At the Moment: Entrepreneurship Metaphor

If an entrepreneur were described as someone who is “improvisational, quick, clever, resourceful, and inventive,” then I would never consider myself an entrepreneur. However, I recently read the following metaphor, which made me consider the possibility of there being an entrepreneur inside all of us.

“Perhaps the game of golf, more than any other, replicates the complex and dynamic nature of managing risk and reward, including all the intricate mental challenges faced in entrepreneuring. No other sport, at one time, demands so much physically, is so complex, intricate, and delicate, and is simultaneously so rewarding and punishing; and none tests one’s will, patience, self-discipline, and self control life golf.”[1]

Word! When I read the above I seriously felt it was written with me in mind. “Rewarding and punishing.” Perfect. I have hardly played golf this summer but when I did, it invoked such satisfaction, especially when the ball went in the desired direction. :-) I also felt the same way when I took cello lessons last fall. Activities such as golf, cello, and countless others, almost require you to have an obsession to be successful. I now suppose the question is, “What I am passionate about?”

Best,
Hadley

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[1] 7.Entrepreneurial Mind in Thought and Action: from New Venture Creation: Entrepreneurship for the 21^st Centruy, 6/e by Timmons et al. 26

Leisure: Everyday Essentials

With only 17 MBA classes left (not to be confused with courses), I will soon finish school and return to my life where my job is my only job. I will retire my backpack and re-introduce my Louis Vuitton Kiowa Tote – something originally purchased for travel and has been severely underused. This tote is handsome and holds all of my necessities: my work laptop or my MacBook Pro, my BlackBerry smartphone that keeps me current, a one liter of Smartwater that satisfies my thirst, and various flavors of Stride gum that tame my hunger. I like most of the flavors – I am even warming up to the Stride Shift flavors – but Always Mandarin has always been my favorite.

Oh, and my 11 followers, sorry for the month lag time in between blog posts. I was on break from school, so I took advantage of that time off. But it took a little while to get back on track.

Best,

Hadley

Leisure: Wanted: Mid-Century Modern Patio

My rambler was built in 1952 and by the looks of my patio after this last winter, one would think that the patio was originally built then, too. (Actually, that could be the case.)

My patio, with its charming red brick wall and two seating areas (only one is shown in the below pictures), is now cracked, warped, and creates uncomfortable puddles when it rains. Boo.

So, now I begin the process of designing a patio that reflects my appreciation for mid-century modern landscape design. Ideally it will have clean lines but be warm and comfortable. For those familiar with my patio, I am thinking about moving the dining area to the grill area, and turning the current dining area into a lounge area. Below are some pictures I found online that caught my eye.

So, maybe by July 2011 I will finally get around to having a housewarming party (three years later!) and can unveil a new patio!

Best,
Hadley

At the Moment: Mentorship Programs: Part I

I work with talented people at OptumHealth, a UnitedHealth Group company. Three people, in particular – Chengny Thao (who is leaving us, boo!), Cara Troye (my former boss), and Wendy Mateega (who sat directly across from me in our cubefarm) – inspired this topic (brief Part I) about mentorship programs. Each has influenced my experience in seeking and establishing a mentor as well as wanting to share the wealth with others. Chengny is the one who suggested I obtain a mentor. Cara was my boss who interviewed prospective mentors and made the first contact with my mentor. And Wendy has talked about establishing a formal mentorship program within her department at OptumHealth with the hopes of extending it throughout all of OptumHealth and eventually the other UnitedHealth Group businesses. (Okay, I may have thrown in that last bit about going UHG-wide, so I may have unofficially expanded the scope of Wendy’s plan. One may already exist but I have yet to hear about it.)

Anyhow, Part I of this blog post subject is me actually asking you to share your thoughts and experiences on mentoring/ship programs. As I recently expanded my role at work to include the management of a small team, I now find myself accountable for more than just me. It is in my interest to help develop these team members and when I think back to what has been successful for me at work, my relationship with my mentor and those relationships which were derived from my primary mentor relationship have been invaluable. In fact, I even proposed establishing a membership program (perhaps very informally at first) with my interim boss and she has asked me to present best practices and benefits at her next management meeting. I am not sure how a bunch of IT managers and analysts will respond to a mentorship program but it is a start. So, I ask for your input, articles, links, etc. to share with us. It would be greatly appreciated.

Best,
Hadley

At the Moment: Back to Board and Volunteering: Part II

Excellent news! Three blog posts ago I shared my feelings on board service and volunteering and since then two fabulous things have happened: (1) wingwoman Kathryn Frankson signed up to volunteer for Big Brothers Big Sisters and (2) I received word that starting in July I will be a part of the Marketing & Communications Committee of Tempo, the young professionals group of the Minnesota Opera. Directorship will have to come at a later time, one which I will have to earn!

