B 210 - Week 6

I made my first purchase this week for my company. Amazon had a great deal on tea towels. The process will now move into testing a few things on towels. These are different than I’ve used before so I need to make sure they don’t shrink too much. My tags are ready to print and I’m making sure I know how they will be displayed in a store. The next task will be to make them and start selling. I’m contemplating hiring Kimberlee as an employee. I think she would like helping and another set of hands will make the job of painting go quicker. In class this week we studied some things about marketing so now I am looking at how I am actually going to sell the towels. What will a media post look like, how will customers contact me, what do I use for payment? These are all questions I’ll have to think about.

The action hero this week was Phil Romano. He’s opened multiple restaurants including Romano’s Macaroni Grill. What I found was interesting was a skill I’ve seen in others that I am intrigued with. The ability to work quickly, make decisions, and complete tasks. I emphasize the word quickly. My sister can do this. I call her the Tasmanian Devil from the Bugs Bunny cartoon we used to watch. Patrick can do it too. He always finishes what he starts. I love that about him, that's why we’re married (not the only reason.) Romano as accomplishments had started more than one restaurant, is an artist, creator, and does service for others. I watch people like this and want to be them, it’s easier said than done though. I haven’t reached that point yet but I know that every once in awhile I’ll get to the end of the day and look back noticing what a lot of projects were completed. Maybe in the future, I’ll be able to gain this same skill.

B 210 - Week 5

This week I found someone to be a lender for my business. Franklin has agreed to participate. He will provide me with twenty-five dollars for my start-up supplies. Our agreement includes that I will repay him the twenty-five dollars before the end of July and he will also receive 3% of sales for the next three months (June-August.) He is excited about this opportunity. I am confident that I will be able to sell the product through social media and word-of-mouth. I have even thought about talking with a few stores in the area to see if they would allow me to put the product in their stores. This obviously would have added expenses, they will not do it for free. It depends on how much they want from me to use their space. I am not sure how well sales will be either, this is something I will have to watch and contemplate. I have purchased the supplies to make the product and will be beginning this weekend to put it together. I also have been working on the tag for the product. This will show a company logo and washing instructions for the product.

Some of the studies this week were about budgeting. This is important for businesses to keep track of what they make, expenses, and products sold. I liked learning about accounting from my financial accounting class last semester so I am looking forward to this part of the business.

I have been reading the book The E-Myth for this class. It highlights some mistakes that new entrepreneurs make. I am learning a lot, what not to do, and how to start and grow in a good way. It points out things I hadn’t thought of before. I will write a report in a couple of weeks and share more then. 

B210 -Week 4

W04

This week for the $100 project I picked my top idea to start a business with. An assignment had me write a business plan for this project and one for one of my ‘big ideas.’ It was interesting to put together the plans and look at setting goals, having a mission, and knowing what strategies to use for the companies. HMM this week was all about business plans. I haven’t ever written any so it was good to learn about what goes in them and why certain parts are so important. My $100 project will be making holiday printed dish towels and selling them in sets of two. I’m trying to see the best way to sell them, myself through social media or if I should see about putting them in some nearby stores. My ‘big idea’ is not my biggest but one that I could start next year after school. I like the idea of having a small business that I run from home so I can be with my kids more while they are little. We have the space for it and the perfect room and the supplies would not be too expensive. I’d like to start a spray tan company. The start-up costs are minimal and I think I could build clientele quickly with my high school-aged daughter. I’m excited about the prospects of both companies.

One of my favorite articles this week was “The Simplest Little GEM that can Grow Your Business” by Stephen W. Gibson. He talked about the lemonade stand that we had when we were younger, everyone had them right? He talked about the similarities of the stand and starting a business. We gathered our childhood friends or siblings to set-up the business. Then we enhance the product, making homemade lemonade or in my case, it was my mother’s homemade cookies. Then we would gather together and market the product, hollering at cars, making signs, asking passersby. Starting and growing a business can be as easy as following this same plan. Gather help to get started, enhance your product into something special, market.

B210 -Week 3

W03

One of my favorite things this week was reading the discussion board for everyone’s top five $100 challenge ideas. It was interesting to see what people are willing to do. Classmates have different resources and abilities, it made me think of more options and opportunities that I might have myself.

