{"id":1827,"date":"2021-08-13T11:06:01","date_gmt":"2021-08-13T18:06:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/?p=1827"},"modified":"2024-07-23T12:59:02","modified_gmt":"2024-07-23T19:59:02","slug":"7-insights-from-an-ecampus-entrepreneur","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/7-insights-from-an-ecampus-entrepreneur\/","title":{"rendered":"7 insights from an Ecampus student turned entrepreneur"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Hannah

When Hannah Thelen takes on challenges, she does it head on. While earning her business degree online, she started her own business, served in the Air Force and became a mom. Talk about multitasking!<\/p><\/div>\n

Learn how earning a business degree online from Oregon State can help you launch a business<\/h2>\n

For Hannah Thelen, completing her business administration bachelor\u2019s degree online<\/a> with Oregon State University Ecampus marked the beginning of a new professional journey.<\/p>\n

Two years into her studies, she decided to start a small business with her husband, an elopement and commercial photography company called The Lens + Co<\/a>. Thelen also served in the Air Force and became a mom while pursuing her degree online.<\/p>\n

Here, she offers seven insights on success as an online student and how earning a business degree contributed to her success in founding a company.<\/p>\n

1. Don\u2019t be afraid to ask questions.<\/h3>\n

Initially, there were times when Thelen would sweat the small stuff. For instance, she was hard on herself for not immediately mastering certain concepts taught in class.<\/p>\n

\u201cI would reach out to professors if I didn\u2019t understand a concept or details of an assignment,\u201d she says. \u201cMost professors are really there to help and want to see you succeed.\u201d<\/p>\n

So if you\u2019re struggling in a class, don\u2019t hesitate to reach out.<\/p>\n

2. You never know which assignments may help you in the future.<\/h3>\n

In her business law class, Thelen and her OSU Ecampus classmates had to respond to a discussion prompt about charging customers state taxes if you\u2019re providing a service in one state but delivering the service in another.<\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t think this discussion prompt would ever impact me, but it is something I deal with very frequently,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

Courses on entrepreneurship, managing individual and team performance, managing ethics, business law and accounting all gave her a frame of reference for what to expect as a business owner.<\/p>\n

\"Hannah

\u201cEvery time my life changed, I had to have a school and a degree program that could adapt with me,” says Thelen.<\/p><\/div>\n

3. Especially online, networking is possible (and essential).<\/h3>\n

Beyond the knowledge Thelen gained in her classes, networking and interacting with others in her industry was most helpful in starting a business. Her pearl of wisdom: You won\u2019t know if an industry is right for you if you don\u2019t speak to successful professionals in the space.<\/p>\n

\u201cFind out what they love and they hate about their jobs,\u201d she says. “Are those things that you are willing to put up with?\u201d<\/p>\n

4. When choosing an online degree program, start with your goals.<\/h3>\n

If you\u2019re hoping to launch a business of your own, take a thorough look at what a degree program entails before enrolling, and check whether the curriculum aligns with your career goals.<\/p>\n

When doing her own research, Thelen reflected on her own professional goals. She recognized that to start the career she wanted, she needed a degree. And so she dove into her Oregon State program headfirst.<\/p>\n

5. Look for an online program that offers flexibility.<\/h3>\n

For Thelen, one of the most important aspects of her Ecampus experience was its flexibility. Having been in the military when she enrolled and working shifts around the clock, she needed a program where she could largely work around her own schedule.<\/p>\n

\u201cThroughout my degree program at Oregon State, I navigated so many different phases of life,\u201d Thelen says. \u201cEvery time my life changed, I had to have a school and a degree program that could adapt with me.\u201d<\/p>\n

6. Time management is key.<\/h3>\n

Her number one tip for time management as an online student: Write everything down and prioritize. When it came to listing out her coursework, Thelen marked the items she considered most urgent and completed those first. She says she worked \u201csmarter, not harder.\u201d<\/p>\n

7. Find a support system.<\/h3>\n

For Thelen, having loved ones who supported her along her journey \u2014 especially as she balanced her military experience and parenthood with her education \u2014 was key to success.<\/p>\n

\u201cI had the support of my friends and family,\u201d she says, \u201cwhich made it entirely possible for me to jump in headfirst.”<\/p>\n

As Thelen worked toward her degree, remembering her motivations for enrolling in her online degree program was key, especially while fitting coursework in around her busy schedule in the military and then as a mom.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy \u2018why\u2019 towards the end of my degree was my daughter,\u201d she says. \u201cI wanted to show her that you can do anything you set your mind to.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ready to chase your goals and start a small business? Start with a business administration degree online.<\/p>\n

Request information<\/a><\/h3>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

<\/span> 3<\/span> minute read<\/span><\/span>OSU Ecampus graduate-turned-entrepreneur Hannah Thelen shares her seven best tips on how to start a small business as a student, while doing well in school and more.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":1828,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1,6,16,3,677,8],"tags":[129,639,120,40,121],"class_list":["post-1827","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-all","category-ecampus","category-military","category-features","category-students-and-alumni","category-students","tag-business-administration","tag-business-and-communications","tag-military","tag-military-students","tag-u-s-air-force"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/Hannah-Thelen-2020-grad-desert.jpeg?fit=800%2C450&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p7BNSE-tt","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":956,"url":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/hannah-thelen\/","url_meta":{"origin":1827,"position":0},"title":"Up in the air, but laying a strong foundation","author":"Julie Cooper","date":"August 2, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Ask most college students and they\u2019ll tell you their future career plans are up in the air. 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