806. Energy and Persistence

“While I have always been entrepreneurial, I had no intention at all of going
into the family business and there was no pressure to do so. After graduating from the University of Scranton with a degree in marketing, I worked for two different companies in New York City for a couple of years as a list management broker. When my middle brother graduated from Rochester Institute of Technology and joined the family business I saw how he enjoyed working with my dad and uncle I began to realize that joining Ballantine might be a smart path for me. They’d never had a marketing person in house and both agreed my expertise could take the company to the next level. That was in 2003 and it’s been an amazing journey.”

1. I think too many people simply don’t know what’s possible for themselves—how many opportunities are out there if they will simply investigate. They come home and watch the news or Netflix when a modest amount of time spent researching could open new worlds.

2. These same individuals don’t invest in themselves, in their ongoing education or in improving their skillsets, when the best investment you can make is in yourself.

3. There are countless books and resources on every facet of any topic that captures your imagination, just waiting for a motivated and inquiring mind.

4. If I could do one thing differently in my life and career I would have sought out a strong mentor—someone with broad and deep experience who could share insights and experiences from years of trial and error work on the front lines that could have propelled me forward even faster.v