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General Education

Interview with Elaine Rau

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Elaine Rau August 24, 2017

Please tell us about yourself and why you started LadyBossBlogger. com.

In this course, participants learn core principles, concepts, and methods of continuous improvement and explore the history of continuous improvement efforts. In a series of lectures, Master Black Belt in Six Sigma Shane Wentz, Ph.D., enables learners to enhance, optimize, and stabilize business processes and to augment quality control through varied methodologies. Participants gain the skills and knowledge to reimagine internal processes, engage in advanced problem-solving, and empower employees. The course covers high-level foundational principles of Lean, Six Sigma, and DMAIC processes before diving deep into Lean Six Sigma methods. Learners will analyze the tools of process mapping, Kaizen (a continuous improvement method/tool deemed a prerequisite for Lean transformation success), Lean (a continuous improvement philosophy that emphasizes streamlined workflows and reducing waste), and the process improvement methodology driving DMAIC: Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, and Control.

Entrepreneurs fostering new ventures outside of well-developed entrepreneurial ecosystems like Silicon Valley face significant challenges. These markets are unlike Silicon Valley, and they will likely remain so. That doesn't mean they can't nurture and sustain new businesses. In transitioning markets that lack abundant private sector financing, creative approaches from government officials, donors, and business leaders can fill the void to support entrepreneurial activity. Northeast Ohio (where Cleveland and Case Western Reserve University are located) has become a laboratory for such innovative solutions. During our time together in this course, we will explore some of these creative approaches to promoting regional entrepreneurship. Northeast Ohio has seen a massive infusion of government and donor resources for over ten years. In that time, Northeast Ohio has promoted regional development (including job creation and follow-on funding) through alternative methods of financing startups. It has not been easy. The region has made progress, but it remains to be seen whether it has struck upon an enduring formula. A dynamic entrepreneurial ecosystem takes many years, even decades, to develop. Government policymakers and donors typically seek quicker returns on their support programs, which makes long-term support for entrepreneurship challenging. This course includes case studies and first-person testimonials from entrepreneurs who have launched products and services ranging from medical devices to LED lights to whiskey. You will learn how these entrepreneurs discovered and procured resources from various programs and intermediary organizations. You will hear from business people still in the process of developing their companies as well as those whose ventures have flourished. Our focus will extend beyond Cleveland to selected markets around the world, including Greece, Vietnam, Tunisia, Argentina, Rwanda and China. You will learn about international incentives and other supports available to developing startups and small businesses across the globe. This course examines how different communities around the world approach implementing strategies and methods to support businesses. I will ask you to reflect on how to apply the principles we learn to growing entrepreneurship where you live. The social interactive features of the online platform will enable students from around the world to share ideas and learn from one another. Most MOOCs rebroadcast professors’ lectures; this course is different. Don’t expect to see me standing in front of the camera, talking and lecturing every module. Instead, the lectures will be relatively short in length. They have more of the feel of an engaging documentary than a static classroom setting. ## __What type of person takes the *Beyond Silicon Valley* course?__ - Active and aspiring businesspeople in communities looking to initiate new startup ecosystems or bolster existing ones - Current and prospective entrepreneurs who want to learn about funding sources, risk management, and the lifecycle of startups - Professionals who work in government agencies, nongovernmental organizations, philanthropic institutions, and various private funds that fund startups - Anyone curious about how to create and grow startup ecosystems outside the major tech hubs - The principles Beyond Silicon Valley teaches have been drawn from and applied to startups worldwide, from small villages to megalopolises. You'll study success stories spanning the globe from Vietnam to Kosovo to Botswana. ## __What will you learn in *Beyond Silicon Valley*?__ - How and where startups can find funding to get their businesses off the ground - What role government can play in encouraging startups and a healthy startup ecosystem - How anchor institutions such as universities and healthcare systems participate in startup ecosystems - How nongovernmental organizations support startups - How to raise funds from venture capitalists, angel investors, and accelerators - How to navigate challenging periods in the startup lifecycle - The importance of mentoring in successful startups

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Please tell us about yourself and why you started LadyBossBlogger.com.

Before I started ladybossblogger, I was living in Chicago and had worked my way up to being the National Wedding Sales manager at a large wedding photo and video company. Long story short, it wasn’t a healthy working situation and I moved down to Honduras to be reunited with my fiancé after being apart for a year.

I thought the transition would be easy, but I neglected to account for the fact that not only did I quit my job which had become a huge part of my identity, I had also left all my friends, my home, my culture, and my language behind. So one day while I was stuck at home since I didn’t’ have a social life, I decided to buy a blog to occupy my time. And that is how my blogging journey began!

What was the best piece of business advice you were given when you were starting out?

Just start. You will figure it out as you go along.

What does success mean to you?

Success comes in spurts for me. Once I reach a goal, I have successfully completed that goal and am on to the next one! It is always a process in progress.

Who do you look up to?

Helena Rubinstein – she founded an eponymous cosmetics company in an age when women didn’t found companies at all, and managed to become one of the world’s richest women due to its overwhelming success.

What’s your favorite quote?

“Forget passion, figure out what motivates you instead."

Everyone tells you to “find your passion". However, you can be passionate about a variety of things, instead figure out what MOTIVATES you. Your passions can also just stay passions, a lot of the “passions" that I have are purely for personal enjoyment. For example: I love to scrapbook, make crafts and play around in Photoshop and have thought of how to monetize each one of those skills after reading articles about “finding your passion", but then it would stress me out because it wouldn’t be fun anymore and the result would be me doing nothing about it. I spent too many years trying to narrow down my passions instead of focusing on the motivating factors that drive me to want to be in business. Such as the lifestyle that I want to live, the hours I like to work, the things I like to do such as reach out to people via email v.s. phone. I never would have thought that highlighting female entrepreneurs in a blog would be my ‘passion’, but I did know that I loved uplifting other ladies who were doing great things and that when I saw great things happening around me, it motivated me to also want to do great things.

If we got to peek into your schedule, what would a day in your life look like?

The first thing I do when I wake up is scroll through my phone. Some people discourage it, but I like to see what happened when I was sleeping, usually I see some PayPal emails which motivates me to start my day! I then roll myself up in a nice cozy robe, go make some coffee, and plop myself down in front of my computer and go through all my emails. Then I tackle my to-do list for the rest of the day.

What is one thing you do every day that contributes to your success?

Being consistent. I post new content EVERY SINGLE DAY to my blog. I post 2 blog posts daily: one interview and one resource post. They always come out at 6PM CST. I also post to every single one of my social media channels DAILY. If you don’t stay in the forefront of people’s minds, you will be forgotten. Stay relevant.

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