Students and teachers gathered in the auditorium to learn about important steps in making a business during Entrepreneurship Day, where speakers discussed topics such as personal experiences and entrepreneurship career paths Friday, Nov. 30.
“I hope that the presentations will introduce people to the entrepreneurship world and business world around them,” said senior Sam Meiselman, the student-coordinator of Entrepreneurship Day. “We had a really good turn out. It was around 110 students per block, which is really nice.”
Meiselman and other students in the Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) club reached out to CEOs and entrepreneurs from different companies who could talk about their personal experiences as a young entrepreneur, how to start a business, and the important skills that are necessary for entrepreneurship.
“Having the right social skills is more important than intelligence,” said Neil Jacobs, who runs the 3-point foundation, a program that uses project-based learning to teach critical thinking to low-income students in Boston. “A higher emotional IQ is better than getting good grades.”
The CEO of Birch Baby, which distributes baby products, Craig Galloway agreed that having a variety of skills is vital, during his a-block presentation.
“The amount of money you can earn is based on the rarity of the skills you bring to the table and the difficulty it would be to replace you.”
Co-founder of Lab Shares, a biochemistry lab in Newton, Jenna Stein also said that taking opportunities and risks is important in owning a business.
“I’m still learning, and I have lapses in confidence,” she said during c-block. “But I’m always going to want to try new things.”
Presenters also mentioned the importance of confidence and encouraged students to be open to new things.
“The quickest way to learn is to go ahead and do it,” said the CEO of BrainCo, a company that develops brain technology, Max Newlon said during b-block. “You have to take a step, and you have to not be afraid.
Jacobs’ main goal during f-block was to teach students about how to interact with banks and clients and how to make company-based decisions. During his presentation, he broke the traditional manner by walking down to the aisles to ask questions and engage the students in conversation.
Founder of Brown Dog Properties and Underwood & Beacon, both of which specialize in home renovation, Joe Roman taught students the importance of commitment, the value of punctuality, and the gratification that comes with creating something.
“Entrepreneurship or not,” Roman said. “You should do something you love.”