By Michael Liu

In an age driven by fierce business competitiveness, information, and innovation, it has become essential to find the moments where one can reflect upon such values and propel themselves to success. On the 21st of October, such an opportunity presented itself to the hundreds of eager attendees of the eventful YES October meeting, hosted on the 21st in the lavish University Park Public Library, featuring a diverse assembly of professionals determined to provide insight into such vital principles and to propel the future generation of YES members on a journey of inspiration and enlightenment.

The event commenced with a series of networking opportunities and President Jeannette Yang’s resounding opening remarks, followed by Allen Zhang’s seamless introduction of keynote speaker Brian Parro, CFO at Cypress. Parro’s keynote address captured the audience with engaging anecdotes from his entrepreneurial endeavors in his adolescence up to his professional experiences in real estate investments. Throughout his engaging delivery, Parro emphasized the diverse possibilities of entrepreneurship in our modern age, dissected the need for confidence and ambition, underscored the significance of intelligence rather than gambling, and advised the need to be straightforward yet understanding of “what you can do for others.” Ultimately, Parro offered a plethora of valuable insights into the daunting business industry that would undoubtedly reshape the ways attendees view and engage in their future.

Following Zhang’s gracious delivery of a gift of appreciation and an opportunity for a group photograph, a short respite ensued, providing an ideal opportunity for the eager attendees to reflect on the keynote, network, and indulge in the generously supplied refreshments. After the intermission, President Jeannette Yang promptly returned to initiate YES Launch, an annual program that allows YES members to simulate the innovation and pitching process of a uniquely proposed product. Yang established the program’s emphasis on fostering collaboration and progress for all attendees, requested for the members to gather into groups to collaborate on this opportunity, and provided a framework for these “companies” to draft the first revisions of their budding business ventures.

After exchanging contact information and concluding such vital initial meetings, the focus of the meeting shifted to a topic of profound importance: an intergenerational mental health panel aimed to shed light on the critical yet often undervalued subject of mental health. Sally Wang would introduce the distinguished panelists Dr. Beverly Bo Wu, MD, Dr. Ashland Soltan, MD, James Li, and Ted Su who would further steer the conversion toward the critical aspects of this complex issue. The panel delved deep into the causes of mental illness, how one can address these underlying issues, and a variety of complex topics including the influence of substance abuse. Their honest and open insights encompassed the scientific approaches to mental health, emphasized communication and physical therapy, and underscored the significance of self-reflection in maintaining a healthy balance. Overall, the cross-generational dialogue that unfolded was truly illuminating: by weaving experiences and wisdom from a variety of generational and professional perspectives, this engaging panel delved further into the nuanced yet enlightening discussion of mental illness.

Ultimately, the meeting was undoubtedly a resounding success, achieving YES’s hopes to enlighten the coming generations of young entrepreneurs. The addresses of Brian Parro and mental health panelists both shed light onto issues and invaluable concepts often neglected, while the introduction of the YES Launch program would mark the YES members’ clear commitment to innovation and progress. As the event concluded, the camaraderie among the attendees was undeniable, cementing the success of the occasion and the attendees’ future business ventures alike.