Monday, January 18, 2016

Guest Speaker: Derek Young

We had the good fortune to be able to have a guest speaker visit the class last week. Derek Young took time out of his schedule to come speak to the class about his life and the experiences he’s had as an entrepreneur, and for that we are grateful. Derek Young is an entrepreneur who has started many companies in the Tacoma area, including Tacoma Runners, Seasonal View, and Exit 133. He started making companies after he reached a stagnation point climbing the corporate ladder and felt the need to start something new. After ruminating on the decision he decided to quit his job and strike out in something new and started setting up companies. Fast forward a few years, and he does not regret his decision in the slightest.
               For Derek, starting companies seems to be almost second nature, as he is not risk-averse in the slightest. In his own words, he stated that he is the type of person who “jumps off of the cliff and then checks to see if he has a parachute.” His drive and determination, along with his ability to bring people together and get excited about an idea has proven to be a strong enough force to make companies successful.

               From his visit with us, I have taken away that passion and drive as well as keeping good friends who can do things that you are not able to do are very important parts of making a successful business. Having Derek come speak to us was a great opportunity, in which I personally learned a lot.

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