You read about an entrepreneur: I read the book Miracle’s Happen about Mary Kay Ash
· What surprised you the most? I was surprised most by how independent Mary Kay was at such a young age. At the age of seven she was her father’s caretaker, she cooked for her family, she went shopping, she took public transportation, she went to the movies—all on her own.
· What about the entrepreneur did you most admire? I most admired that she followed her dream despite those around her telling her that she would fail and go bankrupt. I also admired how she always strived to do better than she had done the day before.
· What about the entrepreneur did you least admire? I least admire the vagueness in some parts. Mary Kay definitely encountered many emotional points in her life and entrepreneurship journey and I think many (including myself) could learn from those experiences and how she dealt with them if she was open to sharing them in more depth.
· Did the entrepreneur encounter adversity and failure? If so, what did they do about it? Mary Kay Ash most definitely encountered adversity and failure. A month before she was supposed to start her cosmetic company her husband and business partner died suddenly. Everyone expected and advised her to give up the company and her dreams because they were certain she would fail. Despite all of this, she not only continued on to open the company, but did so as scheduled.
2) What competencies did you notice that the entrepreneur exhibited? I noticed that Mary Kay exhibited confidence in herself, and her family/those who worked for her. She also exhibited optimism—she seemed to never listen to the worst case scenario as most people would.
3) Identify at least one part of the reading that was confusing to you: I enjoyed the reading but it was not in chronological order so it threw me off a bit. For example, the first chapter she mentions her husband dying suddenly and then she talks about how she started her company regardless…then in the second chapter she goes on to talk about a time before that where she was married to a man who had joined the army, returned, and then they divorced.
4) If you were able to ask two questions to the entrepreneur, what would you ask? Why? Most people would not have been able to open up their company on time, let alone a month after a sudden death in their family like that—I would ask what gave her the strength to do so. I would also ask her if she could have gone back in her entrepreneurship journey would she have changed the way she did something and if so, how she would have done it differently.
5) For fun: what do you think the entrepreneur's opinion was of hard work? Do you share that opinion? I think Mary Kay’s opinion of hard work is that if you really put your mind to something you will achieve it. I think this because growing up her mom always told her “you can do it”—I think she really took this to heart and used this as motivation time and time again. I do believe that in a lot of cases if you really try your hardest and believe in yourself you can do anything, but I also believe that that doesn’t work out all the time.
· What surprised you the most? I was surprised most by how independent Mary Kay was at such a young age. At the age of seven she was her father’s caretaker, she cooked for her family, she went shopping, she took public transportation, she went to the movies—all on her own.
· What about the entrepreneur did you most admire? I most admired that she followed her dream despite those around her telling her that she would fail and go bankrupt. I also admired how she always strived to do better than she had done the day before.
· What about the entrepreneur did you least admire? I least admire the vagueness in some parts. Mary Kay definitely encountered many emotional points in her life and entrepreneurship journey and I think many (including myself) could learn from those experiences and how she dealt with them if she was open to sharing them in more depth.
· Did the entrepreneur encounter adversity and failure? If so, what did they do about it? Mary Kay Ash most definitely encountered adversity and failure. A month before she was supposed to start her cosmetic company her husband and business partner died suddenly. Everyone expected and advised her to give up the company and her dreams because they were certain she would fail. Despite all of this, she not only continued on to open the company, but did so as scheduled.
2) What competencies did you notice that the entrepreneur exhibited? I noticed that Mary Kay exhibited confidence in herself, and her family/those who worked for her. She also exhibited optimism—she seemed to never listen to the worst case scenario as most people would.
3) Identify at least one part of the reading that was confusing to you: I enjoyed the reading but it was not in chronological order so it threw me off a bit. For example, the first chapter she mentions her husband dying suddenly and then she talks about how she started her company regardless…then in the second chapter she goes on to talk about a time before that where she was married to a man who had joined the army, returned, and then they divorced.
4) If you were able to ask two questions to the entrepreneur, what would you ask? Why? Most people would not have been able to open up their company on time, let alone a month after a sudden death in their family like that—I would ask what gave her the strength to do so. I would also ask her if she could have gone back in her entrepreneurship journey would she have changed the way she did something and if so, how she would have done it differently.
5) For fun: what do you think the entrepreneur's opinion was of hard work? Do you share that opinion? I think Mary Kay’s opinion of hard work is that if you really put your mind to something you will achieve it. I think this because growing up her mom always told her “you can do it”—I think she really took this to heart and used this as motivation time and time again. I do believe that in a lot of cases if you really try your hardest and believe in yourself you can do anything, but I also believe that that doesn’t work out all the time.
Hey Martha great report on Mary Kay Ash! I found it particularly interesting that she opened up her business shortly after her husband passed away. I too would ask why she decided to open her business around that difficult time in her life. Mary Kay Ash accomplished many things in her life by staying positive and was instilled with the idea that anything is possible.
ReplyDeleteMartha,
ReplyDeleteAmazing job in your report on Mary Kay Ash. I did not know much about Mary Kay Ash until your discussion. I had no idea that she was the one who revolutionized the fashion industry. I found it interesting how she was able to open her business knowing that she passed through her husband's dead. I think this is a lesson that when people have an ambition not even death can mingle in their desires. I also feel that her husband's dead pushed her to do it even more.