YED Summit 2018: The highlight of my Summer

The Youth Entrepreneurs Diversity (YED) Summit is an annual one-day conference that helps to bridge the gap between young entrepreneurs and the successful entrepreneurs they aspire to be. College students get the opportunity to hear from experienced entrepreneurs, mentors, and passionate peers.

3 months ago, I wrote an article about these 3 college students (left to right), Leonardo Moronta, Brandon Moorer and Jordan Williams, who co-founded a summit to bring together young minority college students and entrepreneurs.

On July 21st, they made it happen! At the Squarespace HQ in New York City, with over 100 attendees, 10 speakers, and a powerful mission - these individuals proved that if you have a passion and a dream, you can achieve anything you put your mind to.

Network | Collaborate | Be Inspired

Key takeaways:

1. One of the keynote speakers, Chris Boussard, shared 3 key things to focus on as a college student. He encouraged us to integrate doing something you enjoy, with doing something that you’re gifted at. He urged students to strive to get the best grades, but also to get involved, network, and learn how to work and interact with different types of people. You are more impressive if you are well rounded.

2. Bring your own cultural experiences to your career/workplace. Don't try to assimilate so much, that you forget to bring your experiences to the table. You have to stay true to your values and to who you are. Bet on yourself and be willing to take some chances!

3. Understand the power of relationships, social media, partnerships and patience. Be honest with yourself and own what you know. Learn to shift when circumstances change. It's important to embrace your passion but also remember to take care of your mind, body and spirit.

4. The second keynote speaker of the night, Monica Brown, explored the importance of mentorship and building your network. It's all about exposure! Who knows you? You have to learn how to play the game, make sure you understand the language and the culture. Be self-aware, learn and then build.

Relationship building tip: You have to make a deposit, before you can make a withdrawal.

Video Recap:

Featuring Chukwudi Kanu, Jehron Petty and Chukwuma Egbuzie (LinkedIn connections that were taken offline)!

I came out of the Youth Entrepreneurs Diversity Summit feeling empowered.

Special thanks to Brandon Moorer, Leonardo Moronta, Jordan Williams, Alex Motley and the rest of the YED Corporation team, for successfully putting on a powerful summit!