Farah’s discussion had a major influence on our entrepreneurship exercise, and I took away many valuable lessons from her story. One point that stood out to me most was her advice to always hold onto your ideas, even if the timing is not perfect. An idea may not work at one moment in life, but that does not mean it will never succeed in the future. Farah explained how she left her position teaching at a French university, even though many of her coworkers thought she was making the wrong decision. She wanted to pursue something that felt meaningful and allowed her to make a real impact, which eventually led to the creation of the CCL. Another important lesson she shared was that starting a business does not always require a large amount of money right away. Instead, she emphasized that having a strong idea and the determination to act on it are what truly get a business started. Throughout the years, the CCL has faced several obstacles, especially during Covid, when the organization had to quickly adapt in order to continue operating. Farah stressed the importance of resilience and being able to work through challenges, which I found very inspiring. Learning about the origins and mission of the CCL also helped me better understand the purpose behind the organization and the impact it has had.

In our entrepreneurship exercise, our group spent most of the time brainstorming problems we had noticed while living in the Medina. We talked about issues like the lack of trash cans, concerns about the tap water, and the large population of stray cats throughout the area. We made sure to write down every idea because we realized that even small thoughts could eventually turn into something bigger. Our biggest challenge was deciding which idea to focus on because we had so many possibilities. What I appreciated most about our group was how we continuously built on one another’s ideas instead of shutting them down. Eventually, we created the idea for “Catsbah,” a business that would provide a kennel and veterinary space focused on caring for stray cats in an ethical way. Once we agreed on our concept, we divided responsibilities and worked together efficiently to prepare our presentation. I really enjoyed the group dynamic because everyone contributed and stayed engaged throughout the process. Even though we only had about an hour, we worked together smoothly and presented confidently as a team. My favorite part was seeing how coordinated we were during the presentation and how each person successfully played their role in bringing our idea to life.