MY STORY:

• Business owners discuss their journeys and advice for U students with start-ups

MY BLOG:

I originally developed my story ideas by beginning to think about how important it would be to let the readers know about small businesses in Utah. The reason why I wanted to focus on that was because I wanted a way to encourage University of Utah students to start their business and capture the unique experiences of several business owners.

I located one of my sources through one of my fellow classmates. A student heard my story idea and provided me the contact information for another University of Utah student who has started her own business. As for my other two sources, I was able to get in touch with them due to one of my good friends.

I found the best sources for my story because each one had a unique story to tell and each had unique advice for U students. Luckily, I did not encounter any obstacles, ethical issues or moral dilemmas. All sources were very open to answering questions and sharing their stories.

I decided my focus would be to highlight experiences of business owners. How I made sense of all the information I gathered was to revise my interview notes and highlight the most fitting information that fit my focus.

The writing process taught me a lot about my craft. I learned that I took useful notes while interviewing my sources and that recording the interview allowed me to not miss out on any important details.

What surprised me in the interviewing process was that all of my sources were happy to share their struggles, successes and what they would do differently if they could do it over again.

The overall lesson I learned from my interviews was to not let fear get in the way of what one wants to accomplish, and that being a student at the U comes with a lot of great benefits to help you every step of the way in starting a business.

ABOUT ME:

I always had a hard time figuring out exactly what I wanted to be when I grew up.

I have always been interested in just about everything, which made it hard to narrow down what I wanted to do as a career. When I was a little girl, I wanted to be a veterinarian, due to my love for animals. I changed my mind on that career as soon as I realized that I would be seeing many animals sick and injured.

I was raised having a business mindset. I grew up observing my dad run his business and teaching me many lessons. When I was around 7 years old, I began coming up with new ways to make some money. One of the ways I made money was that I asked my parents to buy me a bulk package of handmade greeting cards, and I went around my neighborhood and sold them individually. I quickly realized that I was not afraid to talk to anyone and that I wanted to have my own business someday.

When I was deciding what I exactly wanted to go to school for, it was a pretty easy choice. I am now a junior at the University of Utah and will be finishing in Spring 2019 with a BA in strategic communication. I am enjoying this major because it is setting up a great foundation for my MBA I plan to work hard for.

I am glad I have a great family that not only supports me but encourages me. I am thankful my dad taught me from a young age to be business-driven. He pushes me to be the best that I can be.

I enjoy a lot of activities in my free time. I love spending time outdoors, whether it is jogging at a park, walking my dogs, or hiking with friends. I really enjoy traveling to new places as often as I can, with my friends and family as well.