Hackiversity Podcast: Recent Episodes
Kyle Winey: Author, College HACKer, Productivity Wiz
Kyle Winey is a college HACKer and author, best known for publishing HACKiversity, a toolkit designed to help students achieve more by doing less in college. In this podcast, Kyle interviews wildly successful recent college graduates, digging deep to find the tactics and tricks that students can use to supercharge their own college success.
Anthony Oneal (@anthonyoneal) currently serves as a Dave Ramsey personality advising college students on finances.
In this episode, Anthony and I discuss:
- Choosing the most financially sensible college;
- If and how much to work at a job during college; and
- How to manage finances while at college.
Connect with Anthony on his personal site, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Also, check out Anthony's new book, Debt Free Degree.
Anthony's "tweetable" advice: "Listen...You are special. You are fearfully and wonderfully made. Go impact the world.
Dr. Mordecai Brownlee (@ItsDrMordecai) currently serves as the Vice President for Student Success at St. Philips College in San Antonio, Texas.
Dr. Mordecai brings a great perspective to students thinking about attending community college, and offers compelling reasons why students who aren’t thinking about attending community college should do just that.
Connect with Dr. Mordecai on his personal site, on Twitter, and on Instagram.
Dr. Mordecai's "tweetable" advice: "Believe in yourself."
Frederick ("Rick") Hess (@rickhess99) is a Director of Education Policy Studies at the American Enterprise Institute (AEI). Rick has taught at some of the most prestigious colleges, including Ivy League colleges, such as Harvard and the University of Pennsylvania.
In this episode, we discuss:
- Whether attending Ivy League schools are worth it;
- The purpose of college and why it matters for college students;
- How college students can choose from the list of best colleges, including Ivy League schools.
Rick’s “tweetable” advice: “Go read more Vonnegut.”
Mickey Baines is a Principal at Kennedy and Company, a boutique educational consulting firm located in Washington, D.C. In this episode, Mickey and I discuss:
- How colleges market to students, and what students can do about it;
- Why it's important to develop self-awareness early in college; and
- What colleges are doing to promote employment opportunities for students.
Mickey's "tweetable" advice: Read To Sell is Human by Daniel Pink.
Josh Thiel (@Thiel4Leesburg) graduated from St. Francis University with a degree in Marketing and Communications. Today, Josh serves on the Town Counsel of Leesburg, Virginia, which is located in Loudoun County, the wealthiest and fastest growing county in America. At the same time, Josh works for Booz Allen Hamilton, one of the premier consulting firms in the Washington, D.C. area.
In this episode, Josh and I discuss:
- How students can quickly and effectively plug into the political arena;
- How to use failure to drive further success; and
- College life as a Division 1AA athlete
Josh’s “tweetable” advice: To persevere.
To learn more about Josh, check out his Leesburg Town Counsel site, his Facebook page, or his Instagram account.
Spencer Folmar (@SpencerFolmar) graduated from Grove City College in 2.5 years with a B.A. in Communications. Today, Spencer is the director and producer of Hard Faith, a Hollywood video production company. Spencer also owns a video distribution company through Veritas Films. Beginning at age 15, Spencer has since produced 17 feature films and created over 1,500 videos for corporate clients.
Spencer's films have been featured in The Hollywood Reporter, TheNew York Post, and The LA Time. Fans can easily locate Spencer on IMDB or his personal website.
In this episode, Spencer and I discuss:
- The meaning behind "Don't Wait, Create," and how this motto can land you in Hollywood faster than ever before.
- How to rapidly test whether you want to produce films by moving to Hollywood and how to plug into the film scene.
- How to graduate college in 2.5 years, complete 28 credits per semester, and work 3 part-time jobs at the same time.
Spencer’s “tweetable” advice: “When is a best time to plant a tree? Yesterday. When is the second best time to plant a tree? Today.”
