Graduating from Praxis

My 10 month plunge into all things entrepreneurship with Praxis officially came to a close in San Francisco this month when I joined the rest of the Fall 2014 class to celebrate our success. It felt like yesterday that we were all gearing up for this ride on Seabrook Island in South Carolina. It was so great to once again meet in person with the people I've been having online video group discussions and sharing stories with on our Facebook group for almost a year. All eight of us presented 10 minute snippets about our Praxis experience and what we accomplished and learned. Each of us had a unique experience as far as location, business partner, and what we achieved, but we could all walk away agreeing on many things.

My Praxis experience taught me so many lessons for life and business. Here are just a few:

• The quickest and possibly best way to learn entrepreneurship is to simply do it
• Skills can be developed in the real world and through alternative means; college is not the only or most efficient place to learn
• Putting in the extra effort, getting stuff done quickly, and fulfilling commitments are qualities that will stand out to employers and clients
• I am the only person who can live my life; I have to take the risks, but I get to reap the rewards
• Own up to and embrace failures; each failure can lead to success later on
• Surround yourself with smart, successful people who will challenge you to do and be more
• There is no replacement for action

The bottom line: working in a small business means making a difference when successful and facing possibly serious consequences when you fail. Unlike in college, you can't just drop a class, retake a quiz, or turn in extra credit. Making things right in the real world is a lot tougher. Praxis was not easy for me or any of the participants, but it was worth it. What this experience gave me was something I could never have achieved in a brick and mortar school. I'm grateful for the opportunity to be a part of it, for the people who were leading the program, and for all the future successes I will have because of what I learned and achieved these past 10 months. 

If you're interested in breaking the mold with Praxis, there is still time to apply for the Fall 2015 class until July 1.