Leaders Across America With Steve Acorn: Recent Episodes
Young Entrepreneurs Across America
Welcome To The Leaders Across America Podcast.
This show is dedicated to young driven individuals who truly want to choose a path of their life, step out of their comfort zone and create a better future for themselves and in the end, control their own destiny.
Each week, we will be interviewing a graduate from our program. You will hear some amazing stories of how being part of the Young Entrepreneurs Program helped transformed them into who they are today. You can determine if you want to be like these individuals and you will understand what it will take to get there.
Learn more: https://www.yeaainternship.com/
On today’s show, we interview Ashland Stansbury, one of our successful alumni who was part of the Young Entrepreneurs Program back in 2015. She was a freshman at Babson College when she joined our program and she sold over $165,000 that summer, winning the Entrepreneur of the Year award.
Today, Ashland is the CEO of Because, a B2B software platform that she founded four years ago upon graduation.
In this episode, Ashland is going to talk about the important lessons she learned at YEAA and how this experience helped her in the business she runs today.
Ashland is also going to talk about the vision she has for her company and the goal of becoming a billion-dollar organization.
She'll discuss challenges she experiences not only during our program but ones that she's faced today as a CEO at Because.
She will also talk about how she got funds and fundraising to be able to have a business, will share a very inspirational and detailed story on how she started her business, the mistakes she made along the way and the lessons she took from them and so much more.
Enjoy!
What You Will Learn In This Show:
- A little bit about Ashland's story and how she got involved into our program.
- The difference between Student Painters and a regular internship.
- The most important keys to success in Ashland’s preseason.
- The best mindset to have in order to achieve success in our program.
- About Ashland’s production schedule that we still use today.
- How NOT to manage your employees.
- About Ashland’s business: how she started it, the challenges she had along the way and her goals for the future.
- And so much more…
Resources:
YEAA Website
Leaders Across America
On today’s show, we interview Joe Tedesco, one of our successful alumni who joined our program back in 2016 and completed an $81,000 business with a profit of $15,000.
What is unique about Joe’s story is that he was the very last intern hired that year (it was early to mid-April) and he had to figure out very quickly how to get started in this business. But he had a very strong mindset that helped him become one of our top managers that year.
For Joe, failure was not an option. He was driven and motivated, even though no one had ever done this before, starting late in mid to late April and running a successful business that was one of the tops in the country.
Today, Joe is a sales manager at Skyline Solar and he is also the owner of Tedesco Painting, an interior restoration company
In this episode, Joe is going to talk about this incredible journey and the lifelong impact this experience had on him.
He will also share how our internship motivated him to stay in college, will talk about how being an underdog was a very powerful motivational tool for him, will share some of the most important lessons he took away from YEAA, will reveal the key secret to becoming the best leader you can be, and so much more.
Enjoy!
What You Will Learn In This Show:
- Joe's experience as an underdog and how he overcame this intimidation.
- The importance of having a strong mindset in order to succeed.
- Some of the most important lessons Joe took away from YEAA.
- The importance of finding the right mentors to help you on your journey to success.
- And so much more…
Resources:
YEAA Website
Leaders Across America
On today’s show, we pivot a little bit from having alumni on the show to interviewing another successful entrepreneur that is out there.
Our guest today is Brent McPhail, the founder and owner of Brave Control Solutions in Windsor, a company developing automated solutions to solve the global housing crisis and global skilled trades shortage.
In this episode, Brent is going to talk about the challenges he's had in the manufacturing business and he will also share details about his company's journey from one million to ten million, then back to about seven million, and now it's approaching $200 million.
You will find out a little bit about Brent’s background story, how Brave Control was founded and what the company does.
Brent will talk about how he got into the construction automation market and will share what are some of his day-to-day tasks.
You will also discover what Brent had to change about himself to get to where he is today and why he thinks it is very important to have a “never give up” attitude
Brent will talk about the importance of having a process in place in any type of business, will share how he views Student Painters and what we offer to students, will reveal his goals for Brave in the next 5 years and so much more.
Enjoy!
What You Will Learn In This Show:
- Using automation, computers and robotics to help manufacturers improve their processes.
