Michele Shearin

I attribute my success to being able to see how all the parts fit together and having the patience to go through the process of learning the different steps. I've never been afraid to ask other businessmen and businesswomen who are entrepreneurs for advice - what would you do for that, what would you do here? Having the patience and understanding that this isn't just about me, that there are other people that are going to benefit from this, I think is another gifting. You have to have perseverance and be patient, because being an entrepreneur is not an easy life. You don't make a lot of money and you work a lot, you're always on. The training I've received from the Herzog Foundation, both their teacher training and organizational training, has made the most significant impact on me professionally. It showed me the value of networking, the value of continuing education, and the value of asking for help from people in my field without being afraid. They've also supplied me with a mentor, which was something I would not have found otherwise.

Surround yourself, number one, you want to surround yourself with other women and other men that are going to support you. What I have learned in the last 8 years is that there is an abundance of people who are looking for the education that we're giving. Surround yourself with people who have that abundance mentality, that understands that we're all here to work together. We're all here to lift up our civilization, our community, the kingdom for the Lord. And if someone doesn't have that mentality, then they're not part of your tribe, that's not someone who's gonna support you. There are a lot of people who are just 'I'm out for me, I'm out for me, I'm out for me,' and that's not what a community is about. That's what God wants from us. He wants us to each work in our own giftings and realize that there's an abundance of people out there who need that, whatever it is you're giving. You don't have to compete. Competition is nice, it's a little bit healthy, and the money you make is definitely important, but make sure those people have your best interests at heart, as well as their own. It can't just be all about that person. It can't just all be about you.

There's a big movement in education right now. Parents are pulling their kids and putting them in hybrid schools or microschools. It's hard to get homeschoolers to do things together because we're a pretty feral bunch of people. When I say feral, it's not an understatement. We are feral. We do things on our own, and we're independent, and many, many people are okay with that. But there is some value in the community. There's a lot of value in that. A lot of homeschool families don't have a support network, and when I started, homeschooling was just coming onto the scene. There have been a lot of families that had fought the good fight to legally homeschool their kids without being thrown in jail, in particular here in South Carolina.

Community is the most important value to me. I wanted our children to have a little bit of community, community that I could give to, community that I could be a part of, and you can't necessarily do that in the public or private schools. Having a community of other people with like-minded values was real important, and it makes my job a little bit easier as a parent. Teaching is already pretty isolating, whether you're in a public school or a private school or homeschooling, but it's even more isolating when you homeschool. I wanted other people with similar worldview to be able to speak into her. It's a great thing to have a community, and having moms come in, it's been really nice. It's been a good journey, and I enjoy it. Part of my mission is to grow the kingdom of believers in education, so I'm always willing to help someone. When a mom comes in and just needs support, I'm there to listen, I'm there to pray, I'm there to give advice if they ask for it. We're able to minister and just love on them, in whatever way the parent needs.