Guinness Enterprise Centre was our first site visit of the trip, and they started us out on the right foot. We heard from one of their employees about their experience as a business in Ireland throughout the struggles of COVID-19 and how they plan to move forward as a company. For some background, GEC is a home base for companies based around Ireland, and they help to provide funding, a space to work and hold events, and a network to connect with. From the various companies we have visited, there is a recurring theme of in-person connection. COVID-19 gave us all an opportunity to work remotely, which some liked better than the typical sea of cubicles you may have seen before. It offered families to spend more time together, a better work-life balance, and a sense of freedom we did not know before. However, when it was time to come back, businesses saw low numbers of employees actually wanting to be back in the office. There is something about face-to-face connections that cannot be replicated through Zoom, and even if it may mean pulling yourself out of your pj’s a few hours earlier, the results could be life-changing. Our guide shared a story of two employees from different areas of work running into each other in a cafe, and they now have a business with 200+ employees.

Dependability, teamwork, and creativity are all examples of transferable skills, or skills that can be used in all jobs. As an entrepreneur, transferable skills are necessary for the success of your company. They would help you to navigate the business world, make decisions for your company, and allow for growth as a whole. An entrepreneurial mindset in terms of transferable skills means to me, being able to grow and develop your skills as your goals and knowledge change. Entrepreneurs must be ready to adapt to changing circumstances, and so should transferable skills. Perhaps they can be used at all jobs, but the way they are used needs to change to facilitate change.

I have moved three times in my life, from Michigan to Hershey, Hershey to Lancaster, and Lancaster to Pittsburgh. I have had to endure the effects of changing schools, friends, and lifestyles, and this has given me the ability to adapt and be resilient. In uncertain times, it’s important to ground yourself and make the best of the situation, and I feel that I have been able to master this skill throughout my life.