The Action Hero this week was Tom Monaghan, he started the pizza chain Dominoes. This is my favorite pizza! He saw his strengths and weaknesses because he knew Dominoes could be big. He started the pizza delivery idea, hot and fresh. His pizza chain at the time was all across the U.S. Monaghan also knew that he had his fair share of pride and he didn’t like it. He decided to sell the pizza chain and ended up starting a University. It is interesting that he was willing to give up a great part of his life to improve the other part. It is a great lesson in noticing our weakness and choosing to live differently to refine the other part.

HMM this week was interesting too, it was a good reminder that we can be creative when we have problems to find solutions. It talked about being innovative and resourceful when things have gone wrong and using people, skills, situations to provide opportunities. One set added that even the environment plays a part. I need to remember to use these things in my own home. I forget how many options I have to use to help me teach my children when wrong decisions have been made, on their part or mine. I usually just feel lost with them, but incorporating this information would give me the ability to think outside the box at the problem and see what to do to solve it or to encourage my children in different ways.

B210 -Week 2

W02

We made a list this week of 20 Big Ideas and 20 $100 Challenge Ideas. It wasn’t that easy. Some people have had dreams since they were young and others know now what they want to do because they have a vision. Everything always seems muddy for me. I know this is the path I am supposed to be on but sometimes I don’t understand why.

Despite this, I am looking forward to the rest of the work for this class. I really enjoy the Action Hero clips about other entrepreneurs. They give me ideas, inspiration, and encouragement to keep going on this path. This week Corey Bell, a business owner shared how he realized he wanted certain things out of life and he wasn’t on the right path to get them. He wrote his vision down for the next 15-20 years of his life and changed what he was doing to fit this vision. I feel like I can’t even think about tomorrow let alone 20 years from now. I have to survive today first. Family, kids, school, callings, internship, service, work...one more year. I can make it. I can do this. Once I’m done I can think about the future. Maybe that isn’t right though, maybe I need to think about it now. This class will help me think about some of the inner workings of a business. I’ll be able to think about starting one of my own. Keeping a journal will help me remember important lessons that come during the class. Maybe this will put me in the right direction for my future. Lots of possibilities at this point. Overall, this class will be great. I’m looking forward to learning more about beginning a business. It will be interesting to see what others in the class choose to do for their $100 Challenge and watch how successful they are.

B210

Here goes another class, another semester. This class is business creations. Over the course of the semester, I will create and run a small business starting with less than $20. The proceeds earned by the end will be donated to a charity of my choice. I am looking forward to it although the task seems somewhat daunting on top of my other responsibilities. I have seen the grace of God in the past by putting my faith in him and going to work to do my best. My heart fills with gratitude for my Heavenly Father for the many things I am learning. This is the busiest, most difficult, exciting, and possible part of the best time of my life.

Week 6 - FAML 200

There is so much to study and remember, but I want it all. I have learned a great deal about parenting. How I can be a better parent. I really enjoyed this week, it was about punishments vs. discipline and focusing on the solutions.

l am a parent that has tried to control my kids, somewhat authoritative. My father was this way and my parenting DNA comes from my parents. I got to interview both my parents for an assignment and it was interesting the perspective they had and the one I had. My parents are and were great parents. They did what they thought was right and important as do I as a parent. Through this class and other life experiences, I am learning there are better ways, parenting is frustrating and hard and wonderful and I need to remember what the end goal these. These are not fully my children but Heavenly Father's and he has just asked me to teach them. Remember are your parenting situations "doing to or working with parenting."

"The more you try to use power to control your children, the less influence you will have in their lives." -Thomas Gordon.
"Punishment ruins any good that could come from an explanation."

When punishing I need to help the kids think about the consequences to others that they caused. Laura Ward and Janeen are really good at this. They point out to their children what others must feel and how the specific child would feel if it were them. They both turn the situations into a positive experience by encouraging their children to think of others. This helps us to become unselfish and find purpose in life. I know I am not a perfect parent and many days still struggle, but I'm learning and trying.

Week 5 - FAML 200

The Parenting Pyramid by The Arbinger Institute suggests there are two questions we ask ourselves as parents during the controversy. What do we do when things go wrong? Second, How do I help things go right?

"Whatever our individual circumstances with our children, the key to effective parenting is to reverse this order in the expenditure of time and energy. It is to begin focusing our energy on helping things go right, rather than on handling them once they have gone wrong."

