This was the first lecture in COMM 101 which had me feeling really connected with the Sauder community. It was an awesome experience to talk to/see successful alumni as a fellow Sauderite rather than in suits at a business meeting. We are all connected by the Sauder experience and I truly felt that I’d rather be no where else but here.
The skype session with Mr.Nolan Watson very eye-opening. I felt like I was really hearing a story from a person rather than a resume listed with past experiences. Mr.Watson was quite humble whilst speaking to his experiences before starting Sandstorm Gold and it was the first time I saw the value of true humility in business. It’s a great factor in connecting with people and gaining helpful relations. He spoke to the difficulties in getting a business started from scratch – we all knew how challenging it was to get an innovation going but he made me realize the magnitude of efforts needed to make it work in the end. The most important aspect, as stated by himself, was never giving up. Even when all possibilities seemed to have been exhausted and there was no where left to turn, Nolan Watson continued to try and raise the money to seal the deal with perseverance and dedication. This attitude towards business is shared mainly among social entrepreneurs and I feel that Sandstorm Gold could embody an element of creating social value and philanthropy in its future career. Another interesting part was Mr.Watson’s description of his company as: a group of Sauder grads trying to succeed in business. I feel that this really is an extension of the Sauder community and it speaks to the valuable relationships and connections between the students here which can extend well into careers beyond graduation.