Tyler Schmidt (@tyler) graduated from Penn State University in 2013 with a degree in Hotel, Restaurant, and Institutional Management. During his time in college, Tyler developed such a compelling resume that in less than one year following graduation, Tyler began working for VaynerMedia, an elite marketing agency founded by social icon Gary Vaynerchuk. Tyler landed a job at VaynerMedia in 2.5 weeks from leaving his first job after graduation - a crazy feat. Today, Tyler serves as Gary's right-hand-man, working on all the latest projects, meeting power-players, and learning from the industry's best.
In this episode, Tyler and I explore:
- How to network, even with people with whom you’ve never spoken;
- How to efficiently and effectively use grades to drive a successful college career; and
- How to leverage conversations and networking to score a job with an elite company like VaynerMedia.
Tyler's "tweetable" advice: "Don't worry - be happy."
Follow Tyler on on Instagram (@tyler) and check out VaynerMedia.
Dietrich Linde & Carlie Linde both graduated from Virginia Tech in 2011, Dietrich with a degree in Mechanical Engineering, and Carlie with a degree in Psychology and Interdisciplinary Studies. Throughout college, Dietrich and Carlie amassed $155,000+ in student loans. That's the bad news. The good news is that in 5 years they repaid 100% of their debt.
In this episode, Dietrich, Carlie, and I discuss:
- How they managed to accrue over $155,000 in student loans
- What students can do to prevent falling prey to massive student loans, and
- If students already have student loans, how they can repay them in rapid fashion
Check out how Dietrich and Carlie paid off their student loans so quickly on FatSoulSlimKitchen. Don't forget to check out the Dietrich's engineering firm which he founded and operates.
Dietrich's "tweetable" advice: "The remarkable thing about our story is that it is unremarkable."
Carlie's "tweetable" advice: "Dollars are made out of nickels and dimes."
Nico Esguerra graduated from Columbia University in 2014 with a degree in Middle Eastern, South Asian, and African Studies. Nice has traveled across the world and fashioned together his travel experience into amazing professional opportunities.
In particular, Nico has done a wide array of things ranging from studying rebel groups in Mozambique, working for media outlets in Beirut, and even milking goats on a U.S. farm. Nico leveraged these travel experiences to intern for the National Public Radio (NPR) and score a coveted job for a New York City media company, servicing companies like Wikipedia and the Daily Show.
In this episode, Nico and I discuss how students can travel the world on a shoestring budget and use those experiences to score a dream job.
Nico’s “tweetable” advice: “Try everything and eventually something will stick.”
John Wise never graduated from college. Instead, John developed 1,000 inventions, mainly racing technologies. These insights later led John to found Loci, a tech company that helps inventors discover if their idea exists. The day of the podcast, John finished raising $8.6 million on behalf of Loci, part of a $270 million round, to launch Locicoins.
Not only has John used his technical chops to develop a stellar company, his hobbies reflect his engineering interests, too. In 2016, largely thanks to John’s technology, he helped his racing team win the 2016 Pirelli World Challenge Championship, one of his 13 total racing championships.
In this episode, John and I discuss, among other things:
- How to decide whether you should go to college
- How to resist the pressures of not going to college
- How to provide value to employers without having a college degree
- How to fail effectively
- How to use the purpose of a resume to land an interview, and thus, land a job
Stay updated on what John is doing by following Loci and Loci InVenn on Twitter.
Gabe Muller (@gabemuller_) graduated from Ball State in 2007 with a degree in Accounting. In less than 7 years following graduation, Gabe became the Chief Operating Officer at Glassman Wealth Services, a financial company managing $1+ billion dollars.
- How to leverage people skills to break into the corporate executive suite
- How to develop self-awareness without spending $1
- How to “interrupt the pattern” and get the attention of job recruiters
- How to optimize your resume
- The one interview question a student must be able to answer
- How to use curiosity and passion to optimize job prospects
- How “interrupting the pattern” can lead to a job
- How to embrace “interestingness”
- The most fundamental skill a college student can learn
- How to market yourself and story tell effectively
Gabe’s “tweetable” advice: “Show them, don’t tell them” and “You get to, you don’t have to.”
Follow Gabe’s Aviation vlog to see what creating a personal brand looks like!
