Jason Kap, CEO of Zipwire Incorporated, spoke to business students about the inner workings of business through humor, personal stories and advice gathered over his years of working in a major business.
“The stories that we tell ourselves shape our futures,” Kap said.
Kap spoke about the many adventures he encountered throughout this work life and his time working with Microsoft.
Christopher Haywood, a senior at WSU, said he decided to pursue a degree in business after a suggestion from his brother. Haywood said he enjoyed the lecture and believed it could have been likened to a TED Talk.
“I thought I was excellent, and I thought Jason did a great job,” Haywood said. “I would pay to see something like that.”
Kap also took time to speak with students about the importance of leadership and what it takes to become a great leader.
“We are asked to do hard things as a leader that won’t make sense,” Kap said. “Leadership is a series of behaviors rather than a role. I don’t care what your education is, if you are willing to work hard and you are willing to learn a lot, you can go on an extraordinary adventure.”
George Washington and Abraham Lincoln were just a few of the people that Kap mentioned as examples of great leaders.
After the lecture, students were given the chance to sit down and speak with Kap and ask him questions about his life, current work and what it takes to get where he is in the business world.
Chris Barragan, the senior development director of the Goddard School of Business and Economics, said the ongoing lecture focuses on finding prominent people in the Ogden community, in Utah and outside of Utah who can come to speak with students about business.
“We have men and women come and share their business experiences and in general,” Barragan said.
These lectures are a part of a class known as Executive Lectures and is a required course for those majoring in business at WSU. However, these lectures are also open to other students at WSU as well as the Ogden community.
Haywood said that he has enjoyed his overall experience with the lecture series this semester.
“So far so good,” Haywood said. “I’ve enjoyed a lot of the things that these top-level people have been able to share with us.”
Haywood believes the lecturers have good insights into the business world and that the experience has been a rewarding one for him.
These lectures will continue every Thursday from 12:00 p.m. to 1:15 p.m in the Smith Lecture Hall located in the Wattis Business Building for the rest of spring semester.
For those interested in attending a lecture, the current schedule and more information about the series can be found on the Ralph Nye Lecture Series website.
