Assignment 16A- Whats Your Secret Sauce?

Five Ways I Have Human Capital

1. Creativity- I like to think as myself and a very creative person, someone who is constantly thinking outside the box. I have always thought of myself as thinking from a different perspective from others and I think that is something that puts me ahead of competition. 
2. Planning Ahead-Ever since I was young, I have kept a journal with business ideas and potential opportunities that can arise in the future. Working in the present but preparing for the future is something I find crucial to the success of my future. By staying aware and always thinking ahead it helps me prepare for certain situations that could arise in the future. 
3. Perseverance-I find that dealing with failure is one of the most important aspects of life, especially with entrepreneurship. That being said, I like to take failure and turn it into motivation in order to persevere in times of struggle. 
4. Connection- Being able to communicate well with others is definitely a strong suite of mine.  I feel that in business first impressions are very important so I try to improve my communication skills regularly. In the future having good connections will be extremely important so meeting new people and making those connections now sets myself up for success in the future. 
5. Confidence-My confidence level is something I feel helps me a lot. I do however know the difference between confidence and cockiness. I see confidence as being able to try new things without fear and being proud of your work whether you succeed or not. Having confidence allows me to think and act outside of my comfort zone to do things some people may not be able to. 

Interviews

#1

#2

#3

#4

#5

1. The first person that I interviewed was my mother, since she knows me better than anyone else. She stated that my passion is what separates me from the rest. She explained times as a kid where I would find and interest in something and wouldn't stop working at it until I perfected it. We agreed that is crucial for an entrepreneur, that if you do not become “obsessed” with what you are trying to achieve you will never be the best that you can be at it.
2. My best friend stated that one thing that makes me different is that I am very open-minded. He explained that when a situation occurs I am always the one who takes both sides into consideration before making a decision. Being open minded is important because it helps you analyze situations to recognize the truth instead of being biased in my decisions. 
3. Another friend that I interviewed said that he thought my self motivation is what makes me different. He explained that he himself struggles to find motivation and the fact that I am able to create my own motivation for things is something that will make a huge impact on my life, not only in the business world. 
4. During another interview, I was told that my competitiveness is something that also sets me aside from everyone else. She stated that my hatred for losing is something that drives me to work harder than everyone and is what is the main fuel behind my motivation. 
5. The last interview I had opened my eyes a little bit because my friend pointed out that my level of discipline is what he thinks sets me aside from others. This is something that I had not previously thought about, but something that I developed over time. He explained that my ability to stay level and make the right choices in hard times will be crucial to my success in the future. 

Reflection

After both self-reflecting and asking others what my biggest assets are that make me different, I saw some similarities and differences. Both myself and my interviewees both touched upon the same concepts, but the people I Interviewed were able to point out the things that basically have just come as a habit of mine over time and are not things that I had previously thought about myself. For example, I never really thought of discipline as something to make me different. However after my friend was able to point out ways I was more disciplined than everyone else, I realized it truly is one of the best ways in which I have human capital that makes me unique.