Page 19 - San Diego Woman Magazine Expanded Issue
P. 19

Women of Distinction


        TiE San Diego brings




        Global Entrepreneurship

        to Our Youth






           We recently had    very select group of in-
        the pleasure of meeting   dividuals from a specific
        some amazing women    area in the world, to one
        who are integral parts   of the largest non-profit
        of the local chapter of a   business networking or-
        global organization. The   ganizations in the world
        organization is The In-  embracing members
        dus Entrepreneurs (TiE),  from all over the world.
        founded in 1992 in Sili-  There are currently
        con Valley by a group of   15,000 members (in-  Twelve years ago,
        successful entrepreneurs,  cluding over 3000 char-  “TiE’s Young Entrepre-
        corporate executives,   ter members or mentors)  neurs” (TYE) program
        and senior professionals   in 61 chapters across 14   was created. The mission   neurship for high school
        with roots in the Indus   countries. Their con-  of TYE is to help foster   age youth.   business ideas to meet
        region. I came upon   ferences have featured   the next generation of   The 2020 class   the current situation we
        this organization while   keynote speakers such as  entrepreneurs. It is a   learned firsthand how   are all facing. They took
        speaking with Merrin   Elon Musk, Dr. Sanjay   huge mission, but one   to generate ideas, solicit   ideas that involved face-
        Muxlow, their Executive   Gupta, Arianna Huff-  that they have managed   customer feedback,   to-face interaction and
        Director in San Diego.   ington, Deepak Chopra,   to successfully create   create a lean business   were able to revise them
        Merrin then introduced   and Larry Page, just to   and deliver. High school   canvas, market prod-  to become virtual busi-
        me to Deval (“Dev”)   name a few. Their global   students are taught,   ucts and services, and   nesses-a clear sign of the
        Zaveri who, until re-  conferences garner the   mentored, and judged by   hone their “pitch” skills   level of insight possessed
        cently, was the Chapter   attention of people from   successful entrepreneurs   over the course of the   by these young men and
        President of TiE South   all over the world and   and business profession-  program. The culmina-  women.
        Coast San Diego, and   are widely attended each   als from TiE, working in   tion of the program is   The three women
        Manisha Phadnis, who is  year. Unfortunately, with   teams with a mentor to   the TYE Business Plan   with whom I had the
        an extremely dedicated   Covid-19, this year’s   present their product/  Competition, where   pleasure of speaking
        volunteer who has gone   conference has been   service idea to a panel   these students pitch their   were TiE Chapter
        above and beyond to   postponed and resched-  of judges at the local   ideas. The local winner   President Dev Zaveri,
        make TiE’s youth pro-  uled for September, but   competition.    will then compete in the   Executive Director
        gram flourish.        don’t be too concerned,   This year, the San   TiE Global competition,   Merrin Muxlow, and
           The mission of TiE is  with the people involved   Diego Chapter hosted   held virtually this July.   Volunteer and Parent,
        to Foster Entrepreneur-  in TiE there is no doubt   their 10th TYE class in   Having spent time   Manisha Phadnis. As
        ship through Mentoring,   this year’s event will be   partnership with the   with some key women   with any organization,
        Networking, Education,   bigger and better than   Entrepreneur Academy.   in this organization,   it is only as strong as
        Funding, and Incubation.  ever.            Before the shift to virtual   I learned about the   its members and their
        With a focus of giving   What originally   programming, classes   incredible business ideas   commitment of time
        back to the community,   caught my eye with this   were held on rotating   generated by our local   to ensure that there is
        TiE’s focus is on gen-  organization is their de-  Saturday mornings at   teams. Not knowing   growth and success with
        erating and nurturing   sire to teach our children  The Rady School at   what would happen with   each undertaking. These
        the next generation of   about the incredible   UCSD in La Jolla. The   the unexpected turn of   three women have some
        entrepreneurs.        world of entrepreneur-  program is run entire-  events and the need for   incredible stories, which
           TiE has grown from   ship, and how they too   ly by volunteers, with   sheltering in place, these   seem to be at the core
        a great idea for a local   can be active partic-  members of TiE pro-  bright young entrepre-  of why they took active
        entrepreneurial group   ipants in making the   viding a comprehensive   neurs even managed   roles in this outstanding
        run and attended by a   world a better place.   crash course in entrepre-  to retool many of their   organization.

                                                                                                                 19
                                                                
   14   15   16   17   18   19   20   21   22   23   24