I am an Entrepreneur!

“Some people want it to happen, some wish it would happen and others make it happen” – Michael Jordan

Today was a great day.  I was able to go down to BYU to speak to the students involved in the Women’s Entrepreneurship program at BYU.  First, let me say how much you feel your age when you walk on stage to speak and realize that you are old enough to be these girls mother!!!   Just when I was trying to convince myself that I am really not that old….dang!

The girls were absolutely darling.  So were the four of five young men attending the event (and might I say…nicely played boys 😉 ).  What a great group it was today.  I was really impressed by the caliber of young women I met.   And it makes me so happy to see more girls getting involved in entrepreneurship today.  I honestly can’t think of a better choice for young women today than Entrepreneurship.  Being an entrepreneur gives them a million choices on what business to create:  whether to do a home-based business where they can run a company while staying home with their children, or whether to build a huge enterprise where they employee thousands of people – the choice is totally open to them to go in whatever direction they choose.  That’s what makes it so exciting and so rewarding as a career choice.

I cannot stress enough how important I think it is for young women to get their education and to have a plan for how to support both themselves and their families.  Back when I was these girls age my limited view of life made me think that I should just focus on getting married and having kids and letting my husband take care of me – well that was a TERRIBLE plan and if I ever hear young girls mimic my plan I immediately jump in to try and save them from themselves!   Look I am a huge advocate of motherhood and I think mothers that get to stay home and be full-time moms to their kids are the luckiest women in the world.  But can any girl expect that to be available to them or even plan that to be available to them – HECK NO!   I will share with you what I have told my daughter since she was old enough to listen – you plan your life as if you will be supporting yourself and your family all by yourself, and if it works out that you are blessed enough to not have to support your family then you count your blessings and still have your plan and skills ready to go at a moment’s notice to be able to support a family on your own, because nothing in life is certain, and you had better be fully prepared to be the sole supporter.

I feel so lucky that I choose to be an Entrepreneur.  Sure it has been an incredibly challenging lifestyle to live – balance is a constant struggle for every entrepreneur – but I have learned more amazing lessons by my trying and failing and trying and failing an trying and failing and continuing to get back up and keep moving forward than I could have learned in any other way of life.

I saw a great quote today on Entrepreneurship.  It read:

“Entrepreneurship is living a few years of your life like most people won’t, so you can spend the rest of your life like most be can’t.”

There is a lot of truth to that quote.  You will work your guts out more than anyone could ever prepare you for.  You will take more bumps and bruises and more scrapes and cuts then there are Band-Aids to cover them.  Your failures are seen by many and your efforts are often appreciated by very few.  But at the end of the day I can’t think of any career that will afford you more of an opportunity to learn and grow at an unbelievable pace, or that will give you the opportunity to influence other people’s lives by affording them opportunities to excel, and nothing else will give you more of an opportunity to create something truly marvelous!

Yes I am glad I chose to be an Entrepreneur and I wouldn’t change it for the world.

~Amy

7 Comments

  • Darlene Minjares says:

    I wish I had had this advice long ago. I got an education “just in case” I needed to support my family, but not because I really expected to. My life would be charmed. All I really wanted was to be a wife and stay-at-home mom . . . wake-up call!!! I did not expect to be divorced with two small children to take care of. It broke my heart to have to put my little ones in daycare while I worked. I was determined to find a way to be home with my kids, so I searched for something I could do from home. I was blessed to find a good home job, and I did it for 20 years while my kids were growing up. It wasn’t easy — a LOT of all-nighters so I could have some time with the kids during the day — but it was so worth it.

    Amy, I LOVE your advice, and I hope that people listen. You can have your goal like I did and be a stay-at-home mom, but I had to work in some variables that I wasn’t expecting. I wish someone would have given my that advice long ago.

    Thank you, Amy!!!!!

  • Heidi Magann says:

    LOVE your blog today, Amy! Thank you! 🙂

  • Laura Reece says:

    As always thank you Amy! You always have something to say that I need to hear. I am off this week as my mom had surgery yesterday. I am so glad I was still able to read your tweet/blog and get my morning inspiration each day. BTW my mom is doing well and she is in good spirits. Thank you again!

  • Yvette says:

    Amy, you are such an inspiration to me. I have always felt this way after seeing my mom divorced an struggling and it is so incredible to see someone whom has such a great impact on so many people’s lives, especially womens, give of their lessons and talents. It is something to look up to and aspire to. Thank you thank you thank you!!!I hope to be more tomorrow than I am today and your blogs always hit the spot in reminding me of this.

  • Sandra says:

    Love this post. I grew up with that same idea. Get married. Have babies. … then what?

    I think it’s equally important for a woman’s self esteem and sanity to strive to achieve skills and successes in their lives that go beyond their role as wife and mother. Those are important roles but is it enough to be one’s sole identity? Their contribution to the universe? I realize that every situation is different and everyone views success and value differently. For me? I want to be a great mother and I want to be a great me. I want my daughter to feel empowered and know that she can do and be anything she wants. I believe the best way for me to teach her that is by BEING that woman too. I’m not there yet…but I’m working on it.

  • Adi Nezer says:

    Hi
    Amy, i just loved your post.
    I knew I love entrepreneurship, but your post made me fall in love with this again.

    The entrepreneurship world is just amazing and full of possibilities.

    Thanks for sharing this post!

    Adi Nezer

    women entrepreneurship

  • Carey says:

    Hello all, here every person is sharing these knowledge, thus it’s pleasant to read this blog,
    aand I used to pay a visit this weblog all the time.

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