The Close of a Chapter and the Start of Endless Possibilities

I've done it! I'm finally graduated from the University of Miami with a B.B.A and major in Entrepreneurship! After four years of hard work, growing pains, great company, and important milestones, I can finally say that I am an Alum of the "U". My main motivation in doing well was more a sense of responsibility, competitive spirit, work ethic, and keeping sight of how my efforts would pay dividends in the future. It was an exercise in discipline that, in the end, has been key in shaping who I am today. Here is a brief reflection of some of some of my university highlights...

Most seniors on the verge of graduating make it their goal to coast to the end by taking simple electives or the least challenging classes possible, but this is not how my final semester panned out at all! In fact, my final semester was the most challenging and rewarding of my entire academic career because the classes shifted from theory to hands on learning. In MGT 307, our class was responsible for 7 different projects (with a total of about 40 students) all aimed at improving the Girl Scouts USA (GSUSA) South Florida chapter. Instead of jumping into one of the groups, I volunteered to be the project manager for the entire class. This included acting as a liaison between our project sponsor (Pauline Russell) and students, developing and implementing a project timeline, managing progress and resources allocation, and creating a comprehensive final presentation for the GSUSA organization. Because I enjoy communicating with others, working in team environments, and keeping track of the "big picture", it was a joy to work in this capacity.

Above Image: Shaking hands with Donna Shalala, the President of the University of Miami.
Below Image: Shaking hands with Frances Aldrich Sevilla-Sacasa, the Interim Dean of the School of Business at the Univeristy of Miami.

In my MGT 455 class we were given the opportunity to work as consultants for established entrepreneurs. My team and I were placed with Sean Wolfington, a serial entrepreneur who produced Bella (the number one independent film of 2010) and created the digital marketing plan for Shakira (just to name a couple of his accomplishments). Throughout the course of the semester our team worked relentlessly to create TennisDaily.com, an online community for tennis enthusiasts to create a profile, connect, share, and blog about all things tennis. This project included creating the site itself, filling the site with original content, promoting and recruiting members, and developing a profitable business model for the future. Not only did this project require team collaboration (which was a joy with such a wonderfully fun group), but we were pushed to create large scale, concrete deliverables beyond the scope of the classroom environment. I am proud to say that the sight is still up and running, so go check it out : ) Also, Sean and his brother Ryan Wolfington were incredible mentors throughout the entire process. They offered great wisdom on how to achieve our goals, encouraged us to really chase our dreams, and offered their assistance in our career goals. I can honsetly say that I have grown both professionally and personally as a result of being part of this project.

On Stage, singing the Alma Mater in front of the Graduating Class of 2011.

One of the most rewarding accomplishments of my final semester would have to be when Zach Hirsch and I were named the grand prize winners of the 2011 Business Plan Competition! After one and one half years of working on our plan, we entered our business in the competition as one of about 70 entries. Once we made it through the preliminary cuts we had to make presentations in front of some very established entrepreneurs and potential investors. They grilled us on every nook and cranny of the plan, but we were confident because prior and proper preparation made all the difference in the world. We walked into that competition just wanting to learn and get some valuable experience, but we were overjoyed when our business, Microbe Armour, was announced as the winner of such a prestigious award at the University of Miami.

My beautiful family whom I am loved and supported throughout my life and and in the pursuit of my dreams.

So here I am, graduated and ready to face the world, and I am so excited about the next chapter in my life! I am going to chase my dream of becoming Parelli Professional, spending my days playing with horses and training people in the art of horsemanship. Ever since I was a little girl it has been my desire to spend my life around these magnificent animals, but it was not until I discovered Parelli Natural Horsemanship that I knew how I was going to do so. This organization is filled with lovely and caring professionals, empowering atmosphere, individuals committed to never-ending self improvement, and a wealth of knowledge about horsemanship. This is the type of business, community, and talent that I want to surround myself with. It is also the type of environment that I want to contribute to and see grow around the world. My dad tells me that if I do what I love, I'll never work a day in my life. This is exactly what I aim to do. I am going to give all my efforts to working within my passion which is to make the world a better place for horses and humans. This blog will be my platform to share my experiences from week to week and I invite you to follow my journey! It's going to be an exciting ride : )

Keep it Natural,

Lianne Joy