Gerald Zingraf (@gzingraf) graduated from Virginia Tech in 2011 with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. In less than 6 years after college graduation, Gerald has founded or co-founded 8 companies, including Date To Door and CubeFit. From one company alone—that is, CubeFit—Gerald makes $2 million per year working only 5 hours per week.
In this episode, Gerald and I discuss his story and:
- How to determine the best career when you enter college wanting to be everything
- The skills necessary for succeeding as an engineer
- The power of persistence
- The diminishing value of a 4.0 GPA and the soaring value of side projects
- How to select “Skills Ready Majors” and avoid being 50% of students who are underemployed
- How to embrace “interestingness”
- How to maximize learning by focusing on your own learning style
Gerald’s “tweetable” advice: “Be curious.”
Connect with Gerald Zingraf on LinkedIn.
Peter von Kahle graduated from Flagler College in 2012 with a degree in Communications.
Shortly after college, Peter filmed the NFL Super Bowl XLVIII, the biggest stage in media. Peter has also filmed projects for the Wounded Warriors Project and travels regularly to Brazil to shoot footage deep within the Amazon. Today, Peter runs his own videography company.
In this episode, Peter and I discuss:
- How saying “yes” to a small video project landed Peter a gig with the NFL at the biggest stage in media;
- How creatives can break through and claim recognition using the advice from famed comedian, Steve Martin; and
- The highest-leverage media equipment students need to begin producing content now.
Tweetable advice: “Always say yes to your passion; always figure out a way to make your passion work.”
Check out the portfolio of “DC’s Bad of Video” or email Peter at (peter@watchpvk.com).
Cory Briggs (@CoBriggs12) graduated from Harvard in 2014 with a degree in Sociology. At college, Cory played for the Harvard Football team, wining the Ivey League Championship in 2011 and 2013. Also during college, Cory worked inside the NFL Cleveland Browns back office – an ultra competitive position, especially for a college student.
Immediately after college, Cory scored a position as an assistant football coach with Tufts University – again, an ultra competitive position. Today, Cory helps to manage a multi-million real estate investment portfolio.
In this episode, Cory and I discuss:
- Why dropping the “H-Bomb” represents every reason why students should attend an Elite College,
- How to network with influencers, such as Facebook’s co-founder, Eduardo Saverin, and
- How to use email to effectively connect with anyone.
Cory's "tweetable" advice: “Follow your passion to happiness, don’t follow the paycheck.”
Check out Cory’s accomplishments on LinkedIn or follow him on Twitter!
Dan Davy graduated from Florida State in 2013 with a double major in Economics and History. Immediately after graduation, Dan worked deep inside the Florida House of Representatives, where he drafted laws as a 22-year old, which are still on the books.
Dan also received the ultra prestigious Fulbright Scholarship, which afforded him the opportunity to travel—for free—to Malaysia. Daniel speaks Bahasa Malaysia and Bahasa Indonesia.
In this episode, Dan and I discuss:
- How to strategically double major and use the power of a non-technical major and a technical major
- How to score a Fulbright Scholarship
Dan’s “Tweetable” advice: “Teach yourself to be a curious person.”
To connect and follow Dan, look him up on LinkedIn.
Adelina Longoria graduated from Oklahoma State University with a PhD in Experimental Psychology in 2008, where she immediately enrolled after graduating from the University of Houston with a degree in Psychology.
In undergrad, Adelina interned through a program funded by the prestigious National Science Foundation, which helped land her at OSU on the acclaimed Robberson Research Fellowship and interned on the Presidential Internship with the Red Cross.
After graduation Adelina worked for Booz Allen Hamilton, one of the premier consulting firms in the U.S, where she won the Booz Allen Performance Award, and for SAP Success Factors, a company with 45+ million subscribers. Adelina is also a professor, making her an expert in how students should test-take.
