I recently was asked to participate in an Entrepreneur Panel at OU’s Irani Center for the Creation of Economic Wealth (ICCEW). It really got me thinking about how my business came about. How was I going to talk to a group of Entrepreneur Interns about starting a business when I was a music major? I’ve literally figured this all out as I’ve gone along and I still don’t think I have any idea what I’m doing…
In digging deeper, I realized I have actually been an Entrepreneur my whole life. In elementary school, I made these little “craft kits” out of paper and sold them to my friends at recess for 25 cents each. In middle school, I sewed “headscarves” in my garage on my mom’s sewing machine and sold them for $5 each. In high school, I started a pretty lucrative babysitting business.
I had never really put two and two together before. I didn’t know where my business drive came from. It was just something I did. Then, when I paired it with something I was really passionate about (piano teaching), magical things happened. Side Note: remind me to tell you the story of when I knew I wanted to be a piano teacher.
All this to say I guess, if you want to start a business or create something, begin by asking yourself, “What am I passionate about?” “What things do I just do without having to think about too much?” “What hobbies, talents, skills, etc. come natural or put me in a state of flow?”
Why is this important? Because those are the things that you will be willing to work your butt off for, all day, every day, and still not feel like you are working.