Week 4

This week has been about budgeting and money, my weak links.  Since I am not a planner I have a hard time setting down and budgeting.  I don’t usually know a good price on products and I don’t keep track of who has the best price.  I have a hard time getting my bills paid and I don’t have a budget.  These are activities that I am working on since realizing how they are such a weakness of mine and that I need to find a way to do better at them. 

I have started a tablet that I keep in the kitchen to write down chores that need done around the house so that I can delegate more to others.  I have discussed a budget with my husband and there are two areas we need to work on, I like to go shopping, not really but he thinks I do and he likes to eat out.  I do know that this is true.  I think I should not shop for a week and see how things go.  No milk, bread, meat, eggs.  This does irritate me.  I am working on these a little at a time. 

I asked Nathan if he would like to go into business with me cleaning offices.  He doesn’t mow lawn in the winter and so this would be a good opportunity for him to earn some money.  We are each putting in ten dollars and this week we are going to start checking around for good green products that we can use and think of a name for our company. 

On the Big Idea I have been thinking that instead of planning dates we could become a clearing house for dating ideas.  We can talk to restaurants and other businesses and put them on a website so that people can go there to plan dates instead of having to access many sites.  I haven’t figured out the money yet but am thinking about it and talking to others about it. 

I like the idea of bootstrapping a business and not going into debt but working on it one step at a time when you have the resources.  This would work for either of my ideas.  For the Big Idea I could have Greg make a website for it and then show it to potential businesses and get them on the site.  I would need a startup date so that we could have a few people on there.  It would be great if you could see what was at the movie, when the Idaho Falls Symphony was playing and other activities for the weekend that you are wanting to plan. 

This week has got me thinking about budgets and money and I am working on being more of a planner.  I have several other ideas I am working on to help me become a better planner.  

Action Hero's for weeks three and four:

DESH DESHPANDE

Dr. Deshpande moved to the United States from India with only eight dollars in his pocket.  He believes that being an immigrant helped him because he knew what things were like in India and in the United States and he felt he could do something with his life here.  His first business did not succeed because he had a difference of opinion with his partner but he said he learned a lot from it.  Dr.Deshpande said that he is an optimist and that if things don’t go your way that it is not the end of the world.  He said,“Sit on it a while and you will see what you can do.” 

Desh Deshpande is a technology entrepreneur and visionary whose companies and ideas often reshape entire industries.  He has changed how data and voice traffic is delivered across the world.  

KEN ZOLOT

Ken Zolot grew up with a devilish curiosity and restless creativity.  He has turned that into a keen understanding of customer expectations that helped him create companies like Egenera and Heartland Robotics.  He has learned to blend technical skills with an understanding of human relationships and helps others to learn this by mentoring aspiring entrepreneurs at the Kauffman Foundation. 

Ken Zolot says the most important thing in business is the place and the people who need tended to.  He says that we hire human beings and we should find out how to help them and what inspires them.  When we look to start a business we should think about what keeps people up at night and how we can help with their daily struggles.  When we start a business are we thinking about people and what they need or are we thinking about this cool thing we invented and more about ourselves that who our customer is.  Zolot says we should remember to listen to feedback from the market and push ourselves to find the next great thing that we want to show people that they need, but make sure it is something they need not that you think is cool. 

Both of these men are visionaries who show optimism and a desire to find ways to help others.  

 

Paul Robshaw

Paul Robshaw has always been a hard worker.  His father needed help with his real estate business when Paul was just thirteen and told Paul that if he came and helped him show houses he could drive his dad’s car.  Paul did this. Paul learned all aspects of the real estate business from cleaning to selling and owns AIC Ventures which helps companies unlock the value of their real estate. Paul said that he realized that nothing was easy and that you had to work hard to achieve success. 
It was not always that way for Paul.  He was divorced and declared bankruptcy on the same day.  This was not easy for him and after that he started thinking about his life and decided that money and accomplishment were not as important as your core values.  He still had integrity, was honest and he had his friends and belief in God.  He wrote a book about these things and also has a life plan that he still refers to.
He says that we should dream.  “Dreams are reality without boundaries” he said.  Decide what you really want to do.   What do you dream about doing?  Don’t worry about the money, do what you want to do.  He said that this can be personally inspiring. 
Paul believes that our core values are important.  I liked the idea that we should dream big, work hard and that nothing is easy.