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Learning with entrepreneurs

Thanks to our business partnership with Ernst and Young, five students were invited to attend the announcements of the finalists in EY’s Entrepreneur of the Year Awards.

Alumnus John Hynds is a previous winner of this award. The winner gets to represent New Zealand at the global competition held in Monte Carlo.

Last year the winner was Peter Beck, who set up New Zealand’s first rocket lab. He was the guest speaker and our students were excited to listen to his story. Here are some reflections from them.

 

SHIVNESH KUMAR, Year 10

All of the people that we met during the evening said one word over and over: "Believe". Peter Beck, the guest speaker of the convention, shared a bit of his childhood being a space enthusiast and being told "that his dreams were too big". Peter always wanted to do something in line with space, and has grown up to build the second private company to ever launch a rocket into space - and the first from the Southern Hemisphere.  

 

JARROD CLARK, Year 10

There were inspiring figures at the annual event such as Sir Ray Avery, a new personal hero of mine. Though at the time, he looked familiar, we weren't quite sure what he did, but when I looked him up afterward, I was astonished by the contributions he has made to society and our future.

 In our chat he emphasised the importance of creative thinking. He lectured us on how our thinking all comes down to observation and what we learn from what we do, how much we take in and then what we do with it, how we find something we're good at and apply all our knowledge to it so that we can create something to be proud of that may help others.

When we were leaving, we shook his hand, he had a really firm grip which only furthered my suspicions on the type of man he is.

 

JI QUN HUANG, Year 10

From Peter Beck I've learnt three main tips and advice: 1) Have big dreams, 2) Work very hard, 3) Don't listen to people who say it's impossible.

From Sir Ray Avery, I've learnt that you should have five- and  10-year plans and also that innovation is something you see which others don’t see.

I found this event to be an enlightening and inspiring experience for me as I've learnt a lot of things regarding businesses and entrepreneurs but mainly life in general.

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