thought it was really interesting to hear the background of Larry North and see how he was able to turn his less than ideal upbringing into life-long success.  There were two things that really stuck with me from this video.  The first was his observation and advice that "Being an entrepreneur takes having a thick skin."  He went on to explain that there will be blows along the way that come in the form of lawsuits, dishonest employees, or even losing key employees.  But you have to "Be prepared and expect that the water will get murky."

The second thing that I really liked was his thoughts on mentors.  He said, "Don't just seek the advice of good mentors...put it to good use."  I really liked this insight, because what good is seeking the advice if we are unwilling to consider it and put it to use.

The last thing that stood out from Larry North's spotlight was one of his parting remarks.  He said, "Learn from your failures."  This phrase is heard often but it has applied meaning when you hear someone like Mr. North admit some of his failures along with what he learned.  It's this type of personal connection that I will miss from this course.