Leadership and Entrepreneurship in New York

Amit Kaminsky, 3rd year student of Entrepreneurship and Computer Science

This past November, I had the privilege of representing the Adelson School of Entrepreneurship and Reichman University at the 51st international "Business Today" conference in New York, together with a delegation of eight students. The conference hosted 150 students selected from over 2,800 applicants from around the world. Its focus was connecting leaders from the business world with top students globally, with the goal of developing the next generation of leaders.

We flew out on Friday for four days, three of which were packed with conference activities from morning to night. We stayed at the 'Marriott' Hotel in Times Square, and the conference took place at the 'Westin' Hotel, an environment that certainly matched the level of the experience.

The conference was organized end-to-end by Princeton students, most of them at least six years younger than I am, and they succeeded in creating a unique and very high-level experience. Senior executives from a wide range of industries attended, from whiskey investment managers to Wall Street researchers, hospital executives, entrepreneurs, and many others.

The format combined large panels with intimate seminars and workshops of 10–15 students, which allowed for deeper and more personal conversations with the speakers. Every speaker was extremely generous with their time, open to questions, and it was clear that they wanted to provide as much value as possible.

New York itself was an experience. It’s hard not to feel the scale and magnitude of the place, the possibilities and the motivation to strive for bigger things. Stepping outside Israel’s small bubble, the shift in perspective alone was transformative.

My key insights centered on three areas:

The power of networking - not just for professional benefit, but because connecting with diverse, ambitious people is genuinely enjoyable, and you never know when these connections may come into play.

The importance of striving for excellence in everything you do in order to create greater impact on more people.

The understanding that the business world offers endless opportunities, and that today the real challenge, in my opinion, is not finding an idea, but choosing one and fully committing to it.

On a personal note, I felt tremendous appreciation as an Israeli throughout the conference. At least three senior executives and speakers approached me to express their support, and there was a sizable community of Jews from around the world who came to participate in the conference.

This experience contributed greatly to my personal and professional growth. I want to thank the Adelson School of Entrepreneurship and Reichman University for allowing me to take part in this incredible opportunity. The connections formed and the lessons learned will undoubtedly serve us on our entrepreneurial journey.