In recognition of Women’s History Month and as a part of her commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) efforts, Denver Legal Marketing’s Meranda Vieyra was recently honored to speak to two 5th-grade classes at a local Denver Public School. Meranda provided lectures to 5th -grade students at William “Bill” Roberts School in the Central Park community on March 16, 2023. During her time there, she shared information about her background and women in entrepreneurship. She also provided some ideas on how kids can start their own businesses and support women that own businesses.
Taking Risks in Business
Her lectures opened with a discussion surrounding risk, business, and entrepreneurship. The students shared the last time they took a risk which can involve uncertainty, potential damage or harm, losing money, or losing a game. Meranda discussed that at its core, a business is an organization that exchanges goods or services for money. An entrepreneur is someone interested in business who decides to take a risk.
Meranda’s Background
Meranda shared with the kids what her life was like at their age. She was the daughter of very young parents and had already switched schools three or four times. She shared a room with her sister in her grandmother’s basement. Life was hard for her in 5th grade, and things didn’t come easy. Growing up, business ownership didn’t exist in Meranda’s world as she didn’t know any female or male entrepreneurs. Women certainly weren’t the boss at that time.
However, Meranda decided she wanted to change what she disliked, motivating her to begin working
young. She made her own money and managed her own bank accounts.
Why Business?
During her discussion, Meranda drove home the fact that business is bigger than numbers. Being in business changes many things for the better, including your:
- Life
- Mind
- Money
- Community
Women in Business
Meranda’s lecture included some significant facts about women in business. It wasn’t until 63 years ago that women had the right to have a checking account in their name. It’s also only been 49 years since females could have their own credit cards.
What Makes a Good Entrepreneur?
She went on to speak about what it takes to be an entrepreneur. Entrepreneurs are idea people who can make things better and clearer. They are creative and willing to research, persevere, and take risks.They are also curious people with a desire to know something and learn more. Entrepreneurs aren’t afraid to explore, wonder, and question the status quo. In addition, they are accountable, willing to deal with deadlines and messy situations, and to be responsible for their own work. They don’t make excuses or place blame on others.
Being an entrepreneur also sometimes means taking a risk and failing. However, good entrepreneurs can make difficult situations easier and learn or grow from their difficult experiences and failures. They aren’t afraid to ask themselves:
- What could I have done better?
- What skills do I need to improve?
- What are the steps I need to take to get there?
Entrepreneurship Ideas for Students
Further inspiring the 5 th graders, Meranda shared some ideas for their own entrepreneurship. She encouraged them to think about the following:
- What they are good at— for instance, making crafts, crocheting, beading, or making slime
- What is missing—what can they invent? In 1905 the popsicle was invented by a child, and in 1930, another child invented the trampoline.
- What do others need—for example, services like pet sitting, gardening, shoveling snow, and tutoring
- What people like and what entertains them, such as magic, singing, or playing an instrument
While entrepreneurship isn’t for everyone, it could be right for some students. Finally, Meranda closed her lecture by encouraging the students that they get to choose who they will be when they grow up. With so many career options, they don’t have to do what others around them have done. She reassured them that it doesn’t matter what they were born into—if they don’t like something, they can dare to become different and change it. Women’s History Month celebrates inspiration and moving forward. Real-life examples of this include being your own boss and owning your business. Meranda would like to thank the students, teachers, and administrators at William “Bill” Roberts School for this unique opportunity and for allowing her to share her passions to inspire others.
Committed to DEI
Meranda Vieyra’s commitment to DEI is also demonstrated in many other ways, including her membership in groups like the:
- Center for Legal Inclusiveness
- Colorado W.O.L.F. (Women Owned Law Firms)
- Colorado Hispanic Bar Association
- Colorado Women’s Bar Association
- Colorado Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender (“LGBT”) Bar Association
She is one of the only Colorado marketing professionals that can assist law firms in incorporating effective DEI elements into their business development efforts.
