From classroom concepts to closing deals, Business Club FBLA gave students a glimpse into the realities of the business world with a guest speaker event on Thurs., Jan. 15 in Room 326, featuring Zach WalkerLieb and real estate professional Cira Faso of Willow Manor Real Estate.
The Tuesday before that, they welcomed two current college students and Bishop Gorman alumni, Cassidy Luong ‘24 and Ben Vaskov ‘24, to talk about their college experience specific to their majors.
Students that attended the meetings got the chance to hear about the speakers’ journeys through college, as well as into the business and real estate world. The business club’s goal was to propose a great opportunity for students interested in business, finance, real estate, and entrepreneurship to gain a real-world perspective, and they did just that.
“Meetings like these are important for students because it gives us a mindset and an idea of what the real world is like,” said Peyton Wilkinson ‘28, a member of the club. “We get real life examples of hard working people which can help us imagine what our lives might look like.”
A big takeaway from the second meeting was the idea that many people who are successful in the business industry started building their career from a young age. “Every speaker said to start early and start working as soon as possible,” said Ruby Ogilvie ‘28. “I learned to work as hard as I can and do as much as I can while I’m young, so I can have a good base for my future.” She continued to explain how the speakers put emphasis on balance, and how students should be focusing on studies while still enjoying high school.
Club members were also faced with the harsh reality that they are not always going to be met with success in the real world. “The speakers taught me that failure is okay, and that you have to go out of your comfort zone to be successful in this type of job,” Wilkinson said. “This showed me that even though hard things are bound to happen, you have to continue to be determined in order to succeed.”
Overall, students had no complaints about the meeting. In fact, the majority loved the chance to get inspired and prepared for the future. “Even though the speakers talked on a broad spectrum, they all help you line up what you need in order to get where you want in life,” Ogilvie said. “Having a basis and idea of what needs to be done is very helpful.”
