"Starting a Company"
Only a very small percentage of people my age can truly say that they've undergone a life-altering event. Last summer, I was one of the fortunate few to attend Leadership in the Business World (LBW) at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. Even though the brochure for LBW didn't include any of these elements, they were all what drew me in and made the experience so special for me.
The prestigious LBW Business Plan Competition served as the program's capstone event. We heard from Wharton professors and business titans like Comcast CEO Brian Roberts as we prepared for this. Meeting professors, executives, and business owners broadened my business knowledge, built a valuable network, and provided me with endless amounts of motivation. Nothing beats witnessing the fruits of someone's labor and creative thinking. Several years ago, I was approached by a managing director of a venture capital firm for a demonstration of how to network. He was taken aback when I handed him an actual business card from my tutoring company instead of just pretending to hand him one. An important lesson on how to stand out from the crowd was imprinted on my mind as my business card was placed in Mr. Kimmel's file alongside cards from established entrepreneurs.
LBW's competitive character didn't stop me from making lifelong friends from all over the world, like Accra and Shanghai. As we dined at Houston Hall, we exchanged family tales and had lively debates on professional ethics. Even though we arrived from different countries, we formed a family and learned about each other's cultures and business plans. My experience was further enhanced by the business plan competition's teachings of compassion and perseverance. When a fellow marketing officer was having trouble figuring out how to best distribute our goods, I put my ego aside and worked with him to find a solution. The idea of prioritizing the team over the individual came to light during my time at the company. While attending a business school, I witnessed how friendship can help a company grow. This inspired my entrepreneurial spirit.
When I successfully ended our team's business presentation, confidently advocating our product and engaging with a throng of colleagues and venture capitalists, I knew this event had changed me forever. After the presentations, my coworkers and I were overjoyed and filled with pride when the VCs announced that our team, EnTECH LLC, had won the competition. We were all so relieved. Anxious at first, the process of developing my business and entrepreneurial skills was made easier by an incredible group dynamic of cooperation and a willingness to put in the time and effort.
