An entrepreneur standoff photo at the University of Houston’s Bauer College of Business does us no justice in telling this story of a luncheon we were invited to participate in, hosted by the wonderful Leslie Killian, Assistant Director for Outreach at the Office of Undergraduate Business Programs at the C.T. Bauer College of Business.
Leslie and her team host 30 Houston area high school students for a 3 day summer camp every year at the Bauer Summer Business Institute where students develop leadership skills, set future goals and get to interact with the business community to explore possible future careers in business. Yesterday morning on the final day of camp the students were focused on learning about entrepreneurship and we had a sort of musical chairs roundtable luncheon session with them.
The students didn’t hesitate to start firing off questions as soon as they sat down after each rotation and before lunch was over, we had 15 minutes to meet with all the students. Some began by talking about their interests and asked how they could get into their field. They asked what our biggest challenges were and they even asked how communities overseas respond to our trips to work with them to get books in the hands of their youth and to support their educations. A question that I’m not even sure crossed our minds until our first trip to Colombia last year.
Entrepreneurs on the panel included men and women with expertise in interior design, tech, rail, government, magazine/print publishing, weddings, education, furniture, media production and of course, social/crowdfunding. 🙂 Thanks to UH Bauer for this opportunity and for all the following students who applied and participated!
Anjay Batra, DeBakery
Alejandro Castillo, YES Prep East End
Sophia Cen, Bellaire
Samuel Cervantes, Pasadena Memorial
Natalie Day, Klein Collins
Eric DeCourcy, Clear Lake
Marika Goolsbee, HSPVA,
Anthony Jaramillo, Kingwood
Karuna Kankani, Seven Lakes
Pradhith Konduri, Harmony
JaMarcus Lacy, Kerr
Jennifer Li, Bellaire
Frances Luong, Clear Springs
Hafsa Malik, Cypress Ranch
Moises Mendoza, KIPP Houston
Donald Narcisse, Manvel
Olivia Netzel, Episcopal
Philippe Orion, Klein
Kennedy Powell, Memorial
Alex Ressler, Dawson
Daniel Salgado, YES Prep Gulfton
Rachel Sanchez, St. Agnes Academy
Jean-Paul Serrano, Cypress Springs
Claire Smith, Bellaire
Barbara Sun, Seven Lakes
Judy Torres, KIPP Houston
Tyler Turner, Ridge Point
Rachel Wix, Dulles
Kevin Xie, Bellaire
Sean Yuan, St. John’s
If you or someone you know is interested in entrepreneurship or startups, I HIGHLY recommend checking out the Wolff Center for Entrepreneurship, as a student or mentor. Just get involved somehow…everyone there is amazing! 🙂 AND IF YOU’RE A STUDENT AND ARE READING THIS—REACH OUT TO US ANYTIME TOO! WE ENJOY HEARING YOUR IDEAS AND HELPING AS WE’VE BEEN HELPED!!
Creative Guru & Chief Storyteller @ Fat Cat Productions. He’s all about making brand dreams come true, whether it’s helping fundraise for a cause or capturing the grandest events. When he sees your smiles, that’s when he knows he’s hit the jackpot of happiness!
Musical Maverick & Senior Consultant at Slalom. With a unique blend of expertise in brand marketing strategy, analytics-driven benchmarking, & outcome-based technical delivery, Josh is the go-to guru for transforming project goals into tangible results He also taught our team Figma & Jira skills.✊🏾🐼
The dynamic duo behind Wonky Power, a Latino-owned music agency. As Music Producers & Founders, we hit them up for live music & audio production needs. Based in Houston’s vibrant East End, their studio serves as a creative hub, deeply rooted in community engagement. Chingones!
Multi-talented Musician and Web Developer extraordinaire, renowned for his seamless creations like the Goodspero website and a plethora of custom-built sites. Recently embarking on a new life in Norway, Taylor brings exceptional skills & undeniable dedication to every project he undertakes. Han er et fantastisk menneske og SÅ kul.
Multifaceted Creative Force behind Bwash Media, excelling as a Videographer, Photographer, Editor, and Drone Pilot. With a mastery of diverse media forms, Brandon’s expertise in leveraging social media empowers brands to effectively market themselves and reach new heights of success.
Family & Lifestyle Blogger @SaniasFamily, brilliant Author of “Brown Girls are Beautiful,” and a trailblazing serial entrepreneur. As a proud Pakistani-American Muslim woman, wife, mother, daughter, sister, & friend, Sania celebrates her identity through stories that inspire & uplift all. ہماری کمیونٹی کا ایک انمول جواہر
Communication Director @ UH College of Liberal Arts & Social Sciences. Understanding the power of communications for social orgs, LaRahia delves into the intricacies of comms for visibility, legitimacy, & resource acquisition, crafting strategies that generate meaningful social impact.
Creative Founder @ JonBlenz Creative, Business & Brand Strategist @ ReImagine Biz, & School Communications Strategist @ YES Prep. With the perfect fusion of business acumen & a marketer’s passion, Jon leverages his wealth of experience to propel brands to new heights.
Creative Wizard @ AKL Productions, CEO of CALL’D Lifestyle, and Real Estate Ace at Realty Texas. With an insatiable curiosity for the unseen and an unwavering dedication to capturing unforgettable moments, Alex is your go-to expert for all things creative and captivating. 당신은 놀라운 알렉스입니다!