1. How was the pitching experience for you this week?

Pitch went really well actually! The days leading up to pitch were spent adding finishing touches to our pitch deck and rehearsing. Our presentation went a lot smoother than I was anticipating if I’m being real. I think we could have presented it a little less frantically, but overarchingly, I would say we did a great job. The feedback from outside the classroom was nice, but I was a little bummed we didn’t get to engage in conversation with our classmates surrounding the project. That’s actually what I was looking forward to the most about Pitch. During dress rehearsals, we actually got some SUPER useful feedback. Thinking the rehearsals would be a taste of the feedback we would receive during pitch, I was ready for suggestions, critics, likes, dislikes, and everything in between.

2. What resonated with you from pitch day?

I think the thing that resonated with me the most was how confident all presenters were. All students that pitched were prepared, calm, and confident. It was fun getting to see what others have been dedicating their time to. The fact that each project had touches of personality and individualization made their conveyance extremely enjoyable.

3. What did you think of the E&I event this week? Were you able to network and connect with others at the event? Why or why not?

I WASN’T ABLE TO GO! 🙁 I was unfortunately/ not unfortunately at Nationals for Track and Field. From the photos though, it looked like a huge success! Sad I missed it, but so so happy that it was a hit. 🙂 Seeing everyone united made me proud to be apart of this program.

4. How are you feeling coming near the end of VP2? What are there areas that you are in need of support?

Overall, feeling pretty strong. I recently GRINDED and got a lot of the smaller details out of the way. Now we just need to make the Learning Journey Video. In terms of support, there isn’t anything in particular I need help with.

5. Life:

Overall, pretty solid. Nationals for track was a blast. I ended up getting 13th overall.

https://www.canva.com/design/DAFBcDnx9hI/n3URZbGI6-8XyVxIsKbhVQ/edit?utm_content=DAFBcDnx9hI&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=link2&utm_source=sharebutton

1. How did the technology prototyping workshop go for you?

If I’m being completely honest, I don’t remember what we did during the technology prototyping workshop. Not out of insult, but I’ve just had a lot going on in my mind. I’m sure if someone gave me a refresher of what we did again, I would have more commentary, but off the top of my head, I don’t remember what we did during this workshop. Lol, rip. :/

2. How did the interviewing workshop go for you?

The interviewing workshop was actually surprisingly helpful! My team was high key stressed about the logistics pertaining to the finances of our venture, but a bunch of upper E-levels reassured me that money chains don’t need to be in center focus. It was also encouraging that most people were in similar places with their ventures pertaining to being ready for pitch. We have quite a few loose ends to tie, but everything will come together, I do know that.

3. Dress Rehearsals! How did this go for you and your team? What traction do you guys need to make before pitch day?

Dress Rehearsals went really well actually! Meg gave us some helpful feedback that allowed us to easily pivot our entire project in a new direction. Luckily, the pivot correlated perfectly with most of the research we did, so there was minimal work that actually had to be scratched. Before pitch, we need to do a little prototyping for our new pivot. (Our shift was from a composting service to —> a media/ event company that tries to bring revenue/ business to the already existing system in Bellingham). Our group just needs to sit and grind, adding finishing touches to our pitch deck.

4. LIFE BABY

Just some brain barf. Summer…..is……so……close. The finish line is in sight. I quit my job, and I’m really fricking pumped about it. Have another one lined up. It was time for change/ a new environment. There have been a lot of things I’ve been meaning to get done for awhile, but have taken second seat due to school & sports. Something that I’ve discovered over the last year is that I am not a great multitasker. Making a weekly schedule every week has improved this a lot. If anyone else has struggled with this and has tricks that work for them, definitely open to suggestion. This week I fell into a little spout of depression. Not horrible, but lingering. I’ve become a lot better at registering when a low is coming and not letting myself cement in it. I’m a pretty upbeat person, so when I get hit, sometimes it hits hard. One thing I am absolutely PUMPED for is devouring a scroll length of books friends and family have recommended to me over the year. There is nothing like starting a book, having your fingers glued to the edges until you’ve traveled cover to cover.

