For our business class on Thursday, January 15, we had our first Executive Mentor Group Program meeting. The goal of this particular event was to meet five different business professionals and make a business connection with each of them. The first person I met was Allison L.
Plaisance who is an business assurance and advisor for Ernst & Young, a company that is a global leader in assurance, tax, transaction and advisory services. This company and all of its employees such as Allison, help people retain the confidence of investors, manage risk, and achieve their potential. The second person I met was Dr. William B.
Locander, who is the Dean of the College of Business here at Loyola University New Orleans. It was fun talking to him because he was very charming and I found it
useful and important to have met the Dean of the program I am enrolled in this University. After meeting the Dean, I also met another member of the Loyola family, Cyril Lee
Mundell. Mr.
Mundell is the Associate Professor of Decision Science. The next person I met was one who's job I like the most, H. Jude
Boudreaux.
Boudreaux is the Director of Financial Planning at
Bellingrath. His role in the
company is to work with businesses, families and foundations to meet
their financial goals as well as to alleviate any unnecessary risk. The last person I met at this event was Mason G.
Couvillon. Unlike the other people I met,
Couvillon has his own company alongside another person,
Dardis Couvillon & Associates. This company helps individuals, families and businesses by providing financial services as well as insurance.
On Wednesday, before the networking event we met in the Audubon Room and guest speaker Roberta
Kaskell, Director of the Career Development Center gave us a lecture in order to instruct us on how to network. The day of the event we were to apply the different networking tips and techniques learned. One thing I did well during the networking event was walking with a warm smile and confident stride as well as making eye contact around the room and especially with the people I was talking to. since this was my first networking event there are some things that I need to work on and improve. One of the things I should work on is asking questions in order to break the ice and get to know the other person.
A business professional that I would like to emulate is Lilian
Bettencourt, Daughter of
L'Oreal founder Eugene
Schueller.
Bettencourt succeeds when it comes to controlling stake in the cosmetics giant, which she has held for more than four decades. Her
Bettencourt Schueller Foundation supports medical, cultural and humanitarian endeavors in France and developing countries.
A website that I found useful for people who want to learn about and improve networking skills is one that provides
12 Tips for Successful Business Networking for shy people.
