Washington D.C. chapter of OPEN, the Organization of Pakistani American Entrepreneurs, brought together talent and experience at one platform when it hosted a series of interactive sessions to explore best business practices for success.
The theme of the annual meeting of entrepreneurial minds was “Turning Challenges into Opportunities” as over 200 leaders and new entrants in wide-ranging areas of business had the opportunity to network – considered a key to success.
Besides featuring panel discussions and speeches by some of the highly successful entrepreneurs, the organizers also arranged networking sessions, where participants introduced their work and discussed possibilities of collaboration and joint ventures.
Judges including Dan Loague, Executive Director of Capital Formation Institute, also picked winners of prizes from among five budding aspirants who pitched the scope and promise of their ventures at the event.
Shahla Aly, Director, Google for Work, a widely respected name in the IT industry, was the keynote speaker.
“My technique that I recommend is to constantly ask questions, without appearing threatening,” Aly said.
Discussants included finance experts, networking specialists, medical professionals and students from some of the top institutions of higher learning.
For president of the OPEN Washington DC the annual gathering represented a leap forward as it fostered understanding on some of the challenges facing new businesses in the highly competitive environment and provided the way forward.
“We had people who are in their first jobs, they were not sure about their careers, and wanted to talk to mentors. Other people wanted to start a business but did not know how to, and they got some advice,” Farooq Cheema OPEN DC President told Views and News.
In the face of ever new challenges, business leaders underscored that it is resilience and innovation that drives entrepreneurs to realize their goals.
Citing the high quality of participants, Cheema noted that the members who helped establish OPEN ten years ago have now two billion dollars in revenues.
Hasan Ibrahim, an OPEN Board member, said the organization provides a “great venue for networking.”
“(It) allows creative environment where engagement and entrepreneurship can take place,” he said referring to networking sessions as participants sat down face to face introducing their business and investment ideas during lunch and tea breaks.
Dr. Genevieve Walsh, Founder and CEO of Iqra Fund, also spoke, describing how her organization is providing opportunities for women and children, especially girls, to improve their quality of education in Gilgit-Baltistan.
