By Brenda Weathers Hargroves
I’m always amazed when reminded of how things drastically change with time. When I moved to Florida several years ago, I came armed with ten years of experience as a small business owner and the desire to teach entrepreneurship at a community college. Or, as referred to in Florida, a county college.
I’d founded and grown sales in one business to over a million dollars and started another venture that also produced a handsome annual profit – each accomplished in less than three years. In addition, I had designed a full curriculum and also planned to use my self-published book on entrepreneurship as a teaching tool.
None of the schools I approached were the least bit interested. As a matter of fact, when I questioned a woman at Hillsborough County College about offering the course, I distinctly remember her responding “We don’t teach that here.” Her tone was so disdainful one would have thought I was referring to a subject that was un-American.
Recently, however, I noticed a job posting for an Entrepreneurship Instructor at Tampa’s Keiser University. Not only did the job description require exactly what I was prepared to bring to the table, the candidate had to possess a Ph.D. in or with a concentration in Entrepreneurship. A Ph.D.? Not only is entrepreneurship a course, one can now obtain a Ph. D. in the subject. My, how things changed!
Since entrepreneurship is now in vogue, my next post will discuss how to determine whether business ownership is for you. In addition to this topic, future posts will also address financial literacy, non-profit management and writing.
I long ago discovered I’m not a good employee. Nor have I stayed at jobs for long periods of time. For whatever reason, I’ve had several careers and have learned to depend on the many skills I gained along the way. I now think of life as a business and my job is to put those skills to work. To paraphrase Jay-Z, ‘I am a business, woman.’
A spiritual leader once told me to choose a rock from among many placed in a huge bowl prominently displayed in her office. She said the one I selected would determine my destiny. The words carved in my rock stated, “Where there is darkness, let me sow light.” I’ve come to discover that I find pleasure in passing along what I’ve learned. I don’t assume to know everything, but I'm more than willing to share the little I do know. That being said, hope to see you next time.
Updated October 2021
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