Whatever You Do - Just Do Something!

By Jenn Richardson

One of my biggest challenges as Program Coordinator at the Institute, is engaging and supporting those who love this whole thing we call Innovation and Entrepreneurship, but don't have an idea yet. Ironically, I myself was this student while attending MRU. I was eager to learn and practice entrepreneurial thinking, but never really made a connection with one idea that I said, yes, I'm going to dive into this.

I'm here to tell you, this is not a reason not to engage. As the great Casey Neistat once said,

"The only thing that stands between you and everything you've ever wanted, is doing it"

So what did I do? I gave 150% on all in-class entrepreneurship projects, making me the go-to person to get shit done, which in the end landed me the job at the Institute, due to two of my classmate's referrals. I joined Enactus Mount Royal, looking for ways to flex the skills in the real world, which ultimately lead me to co-founding the High River Artisans Market. Meanwhile, on the side, I continued to grow what I often refer to as my first child, Azra Images.

Azra Images is 1 of a billion photography companies in this world. It is not overly unique or innovate in one way or another, but what it did was give me an outlet to practice basic skills. Over the last two years I've learned branding, social media marketing, customer acquisition, web development, sales, and the list goes one. These skills will absolutely one day be transferable to an innovative venture of my own, or perhaps a startup I join.

So why I am sharing all of this with you? No, it's not to pump my own tire! I'm speaking to those of you hiding at the back of the room nervous to participate because you may not be the "idea person" just yet, or maybe not ever! This most certainly does not mean that you can not be an amazing innovator and entrepreneur. Don't be so damn hard on yourself, and whatever you do, just do something!