Susan Preator
Do You Want To Be An Entrepreneur?
Summary
Susan Preator is an entrepreneur that founded a company called Imagine Learning at the age of 55. Imagine learning is a software company that helps children from all over the world learn english faster and easier with various games and exercises.
Susan talked a lot about how to become and be an entrepreneur and the challenges that face it. To be an entrepreneur you must be very flexible and not be afraid to be challenged. You also need to plan ahead in case your idea will fail and be willing to take risks and don't believe that you will fail. She also suggests that you need to be a make-it-happen person.
- "See a need, fill it!"
- "See a problem, solve it!"
- "See an opportunity, take it!"
Her main keys to success were to hire people you like to work with. Make sure to have a vision and be the best. Also, along with hiring it is important to trust the people you hire and provide as many necessary resources for you workers for them to do their job well; provide leadership, but give them ownership and get out of their way to do their job. Lastly she explains how important it is to be their biggest fan and to always make employees happy first then they will make customers happy and then the shareholders happier.
- "Life is a game, decide to win it."
My Thoughts
I really enjoyed listening to Susan speak because I am very interested in becoming an entrepreneur. She gave some great advice and I really liked what she said about about making employees happiest first before making the customers and shareholders happy. I definately believe in that concept and after working at the bottom for other companies I have appreciation for the workers on the bottom and I know what they go through and what their frustrations are.
She was very motivating with everything she had to say and some of her comments made me want to start thinking of my own ideas and businesses I could possibly run. It also sounds great to be your own boss and to choose your own hours. However just like Susan said I do not want to be all power with being the boss I want to make sure that I'm respectful of my workers and that I listen to them first.
Extra Credit Location
I want my extra credit on the midterm (all 3 points).