Students visited Dau Consulting and learned how home based businesses and tele-commuting is gaining popularity. Baby boomers and Millennials have the most home-based businesses. It also saves a young start-up from paying costly rent or mortgage. They discussed the tax advantages and savings that can be found. Home based businesses are gaining in popularity due to technology and a laptop lifestyle in some industries. 

It was also picture day, so we took shots for the website.

Gary Swearingin of Wells Fargo Advisors, shared his career journey from college to present. He discussed a few pivotal decisions which changed his career and life trajectory. Students should be open to exploring their career paths and be willing to make changes. He told the story of how he got his dream job by calling ten times to get the interview he wanted.

He also shared that continually reading and being willing to keep up with new trends have served him well.

We had a full day of learning and fun on Wednesday with an early Vision 20/20 breakfast that highlighted technology in business. We learned about tools like Dropbox, Canva and Trello that help with organization and design.  The students spread out and networked with other students and members of the business community and enjoyed a hearty breakfast.

Then we spent an hour touring Mid-America Motorworks with Michael Yager. We were very impressed by his efforts of mass customization with his catalogs and promotional pieces. He also discussed how they performed "heat mapping" in their distribution center to efficiently lay out products. The more popular the item, the closer it was to the "equator" or the central aisle. The founder of the company, Mike Yager also greeted the students. He started the company by selling car accessories out of his trunk at car shows and have grown it to a company that employs 70 people.

Next on the schedule was table etiquette tips from Dwight Erskine, financial advisor, at the Firefly Grill. Students learned how to set a place setting, where to place their napkin and other rules of etiquette.

A big thank you to Mike Shaffer for chaperoning the trip.                                         

We worked off our  Firefly Grill lunch by executing team building exercises and life lessons with Frank Brummer, owner of Farmweld. 

Some students came up with a new way to win the ski competition, although they struggled quite awhile on the "turning the canvas" exercise. 

T he students learned that they needed to have a plan, think  ahead to overcome upcoming obstacles, focus and listen to  each other to succeed  as a team.