Education: MBA Entrepreneurship and Managing Innovation

On March 4th, I started my MBA program with Benedictine University online. There were several reasons that I chose this concentration, but most importantly I chose this option because I want a formal education on entrepreneurship. I started with the basics, of course, but I was finally able to take one of my concentration courses in entrepreneurship. I am very excited! The course sessions are 8 weeks long and run consecutively minus a short break for winter and summer.

Here's an excerpt from the Entrepreneurship course syllabus:

Course Description

This course deals with new venture management, examining entrepreneurial personalities, managing creativity, and establishing a successful enterprise.

Course Objectives

Upon successful completion of this course, each student will be able to:

• Develop an understanding of entrepreneurship and the entrepreneurial process.
• Assess the feasibility of new business concepts and ideas.
• Explain and analyze new business venture management principles including opportunity recognition, market assessment, and financial planning.
• Formulate a plan to identify resources and skills needed to grow a new venture business.
• Analyze various exit strategies for new business ventures.
• Create business plans for development and financing of new business ventures.

The weekly discussion posts were a great way to help me see other opinions and expand my thinking on the various subjects while the written assignments gave great opportunities for constructive feedback to help me improve my thoughts and processes. We also had a group project in this course. We chose to focus on developing a mobile app to search for lowest price textbooks and supplemental materials for graduate and undergraduate students. That was a challenge for me as I have no experience in mobile app development. However, it was a challenge that I now appreciate. We were also encouraged to create a business plan of our own or tweak an existing business plan, and this is what I will be working on continuously.

My next course started today, and I am very excited! This new course focuses on technology and innovation in business!! I am enjoying the learning platform and my instructors & classmates are amazing! Education is power!

Blessed Body Brand: About Us

Blessed Body Brand is the daughter company of Prosperity Legacy, LLC. Blessed Body Brand started April 3, 2013. We are a small batch, handcrafted, all-natural personal care products company that started in 2013 offering three products: Unrefined Shea butter, Virgin Organic Coconut oil, and lip balm. We still offer these products, but we've expanded! Now we also offer soap and whipped body butters. Some of our mos recent soapy adventures include beer soap (crafted with Guiness Extra Stout), Castile (100% Olive Oil), Coconut Oil (100% Virgin Organic Coconut oil or Refined Coconut oil), Shea Butter Lush bar (made with 70% Shea and Shea nut oil with fresh cucumber and aloe vera gel), coffee soaps, and more!! Whipped body butters will be sold scented and unscented. Stop by our online store or visit our vendor cabinet at the Sunshine This & That shop at 2212 Ross Clark Circle Suite 3. It is our goal to craft high quality products for the entire family! We'll be sharing more information about us, tips and tricks & trials and triumphs for the entrepreneur! Stay tuned as we take you deep inside the lab with an in depth look at Blessed Body Brand and Prosperity Legacy, LLC!!

100% Coconut Oil Soap

Sunshine This and That Shop

Whipped Shea Butter (Yellow)

Bedtime Bliss (100% Olive Oil)

Whipped Shea Butter (Ivory)

Stumompreneurs Unite Part 2

Stumompreneurs (student, mother, entrepreneurs) are individuals who attend higher education institutions, run businesses, and raise a child or children simultaneously! We are a group of active and highly motivated individuals! As a stumompreneur time management is of the utmost importance (I know because I still struggle with it!!). We have to multitask and be able to do at least 3 things at once, but how can we manage to do all this highly important, life altering, necessary... STUFF! We must PRIORITIZE!

Yesterday we discussed the most important job of the stumompreneur, MOM. Today we will address the other two important facets of ourselves.

ENTREPRENEUR: Your business is your baby, and if it's a start-up... it's a newborn and requires constant care! Like a child, it takes several years to be able to stand up and pee on it's own and remember to lift the seat or wipe it off as it were. You have to be consistent here as well. Know your industry. Know who's prominent in your industry. Read about your industry. Talk about your industry. If you are a product creator, make some great products and market your products. If you offer services, tell the world and market you! Don't be cheap! You're in business to make an impact on the world and make money. This effort keeps you away from your family. That time can't be recovered, and it's expensive! Charge what you're worth and charge for your time. Knowing your industry will be a HUGE help here!