I’m a little nervous about the direction this program is headed. I think it has potential to be a great idea but would love to learn more about the opportunities that this branch of entrepreneurship possesses. By the time the program actually makes the shift, will most people be mostly graduated through?

I’ve been listening to this song a lot. Super happy, hoppy vibes.

Name: Neu Chicago

By: Clive Tanaka y su orquestra

1. What are you going to take away from Sawyer’s presentation on budgeting? What resonated with you?

I think the biggest takeaway I have from Sawyer’s presentation on budgeting is learning about LLCs, because I honestly didn’t even know it existed until she talked about it in class. One thing that resonated with me was the importance of making sure you have title to your brand.

2. What was your favorite part of E4 shift and share? What do you think you will carry along with you from these presentations?

My favorite part of the E4 shift and share was Karl and Meg’s presentation. It was very refreshing to be able to sit in complete silence with so many people. It’s truly a rare occurrence. I’ve never thought about the everyday rituals we practice that aren’t inherently considered meditation, but actually are. I think for me, running, doing the dishes, and singing are a few forms of my own meditation. Being reminded of the importance of slowing down and taking in life is certainly an aspect from these presentations that I will continue to carry on. Aidan’s Canva and font tips were also SUPER helpful and will certainly be implemented into future projects. A lot of great advice that is extremely useful and applicable to this class.

3. How are you feeling wrapping up Change Leadership? Any new sparks or ideas?

Wrapping up change leadership feels great. Journaling everyday was a great opportunity for reflection. It was insane to realize how small decisions can have large imprints in setting the mood of the day. Pertaining to new sparks, one new spark that I tried is sewing! These last few weeks, a creative outlet has been a little non-existent (definitely from my lack of prioritizing that aspect of my life). I always wanted to try altering clothes, and I gave it a go. I took a pair of jeans and tried adding frills to the bottoms. Turned out great. (I’ll add a photo here soon).

4. Aliens:

I. Just. Want. To See. A. UFO. Please, it’s legitimately a goal of mine. If I saw one now, I would be content for like a solid 2 years. Throw me a bone universe. Just want a little spice, yah feel?

1. How did the Evidence Pitch Day go for you? In what areas do you need to amplify the evidence in your Venture?

If I’m being completely honest, Evidence Pitch Day was what I would describe as “fumbly.” Super stressful leading up to it, and the presentation as a whole…. needed improvement. Personally, I choked bad in the beginning. I don’t usually have issues with public speaking, but for some reason I just couldn’t formulate cohesive thoughts and got really flustered. You know when you look at the audience, and you can tell they’re in just as much pain watching you as you are trying to keep you’re cool…. it was one of those moments, haha. I can’t think about it too hard or I will physically start to cringe, BUT honestly, looking back…. it was kinda funny in a sad pathetic way. I truly wouldn’t take it back though if I had the chance. Just more growth. Gotta have these moments to give you perspective and act as quality time stamps in life, haha.

In terms of my team, they did a great job staying calm and presenting what we prepared. Certainly need to beef up evidence in areas, more interviews with the restaurant industry, but also business owners. I think we also needs to get in touch with at least one or two farm to see if they would consider our proposition if they were legitimately presented the opportunity. Another thing is researching more about the amount of land required for composting.

2. What do you know about your customer for your project?

The customer that we would be marketing to would be restaurants, farms, and other businesses that offer compostable goods. One of the biggest things we need to know (through interview research) is why these businesses don’t have composting already (or why they do).

3. What has your evidence process looked like through out the quarter?

My evidence process has been collecting interviews, surveys, prototyping, and compiling secondary research. There is something else I feel like we’re missing, and I don’t know what it is…. Any suggestions.

4. It is week six of the quarter! How is it going? How are you hanging in there?

I am stressed yo. This last week was hard. I was on a roll there for awhile, getting shit done, on a steady flow. This week rolled around and I hit a couple day block where I was very unproductive and sad. It was draining. I’m hopefully out of the valley and climbing into the hills though. These last few days, one of my main sources of fuel has been the Yogi tea bag quotes….. They are very encouraging.

