A Great Introduction to Business

Hi everyone! My name is Parmida Talebi and I am a Grade 9 student at Alexander Mackenzie High School. Today, I had the pleasure to attend the National High School Business Conference. Here are my thoughts highlighting what I learned about the industry of business.

Today I got to learn a little about the basics of business. There was a lot of information on types of assets and the time value of money, and even if it was just an introduction, I feel better knowing that I can make more informed financial decisions and get a head start compared to other students the same age as me.

The keynote speaker and workshop speakers taught me one main lesson, and that is to follow my passions, no matter what the challenges are. There will always be ups and downs in life, and I can’t let a few failures stop me from achieving my goals. I also learned about the importance of taking risks, whether that is with investment or other decisions. For the majority of cases, risks are worth it.

I enjoyed collaborating with my teammates for the innovation challenges. The time pressure helped us think on our feet as there wasn’t much time to hesitate over decisions. The last few minutes before the deadline were stressful, but as a team, we were able to motivate each other and finish on time. Overall, it was a really great experience, especially since I wanted to improve my thinking on the spot skills.

With the knowledge that I’ve obtained through NHBC, I can be better prepared for the future as I am taking a business course next year and am considering going into the business industry when I grow up. I can also apply the knowledge to my everyday life, as I plan on investing in stocks now that I know more about them and just how important it is to invest in them sooner rather than later!