Attending the Winter One International Business Seminar was one of the best decisions I ever made in my life. I was able to become more independent, I was able to experience different cultures, and I was able to grow professionally. This seminar taught me a ton about myself and further affirmed that I one day want to work as a business professional. This seminar taught me that it is going to be challenging to make myself stand out as a woman in business but that it is something that will be very important and beneficial to the industry. It taught me that having a deeper understanding of different countries is a tool that will help me obtain and conduct international business more smoothly. It taught me that first impressions are very important and you must put time and effort into what you wear and how punctual you are. During this seminar, I learned that being able to venture off on your own in something that is of great use business-wise. I became more independent on this trip and I think that will help me be able to stick by my decisions that I make in the future. I learned that being on time is very important to make a good first impression and I saw first-hand how frustrating it is when you have to delay your plans for one individual. Throughout this seminar, I was able to visit multiple international companies and learn about their tips and tricks to conducting business overseas.
At Chelsea Football Club, I learned that branding and marketing will differ in the country you are trying to target. For example, the TV industry is the main thing they focus on to market towards the United States, but in the UK they focus on the sponsors they use, and the overall look and feel to the home field that they use. At Hard Rock Café, I learned that sometimes the best business decisions are the ones that just fall into your lap and that it’s important to have faith in seeing how different options pan out. It was here that I learned how a company must constantly be changing in order to survive. What once used to be a local hot spot for live music and good burgers, is now a tourist attraction and museum of famous rock star memorabilia. At Frankfurt Airport, I learned how important it is to have one common goal that everyone works toward. They use hundreds of different teams in order to make one day of flights successful for worldwide travelers. Here I learned that in order to keep meeting the demands of a rising number of people it is important to leave room for growth and opportunity. Finally, At Grant Thornton and KPMG, I learned a lot about myself. I learned that my personality type would not be well suited for an accountant position. I also learned that taking care of your employees’ needs is something that is just as important as taking care of your clients’ needs.
Although this seminar did not lead to an internship or a job opportunity, I did connect with the head of Cyber Security at Grant Thornton and was offered to attend a cybersecurity seminar during the summer. IBS made this opportunity so easy to come by because they encouraged all the students to talk and ask questions to the speakers after the discussions. Simply by showing interest and asking some questions to the Cyber Security Manager at Grant Thornton, I was given a great prospect of possibly attending a summer class. I don’t think I would have been able to connect with these specific professionals if it hadn’t had been for International Business Seminars. The experience they provided for me not only gave me 37 new friends to connect with through Linked In but also gave me connections and relationships with many business professionals. On top of this, they provided four professors that made for great leaders throughout the trip and now serve as mentors for me.
This seminar provided me with a deeper insight into what life would be like as a marketing manager, a Public Relations specialist, an employee part of a huge team, an accountant, a Cyber Security manager, and even a politician. It has encouraged me to go for my dreams of being a woman financial advisor and to work hard to get there. I’ve since chosen an educational path for the rest of my college courses that will help me make this goal a reality and I thank IBS for helping lead me in that direction.
