![“[Building nerf blasters] became this outlet of creativity for me that hasn't been matched by anything else. The process [of] making a build complete to your desire is such a painstakingly difficult process, but I've had to learn from [the skills needed from] soldering to proper painting. There's so many different options for everything, if you think about it, it exists. The best part is [that] if it doesn't exist, you can build it yourself," Ishaan Parate said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/DSC_8149-900x604.jpg)
![“When I came into high school, I was ready to be a follower. But DECA was a game changer for me. It helped me overcome my fear of public speaking, and it's played such a major role in who I've become today. To be able to successfully lead a chapter of 150 students, an officer team and be one of the upperclassmen I once really admired is something I'm [really] proud of,” Anvitha Tummala ('21) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Screen-Shot-2021-07-25-at-9.50.05-AM-900x594.png)
![“I think getting up in the morning and having a sense of purpose [is exciting]. I think without a certain amount of drive, life is kind of obsolete and mundane, and I think having that every single day is what makes each day unique and kind of makes life exciting,” Neymika Jain (12) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Screen-Shot-2017-06-03-at-4.54.16-PM.png)
![“My slogan is ‘slow feet, don’t eat, and I’m hungry.’ You need to run fast to get where you are–you aren't going to get those championships if you aren't fast,” Angel Cervantes (12) said. “I want to do well in school on my tests and in track and win championships for my team. I live by that, [and] I can do that anywhere: in the classroom or on the field.”](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/DSC5146-900x601.jpg)
![“[Volleyball has] taught me how to fall correctly, and another thing it taught is that you don’t have to be the best at something to be good at it. If you just hit the ball in a smart way, then it still scores points and you’re good at it. You could be a background player and still make a much bigger impact on the team than you would think,” Anya Gert (’20) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/AnnaGert_JinTuan_HoHPhotoEdited-600x900.jpeg)
![“I'm not nearly there yet, but [my confidence has] definitely been getting better since I was pretty shy and timid coming into Harker my freshman year. I know that there's a lot of people that are really confident in what they do, and I really admire them. Everyone's so driven and that has really pushed me to kind of try to find my own place in high school and be more confident,” Alyssa Huang (’20) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/AlyssaHuang_EmilyChen_HoHPhoto-900x749.jpeg)
CareerConnect hosted David Chang, CEO of Wushu Central Martial Arts Academy, to share his entrepreneurial journey with students on Monday in the Innovation Center.
Chang began teaching martial arts in his parents’ garage after competing in the sport for much of his life. Despite initially aspiring to work in the medical field, he decided to pursue his love for martial arts and founded a Wushu school in San Jose in 2003. Even during difficult periods like the COVID-19 pandemic, he expanded his business through social media and interactive online classes.
“Every time I’ve been challenged where I felt like this is gonna be the end of my business, we’ve always come out bigger and better than before,” Chang said. “Crises force me to think differently and to innovate in a way where I never would have been forced to do so before.”
He advised students to have the courage to take risks in entrepreneurship and to surround themselves with successful people, just as he did when switching to a martial arts career.
“There’s a lot of insights to learn from this,” attendee Jayden Zhang (9) said. “You can take anything you’re passionate about and turn it into a business, and you also have to pivot more and be brave about taking new directions, even if you’re initially successful.”
Chang’s presentation kicked off CareerConnect’s C-Sweet series for the year, where students learn from and network with successful entrepreneurs while snacking on sweets like chocolate-covered strawberries.
“These workshops are an opportunity to take a moment of your time to have lunch with your friends and grow and develop professionally and network and get something out of it,” Director of Business and Entrepreneurial Programs Juston Glass said. “It’s investing in yourself, which is what’s most important.”
CareerConnect aims to invite speakers and hold events that offer students fresh perspectives on entrepreneurship and the professional world.
“Most parents want their kids to follow a safe path, a predictable path, which means go to school, get a good degree, and get a steady job,” Chang said. “The reality is that if you are constantly trying to evolve yourself and you do it with a passion, you can figure out a way to make a good living doing anything.”
