5 Ways to Keep Learning and Keep Growing
In our previous post about The Education of an Entrepreneur, CEO Dina Dwyer-Owens shared several uncomfortable, refining moments that taught her much more than she ever learned in a classroom.
The education of an entrepreneur is often a patchwork of classroom learning and on-the-job training. Traditional academic learning is absolutely valuable, but here are some other ways that you can continue learning as a business owner—whether you have an MBA or a GED.
Join an association. National associations are a great way to keep on top of the latest industry developments, news, and technology. Many associations offer conferences, webinars, resources, and even discounts. If your industry association has a local chapter, this could be a great opportunity for face-to-face interaction with fellow professionals.
Never stop considering yourself a student. Photo Credit: Saad Faruque
Keep reading. Subscribe to a trade publication or an entrepreneurship magazine such as Entrepreneur or Inc. to keep abreast of trade trends and new business management strategies. Subscribe to a blog or sign up for a newsletter with pertinent information for your business. Keep in mind, with new media the best content today isn’t just articles anymore— it’s also video, infographics, and podcasts.
Seek out a mentor. It’s easy to feel alone in business and to feel that admitting need is a sign of weakness or failure. If you accept this mentality, your outlook for personal growth is bleak. As CEO Dina Dwyer-Owens said, “Never—never—be afraid to surround yourself with people smarter than you. If I had been too shy to ask those more experienced than me for advice, then I would never be where I am today.” Find a business professional that you admire, no matter the industry, and take them out to lunch. Ask them to share their expertise with you and see what happens. If you can’t think of anyone to approach, contact your local SCORE chapter—a free business mentoring service for business owners.
Take a free class. Accepting the inevitability that their educational content will be reproduced online, many top universities are now offering select classes online and completely free to the public. You won’t be able to receive credit or a degree for these, but it will help you learn. Check out iTunes University or Coursera, a collaboration between ivy league schools (relevant current courses include Introduction to Finance and Introduction to Operations Management).
Join a national franchise. A franchise network is like an association, only no one in the group is competing with you and everyone is using the same systems. You can leverage peer-to-peer best practices but also receive training in programs such as The Grounds Guys University which arm you with practical advice about customer service, marketing, recruiting, and of course, cutting-edge technology. Learn more.