Business Brainstorming

Summer Fun with the Arrowbear Lake Fire Department

Entrepreneur Journal

Journal

          Last week’s “50 Things List” and this week’s “Points of Pain” activities were very eye-opening for me. As I wrote things I still would like to do or accomplish, I realized how different this list was compared to what I would have written in my 20’s. I realized how some things (particularly material things) are less important to me now. I also realized that priorities change over time. Most importantly, I realized how blessed my life has been thus far. Looking back I am able to see the Lord’s hand guiding and directing me. I have also seen times where I have relied on my own understanding and my own will and desires and during those times have seen lees growth and progress. It reminds me of the verses in Isaiah 55:8-9, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.”

           As I thought about future business activities, I realized I have had ideas that others have acted on and while I could still do them, I would not be the first (such as preprogrammed, self-installed home security systems). I realized that I still have ideas that have not been brought to market (my unique design for a stroller/car seat or an “On-Star” type integrated home security/concierge service). I can see a great benefit to me of this class and this journal being that it gets me to think, it can be a goal prompt, and in the end it may inspire me to act.

 “$100 Challenge” Progress

           For the $100 Challenge I have narrowed down my ideas to a final idea. I am going to start a nonprofit company to raise money for my selected recipient. My selected recipient is William in Ghana. My company is going to be William’s Water. I am going to purchase bottles of water from Costco, relabel them with an informative label about William and his water venture in Ghana, and hire young people to sell the water. I checked out the cost of Costco bottled water and the hourly rate I would need to pay to recruit youth to sell it. I am going to create a spreadsheet to record initial capital, expenses, profits, and retained earnings used to grow the business.