Howdy! My name is Francis Li and I am a freshman business major who participated in the Global Business Brigades to Panama this Spring Break! This trip was very insightful as I was able to learn about Panama’s history and culture, visit some tourist attractions, and most importantly help entrepreneurs grow their businesses.
I had the opportunity to work alongside 2 individuals, Angela and Odalys, plus some other members with Jose, a farmer that specialized in citric fruits. Despite his health conditions and inconvenient location which affected transportation and crop growth, Jose still made the most of it and sold a lot of produce and was on track to sell more than he did last year. Jose’s experiences taught me that I shouldn’t be held back by the circumstances that are affecting me, instead, I need to keep my head up high and do the best I can with what I am given. Another takeaway from Jose was the importance of marketing. Jose’s business had a long name that was hard to remember and he lacked a logo as well. We helped Jose create a logo and name that would allow his business to be more memorable to customers.
Overall, this trip taught me to make the most of what I have and also that all aspects of a business are necessary in order for them to flourish. This was a very memorable trip and I hope to go again in the future!