5. Spice, Jazz, Pazazz:

Anyone got any good song recommendations? Open to any genre. Been stuck in a little bit of a tune drought.

Update: Florence + The Machine just released a new song. It’s great. Highly recommend.

1. How did the Jobs to be Done workshop go for you? Do you still have questions? How do you feel about the JTBD statement for your venture?

The jobs to be done workshop went good! I think it was beneficial discussing how to frame the statement. Slightly different wording can convey completely different messages. I don’t have any questions at the moment. Pertaining to my venture, I’m a little nervous about our job to be done statement. Not because I don’t think it’s good, but rather because our statement is so big. Our venture is tackling the concept of food waste/ composting in the restaurant industry. It’s a ginormous problem in our world, and my first instinct is to make the statement as narrow and specific as possible, but that’s a little difficult when the problem is so large.

2. What resonated with you from Ugly But Tasty? 

What resonated the most for me pertaining to ugly but tasty was how much a fresh brain can contribute. It was SO helpful hearing the commentary/ encouragement when I shared our venture. A lot of points were brought to light that our team hadn’t even considered. Not only good commentary, but also SO many great suggestions and pointers on how we could add spice and pizzazz to our pitch.

3. How did “Got Your Back Consulting” go for you? How did you feel sharing ideas and feedback on others ventures?

Got your back consulting was fantastic. I loved sharing ideas and giving feedback. It can be frustrating when you have great ideas to share, but not the right platform to share them. This activity allowed just that. It was fun analyzing, suggesting, and acknowledging/ encouraging someone who genuinely wanted feedback. Talking with classmates too promoted a spitball environment where comments kept building off each other, forming new ideas. I think this approach could honestly be applicated to various aspects of life when creation comes into play. Every mind is different, so getting different impute, other than your own, goes a long way.

4. How is VP2 going as a whole? Are there any areas of confusion or need for support?

VP2 is…. hmmm…. yes. I am a little stressed, but also not at all. The more I’m around my group, the more I love them, but we all definitely struggle a little with that “getter-done” mentality. I’m stressed because I know we could very easily procrastinate this venture, BUT I’m also not at all, because I know we will pull everything together regardless. From the deep pits of my decrepit soul, I really really really don’t want procrastination stress in my life right now. I absolutely LOATHE that feeling.

5. We launched Change Leadership this week! How was this experience for you? How are you doing heading into this project?

I’m excited for Change Leadership. I think launching it right in the beginning of venture project 1 is a lot, but I’m still looking forward to it. In terms of heading into this project, I’m a little skeptical of my balancing skills with all the other things taking forefront at the moment, but I just need to sit down at work.

6. Life?

Okay, so life is going pretty good overall. Using the journal as a bench marker to look back on, I’m really excited about where I’ve gotten with track. I just ran a 4:56 mile at the Ralph Vernacchia Invite. Up until this year, during the last laps of races, I’ve never had juice in the tank to kick, BUT these last few races have been different. This weekend, at 600m to go in the mile, I started kicking. I’ve been struggling with a minor quad injury (potentially stress fracture, potentially deep muscle strain), BUT after the race this Saturday, it didn’t hurt! I’ve been extremely careful, cross training when I can & babying it, and it’s reassuring that my hesitance to irritate it was not in vain. GNAC championships are coming up, and I’m EXTREMELY excited! The WWU women’s team has never won, and we have a legitimate shot this year. Pretty cool stuff.

1. What was the process you and your group took creating your Plan of Action? 

We honestly didn’t do a ton of editing to our POA. We crafted it and called it good. I’m personally not satisfied with this, but we’ll be meeting up here soon, so we can discuss/ add any necessary detail for our own planning purposes if we feel inclined.

