On Friday, we had a talk and lunch experience with Tierra Thorne about her experience starting her business, Blanket and Board. As soon as we arrived at the pavilion, I was awestruck by the preparation that Tierra Throne had put into preparing for our lunch-in. We were served a variety of fruits, cheeses, and breads along with grapefruit soda. Today was also my first time trying a kiwi, and I highly enjoyed it. After getting settled, we began our conversation about how the blanket and board came to be. It started as a passion project during the COVID-19 pandemic to help people connect during a tumultuous time. During COVID, being isolated from others caused many to fall into depressive states. Quarantine also made it more difficult for children attending government programs to continue attending events that were improving their overall lives. Blanket and board sessions were a safe way for people to connect while still abiding by government restrictions and had a lasting impact on those who attended. Her background as a social worker played a significant role in the success of the blanket and board. My main takeaway from today’s lunch is that if you follow your passion, no matter what it is, you can make it a successful career. Throughout my life, I have consistently sought a way to earn a living in the golf industry. Hearing Tierra speak today made my dream seem like a realistic goal that I could achieve. I was also inspired by listening to Tierra talk about how she finds joy in helping others find comfort when they face difficulties in their lives.  We also heard about how the blanket and board have a partnership with the city for when the NFL draft comes to town. I was highly interested in hearing how Tierra focused on serving her usual customer base while still accommodating the influx of customers from the draft. This, to me, displayed how dedicated Blanket and Board is to serving their typical customer base. Having such a strong dedication to always being available for your customers is most likely a key reason why Blanket and Board is succeeding.