In December 2017, Kate Aiken (l) and Molly Benz (r), both juniors at the Paul College for Business and Economics, attended the US-China Youth Entrepreneurship Forum in Shenzhen, China. The opportunity was offered through the ECenter's partnership with Arizona State University.
Commented Molly Benz, “We had two days of seminars, breakout groups, and discussions where we covered topics such as what social entrepreneurship looks like in the US vs in China, and then two days to explore the local areas. The most beneficial part of the conference was meeting all of the different people. I was able to share my story and my company with other innovators, and get advice from them on what to do and how to grow my brand. Everyone was full of so much support, and it was inspiring to hear their stories of how they started from the ground up. I met so many people with whom I became close friends in a short four days. I now have a bunch of business connections and homes to stay in if I travel abroad again!”
Added Kate Aiken, “I found the session about social entrepreneurship especially interesting. The speakers seemed to find the concept unnecessary. There are no double bottom lines. I came to understand that they focus on revenue and profit margins and that the government handles social management. I personally find it important for companies to inspire their employees with reasons for organizational commitment like being a part of a greater good. This experience was incredibly insightful and I'm thankful to the ECenter and ASU for the opportunity."