- The importance of having a process in place in any type of business
- How Brent got into the construction automation market
- What Brent had to change about himself to get to where he si today
- The importance of having a “never give up” attitude
- How Brent views Student Painters and what we offer to students
- And so much more…
Resources:
YEAA Website
Leaders Across America
On today’s show, we interview Ben Steenkamp from the University of Connecticut. He was one of our successful branch managers back in 2017 and 2018 running a $75,000 business and making about $16,000 in his first year in our program and about $25,000 in his second year. Today, Ben works as an account executive at Oracle NetSuite.
In this episode, Ben is going to talk about the importance and the power of taking control of your own destiny and how being part of YEAA helped him get a full-time position at a successful company like Oracle.
You will find out a little bit about Ben’s background and origin story, how he heard about our program and what made him decide to join it.
Ben will talk about his results in the program and some of the most important key takeaways he got out of this experience.
He will share some of the challenges he had to overcome and how those helped him grow and he will also reveal the most important key to his success at Student Painters.
You will find out what the Oracle job interview process was like for Ben and how he related it back to Student Painters.
Ben will also talk about what he does at Oracle and how he applies some of the lessons he learned in our program. He will also share his plans for the future and so much more.
Listen now and enjoy another insightful conversation with one of our successful young leaders!
What You Will Learn In This Show:
- How Ben heard about our program and what made him decide to join
- Some of the key takeaways that Ben got out of his experience in our program
- Some of the challenges Ben had to overcome and how those helped him grow
- The most important key to Ben’s success
- How the Oracle job interview process was like for Ben and how he related it back to Student Painters?
- And so much more…
Resources:
YEAA Website
Leaders Across America
On today’s show, we interview Michael Acorn, one of our successful interns. Since joining our program in 2019, he sold over $1.8 million and earn personally over 160,000, he has recruited, coached, and mentored 18 college students who've earned an average of 22,000 hours a summer. He is also the number one branch manager of all time with single sales of $366,000 over three summers.
In this episode, Michael is going to talk about his incredible story and share in great detail his coaching secrets on how to be a top performer at YEAA
You will learn a little bit about Michael’s background and the unique history he has with YEAA.
Michael will talk about the importance of having a goal-crushing attitude and the right mindset in order to succeed.
He will share some micros on how he coached top performers in this program.
He will also talk about how to ensure a successful preseason and will share some of the most important lessons hel took from his experience with YEAA.
Michael will discuss the importance of dedication, perseverance and believing in your dream, he will talk about why surrounding yourself with top performers can help you succeed as an entrepreneur, will reveal how being organized can lower your stress levels and so much more.
Listen now and enjoy!
What You Will Learn In This Show:
- The importance of having a goal-crushing attitude and the right mindset in order to succeed
- The flip between employer and employee mindsets
- Some micros on how Michael coached top performers in this program
- How to ensure a successful preseason
- Some of the most important lessons Michael took from his experience with YEAA
- The importance of having a coach or a mentor
- And so much more…
Resources:
YEAA Website
Leaders Across America
On today’s show, we interview AJ Rodriguez, another one of our successful alumni. He was an intern with us back in 2012 and did a $70,000 plus business.
After finishing school, AJ entered his family business. Today he owns 34 Sport Clips Haircuts locations, 1 Gigi's Cupcakes Bakery, Beyond Parallel Fitness 24/7 & CrossFit gym, and is a landlord/property manager for real estate investment properties.
In this episode, AJ is going to get into some micros of how he got in the franchise business, how to go about buying a franchise if you're interested and how his experience with Student painters helped him become who he is today.
You will learn more about who AJ Rodriguez is and a little bit about his background and origin story.
AJ will talk about how he heard about our program and what made him decide to join, will share more about this experience, his results in the program and some of the most important takeaways he got from it, important lessons he still uses today in his businesses.
You will find out more about how to start and what it takes to become a franchisee.
AJ will share more about how he got involved in real estate investing and how many rental properties he has today.
He will also reveal some key characteristics and habits a successful entrepreneur should have, will talk about why you should cut out the people that aren't positively attributing to your life, the value of the network and the connections you gain through the program, will share his plans for the future and so much more…
Listen now and enjoy!
What You Will Learn In This Show:
- Who is AJ Rodriguez: a little bit about his background and origin story
- How AJ heard about our program and what made him decide to join
- Some of the most important takeaways AJ got from our program and still uses today in his businesses
- How do you start and what does it take to become a franchisee?
