Our second day of Minnesota Business Venture is complete! With a full day of activities, company-bonding, and brainstorming, the campers are ready to rest up for what tomorrow will bring. Monday morning kicked off with a great start from Michael Keller, the CEO and President of Pearson’s Candy. Michael discussed the importance of a personal brand and how it can help individuals make a positive impact in the world. Michael challenged us to think about what personal attributes we want associated with our brands and encouraged us to create our own stories.
With Michael’s inspiring words in mind, the campers headed over to Camp Jam. Each company participated in a variety of team-building activities in a short amount of time. Each activity had a different amount of points attached and all the companies competed against each other to earn the most points to receive a prize bag.
Everyone had 45 minutes to complete 18 tasks ranging from making banners and creating slogans to taking company photos and being challenged within a human knot. These tasks helped everyone learn more about themselves and how they function as an overall team — something that will help them thrive throughout the week with their business plans.
After a break for lunch, students headed to multiple Break-Out Sessions. Each camper had the option to learn about two soft skills, which included Presentation Skills, Interviewing, Emotional Intelligence, Communication Styles, and True Colors. Students learned valuable ways about improving their interactions with others and how to be successful in the future.
An admissions panel followed the Break-Out Sessions. This was presented by Saint John’s University and the College of Saint Benedict and two current students spoke about their experiences with the school. Campers asked questions about why the students ultimately chose the college, and this panel helped them decide whether they are interested in applying.
The campers relaxed with a catered picnic dinner by the volleyball courts and all got together for a group photo on the Sexton Hall stairs. We learned that Company K won Camp Jam after completing the highest number of tasks. Everyone then headed to their respective company meetings for a couple hours of brainstorming, discussing, and dividing into their teams of marketing, operations, and finance for the business presentations. All the companies are conceptualizing their products and are beginning to develop business plans.
After a long day of working hard and learning, students relaxed during rec time by playing volleyball, basketball, going swimming, or watching a movie. We had a great second day of MBV today, and can’t wait to see what the rest of the week has in store for us!
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