The U.S. Mission to Poland recently organized a weeklong speaker program as part of Global Entrepreneurship Week. The event took place across three cities and focused on business development, entrepreneurship, and innovation. Dr. Sharon Freeman, an advisor to the U.S. Secretary of Commerce and founder and CEO of GEMS of Wisdom consulting firm, was the featured speaker.
Dr. Freeman addressed various audiences including students, young entrepreneurs, business leaders, and academics. She emphasized the role of entrepreneurship in driving economic growth, opportunity, and innovation. Her presentations were interactive and drew from her experiences as a businesswoman and consultant for small and medium enterprises (SMEs). Dr. Freeman encouraged aspiring entrepreneurs to take calculated risks to achieve their business goals.
The program began in Krakow where Dr. Freeman spoke about the entrepreneurship ecosystem in the United States at both the Pedagogic University and the Economic University. She also participated in media interviews aimed at promoting business development in Poland and fostering cooperation with the United States.
In Lodz, Dr. Freeman engaged with representatives from the IT sector, local businesses, and university students from Lodz University's School of Management. Discussions centered around creating a positive business climate.
The final leg of her tour was in Warsaw where she met with university students from Warsaw School of Economics and Kozminski University as well as start-up entrepreneurs and women business leaders. The focus was on entrepreneurship in the U.S. and leveraging business for social change.
The program had both immediate impacts by providing insights into the U.S. business climate, as well as long-term effects by inspiring participants to develop their own businesses now and in future endeavors. There are ongoing discussions about follow-up activities aimed at strengthening trade relations between Poland and the United States.