Earlier in the week I had the distinct honor of attending the first annual Forbes Under 30 Summit. Entering the Philadelphia Convention Center on Monday, excited about the list of speakers and panelists from all walks of life and industries, I can undoubtedly say that my expectations were far exceeded upon leaving the building on Tuesday evening.
The youthful, entrepreneurial energy was beyond palpable amongst the crowd and everywhere I turned, I found myself amazed by my peers; fellow young entrepreneurs who were doing most exiting things. I kept thinking to myself, "where have these incredible people been my whole life?!"
The speakers were also incredibly engaging, and props to Forbes for seeking out successful entrepreneurs and leaders both young and old who gave important anecdotes on their successes and challenges along the way. From Afrojack to Danny Meyer to the absolutely amazing 17 year old, Malala Yousafzai (who speaks with the poise, boldness and intellectual capacity of a 40 year old, by the way) inspiration was abound.
The takeaway from the event was clear: entrepreneurship is alive and well here in the United States and around the world. The abundance of technology has yielded these times the most exciting and cost efficient to start a company and the promulgation of social media has made it simpler than ever to tell people about it.
I am counting down the days until the 2015 Summit.