October Monthly Meeting

By Alice L

The October meeting of the Youth Entrepreneurship Society was held at the Scottish Rite Hospital, featuring keynote speaker Macy Su, a Vanderbilt University graduate, YES founder, Big 4 consultant, and leadership and college coach.

Macy shared her inspiring journey in a talk titled “From High School to Hired: College & Career Prep.” She reflected on her own unexpected career path, from young aspirations of becoming a teacher to somehow ending up on the consultant path, using this to show that being open to change is essential and sometimes necessary for life. 

Through a fable about a frog in a well and a visiting sea turtle, she emphasized the importance of broadening one’s perspective and stepping beyond familiar boundaries. From there, she offered six key lessons. 

Firstly, Say YES. Opportunities appear when you’re willing to take them. Develop a unique “selling factor” that sets you apart. Next, Build Skills, Not Just a Resume. Focus on essential soft skills such as communication, problem-solving, collaboration, and confidence. Redefine Success, Be Practical, but also Never Forget Your Passions, balancing the bridge between practicality and dreams. Lastly, she mentions the lesson most important to her: Building Relationships. Stay connected with the people you meet, reach out to them, and nurture these relationships that can help you out later in life. 

Following Macy’s talk, members watched a video on the 2025 YES 5K Walk and Run, a community event combining fitness, art, and friendly competition. Prizes were then handed out to the top winning members in each division, and congratulations were made. 

The meeting also included a presentation by AI Smart, which introduced students to responsible and ethical AI use under the theme “Be AI Smart: Students Mastering AI Responsibly Together.” The team of students elaborated on what AI is, what cons might arise while using it, and possible solutions. 

Finally, the YES Pals 2025 Program was announced, a peer mentorship initiative offering support, networking, and community for all YES members. Both long term YES members and new members can connect and benefit from this program, and it will commence in the November meeting. 

In conclusion, the October meeting offered valuable insights on personal growth, leadership, and responsible innovation—reminding members that success begins with saying “YES” to new opportunities.