The Distributive Education Clubs of America, also known as DECA, brought in two business professionals over the course of two weeks, from Nov. 13 to 27 to share their insights and experiences with attendees. Speakers included entrepreneurs Tiffany Santana and Kenya Pierce.
Tiffany Santana was an English teacher at Marshall before she decided to quit and pursue her dream of owning an online personal fitness company called Conqueror Fitness.
“I loved how honestly she [Santana] shared her experience,” sophomore and DECA member Maya Al Taher said. “She talked about the ups and downs of quitting her job to follow what was then just a dream.”
Santana said the goal of her presentation was to inspire young people who are too afraid to get out to the real world and pursue their dream.
The other speaker, Kenya Pierce, is a co-owner of Inglot Cosmetics. She was born in Brazil and moved to the United States to attend college.
She presented information on making cosmetics in the original Inglot factory in Poland. Pierce also emphasised the importance of resilience during her presentation. She talked about how she struggled with difficulties throughout her career due to the negative input she received from people around her.
“I was the first person in my family to attend college,” Pierce said. “Everyone thought I couldn’t do it, so I did.”
Due to the large number of entrepreneurs that came in to speak, attendees gained plenty of knowledge on the business world. Sophomore Jaminn Ong said students even got a glimpse of what they’re future in business will be like.
“I kind of saw myself in her,” Ong said about Pierce. “She is what I aspire to be at her age, successful.”