Reflections on Honesty, Integrity, and Measuring Life's Success

This week in BUS110 has been nothing short of transformative as I've delved into the vital themes of honesty in business ethics and what it means to lead a meaningful life. The readings and videos prompted some serious soul-searching about my journey with Logixso, and how it intertwines with my faith and family values. It’s fascinating how a class on entrepreneurship is guiding me back to the core of who I am and what truly counts in life.

Let’s start with the W02 Study on Honesty & Business Ethics—it really struck a chord! Sheri Dew’s powerful words about integrity being “true blue, through and through” have lingered in my mind. She shared a cautionary tale about the dire consequences of ignoring a stop sign while driving a grain truck. It hit home: in business, even a minor slip—like a small white lie about delivery times—can snowball into a massive breakdown of trust. Dew introduced a grading system for motivations at work: aiming for A-level, which prioritizes loving God and others, down to F-level, where the goal is to harm society for self-gain. My dream for Logixso is to maintain that A-level integrity, being forthright with both carriers and clients, even when it’s tempting to take shortcuts for quick gains. 

President Benson’s insight on pride reminding us to focus on service over competition resonated deeply. I’ve felt envy toward larger firms in the past, but really, I should concentrate on serving better—this means being honest about rates and potential delays. Frank Levinson’s video on “fanatical ethics” really reinforced this message. After having a bad experience with a dishonest CFO, he built his companies on a foundation of trust. For me, this translates to treating my team and partners with fairness, avoiding any shady dealings. Jan Newman’s story about having “skin in the game” yet maintaining honesty resonated as well; I’ve put my own money into Logixso's marketing, which is scary, but I know that doing things the right way will lead to peace of mind, not regrets. Ken Zolot’s perspective on accountability and asking “who cares?” about your product is invaluable—my focus should be on creating services that genuinely benefit my clients, rather than just being driven by profits.

Then I dived into the W02 Study: How Will You Measure Your Life? by Clayton Christensen. This was a real eye-opener, challenging me to apply management theories to my personal life, especially in how I allocate my resources. Christensen warns against pursuing short-term gains that might cost me family relationships or core values—it's like chasing after high-risk investments that might crash down the line. For me, true success goes beyond scaling Logixso into a major tech-logistics firm; it’s about being there for my wife, looking forward to starting a family, and living out my faith wholeheartedly. His story about choosing to forgo a big game to honor the Sabbath reminded me that integrity has lasting rewards. I’ve made that mistake before, skipping church for work, and it left me feeling hollow. Christensen emphasized the importance of hygiene factors like ethics and motivators like purpose; these are the bedrock of what I want Logixso to be—a fulfilling venture built on honest deals and solid relationships, not just a money-making machine. Those small, everyday choices really add up, echoing Elder Wirthlin’s emphasis on the significance of small courtesies and acts of service.

These insights are incredibly practical for where I stand right now. Honesty is crucial in maintaining Logixso's trustworthiness in a fiercely competitive industry—one misstep could be catastrophic. Properly measuring life helps me ensure I don’t sacrifice my family for business, alleviating fears that come from financial worries as we consider a future with kids. These lessons urge me to align my path with God’s vision, steering clear of that “double life” Scherer warned about.

How am I going to apply all this? For starters, I’ll commit to rigorously double-checking every quote I provide clients—no more cutting corners. In terms of life measurement, I’ll carve out dedicated family time each week, free of work distractions, and I’ll seek divine guidance for major decisions, like marketing expenditures. I’m eager to dive deeper into life planning and tackle my apprehensions about AI in the workforce next. Overall, this week has been a powerful reminder that entrepreneurship is not just about what I create, but who I become along the way. God’s got a plan, and I’m excited to use these insights as tools to navigate it.