- AJ’s challenges during Covid and how he overcame them
- How AJ got involved in real estate investing and how many rental properties he has
- And so much more…
Resources:
YEAA Website
Leaders Across America
AJ’s LinkedIn
On today’s show, we interview another one of our amazing recent alumni. His name is Mike Morrill, he was an intern with us for three years, from 2019 to 2022 and sold over $1.5 million during this period.
Mike not only ran his own business successfully but also coached many interns and watched them grow with our program, both professionally and financially.
In this episode, Mike is going to talk about the impact that this program had on him, and how much he's grown and learned through the way program.
You will discover how Mike found out about YEAA and what drew him into the program.
He will talk a little bit about the small business he had while in high school and why he always wanted to become an entrepreneur.
Mike will share what he did to maximize his three summers at YEAA and will talk about his experience coaching other managers.
You will learn more about the importance of having a good process in place and why dedication and perseverance are key to success in business.
Mile will talk about his challenge during Covid and how he managed to overcome them and he will also share some other trials and tribulations he had during the program and the lessons he took away from them.
He will also share a blueprint of what you need to do to ensure your success in this program, will talk about the most important takeaways he got from his experience at YEAA, will reveal some of his plans for the future and much more.
Listen now and enjoy!
What You Will Learn In This Show:
- What Mike did to maximize his three summers at YEAA
- About Mike’s experience coaching other managers
- A blueprint of what you need to do to ensure your success in this program
- The most important takeaways Mike got from our program
- Some of the trials and tribulations Mike had during the program and the lessons he took away from them
- And so much more…
Resources:
YEAA Website
Leaders Across America
On today’s show, we interview Tyler Wagner, one of our alumni who was a branch manager down in Columbia, South Carolina back in 2012.
Today, Tyler lives in Miami and has started a few companies, one of the main ones being Authors Unite, a company that focuses on publishing books for people that currently has about $15 million a year in sales.
In this episode, Tyler is going to talk about some of the biggest takeaways he took away from YEAA and how it almost gave him superpowers.
You will find out more about what Tyler does today both personally and professionally. Tyler will talk about how he founded Authors Unite and what this company does
You will learn how Tyler heard about the YEAA program and what made him decide to join.
Tyler will share some of the biggest st lessons he learned from our program and how he is still applying them today in his businesses.
He will reveal the biggest superpower he got from our program and will talk about how Student Painters forced accountability upon him and helped shape who he is today.
You will find out how YEAA helped Tyler build his confidence, he will talk about the importance of having a good process in place for any type of business, will share some of the struggles he had early on as an entrepreneur and how he managed to overcome them and so much more.
Listen now and enjoy!
What You Will Learn In This Show
- What Authors Unite does and how Tyler founded the company
- How Tyler heard about the YEAA program and what made him decide to join
- About Tyler’s first year in the program: results and takeaways
- Some of the biggest lessons Tyler learned from our program and how he is still applying them today in his business
- There's a lot of failure along the way to success
- The importance of having a good process in place for any type of business
- And so much more…
Resources:
YEAA Website
Leaders Across America
Tyler’s LinkedIn
Authorsunite.com
The Tyler Wagner Show
It is the 100th episode of the Leaders Across America podcast and we wanted it to be something really unique and special.
So this time, Steve Acorn is going to turn the microphone around and will tell his own story and his experience with Young Entrepreneurs Across America.
Steve is going to be interviewed by Chris Thomson, the Head Coach of the Student Work Management Program, a similar organization from Canada and the host of the Leaders Of Tomorrow podcast.
You will find out how Steve heard about Student Painters and what made him decide to join the program in the first place.
You will also learn who Steve Acorn was before joining Student Painters and what was his parents’ opinion about him joining the program.
Steve will share some of his favourite memories about the program early on and will talk about how technology changed over time and how it helped Student Painters evolve.
You will also learn what was Student Painters’ culture when Steve joined the program and how it changed over time.
Steve will also talk about the structure of Student Painters and how it changed over the years, will share the most important lessons he took from his experience with Student Painters, will talk about some of the challenges he has to deal with now, will reveal some plans for the future and so much more.
Listen now and enjoy!
What You Will Learn In This Show
- How Steve heard about Student Painters and what made him decide to join
- Some of Steve’s favorite memories about the program early on
- What was Student Painters’ culture like back then and how did it change?
