CEO of Bead Industries Inspires Graduates to Be Courageous

Jill Mayer, the CEO of Bead Industries, encouraged Quinnipiac graduates to meet every opportunity with courage as the theme of her Commencement address for the School of Business and the School of Computing & Engineering on Saturday, May 13.

As a fifth-generation leader, Mayer charted a career path that took her from a biotech company in Vermont to a startup affiliated with Google to her family business in Connecticut.

“Your path may be a windy one like mine. At times, you may feel as if you’ve lost your way and you aren’t on the career journey you envisioned in your mind when you started. But you are,” said Mayer.

“All you have to do is remember to face every opportunity that comes your way with courage because it may still get you where you want to go,” she said. “Of course, you should still have a plan for your career path, but be flexible. Perhaps you’ll take an important detour you didn’t even know you needed. The trials you face along the way will be the moments that define and shape you.” Read the full article, or watch the commencement address on youtube.