Blog 19: Independent Component 2

LITERAL

I, Regina Ongowarsito, affirm that I completed my independent component which represents 30 hours of work.

My sources are my mentorship and the Coursera.org course I'm currently taking, "Developing Innovative Ideas for New Companies: The First Step in Entrepreneurship".

Independent Component Log #2 is on the side of my blog.

To fulfill my Independent Component #2 requirements, I took an entrepreneur class online and did extra mentorship in addition to the 50 hours required for mentorship. I've also been taking music classes in a music store, where I was able to experience the store from the customers' point of view.

INTERPRETIVE 

Defend your work and explain how the significant parts of your component and how it demonstrates 30 hours of work.   Provide evidence (photos, transcript, art work, videos, etc) of the 30 hours of work.  

I created blog posts chronicling my experience in the Coursera class. Each post contains screenshots of the videos I have to watch and the quizzes I took. Here are links leading to them:

Week 1

Week 2

Week 3

Week 4

The following are PDFs my teacher shared with me in some of our lessons. They are for me to practice bass.

Alice in Wonderland

There is No Greater Love

I Could Write a Book

Autumn Leaves

Pink Floyd - Brick on the Wall

I keep notes on my mentorship experiences. It used to be that I'd write them on an actual notebook, then I'd scan them up, but I decided to change it some time ago to this document. It felt easier to me.

Mentorship Notes

APPLIED

How did the component help you answer your EQ? Please include specific examples to illustrate how it helped

The entrepreneur class taught me to see businesses in general from the eyes of an entrepreneur. What I learned from this class expanded upon the knowledge that I gained from my research about businesses and furthered it.

From the class, I learned various business topics like segmenting markets, the entrepreneurial mindset and behavior, the process involved in the design of a product, and the importance and complexity behind addressing consumers' needs when developing a venture. These are all general entrepreneurial lessons that are more-oriented to company developments, but I find it very easy to apply them into a small business context. For example, Professor Green of the class talked about using your knowledge of consumers' needs to your advantage. It made me think about specialty music shops, and how their success lies on addressing a specific consumer need that not many else provide.

As for my mentorship in The Music Store, it was an opportunity for me to learn first hand of what goes into the operations of a music store. Over my long tenure there, I gradually got the chance to address customers myself, to help with closing every night, and to help with sales of items.

From my music lessons in the store, I became aware of what customers want from a music store, as I was able to receive an experience to be a customer myself. It helped shape the ideas I had of the best way to profit from a music store, but in a way that will also benefit the customers as well.

Independent Component: Week 3 of "Developing Innovative Ideas for New Companies: The First Step in Entrepreneurship" course in Coursera

(It's really, really, really a good thing I watched the videos in advance. Phew.)

Independent Component: Week 4 of "Developing Innovative Ideas for New Companies: The First Step in Entrepreneurship" course in Coursera

I'm going to do Week 3 some other time, because Week 4 was due tonight.

 Total time: 3 hours and 5 minutes

Independent Component: Week 2 of "Developing Innovative Ideas for New Companies: The First Step in Entrepreneurship" course in Coursera

Total Time: 

3 hours 1 minute

Independent Component: Week 1 of "Developing Innovative Ideas for New Companies: The First Step in Entrepreneurship" course in Coursera

I don't know what I was thinking, but I really put the course off until the weekend. As a result, whatever was remaining of this particular Saturday (which is usually overtaken by my mentorship) is also dedicated to Senior Project. Blargh.

I watched all the videos of the course and viewed some of the slides for further references. Took the quiz and got a 8.2 first time round. Being the perfectionist I am, tried it again until I got a 10.

Total time: 3 hours and 43 minutes

Blog 15: Independent Component 2 Approval

1.  Describe in detail what you plan to do for your 30 hours.

More business workshops. Maybe another college class. Or some music product reviews.

2.  Discuss how or what you will do to meet the expectation of showing 30 hours of evidence.

For workshops and classes, I'll scan up papers and/or transcripts. Music product reviews, I'll post the reviews on the blog.

