I am an international student who moved to the US with a solid determination to succeed and establish my enterprise. This year, I took the plunge and founded my first company, Gerrits & Co (www.gerritsco.com), to empower budding entrepreneurs and innovators. I understand that many aspiring business owners may have a promising idea but need more guidance on transforming it into a thriving venture. This is precisely where my expertise lies. At Gerrits & Co, we specialize in supporting startups and aspiring entrepreneurs by providing a comprehensive range of services, including business plan development, business consulting, crafting persuasive business proposals, and designing effective marketing plans. These tailored services aim to equip entrepreneurs with the tools and strategies to kickstart their businesses and ensure a smooth transition from a concept to a fully functioning enterprise. My ultimate goal is to contribute to my community by creating pathways to financial freedom for those who may not have had the same opportunities in life. Everyone deserves a chance to succeed, and limited access to resources or support should not hinder realizing one's dreams. As part of my ongoing efforts, I am collaborating with another company specializing in assisting businesses in securing government contracts and obtaining SBA loans. Through this partnership and forging additional connections within the industry, I aim to continually expand and enhance the support system available for aspiring entrepreneurs in my community, making it easier for them to set up and grow their businesses. I am passionate about expanding my entrepreneurial pursuits to create more job opportunities for my community. One of the ventures I am particularly enthusiastic about is a non-profit organization that I intend to establish. The primary mission of this organization will be to provide comprehensive support to individuals and families in need, touching various aspects of their lives and ultimately fostering social well-being. Some key initiatives this non-profit will engage in include distributing meals to the underprivileged, assisting with debt repayment, renovating homes for families in dire living conditions, supporting single mothers with their day-to-day challenges, and contributing to the education of promising students by covering their tuition fees. These activities are just a few examples of the diverse ways the organization aims to impact the lives of those in need positively.  My driving force behind this venture is my genuine passion for helping others, which has always been a guiding principle in my life. I can channel my dedication to giving back and creating lasting, positive change in my community by establishing this non-profit organization. By doing so, I inspire and encourage others to join our efforts in making a meaningful difference in the lives of those around us.

I'm a firm believer in knowledge is power. In the bible, there's a story that I very much enjoy. When it comes to Solomon, everyone talks about his wealth, but few talk about the wisdom that he had. He asked God for wisdom, and God gave him wisdom and wealth as a bonus one would say. Albert Einstein said, "wisdom is not a product of schooling but of the lifelong attempt to acquire it." In my own definition, wisdom is the ability to use the knowledge you have to benefit you and those around you. You can have all the knowledge in the world, but it's useless if you don't know how to use it. Why is education important to me? I want to gain as much knowledge as possible to become the best version of myself. As I stated in the beginning, knowledge is power, but I believe the wisdom to use such power is more important. How many students have graduated with high GPAs but couldn't perform their jobs? How come there are millionaires who don't have a degree but still run successful businesses? People always love to point out, this person didn't have a degree look how rich they are. Do you know how many books they read? Do you know if they had a mentor that was helping them? There's not a single person walking this earth, that can accomplish something without knowledge (education). Whether it's through a university or not, you need knowledge. You can ask any one of them if they have a favorite book or books, have educated themselves through reading or watching videos, or even jobs. The point is, knowledge is needed, and education is needed. This is why I am currently pursuing an education because I have goals that I want to accomplish. There are certain things that I don't know, for example, taxes, business law, how to become a good public speaker, etc. These are subjects that education will help me with so I can become who I am destined to be. When I gain this knowledge, one of my main objectives is to continue to educate others. I want to partner with non-profit organizations that seek to help children and communities that need it. I've always been a person that loves to give. As I aim to be a successful entrepreneur, I also want to become a successful philanthropist. I want to speak to the next generation and help educate them into taking the correct path. We can all be successful if have the right knowledge and the wisdom to use that knowledge. One thing I will make sure to let them know is, no matter who you are, or how rich you are, you will never stop learning.