"If we try to correct our kids when other elements of the pyramid are not in place, our correction will always be wrong."

Oh, why is it that my parenting falls into these categories. I feel like I've always done things wrong. If I could only go back, fix things from the beginning. This class is wonderful, the teachings are pure and at the heart of what is good and what is right. I want to help my children know how to change their own lives for the better. It is so hard not to focus on the problem but to focus on the solution.

Week 4 - FAML 200

We learned all about the Choice Diagram. It shows that sometimes we put ourselves in a box. A Better-than, I-deserve, More-than, kind of box. This affects our relationship with others. It alters how we treat them, what we say, and how we act.
I enjoyed this week, I have taken this understanding of the Choice Diagram and watched others around me. It happens all the time. My children do it, I do it, my husband, friends, people I don't even know. It is interesting that once we are taught about certain ideas we see them all over. I am glad that I am also learning how to change them. Parenting is so hard but I want to have a good attitude and learning from my mistakes is part of that.

Week 3 - FAML 220

Whew, this week was a lot. I read a good part of two books.

Mindset by Carol Dweck and
Anatomy of Peace by The Arbinger Institute

They were both very powerful. Mindset helps me see the difference between having a fixed mindset or a growth mindset. As I read, I started seeing these mindsets pop up everywhere and I could see the effect of them.
Fixed Mindset: Brigham had his first soccer practice. The coach ran the kids hard playing games and they were dripping sweat at the end of practice. I was impressed. Then the coach had a short parent meeting. He went over everything from the uniform to the treat schedule. At the end, he started talking about the SWAT teams and how they have played for years with each other and are really very good. With all the boys listening he added, because of this, they would never win. Don't ever expect to win. I was so sad for these boys. I know the coach's thoughts were coming from a well-meaning place, but he just fixed it in their mind it doesn't matter how hard they try.
Growth Mindset: Franklin was asked to ride his bike to the small store down the street to buy a drink for a plumber friend who had done some work for us. He got home happily pulling out the drink only to find out he bought the wrong thing. He was sorrowful and felt some guilt over the experience. His father and the plumber praised his effort and willingness. This would help him realize those are important pieces for a life of success.The book about mindset teaches to praise effort not ability. Then we can link effort to success and children won't give up on things because they know effort will get them there.
With my Zoom group we talked about things that we each have wanted to stop doing but how having a growth mindset keeps us going. I know with school and parenting this is very important. A growth mindset helps me continue to keep trying and keep doing better every day.

The Anatomy of Peace is a good book that explores if we have a heart at war or a heart at peace towards others. I realize over the years the times I have a heart at war are times I have been frustrated or controlling. It has been especially hard with specific children to remember they are individuals and important people with thoughts and opinions too. I need to daily make a decision to foster having a heart of peace towards these individuals and all people that I choose to surround myself with. Having a heart of peace is an interesting decision that is individual but affects everyone around us.

Week 2 - FAML 220

There were really good reading for class this week. We studied all sorts of beginnings with parenting.

Some readings were about gender and how it is evident in babies. Male and female brains are put together, or wired differently. The readings focused in on sight and hearing and how boys are different from girls. When these things are considered then we might understand that girls hear better than boys and when looking at something boys are drawn to see things differently. Parenting is effected when I know and understand these principles.

Some of the readings talked about temperament. I thought about how I can balance my own temperament as a parent. I also studied nine points of temperament. Each of these fits into an active or passive temperament, but can also stand on their own.
Activity level
Rhythmicity
Initial response
Adaptability
Sensory threshold
Quality of mood
Intensity of reaction
Distractibility
Persistence and attention span
I rated each of my children to see if I understood where they were at in each area. Some were easy to see, others were harder to judge.

We learned about the 'goodness of fit' when it comes to parenting. Either we can change the child to fit the environment, change the environment to fit the child, or trust what we've taught our children and let them go.

Personally I learned that I cannot compare my children, to each other, or to other children. They are individuals and I need to focus on that more. The DAP (developmentally appropriate practices) help me know how to look at them this way.

We had some readings about Baumrind's parenting styles,
Permissive
Authoritative,
Authoritarian,
and Un-involved.
I enjoyed these readings. I sometimes feel guilty about what I am not doing or doing too much. It has been good to have the reminder of what each of these styles looks like and how they effect children. I can see better what I need to change to help my children in a better way.