My name is Maria Olaya. I was born into a loving family of three and grew up in the beautiful country of Colombia. Business, money, and finances have revolved around my life for as long as I can remember. My father owned a gift shop distribution sender, selling merchandise to a local gift shop. I have endless memories in those warehouses. As a kid, that place was a dream for me. It was full of toys and things every kid would love. However, it was not for me. I spent endless days next to my father, teaching me about his business and how it works, and he was a plain example of a businessman. Even though I was just a child, I learned many things from that experience. Growing up in an environment of business and hard work, my passion for it grew. My father always told me to follow my dreams and to look for ways to be independent. During the 2020 pandemic, my sister and I were working on an idea for a business. With the help of my father, we developed Lulu’s Designs. Lulu’s Designs is an online business where customers can buy gifts like mugs, shirts, balloons, and more and completely personalize them. Customers can personalize messages, colors, fonts, and every aspect of the design. Although we are no longer in business since we wanted to focus on our education, Lulu’s Designs has been my biggest accomplishment, my biggest inspiration, and my most considerable valuable experience. Running an online business during a global pandemic was challenging, yet it taught me valuable lessons like responsibility, passion, and dedication. Owning a business allowed me to gain experience managing a business's finances and organization. I gained valuable experience creating designs, managing orders, and talking with customers. Lulu’s Designs taught me that with determination, everything is possible. In terms of positively impacting the world, I aim to continue my education, majoring in Business management and marketing. With my education, I aspire to use my skills and knowledge to help small businesses grow and thrive. As a past small business owner, I know the struggle that they face, but they are essential to the economy and play a crucial role in creating jobs and supporting local communities. By providing business and marketing insight, I hope to contribute to their success and help them positively impact their communities. Overall, I am excited about the opportunities my finance and business career can offer to impact the world positively.