Today’s discussions with Joe Pietropola, an EIR at the University of Pittsburgh, and Chef Nima Sherpa, owner of the restaurant Grapow, offered compelling insights into very different, yet equally valuable, professional journeys. One of the most interesting topics that we discussed today was how Dicks responded to COVID-19 restrictions in 2020. Joe Pietropola and his team assembled a curbside pickup system in just forty-eight hours, involving minimal to no human contact. Hearing about this made me realize that one of the most important skills someone can possess is the ability to make quick decisions in an unpredictable environment. Mr. Pietropola also discussed the importance of market segmentation and its application to all our work groups for the final project. Understanding the group of people you are targeting when undertaking a project of this magnitude is crucial for our plan to succeed. Since our group has only had one discussion with someone who works in Carrigart, we must be prepared to adjust our projects if we discover that our clients intended for us to take a different direction. Later in the day, we got lunch at a newly established asian restaurant called Grapow. I ordered chicken Grapow with rice, and it ended up being one of my favorite meals I’ve had in Pittsburgh. After our group finished eating, we discussed the challenges that the restaurant owner, Nima Sherpa, has faced since opening last year. Being located on a college campus, Grapow has been struggling during the summer months because most of its customers are currently on summer break. Nima Sherpa is trying to overcome this challenge by planning to paint a mural on the outside of the restaurant and inviting local influencers to visit. My main takeaway from today was that to succeed in any area of business, you have to have a passion for what you are doing. Both Joe Pietropola and Nima Sherpa love their jobs, and both appear to have achieved significant success in their respective industries.