This week I was able to look at some case studies one of them asked what you would do if you were faced with making it to your daughters dance recital or go to your top customer, who's plant has just been in a fire. I felt I had a good answer and this is what I put let me know what you think. Are main focus this week was looking at balance in business, this was focused around power, family, and money.

I have thought about this and many times and have committed to keeping my promises no matter the sacrifice, my own logic behind this falls in this order; I am working in a job very hard to do what? I am there to provide for my family and be sure that they always have what they need and most of the time what they want, so that is my initial commitment and motivation all others follow this one commitment. So in this circumstance I would explain to my customer that I have made a promise and what would it say to my character if I broke my promises, would they still think I was the best if I didn't keep my word? I then would inform the customer that right when my commitment was over I would be there to help them and if this in turn meant that I didn't have his business when I arrive then I would still help him and he could fire me when we were done. I feel that this shows the customer that you understand his importance,  the value he has put in you, and your true character. I feel most people panic in times of stress and that with time people still hold true to what they know is right, show understanding but stick to who you are. 

This week was great I was able to talk with a few business owners and I learned a lot about the priorities that they have. I found that family time is often sacrificed in order to build a company and keep it running properly. Often to save money, the business owner is the one that has to dedicate extra time to tie up loose ends because they can’t afford to hire someone else to do it. I was surprised to learn that most business owners that I talked to enjoyed being hands on and wouldn’t like to step back from their business and let it run itself or pay someone else to run it for them. They expressed concern for quality being sacrificed for quantity, which is the main reason that they prefer to be so hands-on.

I was very surprised to learn how even when a company is successful, established and self-sustaining, the owner still works long hours to keep it that way. It seemed like opportunity cost is constantly something that is being evaluated and often, time is more valuable than money, especially when it comes to spending time traveling. I also found it interesting that the business owners that I talked to aspired to step away from their business and be more hands off by age 40, but they all talked about new businesses that they would want to start up immediately after. It is almost like the hard working, successful people aren’t ever satisfied and are always aspiring to start up new companies or pursue new ideas and revenue. It definitely takes a certain type of person to be a successful business owner. 

Trust the baker!

This week I really enjoyed learning about ways that I am able to increase my networking. I really enjoyed the lessons on being trusting and how I can be a baker in life learning how I can better others at every turn and how I might be able to always think of others first. It is hard in our society not to think about yourself as the main or initial priority, for me it takes conscious effort to change my thoughts and really ask what I can do for this person or how I might help this individual. I always feel willing to help but then there is a built in status quo in my heart and mind telling me that someday this effort will come back around when I may need it in my life. I am starting to understand that this is not the purpose of service but a really good quote came to mind, “service enables you to grow and become more like Christ.” I really didn’t understand it before this week, service is not about Karma or a revolving circle that will help you in some way, but is about seeing the world as the baker, a person wanting to see the greatest joy out of something he has done, a person able to give everything they have for the end of happiness and pure love. There is no thought to one’s self when we trust, we give all of who we are to enable others to become more. When we do this we draw others like this to ourselves and form relationships of trust without doubt.