STUDENT: As a student striving for a post secondary or post baccalaureate degree, you have to be motivated and passionate about what you're studying! If you are studying an area that is directly related to your business or business goals, you are in the money! You can multitask and complete business and student assignments at the same time! Know your course schedule. I am attending Benedictine University online, and I know that the week begins on Monday. Initial discussion posts are due Wednesday. Written assignments are due on Sunday along with discussion responses. I also know at the beginning of each week how much reading, research, and studying that I need to do so that I can budget that time in as well.

Stumompreneurs Unite Part 1

Stumompreneurs (student, mother, entrepreneurs) are individuals who attend higher education institutions, run businesses, and raise a child or children simultaneously! We are a group of active and highly motivated individuals! As a stumompreneur time management is of the utmost importance (I know because I still struggle with it!!). We have to multitask and be able to do at least 3 things at once, but how can we manage to do all this highly important, life altering, necessary... STUFF! We must PRIORITIZE!

MOM: Our first priority is to family: our children, our spouses, and ourselves! Individuals outside of your household are not included into this category for consideration. Set a schedule. I know, it is so cliche and darn near impossible, but it will save you a lot of time and tension! I have a three-year-old son and a four-year-old niece. They are both currently home-schooled, so scheduling is of the essence! Be consistent with your schedule. Know what activities are coming up and make them a regular part of your week/month so that your schedule is not derailed. This includes Barnes & Noble story time, library outings, days at the park/zoo/gardens, whatever you want to do with your children.

Do not neglect spending quality time with your husband/wife!! This is not just about sex, although in marriage this area should not be left unattended without cause. Do things with your spouse: talk to each other with everything turned off, hold hands, kiss, do things that remind you why you fell in love with each other (especially if that includes watching anime and playing Sonic on Sega Genesis!!). Set a schedule for this. Scheduling does not make you a bad mother/wife! It makes you a superhero!

Spend time with your entire family as well. Children need to see mom and dad interacting happily with love and care! Again, turn off the world and enjoy each other. Most importantly, DO NOT NEGLECT YOURSELF! Self-care is the only way to stay sane and keep moving! Soak in the tub while your husband watches the kids, read a book, paint your nails, eat snacks ALONE, exercise, play music and dance around (my favorite), do absolutely nothing while the house is quiet at nap time, and most importantly CLEANING UP DOES NOT COUNT AS SELF-CARE! Do something exclusively for you!

Friends and other relatives are very important, but not more important than your family. After all, they are the reason you have this title and chose to do the work that you do. Stay tuned for part 2 where discuss our titles of student and entrepreneur.

Domestic Violence Awareness: Decision Making

Yesterday, I talked about rules for setting goals.Today we will discuss the decision making process. Because of the psychological, emotional, and other negative impacts of domestic, survivors often need help to become self-sufficient and confident in their ability to make the right decisions for their lives and their children's lives. Given the right tools and mindset, survivors can live full, happy, healthy lives! One thing to remember in deciding about your future is that you are in charge of the decisions to be made. There is nothing wrong with seeking advice and information from others, but the final decision must be made by you! Listed below are steps in the decision making process that will help you find confidence in making your own life decisions.

The Decision Making Process

1. Define the decision to be made; define the problem and set the foal.
2. Gather relevant information; ask for expert advice.
3. Evaluate the information; list possible solutions.
4. Look at the consequences of each.
5. Weigh the pros and cons of two or three possible solutions.
6. Choose a possible solution.
7. Take action on your choice.
8. Evaluate progress and review the process.

Start using this process everyday. You already do this on a smaller scale. For example: I'm hungry. There's food in the fridge and snacks in the pantry. I could eat a salad and drink some water or chips and a soda. I've been working out lately, and my body will be happier with that salad. I prefer not to feel guilty after I eat. I'm going to have a salad. You make the salad and eat it. You feel full and your body is happy. By the way, I make giant salads with lots of toppings. I'm not a lettuce and dressing kinda gal!) You can do this! You can make important decisions and be in control of your own life and happiness.

While this post is geared towards domestic violence survivors, it is a great list for entrepreneurs and business persons to utilize as well. Having an active formalized process for making decisions that help you reach your goals is critical to success in life and business! Once again d                              on't be surprised if you see this list again in a different context! If you are in a domestic violence situation, you DO NOT have to stay. There is help no matter what your situation is. Please dial 211 and someone will be able to get you and any children involved to the resources that you need to get out safely. 