My name is Juviensky Gerrits, and I'm from Curacao, a small island in the Caribbean. My parents each have their own company, my dad has an accounting firm, and my mom has a tax administration firm and a cleaning company. I first became interested in entrepreneurship when I had to help a friend of mine start his house painting company. Working on the idea, strategy, and funding was fun for me, and people told me it comes naturally to me. I started to dive more into it, get more knowledge, and eventually started working as a business consultant for a few years. I helped my mom start her cleaning company, helped a few restaurants with their social media, and helped one from the ground up. My business idea is not unique, but I'm passionate about it because of how many black people I will be able to help. I want to have my investment firm, that will focus on closing the gap between the black community and the rest of the world. I have seen too many people have a good idea, either they didn't have the right plan to execute it, or couldn't get funding. You got financial institutions such as banks, venture capital, private equity, who have the funds to invest, but often say "it doesn't fit with what we are trying to accomplish". Yes, it is true some times it doesn't, but there's evidence that most of the time it's pure racism. I want to own a firm, where black people won't be denied because of skin color, and even if you're idea is not the best, we will still work with you to figure out a way to make it better. How? Maybe your idea will fit in perfectly with another entrepreneur's idea and they will be able to partner up. A simple example, maybe someone just has a farm and it's not big, and another entrepreneur wants to sell vegan food. Separately they might not get the desired funding, but together it becomes a business that has potential. The black community needs to have more people in positions of power. For example, look at Daymond John, Barack Obama, and Robert F Smith. Each of them gave hope to the black community, and I want to be one of them. My biggest motivation is helping people this is something I love doing. I'm a volunteer in my country for after-school activities for kids. What we do is motivate them, educate them and help them get on the right path. I never post or talk about it, because I don't see the need to do it. I help from the heart and not to please anyone. Receiving this scholarship will help me with my tuition as I'm an international student and it's difficult to get scholarships. Also, my currency is almost 2 times lower than the dollar so expenses are more for me than others. Thank you for taking the time in reading my essay, be safe, and take care.

I'm a student at the University of Tampa with a Finance major. I am currently involved in two clubs mainly the microfinance club and entrepreneurship club on campus. I joined these two clubs because they are things that I am very much interested in. In my country, I worked as a volunteer for after-school activities as a youth leader. My job was to help kids with their homework and mentor them. This might be one of the jobs I enjoyed the most, and I learned a lot from it also. As we all know, covid-19 impacted a lot of people and it was something unexpected. I'm an international student, and my currency has less value than the dollar. For every dollar, I have to spend almost 2 times as much. I am determined to earn my degree and did not let this situation stop me from attending school. This scholarship will definitely help a lot, as it will take some financial weight off of me. Earning this scholarship will also be a way of showing myself that I am on the right track and this is exactly where I need to be. My goal is to learn as much as possible and pass it on to the youth of tomorrow. I want to be able to create wealth through investing and fund businesses that aren't qualified to get business loans, especially in the black community. I look up to people like Daymond John, Robert F Smith, Barack Obama, and Warren Buffet as examples of how to create/build wealth. From each of them, I take specific skills and attributes and apply them to myself. For example, Barack Obama has amazing skills on how to communicate with people. No matter how bad the situation was, he always made people feel calm and confident that it will be resolved (even if he didn't know what to do). Daymond John build an empire from nothing, Warren Buffet takes time analyzing and only invests in what he understands, Robert Smith (the wealthiest black man in America) has his own firm (which is one of my goals). I want to work in investing after graduation and earn a CFA. I want to be an example that no matter what situation you're in, or what age, the first step is important and every single one of us can make it as long as we stay consistent.