Anyhow, if not for the enjoyment of opera, I love the idea of helping the Minnesota Opera cultivate new audience members – especially as the existing audience grays – yet ensuring that it stays true to its artistic mission. I realize that a lot of people have assumptions about opera: high ticket prices; a lack of understanding because it is sung in foreign languages; and a lack of familiarity with storylines, music, and performers. However, you can address these issues by purchasing less expensive seats, knowing which opera companies display subtitles in English, and doing some preliminary light reading, respectively. If you think about it, an opera is essentially a play set to music. :-)

But what I look forward to in this volunteer role is how to market to the audience/consumers, donors, volunteers, membership groups, and recognize the complexity of overlapping stakeholders and addressing their needs and interests ... to understand what is important to them and communicate our value proposition in exchange for their time. Operas can be as long as 2.5 to 3 hours, however, from my experience, it is worth it! But if you must, I suggest starting off with an opera that has popular music and a fast-paced storyline like "La bohème," which is absolutely beautiful.

Anyhow, see below for more blogs/articles on board service and volunteering:

Board Life Matters
BoardSource's "What I should know before joining a board?"
Metro Magazine's "6 Reasons to Join a Twin Cities Board of Directors"

Best,
Hadley

At the Moment: Total Money Makeover - Baby Step 1

Give me a goal that I believe in and it will be so tangible to me that I cannot even imagine not attaining it. (I realize that this behavior of mine is taxing for some of my friends, alas.) My No. 1 goal for 2010 has been to have a healthy financial physique and I am achieving that goal with the help of Dave Ramsey's Total Money Makeover. As I said in my first blog post, Mr. Ramsey's Total Money Makeover (TMM) program has changed my paradigm in managing my personal finances – the seven baby steps are pragmatic and easy to commit to. TMM may not be for everyone but I can honestly say that since I committed myself to this program I have not been stressed financially once this year.

In Baby Step 1, Mr. Ramsey tells us on his website to build a $1,000 emergency fund:

"An emergency fund is for those unexpected events in life that you can't plan for: the loss of a job, an unexpected pregnancy, a faulty car transmission, and the list goes on and on. It's not a matter of if these events will happen; it's simply a matter of when they will happen.

This beginning emergency fund will keep life's little Murphies from turning into new debt while you work off the old debt. If a real emergency happens, you can handle it with your emergency fund. No more borrowing. It's time to break the cycle of debt!"

In January 2010, I put $1,000 into a money market account because I knew that if the money sat in my checking account I would have spent it. (Just being honest.) A money market account allowed the money to be readily available in the case of an emergency, and lucky for me I had already completed Baby Step 1 because just the other week in April I encountered an emergency.

When I took my car in for its annual oil change, the service adviser was shocked to see that my 2006 car with 32,000 miles had tires that were completely bald. Sadly, this was not a surprise to me. I live in Minnesota and drive a rear-wheel car without the optional AWD, snow tires, and have an upward-sloping driveway. I know. Please. Anyhow, road safety was my primary concern, so new tires that day were a must! I paid for the new tires with cash. It did not even occur to me to charge them. This confirmed that TMM was the right personal financial plan for me. To financial peace! (I have since replenished the once depleted emergency fund. Thanks, Geithner.)

Best,
Hadley

At the Moment: March for Babies

The blog post for this week was going to be a follow-up to last week's post, Back to Boards, and specifically address the involvement of Generation Xers and Yers in regards to board service; however, I just returned from the March of Babies walk, a fundraising event for the March of Dimes, and I wanted to briefly touch on the experience.

First, I overtly thank all of you who supported my participation in honor of my darling twin nieces, Lucia (pronounced "lu-see-a") and Amelia, who were born two months premature. (By the way, my posts on supporters' Facebook walls do not count as my official "thank you.") Because of people's generosity, I raised $1,825! This is a success for me considering my original goal was $500, and the first and last time I participated in such a fundraising event was at the Alzheimer's Association Memory Walk 2003 when I raised $1,260.

Second, as just mentioned above, I do not generally participate in these types of fundraising events but a week after I returned from New York City last month when I met L&A for the first time, my company sent out an email recruiting employees to participate in the March for Babies walk. I took the timing of the communication as a sign for me to register.

Third, the event seemed very well-attended but I must admit, I was a little overwhelmed with all the people, strollers, and dogs. I guess working predominately from home has taken its toll on my once-developed social skills. :-) Anyhoo, the walk in the brisk air took about 70 minutes but it felt good to support the March of Dimes. To babies!

And fourth, there is nothing more satisfying after a baby walk like brunch with a Bloody Mary followed by a strawberry cosmo! I so desperately wanted the lemon-ricotta hotcakes but my dairy-free diet does not tolerate such brilliance. Alas.

So anyhoo, now that I am back on the community service wagon, I have been thinking about which fundraiser I shall participate in next year. I need something bigger. The answer: the Red Ribbon Ride! This commitment is 100% inspired by my dear friend A.J. Bates (the partner of Irvin, who I have introduced to you before – happy 10 year anniversary guys!) who has participated in AIDS/LifeCycle since 2000. AIDS/LifeCycle is a seven-day bike ride from San Francisco to Los Angeles. Oy! The Red Ribbon Ride is only four days in Minnesota – whew! But I will most definitely need the upcoming year to prepare mentally and physically. Perhaps I should start by attending a spinning class – better yet – how about I first buy a bike?! Ha!

Best,
Hadley