Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey

The TOBB ETÜ Women Entrepreneurs Club Entrepreneurs’ Gathering was held at the TOBB Twin Towers. In his speech there, M. Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu, Chairman of the Boards of Trustees of both TOBB and TOBB ETÜ, emphasized that the path to wealth lies in entrepreneurship and shared his recommendations with young people.

Noting that TOBB ETÜ ranks among Turkey’s most entrepreneurial universities, Hisarcıklıoğlu stated, “To date, 1,049 of our graduates have founded or become partners in 1,377 companies. Entrepreneurs make up 2% of Turkey’s population. Among TOBB ETÜ graduates, however, the proportion of entrepreneurs is 10%. “Furthermore, our graduates are working in 59 different countries. Our TOBB ETÜ Women Entrepreneurs Club is taking steps to build on these remarkable achievements. It brings high school and university students together with the entrepreneurial ecosystem and highlights our graduates, who have gained experience in various sectors and stand out in entrepreneurship or leadership, as role models,” he said.

- Advice to Guide Young People

Hisarcıklıoğlu, who shared his experiences and advice with young people, said the following: “First and foremost, never give up on your dreams. Everything starts with a dream, so don’t be afraid to dream. But dreaming alone isn’t enough. You must pair your dreams with hard work, discipline, and patience. Second: Set goals. Third: Don’t be afraid to lose, make mistakes, or fall. Know how to get back up where you fell, and keep working with determination. Fourth: Bring new ideas to the old ways. Whatever you do, bring innovation. Wherever you work, make a difference. Times are changing. This is not an era for those who leave life as they found it. This is an era for those who make life better. Fifth: Never stop learning.” After all, today’s knowledge may not be enough tomorrow. Today’s technology may become obsolete tomorrow. Today’s profession may disappear tomorrow. Sixth: Don’t rely solely on your technical skills. We are in the age of artificial intelligence. Those who use artificial intelligence will be the competitors of those who don’t. Don’t be afraid of artificial intelligence. Learn it, use it, and manage it. But do not surrender to it. And finally: Be fair and be honest. Work toward a world where the righteous are powerful, not where the powerful are righteous. Do not marginalize anyone because of their language, religion, identity, views, or denomination. Do not remain trapped in your comfort zone. And do not rent out your mind to anyone.”