Stevenson University was able to host an entrepreneurship panel that consisted of 6 panelists who all happen to have different backgrounds. The panelists were John Dinkel, principal of Dinkel Business Development, LLC., Chris Daley, founder and principal of Whirlaway, LLC., Andrew Murphy, partner and owner of Flying Frog Publishing, Elizabeth Trim, branch manager of Enterprise Rent-A-Car, Andy Brown, founder and CEO of Eat Pizza, and Garrett Pfeifer of Maryland Brand Management. They were all able to share their personal stories about the struggles that they faced when it came to starting and running their own business. All of the panelists were given various questions to answer and although they all have different backgrounds and stories, the answers and advice that they were providing us with, were very similar to one another. A piece of advice that stood out to me would be to know what my strength and weaknesses are and to focus on them. Something else that really resonated with me would be when Elizabeth Trimm mentioned that when it comes to succeeding in starting and running a business, you have to know what your “Why” is. That statement personally stood out to me because it made me realize that in order for me to truly succeed in my business, I have to love and have a passion for what I am doing.
This panel was able to relate to our course because when it comes to digital publishing, essentially we are learning about creating and designing online publications. During the panel, the discussion of branding ourselves and our business came up. In today’s world, having an online presence is a vital part when it comes to branding. So, I feel that this course is providing me with the information and skills that are needed when it comes to branding online. This panel connects with my future career for several different reasons. I am a business administration major and I hope to start my own business one day. Attending this panel gave me the opportunity to listen to people that were once in my position. This panel also provided me with various tips and advice on how I can succeed when it comes to me starting my own business. The idea of starting my own business has always been daunting to me and most of the time I did not think that I had it in me to start a successful business, but going to the panel and listening to their stories has motivated me and helped put things into perspective for me.