The Life Of An Academic Entrepreneur

I’ve just hit a major milestone in my research - I’ve conducted 30 in-depth interviews! This means I’m officially finished collecting data and ready to start analysis. Throughout this process, I’ve learned quite a bit about the logistical challenges of recruiting and interviewing participants, which I’ve summed up into the following 7 tips:  1) Give yourself more time than you think you’ll need to collect data.  2) Just because someone is excited about your research, doesn’t mean they will participate. Don’t take it personally!  3) Consider what your participants have going on in their lives that may impact your timeline.  4) Communicate with your participants how they prefer to be communicated with (i.e. text, email, DM). 5) Let potential participants know how your research could benefit them (and think outside the box beyond financial compensation).  6) Be open to pivoting your recruitment strategy.  7) Keep a spreadsheet of individuals you’ve met or connected with, as well as follow-up notes.  Join my email list to stay in the know about new episodes and happenings: https://candirenaeblock.com/contact. Follow me on Instagram: @lifeofanacademicentrepreneur

It's time for some real talk about being an anxious academic. I'm nervous to share this episode, but I think it's an important conversation to have to help unravel the stigma around mental health.  I've struggled with anxiety all my life, but really didn't have the words or tools to handle it until I was in my early 20's. I just always thought I was a "worried kid". Fast forward to my senior year of college and my first panic attack, and I finally learned that I was taking on too much, not handling my stress in a healthy way, and my worrying was anxiety.  Today, I still struggle, but it's gotten much better. I hope by sharing how I cope with my anxiety, especially around the start of a new semester, it'll help others learn new strategies and also share openly about their own experiences.  Join my email list to stay in the know about new episodes and happenings: https://candirenaeblock.com/contact. Follow me on Instagram: @lifeofanacademicentrepreneur

It's been a few months since I've released a new episode, so allow me to take a moment to fill you in on what's been going on in my life.  Fall semester is over, I'm now settling into winter break, and planning for spring semester. In this episode I'll share how I'm finding rest and ways to rejuvenate over the break and my intention to set more sustainable goals for 2023, as well as some tips on how you can do the same.  This is the last episode for season 1. Be on the lookout for the season 2 trailer in January and more episodes next year!  Join my email list to stay in the know about new content and happenings: https://candirenaeblock.com/contact. Follow me on Instagram: @lifeofanacademicentrepreneur

We experience so much uncertainty as entrepreneurs and academics. There is absolutely no guarantee in life that our ventures will pan out, but all of that worry can weigh heavy on us and lead us down an unproductive path. So how do we handle uncertainty? I found the answer in the most unsuspecting place, a book called The Yamas and Niyamas: Exploring Yoga's Ethical Practice by Deborah Adele. In the first chapter on Ahimsa, or nonviolence, Deborah Adele shares that worry is a form of self-violence, undermining our trust in ourselves. I had to pause and re-read the passage a few times to let it fully sink in. I know I'm guilty of this, and thought it might resonate with you, as well. In this episode I break down how worry and love cannot coexist and some practical takeaways to help you stop worrying when you find yourself in a spiral of self-doubt.  Connect with me on Instagram @lifeofanacademicentrepreneur Learn more: https://candirenaeblock.com/

Hello, my name is Candi and I'm a recovering perfectionist. If you are too, welcome to the club! And this episode is for you. I share my experience with perfectionism, how I overcame it, although full disclosure, it's always a work in process. I also share some tips to help anyone struggling to let go of the small details, stop editing, and put their work out into the world. Remember, done is better than perfect. 

Today I'm discussing how we copy and imitate other businesses. Now, I know as entrepreneurs it can be easy to think that everything we do is an original idea or unique to us, but imitating others is a very common practice! So common, in fact, that researchers have studied the different ways founders imitate other organizations when they are forming new businesses, as well as common issues that arise from these strategies. And that's what I'm sharing today! This information comes from the book Organizations Evolving by Howard Aldrich and Martin Ruef. It's a textbook I've been reading for one of my classes, and when I read this section I knew I wanted to share it on the podcast. Imitating is one of the key ways we gain new knowledge as entrepreneurs, and while I've certainly done it, I had never thought to assess the ways in which I copy others, or how it could be impacting my business.  This episode will help you assess you're most common way of imitating others and what you can do to benefit from this practice while avoiding common issues. 

Getting a good score on the GRE is important, but I don't think it's the most important thing. In this episode, I'm sharing my approach to studying for the test, the difference between memorizing to regurgitate something on an exam versus actual learning, and how I balanced other competing priorities with studying. Hint: The GRE was not my top summer priority.   Overall, I think I did alright. There are so many blogs and study guides that will tell you to get the absolute best score possible at the risk of having no time for anything else. I don't agree, which is why I'm sharing my insights on the topic. Ultimately, you need to create a study schedule and timeline that works for you, but I hope this perspective helps alleviate some of the pressure around acing this test.  Take that test anxiety! 

It would be difficult to have an entire podcast on being an academic entrepreneur without first getting clear on what that means. In this episode, I discuss how I landed on this title for the podcast, the wikipedia definition, and my own (much broader) definition of the term. 

Welcome to The Life Of An Academic Entrepreneur! I'm a graduate student and entrepreneur, and this is my way of sharing my journey in hopes that it helps someone else and allows me to connect with others forging a similar path for themselves. Season 1 will run thoughout this fall with new episodes each week. Please subscribe! Connect with me on Instagram: @candirenaeblock Join my email list: https://candirenaeblock.com/contact