In this episode, Adelina and I discuss her story and:
- How to maximize the marketability of a psychology degree
- The application of a psychology degree beyond psychology
- The one question every student needs to ask themselves ever semester
- Why practical research is gold and how to create a portfolio that matters to employers and grad schools
- How to leverage internships to gain a competitive edge for graduate school admission
- The two most important things students in undergrad should know in applying to graduate school
- The pros/cons of attending graduate school immediately after undergrad
- Why, by itself, having a PhD does not make a student more marketable
- How “analysis” differentiates C students from A students
- How being a musician opens the White House doors
Adelina’s “tweetable” advice for college students: “Don’t stop working.”
Follow Adelina on LinkedIn and Instagram and check out her music that landed her in the White House.
Dave Schools (@DaveSchoools) graduated from Grove City College in 2012 with a degree in Entrepreneurship. At just 27 years old, Dave is a world-class blogger, author, and entrepreneur.
In less than two years after college graduation, Dave founded Entrepreneur’s Handbook (EH), a Medium publication and blog with 22k+ followers, growing at 150+ new members every day. Amazingly, EH took off in less than 3 years from inception. Capitalizing off of EH’s success, Dave recently launched, Brew Projects, a community of students and mentors committed to bringing to life “side-hustles.” While building all these things, Dave is an Inc. columnist and published his first book, Runaway Millionaire.
In this episode, Dave and I dive into his story and discuss tons of actionable advice, such as:
- How to become a world-class writer, even if you hate writing
- How to find a skill and become an entrepreneur
- How to turn a poor grade in public speaking into the best college experience
- How to master relational skills
- How to monetize a 20k+ blog following and make blogging a career
- How to write an irresistibly clickable title to score a top-10 article on Inc.com
- How to launch your own blog and post on external sites without compromising Google rankings
- How “curating” rather than writing can serve as effective community builder
- How to market yourself with a 3.0 GPA
- How to turn leadership in student government into opportunities
- How to write vulnerably
- How to exploit a “first-mover” advantage in blog building
- How to capitalize on "megatrends" in blogging
- How to (tastefully) draw people in with "clickbate"
- How to be a model in college at a top 3 modeling agency (not kidding)
Dave’s “tweetable” advice for college students: “Once you get to know yourself, get to know others.”
Follow Dave on Medium, his personal site, or just drop him an email at dave@businessbrewers.com.
Christian Mijares (@runbrownrun) graduated from Geneva College in 2014 with a degree in Marketing. In just over 2 years from college graduation, Christian manages $60 million as a financial advisor with Morgan Stanley, an elite investment bank.
In this episode, Christian and I discuss his story and:
- What the world of high finance looks like and what it means to be someone’s personal “Chief Financial Officer”
- Why interpersonal skills are atop the most important skills to develop
- Why persistency is the most valuable element in building a client list
- How to face rejection and overcome being told “no”
- Why “playing the long game” is critical to developing a network
- How to use commonalities to connect with anyone
- How to use the “3-day rule” in professional networking
- How to “play in traffic” and why immersing yourself in your proposed career track is valuable
- How to become class president
- How to use varsity sports in college to build friendships
Christian’s “tweetable” advice: “Get involved and enjoy the time.”
Connect with Christian on LinkedIn or email him at Christian.Mijares@morganstanley.com. Christian even offered to take personal calls! Hit him up at 703.556.8124!
Danica Van Horn (@DanicaVH) graduated from Virginia Tech in 2010 with a degree in Computer Science and a Minor in Math. At just 29 years old, Danica is a nationally-known jewelry designer and entrepreneur with the technical chops of a STEM grad.
In only two years following graduation, Danica quit her prestigious, safe, and promising job at Dell to found Doxahlogy, a handmade men and women’s jewelry line. Out of her Nashville storefront, Danica sells and designs jewelry for country superstars like Kenny Chesney, Florida Georgia Line, Thomas Rhett, and Dan + Shay.