2. What is your plan for sticking to the Plan of Action and holding one another accountable through out the quarter? 

I think just bugging each other and being on top of communication. Last venture project, everyone in my team was great with communication, so no one had to be the lead communicator in entirety, but this time around, I have a feeling it will be different. I definitely have already stepped up in being the main communicator, which is fine, but does make me a little nervous. If I am going to take the reigns, I’m going to make sure we have dates and deadlines set for our team so we don’t fall behind.

3. How are you feeling about Venture Project Two? What areas do you feel good? What areas do you need more clarity?

I am honestly nervous. My team lost Laura, so we are currently at only 3 people. The areas I feel good in are feeling more competent in Venture Projects in general, not being hesitant when asking for clarity, and understanding how all the documents in the drive are applicable to our learning. I’m nervous about the fact that none of us really know what we’re doing, but I think that’s kind of the point. The only way baby birds learn to fly is by falling. I need more clarity in knowing when and what to have prepared for what dates in class. One goal I have for Venture Project 2 is to have the majority of the project done in a timely manner, meaning….NO MORE STRESSFUL GRIND SESSIONS. Having items checked off the list days in advance.

4. We went downtown this week! What sparked interest for you in the downtown tour?

It was inspiring to see someone so young build a tiny empire in such a short amount of time. It truly goes to show how far drive, passion, handwork, and innovation will carry you. I think one of my favorite aspects of her oration was listening to how her credibility with clients grew with time. I’m actually a little disappointed about that day. I had gotten almost no sleep the night before and worked early the morning of, so it was very hard for me to focus. I definitely missed out on a lot of great insight from a very admirable person, but that’s okay!

How’s it going?

1. With your team

So far, it’s going really well with my team! Everyone is really willing to put in their fair share of work for V1. It’s been AGES since I’ve worked with a team in school, and I’m starting to be reminded of the benefits and struggles for sure. One of my team’s biggest obstacles is time coordination. Not anyone’s fault in the slightest, but overlapping schedules can definitely make meeting up in person a little difficult, but we’ve done a good job powering through that. One of the largest benefits to working in a group is definitely the work delegation and support. My team has been AWESOME at dividing tasks and answering as many questions as possible. So so appreciate their support. I’m going to be gone for a large portion of this coming week (heading out Wednesday morning for a track meet in California), and I’m a little nervous that my absence is going to put my team behind somehow. Going to stay on top of communication and planning so that doesn’t happen though. 

2. With the evidence-based entrepreneurship skills

So far it’s going well! I’ve had various in person interviews, and I have to say that they are SO valuable in actually understanding real customer struggles. One of my most interesting interviews was with my coworker, who is originally from Mexico. His name is Hamlet, and he’s a native Spanish speaker. My group’s venture project surrounds the premise of language accessibility in business settings, and it was enlightening to find out that he blamed himself a lot when interacting with English speaking businesses for the lack of communication that was able to transpire. He said he never once thought about what the business could do to help accommodate HIM, and that made me very sad actually, because communication is a two way street.

3. With discovering a new accessibility opportunity? 

In terms of discovering new accessibility opportunities, it’s been interesting learning in my venture group about language accessibility, but also hearing what other groups are tackling in terms of this prompt. It’s awesome to see the creativity in the venture ideas, and it makes me wonder how long it will be before these ideas are actually put into action by the world/cities/governments, as they are dealing with very real everyday problems that won’t disappear without a solution.

4. Where are you feeling need for support at this point in the quarter?

The fact that this question is even included makes me feel supported, haha. Honestly, I think a lot of the support is already coming from all the other E levels. This class has already been so different from all my other Western classes, but in a way that is honestly better suited to my learning style. I really enjoy that everyone is being held accountable to be timely and communicate. In past classes, it was extremely easy to manage time poorly when working solo, but if you do that here, you will sink your group, which ain’t cool.