Domestic Violence Awareness: Rules for Goal Setting

Rules for Goal Setting

1. Goals must be written. Plans to do anything are seldom carried out unless they are written down.
2. Goals must be specific. Goals that are generalized are difficult to deal with.
3. Goals must be positive. Anything that is not stated in a positive manner will not carry accomplishment with it.
4. Goals must be personal. You can only make a goal that is something for yourself.
5. Goals must be realistic. A goal that is only wishful thinking is not realistic.
6. Goals must be worthwhile. A goal can only be something you are willing to work toward.
7. Goals must be measurable. You should be able to measure how you are doing and when you get there.
8. Goals must have a target date. You must give a date for the completion of your goals and dates that you will check on your progress toward that goal. A specific date reminds you that it must be done by then, therefore motivating you to action.

During my time in the shelter, one of the assignments that they give us was to set goals for ourselves. Setting individual goals is the first step to independence and taking back control of your life. For some women, the goals were small (unenroll children in current school, enroll in new school by Wednesday), and for others, the goals were much larger (purchase a used, reliable Toyota Camry and find a job by Next month on the 15th). No matter the size or importance of these goals to others, this exercise was extremely important to help rebuild self-confidence and to instill in domestic violence violence survivors a sense of control over their lives.

While this post is geared towards survivors of domestic abuse, these are also great rules for entrepreneurs and businessmen/women. Don't be surprised if you see this list again in a different context! If you are in a domestic violence situation, you DO NOT have to stay. There is help no matter what your situation is. Please dial 211 and someone will be able to get you and any children involved to the resources that you need to get out safely

Blessed Body Brand: Whipped Shea Butter

Ivory Shea butter

Yellow Shea butter

Today, I reached a major milestone and achieved a great accomplishment: I made not one, but two soft, fluffy, whipped SHEA BUTTERS!!! You see, I've been attempting to make whipped Shea butter for over a year! They were all unsuccessful attempts: too hard once cooled, grainy when cooled, too oily, not enough oil, any possible thing that could be wrong was wrong, and I'd use those butters until they were gone (no matter how oily I was LOL). That was a very expensive, very trying process! I decided to share what I've learned during my expensive and arduous process of learning to make whipped Shea butter.

Things you need to make whipped Shea butter:

• hand held mixer or stand mixer
• Shea butter (I'm not even going to touch on the great Shea debate! Use whichever butter you like.)
• oils of your choice
• pot of hot water or double boiler
• silicone spatula
• PATIENCE

The general rule for a successful whipped butter is 60-75% hard oil or butter and 40-25% liquid oils. You will need to add all of the oils and butter to a glass or metal bowl or the top pot of a double boiler. Put the pot of water on the stove and let it come to a rolling boil. Once the water is boiling, turn the stove off, add the pot/bowl of oils to the top of the pot of water. Stir as needed to encourage a faster melting process. Once the Shea butter is nearly melted (only a few small clumps left) remove from heat and stir until Shea is completely melted. Once melted, place mixture into the freezer. Allow to cool. DO NOT LET IT FREEZE!!

Once the butter mixture is cooled has gelled around the edges and in the center remove from the freezer and prepare to whip! Scrape the sides of the bowl to loosen the cooled Shea so that you don't end up with bits of Shea butter that are not whipped. (It doesn't affect the consistency or quality of the rest of the batch. It's more for aesthetics.) Get your stand mixer or handheld mixer and beat on high for 5 minutes. Turn the bowl and rotate the mixer in one direction only, ONE DIRECTION! I tend to go counter clockwise with the bowl and clockwise with the mixer (It'll make sense when you're doing it). After 5 minutes, check the consistency. If it is light and fluffy KUDOS!! Add essential oils and whip it again on high for 5 minute intervals until it is the consistency and volume that you'd like use a silicone spatula to slowly fold in the essential oils. You want to try and keep the air in the butter and keep the consistency creamy during this process. If it is as hard as a brick products begins to settle and does not have a creamy consistency, have no fear! At this point, add more of the lightest oil with the longest shelf life in your recipe to the butter batter and mix until incorporated. Repeat as necessary to achieve a soft, light whipped butter. Be careful not to "overmix" the batter. Scoop, pour, or pipe into jars and enjoy!

I used this recipe for the Ivory Shea pictured above.

Whipped Shea Butter for Hair
5 oz Ivory Shea butter
0.42 oz Hemp Oil
3 oz Sunflower oil
5 drops Peppermint essential oil
10 drops Lavender essential oil
10 drops Orange essential oil