Assignment 13A – Reading Reflection No. 1

1) You read about an entrepreneur: Coco Chanel by Lisa Chaney.

What surprised you the most? What surprised me the most was the obstacles that Gabriella "Coco" Chanel overcame during her early life. I learned that Chanel's mother passed away when she was young, and her father abandoned her afterward. I was surprised when I read this because I thought she lived a "glamorous" lifestyle. I can only imagine the struggles Chanel faced as a result of this and how devastated she felt. 

What about the entrepreneur did you most admire? What I most admired about Chanel was her ingenuity and confidence. Chanel had a bold style, which was not common among women at that time. She went outside of the box as she established her career in the fashion industry and defined her brand. Most importantly, Chanel did this without caring about what other women thought. She ultimately created pieces like little black dresses and pantsuits that are timeless yet embody her bold style. 

What about the entrepreneur did you least admire? There wasn't anything about Chanel that I least admired, as I felt inspired after reading her life story. 

Did the entrepreneur encounter adversity and failure? If so, what did they do about it? Chanel faced a significant amount of adversity and failure throughout her life. After being abandoned by her father, she lived in poverty and was raised by nuns who taught her how to sew. This skill eventually became valuable in Chanel's career when she made a dress out of an old jersey material on a cold day.


2) What competencies did you notice that the entrepreneur exhibited? I would say that Chanel's competencies are her passion for fashion, creativity, and perseverance. She was also very dedicated in her career and never took "no" for an answer. Lastly, she was clear in defining her brand, and this is evident when looking at her products today.

3) Identify at least one part of the reading that was confusing to you. The biography itself had a lot of facts, so at times it was hard for me to keep up with the information. I was also confused by the relationships she had with Etienne and Arthur, as the timeline in the book was not clear.

4) If you were able to ask two questions to the entrepreneur, what would you ask? Why?

• If she had to pick a favorite perfume that she made, which one would she choose? I would ask her this question because one of the things Chanel is known for today is her fragrances. I also think they are nice-smelling fragrances, and it would be interesting to obtain her perspective on which one was her favorite and why. 
• What inspired her to enter the fashion industry? I would ask her this question because I find the fashion industry interesting, especially the different designers and popular fashion trends. 

5) For fun: what do you think the entrepreneur's opinion was of hard work? Do you share that opinion? I think Chanel's opinion of hard work reflects a classic expression: you can do anything you set your mind to. I agree with this expression because having a positive mindset and tenacity are crucial to accomplishing your goals.