5. Life!

Life so far has been going pretty good! I recently dropped one of my classes. Just reflecting on how overwhelmed I was last quarter, I knew quantity over quality was NOT the move. I’m super excited to be able to delegate more of my energy into a couple of classes that I’m truly interested in rather than do the bare minimum to pass a high number of credits. Other news, I’m on the hunt for a new job! I work at Lighthouse Bar and Grill, and have been there for over a year. I think I’ve accidentally let myself settle with the environment, and I’ve decided IT’S TIME FOR A CHANGE. If anyone knows of any places hiring, let me know! Here are some photos from my 5k at PLU this weekend! SUPER windy, but still a blast! The last two photos had me cracking up, so I thought I’d share, haha.

1. Introduce yourself! Who are you? What are you majoring in/hoping to major in? What are your hobbies?

Hello! My name is Gabi Davis! I am a sophomore originally from Spokane Washington. I’ve lived in Bellingham for just over a year now and am currently process of figuring out my major. I’m apart of Western’s track & field/ xc team, so I’m always running. I LOVE to sing & dance, and will never turn down a dance battle invitation. I love to read. One of my all time favorite books is the Night Circus. It was a recommendation from my older sister, and it surrounds the premise of magic. I remember reading it and just being absolutely ENTHRALLED by the author (highly recommend if that sounds like your cup of tea). A couple of other passions/loves are art, rock-climbing, cats, and movies with a twist.

2. Why did you join Entrepreneurship or why are you in the Entrepreneurship minor?

I joined Entrepreneurship, because when I looked into the program and what it represented/ took to join, it was everything I wanted to be/ create. Networking, community building, drive, independence, passion, pursuit, risk-taking, collaboration, the list goes on. I just honestly saw myself really having a lot of fun and starting to build a future in the direction that I wanted rather than what I thought I was supposed to want.

3. How did the first day of class go for you? What stuck out to you? What areas do you need more clarity? 

The first day of class was a blast. I really didn’t know what to expect coming in if I’m being honest, but as soon as I heard the music blasting from the hallway, I just kept thinking to myself “Please let that be my classroom. Please let that be my classroom.” I think one of the biggest things that stuck out to me was the student leadership. In most class dynamics, the teacher is the superior and the students are below, but to my surprise, the first day was directed primarily by older E level students. Regarding areas that need more clarity, I think discussing what the expectations are for the projects would help a lot. It’s definitely funky coming into this program having no idea what’s going on, and I (and I’m sure the rest of the E1s) are realizing that there is certainly a learning curve. Haha.

4. How are you preparing for success this quarter?

I think one of the biggest changes I’m trying to make this quarter compared to the last is realizing when my brain can & can’t function. Last quarter, I would attempt to complete the majority of assignments late at night (as with class, practice, and work, that’s when I had time available). This quarter, I’m going to change that. I’m going to do the bulk of my schoolwork in the early afternoon- mid afternoon. I was extremely frustrated at myself last quarter for not being able to zero in whenever I wanted, but I came to obvious realization that “Hey, maybe you’re not lazy, you’re just really freaking tired and your brain is more active during certain parts of the day.”

Another thing I’m attempting this quarter is crafting/ organizing time using a google calendar with all of my assignments/ availability mapped out. If I’m able to visually see when I’m free, I can better capitalize on my free-time and be more productive. Last quarter was one of my lowest points I’ve ever been at. I was in classes I didn’t like, and was drowning in balancing school, work, sports, and maintaining relationships. The bigger picture of my cascading responsibilities can quickly flood my brain if I’m not careful. Breaking things down into bite sizes and tackling tasks one step at a time is a necessity for my success, and it’s taken me awhile to realize this.

5. After to reading the syllabus, what do you expect for your E-level journey this quarter? (eg- first quarter, second quarter, etc.

After reading the syllabus, I think my E level journey might be a tad messy this quarter (messy in the sense of the learning curve I previously talked about). From the looks of it, E1s really focus on establishing base skills, habits, communication, and grasping the process of the ENTR class, but also entrepreneurship in general. I am so so excited, but also starting to prepare myself for a couple bumps along the way. Even just meeting with my venture project group and seeing how willing they were to help and answer every question gives me hope and is a reassurance knowing there will be guidance along the way.