BUS 110-Ashley Alexander

I’ve always been a dreamer, but sometimes life, responsibilities, and fear of failure make those dreams feel far away or unrealistic. Watching the videos and reading the stories of real entrepreneurs reminded me that dreaming big doesn’t mean you have to have it all figured out, it just means you’re willing to start. One thing that stood out to me was the idea that success begins with a clear vision of the life you want, not just a business you want to build. That’s something I’ve been thinking a lot about. What kind of life am I building for myself and my family? Am I chasing what truly matters, or just trying to survive the next busy week? Interviewing my friend Michaela for this week’s assignment really brought it full circle. She’s a single mom of two, and she started her skincare business from the ground up. She didn’t have investors or a business degree, just passion, grit, and a willingness to keep going. This year, she was even able to expand and hire someone to do lash extensi...

One of the most important things I learned this week was from Jim Ritchie's class on Good to Great, which was based on the book by Jim Collins. It didn't feel like a business rule; it felt like a rule for life. It was great that someone said, "good is the enemy of great." Life makes us settle down a lot of the time, not because we're lazy, but because we get used to things. We believe it's safe to be "good enough," but when we do that, we miss the greater happiness and meaning that come with striving to be the best. I also liked the Venn picture of greatness. It proved that to be great, you need a great product or service, the idea that you can be the best, and a lot of passion. When you find that "sweet spot," you start to be brilliant. It made me think about what's important to me. What do I do really well? What's the best way for me to help other people? These lessons go along with my desire to talk to Michaela, a pro...

This week, I wanted to focus on David Carrington's story. I learned a lot from his story as the founder of racingusa.com, which is now the most popular privately owned NASCAR store. What I liked most about his business advice was how it was based on honesty, creativity, and toughness. Carrington made a strong point about coming up with ideas. He told us that our first thought is often the "low-hanging fruit," or the simplest and most clear answer. He said that real innovation usually comes with the third thought, after we've tried the easy ones and moved on to the creative ones.  What he said made me think a lot about how I solve my own problems. Am I just going with the first idea that seems to work? Am I really looking into all the options? What he did after Dale Earnhardt's sad death had the same effect. Some people raised prices to take advantage of the situation, but Carrington didn't do that. He didn't change the prices because he cared about the fam...

The habit that meant the most to me this week was habit #2: Begin with the end in mind. I've always liked having a plan, but this habit made me realize how important it is to have one in every part of my life, not just work. It's not just about making plans it's about knowing what kind of person I want to be and making choices every day that help me get there is important to me. I think real success comes from the inside out. That's why the 7 Habits are split into two groups: private and public victories. Private ones, like taking charge and putting things first, make you a better person. Public ones, like trying to understand and think of ways to help everyone, build trust and connections. But none of that helps if I can't see where I want to go. That's why Habit 2 is so important. Every other habit is based on it. Our sense of purpose grows when we connect our work and life to something bigger. That's what Habit 2 helps me do. I start with the end in mi...