My journey from high school drop out to Cornell University student

Some may regard the completion of an online program as no big deal. My recent completion of @Cornell University's Women's Entrepreneurship program was a very significant accomplishment for me. To understand my sense of pride, you have to understand my educational journey.

My parents divorced when I was very young. Their separation led to my childhood being filled with me bouncing from parent to parent as well as a grandparent. Never spending consecutive years in schools stunted my learning. As soon as I would get settled in one school, I would move again, sometimes in the middle of a school year. Unlike military children who relocate on a frequent basis, the constant start/stop rollercoaster during my formative educational years was magnified by poverty and other issues.

This is a year book photo from high school freshman year. I have a big smile on my face, but my home life was taking a toll on my mental health. After trying to commit suicide (thankfully it was a failed attempt) I left one parent and returned to another.

By the age of sixteen I was pregnant. The education process continued for me as I attended several schools for pregnant and teen moms. I ended up dropping out of school without earning my high school diploma. After having my second child, I knew I wanted my children to have a better life economically and I saw education as the way to make that happen. As noted in the Malcolm X quote in my cover image, education was my passport to a better future.

In the early 80's I enrolled in the local two-year technical college. I took the necessary classes and tests to get my General Education Diploma (G.E.D). The certificate hangs behind me on the wall in my home office. I went on to take general studies at the college as I tried to figure out what career path I wanted to pursue. I struggled in many of the classes because I missed education fundamentals. After two years of the basic classes, I transferred to a four-year college.

Life as a Black single mother on welfare pursuing a degree at a private catholic college in the suburbs of Milwaukee was filled with challenges. Most times I was the only Black student in my classes and my life was in complete contrast to that of my peers. While they either lived on campus or drove decent cars, I took multiple buses from the city or drove a car that was always on the verge of dying. While they focused on extra curricular activities, part time jobs and spring break travels and other typical college life norms, I focused on balancing my school work and raising my children. I worked on the student newspaper in part because print journalism was a desired career path for me and also as a way to feel more connected to the college and have a traditional student experience.

My timeline of completing my undergraduate degree was not ideal. Just as I was nearing the end, I took a semester off due to a pregnancy, a domestic violence relationship and managing life with an infant. But I was determined to get my 'passport.'

I remember falling asleep during my graduation ceremony, not because it was boring, but because I was exhausted. The journey to earn my degree was filled with a lot of detours, but I did it! My father was killed during my first pregnancy and I had an estranged relationship with my mother. I'm the youngest of four siblings. None of them were there to witness my achievement. None of my siblings have a four-year degree. But earning my Bachelor of Arts Degree in Interpersonal Communications was evidence that one's past does not have to determine one's future.

Having earned an undergraduate degree truly did change the course of my life and that of my children. My journey was detailed in a story in the local newspaper. I went from being a single mother on welfare to securing my first professional job. Each job led me to another opportunity, but the process all started with getting my degree. As a single mother, I was living check-to-check and sometimes robbing Peter to pay Paul, but I was welfare-free after I earned my degree and continued to move forward in life.

Other than having dreams of one day getting a degree from an Historically Black College - University (HBCU), pursuing a graduate degree was never on my radar. It was hard enough for me to get my BA, so the idea of going back to school was not a priority. It wasn't feasible financially and I was focused on raising my three children. I constantly stressed the importance of education to them. They knew their mother was a college graduate. I was actively involved in their schooling and also encouraged excellence.

Fast track to February of 2020. I saw marketing information about @Bank of America and Cornell University's Women's Entrepreneurship Program. The program was of interest to me because I was an entrepreneur. At the time, I was two-years into entrepreneurship, but my path to becoming a business owner was by force, not choice. After losing a job in 2016 and being unemployed for almost a year, I created a job for myself by starting my business. Being a fulltime entrepreneur was never a goal of mine. but I'm determined to never put the fate of my professional life in the hands of others ever again.

When I started my business, I was at a disadvantage in many regards. Because I had not planned to do so, I had no startup funds, self-funding the business was my only option. After being unemployed for almost a year, I didn't have a reserve funds to tap into. I fueled the business with my grit and (literally) pennies along the way. As soon as I would get a client, I was always looking to see what outstanding business need I could take care of.

Another disadvantage was not having any business education or training. The process of being an entrepreneur is experimental in nature, but there are key business practices that help to create a solid foundation for business. I was too busy working to get clients to literally take care of basic needs. I didn't have the luxury of time to go through the step-by-step way of doing things that entrepreneurial programs push. No time for a business plan. I had to go hard to establish myself in the market and build a portfolio of clients.

