Erik Hanberg

During today’s class we had guest speaker and South Puget Sound entrepreneur Erik Hanberg talk with us. I really enjoy that this class affords us the opportunity to speak directly with individuals who are working in the entrepreneurship field and get insights directly from those who have learned the ins and outs of this profession already. Erik had a great many points that he got across, but I think the one that stuck with me the most was that while entrepreneurship starts with an idea or passion, that idea may not be the vehicle that ends up making you money. Erik had an interesting thing happen when he decided to pursue a book writing project; he couldn’t find a publisher. This problem was something that he took it upon himself to solve and decided to become self-published. This of course was the more difficult path, but it ended up being the catalyst to start his self-publishing company which is now the main source of his revenue stream. He was able to recognize that there was a problem within the industry that he felt he could solve with his solution and more importantly he was able to recognize that the solution itself should be a company in its own right. The idea to write a book was still there, but the “golden idea” wasn’t the book but rather the way to publish his as of yet un-written book.

In this field there will be obstacles, and those obstacles must be solved to move forward. To become a successful entrepreneur we must be able to recognize where those obstacles may be opportunities to capitalize on. The world is full of problems, and if we have the know-how or the drive we can solve them and possibly make a little bit of money for ourselves in the process.