To end the week, TJ Cowan came into our class to share the advice he has learned through his business journey. TJ is the founder and owner of ColdBlooded Coffee ☕, which has now expanded into a full restaurant and catering business. He emphasized that in business, you must be resourceful and constantly hustle. Competition sharpens your business by encouraging you to reflect and improve. As TJ put it, "You cannot improve what you cannot measure." It's essential to identify what matters—focus on the details, statistics, and variables—and through them, learn how to continuously improve.

The voice of the customer provides valuable insights into what you may be blind to. TJ introduced us to the model of the circle of influence, where, at the center, are things out of our control. From there, we can focus on things we can influence and, finally, things we can fully control. He also introduced an exercise called the "Magic Wand," which encourages us to think beyond the limits set by society. In a perfect world, he said, "I would have 100% profit." While this may not be realistic, it challenges our thinking and helps us explore ways to make seemingly impossible goals achievable. 🎯

Lastly, TJ reminded us of the "Always A Better Way" mindset, which pushes us to think creatively and find innovative solutions to reach our goals. 📈

✍ Post content written by CEO student Kaylee Down.