3.  And explain how what you will be doing will help you explore your topic in more depth.

The workshops and classes can give me further information to operating a business, just as the small business workshop and the leadership classes did.

4.  Post a log on the right hand side of your blog near your other logs and call it the independent component 2 log.

Blog 14: Independent Component 1

LITERAL

I, Regina Ongowarsito, affirm that I completed my independent component which represents 30 hours of work.

My sources are my class's textbook, Leadership in Organizations by Gary Yukl, and the host of the Small Business workshop I've attended, Robert Usher.

Link to Independent Component Log

For my independent component, I attended a college class called Leadership in Organization, where I learned the different types and aspects of leadership and which would work the most effectively in certain situations. In addition, I also attended a workshop for small businesses in Chino.

INTERPRETIVE

When I was in the workshop, I took notes along the presentation and gathered information by asking questions. I've covered my work in the workshop on my monthly blog post for October, linked here.

As for the college class, not only did I take notes, but I also did research into leadership styles and studied for the exams. This is a link to my dropbox folder for the class. This is to my transcript.

APPLIED

The college class and the workshop benefited me differently.

The college class helped me understand something about business that isn't so apparent: Business is not just a numbers industry; it's also a human industry. When most people work, regardless of the field, it's often with other people, and the importance dynamics between these people cannot be underestimated. It could make or break your work flow.

For example, as a leader, you might end up in a situation where you must influence your subordinates. In the case of a music store, perhaps you need to convince an employee to take up a shift he doesn't really want. There are different ways you could influence him: You could force him to take it, threatening to fire him if he doesn't. Or you could discuss with him what might convince him to take the shift. Maybe for his finals week, he can have more flexibility with his shift. Or he could get something from the music store for free.

My college class taught me not only the mentioned solutions, but also how while all of them might work, not all of them might create a good relationship between the leader and the follower. Bribing or threatening someone tend to increase compliance, while discussing the issue together with the worker tend to increase commitment. As a leader, it's better to have commitment from your followers than compliance.

As for the workshop, I decided to attend it as I felt that I need more knowledge concerning the business side of music store operations (at that time, I've only been covering instrument care). It proved to be fruitful, as I learned great tips for business strategies, regulations, and financing. For example, to successfully run a business, planning is key. Understand your demographics and create your advertisements accordingly. When picking a location for your store, be aware of local competition and the potentials of  a location. And do NOT start a business without a financial plan; if getting a loan, at least secure it first before getting the business running. There are many things to consider when running a business, and for the business to work, you must be able to keep up with everything.

Independent Component 1 Approval

1. Describe in detail what you plan to do for your 30 hours.

- Lessons for bass guitar
- Business courses/workshops/seminars
- (possibly) Guitar building/repairs courses
- Instrument maintenance at home (I own a few)
- Instrument product evaluations

2. Discuss how or what you will do to meet the expectation of showing 30 hours of evidence.

Lessons: I'll have my bass teacher sign a lesson attendance form.

Business lessons, etc.: I'll scan up the notes I take during the class. Maybe write an essay summarizing the things I've learned each day/class.

Guitar building/repairs courses & instrument maintenance at home: I'll take pictures and write description filled captions for them.

Instrument product evaluations: I think a legitimate, 5 paragraph review would be too much, so I'll make a simple form to fill out that list out the good and the bad of each product and the price.

3. And explain how what you will be doing will help you explore your topic in more depth.

Bass lessons: I can see the students-customers' experience from their point of view if I am one myself.

Business lessons: Running a music store is not just about the instruments. It's a business after all. Knowing how to run a business will be beneficial to run a successful music store.

'Guitar building...' & 'Instrument maintenance...': Getting hands on with instruments can help me become more familiar with them. The more I know about instruments parts, the more I can help solve customers' problems with their instruments.

Instrument product...: If I know the pros and cons of each products, I can suggest items to each customers' wants and needs more accordingly.