I plan to attend an undergraduate Business Program that focuses on Entrepreneurship. This field excites me because of the commitment, drive, and passion required to be successful. I will be successful because I am passionate about business, unafraid to fail, and have experience overcoming adversity. When I am passionate about something, I have unmatched tenacity to master it. To begin mastering entrepreneurship, I enrolled in as many applicable business classes as possible at my high school. Next, I sought an internship and a mentor in the field. A local start-up called Local Maverick gave me firsthand experience with digital marketing techniques, inventory management, promotional planning, researching and securing brand partnerships, and operating a pop-up storefront. It also connected me with my mentor, Ryan, the founder and CEO. This experience solidified that this is the path I want to pursue and that there is so much more to learn in a traditional classroom setting to make a business successful. I have also used my skills and passion to create my own business – ski and fishing gear resale. I combined my experience with these hobbies, negotiation skills, and start-up funds from my part-time jobs to craft a business plan. I acquired my first two pairs of skis, repaired, cleaned, and merchandized them to list on multiple reseller websites. They sold in less than a week with a 50% profit - I was hooked! What started as two pairs, quickly rose to having 10+ pairs of skis or fishing items in my inventory at a time with an average turn rate of 2 weeks. To date, I have netted $5200, which I plan to contribute towards college expenses. I qualified my business using a Cash Flow Statement and crafted my business plan using what I learned in my business classes. My re-sell business provided further evidence that I have the drive and passion necessary for this field and solidified how important formal education is to this success. I have the grit and mindset to overcome obstacles with a positive attitude. This is crucial to being an Entrepreneur. I credit this to a challenging childhood and the way my parents have guided me through it. When I was born both of my parents were in active drug and alcohol addiction. I experienced homelessness, incarcerated parents, domestic abuse, and an immense amount of instability and poverty. My Dad worked hard to overcome his addiction and is now 12 years sober. I have not heard from my Mom in five years. I refuse to let my circumstances define me. Instead of dwelling on the sadness of this, I have taken two lessons from it: my past does not define me, and I control my future. Mindset is crucial to success in business, and success in life. Today, my Dad and Stepmom allow me the space to conduct my life and do not guard me from failure. When I am overwhelmed or disappointed, they remind me that perceived “failures” are redirections. They also encourage me to always take note of what makes me happy and pursue it. To pay attention to what motivates me and duplicate it. This guidance has helped me to create a strong sense of self and the ability to manage my own life confidently. Success to me is continuing to pursue my passions regardless of the challenges presented. I know that the Entrepreneurial world is calling my name, however, I am unsure exactly what industry I will land in. I look forward to continuing my education, leaning into new opportunities, and seeing where hard work takes me.