The timing of the Cornell University program was ideal. My business was catching some momentum and I felt I could set aside time for the course work. With the program being online and self-paced, I could study and complete the assignments around the daily demands of my business. Keep in mind, it had been over 20 years since I had been in college. Completing the program was going to require discipline on my part to adapt to the online learning process and balance the demands of my business.

The description of the program intrigued me. The courses would cover business fundamentals that I would have greatly benefited from in the early days of my business. The course topics included:

• Creating Your Venture: Personal Readiness & Customer Discovery
• Funding Your Venture and Business Planning
• Growth Leadership for Female Entrepreneurs
• Product Development and Digital Marketing
• Laying the Legal Building Blocks for Your Venture
• Entrepreneurial Communication: Presence, Persuasiveness, and Negotiation

The opportunity to earn a certificate from an Ivy League university at no cost was an opportunity I could not miss out on. I can honestly say that although it was just a certificate program, the course work was rigorous. The assignments forced me to really think through my business structure, how my background influences how I operate my business and so much more. There were assignments that I struggled to complete, doing all-nighters to work my way through and meet the submission deadlines. The twelve week program stretched me and empowered me with key business knowledge.

Life as an entrepreneur has me in constant go mode. I completed the Cornell program in July, but I haven't had much time to stop and reflect on the overall experience. October is National Women's Small Business Month. Each day I'm gaining more knowledge and expertise as an entrepreneur. Completing the Cornell program gave me a business education from the unique perspective of female entrepreneurship. Women are the fastest growing and largest demographic of entrepreneurs. But we face unique challenges that other demographics don't.

Bank of Americas' 'Women’s entrepreneurial journeys: Profiles in leadership in an era of new opportunities' report provides insights on why having an entrepreneurial program for women is important. Here are some highlights from the executive summary:

1. Market misperceptions - Women entrepreneurs have often had their leadership position questioned due to their gender, and also find that their businesses are subject to additional scrutiny due to gendered assumptions about the markets they are serving.
2. Network exclusion - As business success has typically been based on “who you know” and not “what you know,” women entrepreneurs often experience limited, gender-based access to networks and strategic relationships.
3. Managing expansion with underfunding -Women entrepreneurs are aware of the barriers they face to obtaining startup and growth capital. The lack of capital also creates new, ongoing challenges. They must plan for, and incorporate, organic growth, which is typically a slower process and more difficult to manage. This lack of capital can also impact recruitment and retention of talented employees, a critical step for growing any business.

To further understand the status of women-owned business, here's some recent statistics from @Fundera:

?? The US has 12.3 million women-owned businesses.

?? US women-owned businesses generate $1.8 trillion a year.

?? 40% of US businesses are #womenowned.

?? Women started 1,821 net new businesses every day last year.

?? 64% of new women-owned businesses were started by #womenofcolor last year.

?? There are 114% more women #entrepreneurs than there were 20 years ago.

?? 62% of women entrepreneurs cite their business as their primary source of income.

?? Women-founded companies in First Round Capital’s portfolio outperformed companies founded by men by 63%.

?? Women receive just 7% of #venturefunds for their #startups.

?? Overall, men receive an average loan size of $43,916 while women receive an average loan size of $38,942 – almost $5,000 less.

Since completing the Cornell program, almost on a daily basis I see myself making more informed business decisions and advocating for myself as a result of the program. I frequently reference the journal that includes all of my notes for quick reminders of key points.

I never stepped on the grounds of Cornell University, but the significance of receiving my completion certificate was just as important as the undergraduate degree that hangs on the wall behind me in my office. Now my wall includes my GED certificate, undergraduate degree and Cornell certificate. Perhaps one day I will be able to hang one from a HBCU next to them.

(Photo of women at business table from Pexels. Photo of the Cornell University campus from cornell.edu)

Clarene Mitchell is owner of TCM Communications LLC, a PR firm specializing in helping success driven professionals and businesses effectively use LinkedIn to advance their online brands. She helps her clients #ShineOnline and generate results.

You can learn more about TCM and stay updated with branding information by following the LinkedIn Company page and joining her private Facebook, 'LinkedIn Power Moves w/ Clarene.'

In September 2019 she self-published her book, 'Shine Online With LinkedIn: LinkedIn Isn't Just An Online Database Of Resumes.' Orders can be placed by sending $25 per book via PayPal ( Paypal.me/tcmcommunications ).