On November 22, Paint Branch’s Finance Academy was invited to Robert H. Smith School of Business at the University of Maryland for the seventh annual “Future Women in Business Conference.” The conference encourages young women who are enrolled in the finance academy at their school, to further their education in the business field.
Upon arrival at Maryland, attendees were directed to an area where breakfast was provided. After breakfast, everyone was directed to the auditorium where they welcomed the event’s keynote speaker, Nicole Lopez. Lopez, a 2017 graduate of the Smith School of Business received a warm welcome as the attendees anxiously awaited her remarks. She shared her experiences working and being a part of the business field. She also talked about her transition into the professional world, which she described as a time of “self-discovery.”
After the speech, attendees met Lopez, and then were presented their case competition for the day. The case competition was based on a company that sells ice cream cakes in Mason jars called “Jars by Dani.” The company was founded by 2012 Smith alum Dani Beckerman. Attendees had four hours to disperse into their assigned teams and come up with a cohesive business plan to improve aspects of the business. Teams discussed areas including marketing, supply chain, accounting, and how to attack a competitive landscape.
After four hours, the teams were brought back together in the auditorium for the final round. During this final round, teams had the opportunity to present for everyone, including the CEO of Jars. After the last set of presentations, lunch was served. As the program ended, organizers announced the winning team, which received a bag of Maryland gear.