Last Lecture

My journey this semester has been exceptional.  I registered for this class with mixed feelings.  Part of me just wanted to get it over with, part of me wanted to prove that I could do it and the rest of me wanted to run away and just consider alternate courses that would count towards my degree.  I had no idea what the $100 challenge was, but I knew it had something to do with starting a business.

Anxiety built as the weeks passed that led to the beginning of the fall semester.  I dove into the curriculum with trepidation.  As the course progressed, one step at a time I was tackling all the challenges before me, even the $100 small business challenge.  There is now a sense of relief that this particular project is completed, but more elation in realizing how much I have learned this semester.

At the close of the semester, there are several trends that stand out from this semester.  I find that they are things that apply in so many aspects of life.

• The only business worth starting is a business that can thrive.
• Research and planning are required, not optional.
• Build a strong network of individuals that can challenge you, support you, mentor you, work with you and dream with you.
• Meet challenges head-on and learn to recognize quickly which challenges are worth surmounting and which challenges are queues to move on.
• Do what you know and love what you do.
• Find a greater cause to work for than an inflated paycheck.

Somehow, these high-points only seem to scratch the surface of lessons I learned this semester, but they pinpoint the principles that have given me a fresh outlook.