My Last Lecture

            I write this as if addressing a group of my classmates for the last time this semester. In this manner will the pronouns I use and the remarks I make be structured and generalized respectively; so as not to offend. Let me being with a few admonitions. We have all sat through these many weeks listening to captains of industry, reading the words of prophets and learning from the best books, most comprehensive advice, and gaining from these mentors the wisdom they’ve gleaned from their years of trailblazing. I have spent years listening to and following the advice of those who passed before me. As a forty-two-year-old participant in this class who has owned and lost two companies and is currently opening a third, allow me to pass on some of the wisdom I’ve been able to use.

           

            First, at the turn of the 18^th century and earlier, the system for learning a trade and opening businesses, for the unwashed masses, was through the process of apprenticeships. Young men would align themselves with a craftsman or tradesman and learn in exchange for his labor. He would receive room and board and skills training. After enough years, he would either take over the business or venture off on his own. There is great wisdom in this process. I recommend anyone wanting to start a business to follow a similar path. Find a business you want to copy. Get a job there, learn all you can about its processes and models. Learn its shortcomings and advantages. Then, model together the best of its strengths and find solutions to its woes. Then, start your business and implement all you’ve learned. This should be a great shortcut to success.

            Next, always be the first one in and the last one out. Too many young entrepreneurs think they can just hire and grow and then once they get close to turning a profit, hit the links or start backing into semi-retirement. This is folly. The only real way to success is to work yourself out of a job. You are the jack-of-all-trades. Do everything yourself until you’re too busy for that. Then hire those who can most cost-effectively replace one of the hats you wear. Their hiring should only be to alleviate an opportunity cost. Don’t waste time fixing your twenty-five fleet vehicles when you are the GM. Hire a mechanic and use your talents elsewhere to grow the business.

            Lastly, once you have worked yourself out of a job, you become the biggest janitor in history. You have one job, Polish! Take secondary, unbiased looks at everything you’ve done, every process you have, every person you’ve hired. What can you improve? What skills will improve your ROI on each investment of every dime you’ve poured in. Once you’ve polished those gears and staff; once everything is a precision instrument, then you can look to either replicate this success or find an altruistic hobby. Either way, these pieces of advice will serve you well.

            Best wishes on all your righteous endeavors. Jared Hurst

First World Problems Aren't Problems

This week, I read a talk given by President Thomas S. Monson of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints titled An Attitude of Gratitude. In this address, President Monson shares a story about his old Sunday School teacher, Sister Lucy Gertsch. He shares with how during the year the class saved money to pay for a party, with deserts for refreshments and many others niceties. Right before the party, a classmate’s mother passed away leaving the impoverished, depression era family without a mother to tend the children while the father worked. It was Sister Gertsch’s suggestion and the class’s desire to follow the counsel of the Lord and donate their savings to the Widower Donovan for his family’s support.

President Monson’s predecessor, President Gordon B. Hinckley shared a story about he and his brother. They were returning from errands when they passed a field with a man working in it. He had left his worn boots on the road while tending his fields barefoot. The boys decided to scrap the suggestion of hiding his shoes to prank him, and rather place a silver dollar in each shoe. They watched as the man broke down, wept and cried thanks to God for this wonderful blessing bestowed by angels. He was in desperate need, and these funds would go far.

I have been around the world. I’ve seen Western Europe, much of the Caribbean and Central America, and even parts of the United States like Appalachia and the former rust belt seat of Western Pennsylvania. I’ve seen real, third-world poverty. We have so much to be thankful for in this country, and for the opportunities we have. So many would not even recognize our problems: leaving a needed cell phone charger downstairs, minty gum making ice water too cold, forgetting to add a caption to our selfie, cold sheets on my bed. We have so much we can share, not just monetarily, but hope, faith and love. We all should express more gratitude. It will be the biggest sin of omission among men. We can do better.