In this episode, Danica and I discuss her story and:
- How to optimize finding your passion and purpose through the process of “experimentation”
- How to identify your creativity within
- What to do when you realize you’re not passionate about your major
- What to do when you feel suffocated in your career path and how to determine what makes you “light up”
- Why attending a large state school can give your employment prospects a boost
- Why majoring in STEM makes sense even if you don’t want a career in STEM
- Why STEM students with a 3.2 GPA and other STEM students with 4.0 GPA have almost identical career prospects
- Why it’s a mistake to lock yourself away studying in the library
- Why college isn’t choosing “what you want to do the rest of your life”
- Why designing your college career around someone else’s expectations is dangerous
Danica’s “tweetable” advice for college students: “Follow your passions and listen to your gut.”
To learn more about Danica and her work, check out Doxahlogy on the web (see celebs wearing her jewelry) or on Twitter and Instagram.
Gret Glyer (@gretglyer) graduated from Grove City College in 2012 with a degree in Entrepreneurship after transferring from Christopher Newport University. At just 27 years old, Gret is an entrepreneur, startup founder, and philanthropist.
Immediately after graduation, Gret worked for Enterprise-Rent-A-Car, where he advanced so quickly that the company changed its bylaws to prevent others from advancing as fast. After only a year, Gret tired of Corporate America and took a risk by leaving Enterprise, a stable job with a promising future.
Upon leaving, Gret moved to Malawi, Africa to tackle poverty alleviation. In less than 2 years from graduating college, Gret founded HOWMs, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that builds houses in Malawi. If that’s not enough, Gret crowdsourced $100k+ to build an all-girls school in Malawi through a brilliant YouTube campaign. Today, after raising money from investors, Gret is confronting world poverty head-on through the tech startup he founded, DonorSee.
In this episode, Gret and I discuss his story and a ton of actionable items, including:
- How to graduate with a 2.8 GPA and found a world-changing tech startup without a tech background
- Why “getting in the game” is the best advice for an entrepreneur
- How to crowdfund $100,000+ using YouTube
- How to stand out, conquer fear, and thrive as a result
- How to fail effectively and why it matters
- How to limit distractions
- Why interning/working is the best way to develop self-awareness
- How to effectively take risks and why not to play it safe
- How to identify the point of diminishing returns and move on from a job or internship
- How to transfer college and make friends
- The value of “small wins”
- The pros/cons of attending a small college
Gret’s “tweetable” advice for college students: “If the only thing holding you back is fear, you have to do it.”
I’m so excited about Gret’s work that I have partnered with him. Together, we are offering students a free trip to Malawi to hang with Gret and immerse themselves in poverty alleviation, economic policy, and entrepreneurship. Here’s how you can win. Plus, 100% of every book I sell during the contest period goes straight to HOWMs. My goal is to fund the construction of 100 houses.
To follow Gret, check out his homepage, Tweet him, or download DonorSee.
PS. Here's my bike-across-America video, which explains how I first met Gret.
Sarah Lucas (@saerobe) graduated from Penn State University in 2010 with a Bachelors Degree in Microbiology and is currently pursuing her Ph.D. in Microbiology at the University of Minnesota.
After graduating undergrad, Sarah conducted cutting-edge science research at the J. Craig Venter Institute. As of today, at 29 years old, Sarah has authored 5 peer-reviewed publications on microbiology. In addition, Sarah has earned a fellowship grant from the National Institutes of Health, effectively paying for her to attend college and study science. Sarah has presented her work at leading institutions, such as the Mayo Clinic and TSRC. Sarah’s extraordinary work as a young scientist was recognized when she received the Peter Salamon Award.
In this episode, we discuss Sarah’s story and:
- How to find your tribe and build a community of friends
- How to stop stressing over mediocre grades and why the importance of GPAs is overstated
- How to distinguish between following your passion versus dabbling in an interest
- How to make big colleges feel small
- How to determine whether graduate school is wise
- How to build a college experience that leads to a purposeful career
- How to balance academics and social life
Follow Sarah’s work with the Hunter Lab or on Google Scholar.
Coming soon, Kyle Winey (@kylewiney) launches a new podcast, The HACKiversity Podcast. The show features recent college graduates who have become rock stars in their personal and professional lives shortly after graduation. Each interview reveals the tools, tricks, and paths of how America’s most successful recent graduates excelled. Spoiler alert: rapid success in college and after graduation is not achieved how you think.