Gloria Ochoa's Entrepreneurial Journal

This semester, I learned that entrepreneurship is more than starting a business, making money, or having a great idea. It is about choices, character, perseverance, and learning to finish what you start. This course changed the way I view entrepreneurship and helped me understand that it is not just a career path, but a mindset that applies to life itself. One lesson that resonated deeply with me was the idea of being a finisher from President Thomas S. Monson’s message, Finishers Wanted . I learned that success is not determined by how strong your start is, but by whether you are willing to stay faithful, disciplined, and committed through challenges. The statement that “the door of history turns on small hinges” stood out to me because it reminded me that small, daily decisions truly matter. These choices shape the direction of our lives more than any single moment ever could. Vision and effort must go together. Dreaming without action leads nowhere, and hard work without direction l...

This week’s study made me think a lot about gratitude, the opportunities I’ve been given, and the ones I’ve created for myself through preparation. President Monson’s talk really touched me, especially the reminder that only one of the ten lepers returned to give thanks. It made me realize how many blessings I walk past without noticing. I also loved how he expressed gratitude for mothers, fathers, teachers, friends, and even for the freedoms we enjoy every day. It made me think about the people who have helped me get to where I am now and how important it is to acknowledge them more often. The entrepreneurship readings tied perfectly into this idea. The phrase “chance favors the prepared mind” felt very real to me. It reminded me that the opportunities I have today didn’t just appear; they came because I prepared for them. I’m grateful for the chance to be in school right now because I know it’s preparing me for future opportunities in ways I may not even realize yet. Through schooli...

What's a Business For? A significant takeaway from the reading is the importance of virtue and integrity to a healthy economy. Handy explains that markets only work when people trust each other, when they believe the numbers are real, leaders are honest, and companies do what they claim to do. Governments, institutions, and citizens would be tremendously blessed if they operated by these two simpler moral values. We see this in the Church, when people act with integrity, they prosper spiritually and temporally. But when trust collapses, the entire system weakens because no one wants to "play the game" if they think it's rigged. Without virtue, even the most innovative economic system eventually fails.  Another idea I loved was Handy's explanation of what actually justifies a business's existence. He teaches that profit is not the purpose; it's simply the fuel that keeps the engine running. The real purpose of a company is to do something valuable and meani...