I am someone who loves sports, I grew up playing baseball and football (soccer). Was pretty good at both, but didn't know at that time I could get scholarships with the talent I have. Although in the future I want to own a few sports team, my goal right now is to become an example of those that missed their opportunities. I am 30 years old and made a few mistakes in my life, but now is on to the next and better. I want to become an investor and help people create wealth with whatever they have. I've been heavily involved with education in my country by volunteering at a non-profit organization for after school activities. I helped kids with their homework and motivated them to be the best they can be. I actually loved it way more than I thought I would. I'm still in contact with some of them, and they motivate me to earn the degree I came to get. I hope to one day be amongst the wealthiest people in the world, that is known to have a loving, giving, and caring heart. I hope to have my own non-profit in the future that will focus on minorities around the world. The organization will provide shelter, education, food, and even funding for their businesses. I grew up with a mother that always gave her all to help people no matter if they came to hate her or never acknowledged her. She always told me, I'm not helping them for myself, I'm helping them because it's the right thing to do. She taught me that if you're helping someone from the bottom of your heart, you won't care how they react, because you know you did something right. Don't help to get recognition, but help to empower others to overcome.

My name is Juviensky Gerrits, and I'm currently enrolled at The University of Tampa with a finance major. I'm from Curacao, which is a small island in the Caribbean. Where I'm from, few people have big dreams, because we have limited resources or maybe no one to look up to. I was comfortable for some years, but now I feel unstoppable. I want to gain the knowledge to be able to create and build wealth for mostly minorities. My reason for helping this particular group is that not everyone gets the same opportunities. I'm a risk-taker, I always make calculated decisions. I want to become an investor, philanthropist, entrepreneur, but want to be mostly known as someone that loved helping. I want to be someone that knows how to speak and connect with the people, understands what the people need, and be an image of God. I meditate every day, read at least one article from the Wall Street Journal, and just added working out to my schedule. Some of the people I look up to are Daymond John, Warren Buffet, Barack Obama, Robert F Smith, Reed Hastings to name a few. Each of them has something that I like, for example, I admire how Barack Obama speaks, his poise, his tone, he knows how to speak to the people, and is something I want to be able to do. When it comes to Reed Hastings, how he treats his employees, pays them more than what the market says, and makes sure they feel valued. Warren Buffet makes investing look so easy and simple, which I believe it is. I can go on and on about each of the people I look up to, but each of them has something that I want and think I need. My goal is to one day own an investment bank that will rival Goldman Sachs. Robert F Smith is the wealthiest African American and is something I aspire to become. To accomplish this goal, I need to gain the knowledge and expertise required. One thing I like about Daymond John is that he started with what he had. For years I kept saying to myself when I get this, then I can do this, etc. I decided to come to the United States, during the pandemic and God has not let me down. It was a very bold decision mostly because of the timing and I had people telling me don't do it, but even they had to acknowledge it as one of the best decisions I've ever made. I always wanted to play an important role in the financial department, but recent events motivated me. Seeing how some black families suffered, information coming forth about how banks declined loans to black people that were overqualified, I just decided to be the change and do what I need to. I don't just want to be well-positioned financially, but I also want to have some political influence. I have family members who were in politics, so I have a basic understanding of how things go. Simply put, my idea is to own an investment bank and a non-profit organization that will provide food, shelter, and education. I want to provide free educational resources that can benefit everyone, for example, business, financial literacy, and tax. Rich people are benefiting from laws and regulations in the US because of their knowledge or they have the money to pay lawyers and accountants. Just the thought of what I'm going to accomplish is exciting, the road may be hard, but I'm not doing this just for me, this is for us.

