Guest Speaker, Erik Hanberg

The guest speaker to our Entrepreneurship and Technology class, Erik Hanberg, had quite a story to tell. As a fellow entrepreneur, I could relate to his story on SO. MANY. LEVELS. I have often had friends tell me that I never finish anything I start, but that is just because I have so many things I am passionate about, and my brain works non-stop on ideas to monetize those passions.

Mr. Hanberg told his story of personal choices blending with his entrepreneurial vision. There are many things over the years I haven't embarked fully on because of kids, family, or other life choices in play at the moment. There are also times I didn't pay my house power bill because I needed to buy supplies for my business. When you are a small entrepreneur, your personal life and business life become so intertwined that it is hard to see the difference between them and they really affect each other. That is a story I can sure relate to.

I feel a kinship with Erik's story because he has kept his passion for writing as he works on all his other passions and endeavors... his failed theater, his work with Metro Parks, his business partnerships with his wife and her skills... but still, he writes. And he publishes his work; self-published, no less. I love to write, especially when I am inspired, but I rarely carve out time to do so. An important reminder to make more time for that. (As I am currently inspired, hence catching up on the blog posts...)

There were two big takeaways for me from his visit... One, a reminder of one of my favorite sayings as an entrepreneur... "Opportunity is lost because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work". I think that is what makes an entrepreneurial brain work just a bit differently from everyone else's; we see the opportunity in its overalls and all, and are not scared off by the work it looks like. We embrace it.

The second cool thing for me was the statement of "Sell your time, or sell something else". I have made a career of selling my time as a nail tech... now I need to sell my experience in my field. I need to monetize all this experience to help other nail techs who are just starting out on the road I have already walked for 18 years. Sort of a "If I had known then what I know now" share, so others CAN know what they need to know now, when they are at the beginning. Definitely helps me focus my vision on my business plan of software development for nail techs...

Thanks for the inspirational story, Mr. Hanberg. And thank you for taking time out to share it with our class.

I'm out for the night. I will pick up with Amy Sallin after some shut eye. Hasta luego, fans!

Michelle :)