Day 2 of eMBV is themed, “Financial Keys” and it was sponsored by the Donald McNeely Center for Entrepreneurship, so of course, we want to give a big thanks to them! The Director of the Center, Margrette Newhouse, had a very nice welcoming message for the students. After the kick-off hosted by Janae, we had a very motivational keynote about entrepreneurship by Kristi Piehl.
Piehl shared her experiences of being let down and picking herself back up with the help of those who she surrounded herself with. Kristi Piehl who is the founder of Media Minefield, a public relations company located in Minnetonka, Minnesota. Piehl left us with some very positive advice, such as, “Believe in your dream, even if you’re the only one,” and “Surround yourself with people who can help you!” Piehl also shared a quote from Michelle Obama which held particular meaning to her, “The only limit to the height of your achievements is the reach of your dreams and your willingness to work hard for them.”
Following that, campers broke off into their companies and further discussed their business plans to get their ideas set in stone. We can’t wait to see what products and services they come up with!
Shortly after the company meetings, campers attended breakout sessions. To fit the day’s theme, all sessions were related to money. There was “Credit is More Than a Card” with Jodi Slais of Wings Financial, “Paying for College” with Stuart Perry and Robert Piechota of CSB/SJU, “Wants Versus Needs” with Bryan Polley of U.S. Bank, and “Managing Your Money with Boz Bostrom from CSB/SJU. Each session had a significant role, as most campers are in high school and are able to act more responsible with that knowledge.
Our second keynote was Sophia Bera, a Minnesota native and the founder of Gen-Y Planning, which started in 2013. Bera shared some money and value exercises to navigate if your time and money spending matches your morals and interests.
Sophia Bera also left us with a couple of resources to keep track of our money. And some important tips such as avoiding FOMO (fear of missing out), write down every purchase you make for a month, and lastly, try automating your money in your accounts. She shared that when you are making purchases, it’s best to know why you want it: is it to fit in, or does this purchase actually match your values? Bera left asking many reflective questions: what do you want your future self to look like financially? What are your future goals? How do your finances need to match?
After announcing the student activity for the day – chalk drawings! – our student emcee Akshay went over camper shoutouts where campers share the amazing things that their fellow students have done throughout the day. Afterward, we had a celebrity call-in guest, Amelia Santaniello of WCCO. She and her husband became the first married couple to co-anchor in the Twin Cities. She shared her very humble story of how she got to where she is now, and not being afraid to ask for help. Her advice for keeping professional when having a bad day was “You just gotta keep focus. You have to prioritize your job instead of feeding into the negativity.”
After hearing Amelia speak, campers broke out into their mock interviews, which are made possible by many corporate volunteers who help students navigate tough questions, strengthen their interviewing skills, and prepare for their future.
Once again, thank you to the Donald McNeely Center for Entrepreneurship for sponsoring our “Financial Keys” day!
What a great way to end the second day of camp!