My name is Juviensky Gerrits, and I'm currently enrolled at The University of Tampa with a finance major. I'm from Curacao, which is a small island in the Caribbean. Where I'm from, few people have big dreams, because we have limited resources or maybe no one to look up to. I was comfortable for some years, but now I feel unstoppable. I want to gain the knowledge to be able to create and build wealth for mostly minorities. My reason for helping this particular group is that not everyone gets the same opportunities. I'm a risk-taker, I always make calculated decisions. I want to become an investor, philanthropist, entrepreneur, but want to be mostly known as someone that loved helping. I want to be someone that knows how to speak and connect with the people, understands what the people need, and be an image of God. I meditate every day, read at least one article from the Wall Street Journal, and just added working out to my schedule. Some of the people I look up to are Daymond John, Warren Buffet, Barack Obama, Robert F Smith, Reed Hastings to name a few. Each of them has something that I like, for example, I admire how Barack Obama speaks, his poise, his tone, he knows how to speak to the people, and is something I want to be able to do. When it comes to Reed Hastings, how he treats his employees, pays them more than what the market says, and makes sure they feel valued. Warren Buffet makes investing look so easy and simple, which I believe it is. I can go on and on about each of the people I look up to, but each of them has something that I want and think I need. My goal is to one day own an investment bank that will rival Goldman Sachs. Robert F Smith is the wealthiest African American and is something I aspire to become. To accomplish this goal, I need to gain the knowledge and expertise required. One thing I like about Daymond John is that he started with what he had. For years I kept saying to myself when I get this, then I can do this, etc. I decided to come to the United States, during the pandemic and God has not let me down. It was a very bold decision mostly because of the timing and I had people telling me don't do it, but even they had to acknowledge it as one of the best decisions I've ever made. I always wanted to play an important role in the financial department, but recent events motivated me. Seeing how some black families suffered, information coming forth about how banks declined loans to black people that were overqualified, I just decided to be the change and do what I need to. I don't just want to be well-positioned financially, but I also want to have some political influence. I have family members who were in politics, so I have a basic understanding of how things go. Simply put, my idea is to own an investment bank and a non-profit organization that will provide food, shelter, and education. I want to provide free educational resources that can benefit everyone, for example, business, financial literacy, and tax. Rich people are benefiting from laws and regulations in the US because of their knowledge or they have the money to pay lawyers and accountants. Just the thought of what I'm going to accomplish is exciting, the road may be hard, but I'm not doing this just for me, this is for us.

I'm from a small island in the Caribbean called Curacao. I'm a generous person and love helping people, mostly the youth. I'm a volunteer at two non-profit organizations and both of them have programs for the youth. I love talking to them and hearing their views on life, most of them amaze me at times. I firmly believe in God and He is the main reason I am where I am. People always say what needs to change, but few want to become the change. This motivates me, but my biggest motivation is owning a non-profit organization in the poorest parts of the world to provide shelter, food, and education. Everyone does not get the same opportunity and I want to be able to give people opportunities that usually they don't get. My goal is to position myself high in the financial market to create and build wealth for minorities. I want to own an investment bank in the future that will rival Goldman Sachs. To accomplish this goal, I knew I needed knowledge in finances and decided to study finance at The University of Tampa. I plan to do my MSc also and get a job at an investment firm or bank. Nothing happens overnight, and to accomplish this goal I need to be patient and efficient. I know this goal is hard and almost impossible, but with God, nothing is impossible. I listen to interviews, read articles of CEO's and what they did to get where they are. I look at Warren Buffet (he talks about investment as a simple thing), Reed Hastings (just for how he views his employees), Daymond John, Tyler Perry (for dreaming big), Barack Obama (for his way of talking and always keeping it professional). I have more people that I look up to, but I will use these to explain the kind of person I want to become. I want investment to be something simple for me, and only invest in what I believe in. When I own my companies, I want to pay them above the market salary, because I will appreciate every single one of them. I want to have a good relationship with them and hire people that are as passionate as I am. My dream is big and I won't stop till I accomplish it. I start where I am and grow from there, and every step is an important one. This position will require me to speak in public a lot, and I want to be someone who speaks correctly no matter how I might be feeling. People will be looking up to me and I need to lead them and guide them. Everything I say will impact and influence people, so I need to be a good speaker. I can write a whole book about my goals and what I want to accomplish but will keep it short. In 10-15 years, I will look back and be happy with where I am and either close to the position I want to be or already in it. I would also like to give out scholarships. I understand how much scholarships will help students and would like to contribute to that. Thank you for taking the time to read this, God bless you.