Stephanie McKenzie:


I have known Stephanie for roughly 20 years but had lost touch with her until I came to University of Washington Tacoma. I did not know the struggles that she faced making her business work and keeping it viable. Of our guest speakers, i believe that this was the only one taking the "just run the business" approach. This was an opportunity to learn about a different type of entrepreneur, the type that only cares about one thing, and doing it well. Many of other speakers have taught us about pivots, or when to move on from a venture, but this is the first one that was content to simply do the one thing that made them happy. All things considered, even with the amount of risk that comes with being a small business owner, she also explained that there was a fair amount of security that a well run small business can provide. The ability to employ family and loved ones when times are hard is a huge advantage. All things considered, working hard to do what makes you happy seems to be a better idea than working hard just to make money, even if it is more money. Also, it was again reiterated to us the importance of interpersonal relationships when running any sort of business. Hearing from a range of different types of entrepreneurs seems to bring a wider variety of perspectives and approaches. All of this is valuable information when thinking about starting your own business even if it does not relate directly to what you are trying to do.