“From the end spring new beginnings.” – Pliny the Elder

Although there is little prospect of returning to our regular lifestyles, the presence of bright sunshine and the chirping of various birds brought by Spring certainly leaves me feeling hopeful and optimistic. As the in-depth project draws to a close, details are being determined for our final presentation. Evidently, due to the coronavirus, it would not be possible to host In-Depth Night in Gleneagle’s multipurpose room, as has happened in the past. Instead, we will be sharing our learning virtually through our EduBlogs. In all honesty, I was slightly disappointed at first, because I was looking forward to In-Depth Night ever since I attended the event last year, and interactions online are never quite the same, but I soon came to realize that the closing of each door brings the opening of another, and this would be an excellent opportunity to share my learning with a larger audience.

To do this, I am planning to create an annotated PowerPoint presentation by adding a voiceover on top of images and text. I believe that this will feel more personalized, interactive, and tailored to the audience than a lengthy paragraph report, creating a similar effect to a video presentation. However, as I am not proficient in video editing, I believe that a PowerPoint will allow me to better express myself. In this presentation, I will explain the reasons that prompted me to begin a small business, my personal journey as a mentee and my relationship with my mentor, the inspiration behind the design of my products, and the importance of advertising to a specific audience. Moreover, I will include a brief reflection of my success throughout this project, highlighting different approaches I could have taken if I were to go back and revise it. This is because I believe that it is important to learn from previous experiences, and this information could be valuable for someone who wishes to attempt something similar. By learning from the regrets and mistakes of others, they may be able to mitigate these challenges and grasp a deeper understanding of the subject. Lastly, I would like to touch on my vision for the future. Even though I will likely not rely on a personal business as a predominant source of income in the future, it is something I perceive myself continuing to pursue, because I deeply enjoy creating items by hand and sharing them with others. If the opportunity arises, I would love to integrate sewing and business into a fundraiser for a volunteer organization.

In case of technological concerns, I will include the same information regarding my project in my blog post with pictures to illustrate my process. Since I am personally a visual learner, I generally find that I have a deeper understanding of a topic when there are images for me to help me better visualize the content. The repetition of information on my blog post may also be beneficial for those who are unable to listen to an audio recording or would prefer to read text. Hopefully, by taking these precautions, I can ensure that everyone who is interested is able to learn more about my in-depth project.

Currently, I am focusing on promoting my business while simultaneously trying to support others during these difficult times. My mentor, Sharon, reached out to me just over two weeks ago to ask if I was interested in sewing ear savers for the medical community, and I accepted immediately. Since then, I have been working to create these items and I have been posting to social media platforms to share my work and encourage others who are interested to attempt similar projects. Even though this was not the direction I initially thought my in-depth project would travel, I’m thankful for the opportunity that allows me to do what I can for my community. Despite not seeing much activity on my Etsy shop, I am still learning and practicing valuable skills as an entrepreneur, and I am certain they will help me succeed as I continue to explore business in the future.