For over 5 years I was in finance and fortunate enough to meet many business owners and entrepreneurs. One that stuck out to me the most was this guy who was probably in his mid 30's at the time and he was just beginning his new venture. Previous to him starting his own business he worked in a grocery store and was able to move up the ranks but it never gave him the satisfaction he was looking for. I remember him talking about how after work he would legally paint murals for people but in a graffiti type style and that he loved doing this. After taking some time to think about how he could take his love of graffiti and make it profitable he came up with the idea of screen printing t-shirts and basically any article of clothing. He let me know that he had bought all of the equipment and was able to lease out a small building where he would be able to work. As I got to know him better he would bring in pictures of his work and show me designs that he was working on for clients. He had businesses, athletic organizations, and so on wanting him to screen print shirts for them. Many of his clients liked his graffiti type style and wanted that incorporated into their overall design. He wasn't making large amounts of money but you could look in his eyes and tell that he was so happy and passionate about what he was doing. He even let me know that if down the road I wasn't happy in a career that I should leave it and follow my passion. I ended up moving from that city but a few months back I was there visiting my wife's family and while driving down the street looked over and saw a nice size building with the company name of the screen printer. I pulled in and went inside and was astounded by how much the business had grown. He was now working out of a large warehouse and was able to sell items right on site. If you came in there with a idea he could make it on the spot for you. His business was really flourishing and I could see how excited he was that he ended up making the decision to follow his dream. That experience has always stuck with me because of his die-hard attitude and overall positive outlook no matter what the situation looked like. This man was truly a inspiration and someone that I was happy I was able to meet.
My major at UF is Telecommunication Media & Society which brings me to why I decided to take ENT3003. I took some business courses while getting my Associate Degree and was told that I would need to have a outside concentration. I knew right away that it would be business because I have always been interested in this field of study and my wife majored in business administration while in college. It wasn't hard to pick this class though because my wife and I have always had the spirit of entrepreneurs. From wanting to start my own craft brewery, to taking a old abandoned building and turning it into a museum the drive to start something new has always been in my blood. I hope to learn content that can help me grow and learn techniques that I can utilize in my own life. I know it is not easy to branch out on your own but that is why by the end of this course I have a better road map to follow.
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