The most formative experience in this course for me was how active the assignments required me to be. Although I am now a rising senior, this has been one of my most hand-on courses. Although that required me to prepare much differently than an exam based model, I believe these exercises have challenged me in wonderful ways and given practical skills to my business degree. I’ll remember most the self reflection assignments, ie. Idea Napkins, that required me to connect my personal skills with tangible aspects of my business model. I thought critically about myself and the value that I offer in ways that boosted my confidence greatly. I appreciated our “Secret Sauce” assignment also, where we interviewed those closest to us to reveal our strongest qualities. These were some touching moments with my loved ones that both affirmed and surprised me.
I was also blown away at how willing strangers were to discuss with me for the extensive phone interviews in this course. I often found myself assuming that small business owners or experts would hang up, feeling that I was wasting their time. I learned so much from these phone interviews and challenged my own assumptions. This experience taught me that much of market research does not need to be conducted in a lab — polling people voluntarily can provide great insight. I stepped out of my comfort zone for these assignments and I am incredibly proud of that.
I feel that this course has pushed me towards an entrepreneurial mindset by taking the pressure off of one career path. Entrepreneurship has begun to shape my life by making me more willing to take a step out into the world and change my mind. For example, I could start a business and use it as capital for a future business and this may be a short term goal. In my mind, I believe I was too hung up on the long term implications of every choice, rather than being willing to try something and change it when it stops working. This adaptability is wildly important, but seldom talked about.
I would recommend to students going into this class that they think for a while before committing to a business model to continue with. I worked through a few different options before settling on the business that I worked out the rest of the course. This required that I take a look at the assignments ahead of time to plan out some content and see which ideas were most feasible. Additionally, students should be very familiar with the assignments well before the deadline. Many assignments in this course required contact with other people and should be planned in advance to provide quality work.
Hey Avery!! I totally forgot about the “Secret Sauce” assignment!! Thank you for reminding me!! That assignment was really special and personal as we got the opportunity to interview some of the people who are closest to us. Like you, I was also surprised at how willing people, mostly strangers, were to talk to me about their businesses. It eased my nerves and allowed me to have a more organized and educated conversation. It’s been great getting to know you and your work! Best of luck in everything you do!!
ReplyDeleteHi Avery,
ReplyDeleteI like how you were surprised about how businesses were willing to be interviewed for your project and how much insight you gained from them. This goes to show that their business values their customers and their opinion, which is a crucial aspect of running a successful business. I also like the emphasis you placed on adaptability, as the world around us is constantly changing and we have to learn to keep up. Great job!
Hi Avery!
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed reading your final reflection. I can definitely agree with your sentiments surrounding the phone interviews. I, too, was happily surprised with how willing individuals were to conduct an interview with me amidst a global pandemic. This allowed to realize the importance of networking, and more importantly, how easy it is to expand your network of connections. People are willing to cooperate as long as you put in the effort and reach out. Good luck with all your future endeavors!