- A little bit about the structure of Student Painters and how it changed over the years
- The most important lessons Steve took from his experience with Student Painters
- What is coming in the future for Student Painters and Steve Acorn
- And so much more…
Resources:
YEAA Website
Leaders Across America
Student Works
In today’s show, Steve interviews Cate Latting, Executive Regional Manager at Young Entrepreneurs Across America.
This show starts with Cate sharing how she got involved with YEAA in the first place. Outgoing and athletic, Cate got a chance to co-op in her sophomore year. In this segment of the show, Cate talks a bit about the mental hurdles that she had to overcome when she first got involved in the painting business. Was it worth taking up all the challenges?
Next, Cate gives us some interesting insights into her summer stint where she ended up making an $18,000 profit from her painting job. Home-owners, Cate reveals, like to buy from young and excited students who are heavily invested in making a better future for themselves. Further, you will also learn how having an accountability partner inspired Cate on to put in her best.
One theme that we discuss quite a bit is the importance of communication and follow-up. As is common with many folks who are managing their first business venture, Cate was afraid that incessant follow-up would kill her sale. She talks about her struggle with overcoming this mental hurdle.
Cate also shares how, given the chance she will handle her employees differently. Having gone through 25 painters throughout summer made her realize that she needs to better incentivize her employees.
In her second year at YEAA, Cate is managing a team of 7 first-year interns. How does she plan on mentoring these interns to have a more successful second year?
We wrap with this show with Cate sharing some great advice for aspiring entrepreneurs. Tune in for some excellent insights!
What You Will Learn in This Show:
- How to communicate with prospects and convince them to hire you
- How to deal with your employees and build a dream team for your business
- How an accountability partner can inspire you to put in your best
- And so much more...
Resources:
Young Entrepreneurs Across America
On today’s show, we interview Miles Drum, a sophomore at the University of New Hampshire, who has completed his first year of the YEAA program and set an all-time business record in selling over $226,000 and profiting over $60,000 this past summer.
In this episode, Miles is going to share with you what he had to do to become number one of all time, his real-life experiences with YEAA as a freshman in college, and the benefits that he got out of the program.
Miles will talk about how it feels for him to be an all-time leader and the importance of understanding the “why” behind the process.
You will find out what Miles did to differentiate himself from the other interns and why it is important to take ownership of your own business.
Miles will also talk about some of the activities he did in the summer and the estimates he was able to accomplish.
You will find out more about how to overcome the fear of knocking on doors and the importance of keeping your team motivated and feeling like a team.
Miles will share his thoughts about the YEAA culture, the most valuable things he has earned through the program, his plans and goals for the future and so much more.
Listen now and enjoy!
What You Will Learn In This Show:
- How Miles differentiated himself from the other interns
- Some of the activities Miles did in the summer and the estimates he was able to accomplish
- The importance of keeping your team motivated and feeling like a team
- The most valuable things Miles earned through the program
- What is next for Miles Drum? Plans and goals for the future
- And so much more…
Resources:
YEAA Website
Leaders Across America
On today’s special show, we interview Alexa Moore, one of our successful alumni.
Alexa was a branch manager at YEAA between 2015-2016 and she did over $ 100,000 in business with about $ 22,000 in profits. She developed as a top performer in sales, recruiting, interviewing, marketing, management and leadership. In 2017 she was promoted to General Manager of the Michigan and New England Division.
After leaving YEAA, Alexa continued to grow and develop personally and professionally working as an account executive at Qualtrics, and after that as a Customer Success Manager at Riverside Insights.
In this episode, Alexa is going to talk about limits that people put on themselves, and how if you believe in those limits, your achievability is much less. She will explain how how approaching this internship with no limits was the key to her success.
You will learn a little bit about Alexa’s background and how she decided to join Young Entrepreneurship Across America.
She will talk about her results in the program and the important lessons she learned from it.
You will find out why it is important to have a manager who believes in you and why having your own drive and desire to succeed is crucial.
Alexa will also talk about her experiences of working at Qualtrics and Riverside Insights, and will explain how a being part of the YEAA alumni network helped her in her career.
She will also reveal some of the biggest challenges she had as a branch manager at YEAA and how she managed to overcome them, she will share how the program impacted and inspired her whole family and so much more.
Listen now and enjoy!
What You Will Learn In This Show
- The importance of having a manager who believes in you
- How the Young Entrepreneurship Across America program has changed so many students’ lives
- Alexa's experience working as an Account Executive at Qualtrics after she left YEAA·
- About Alexa’s experience as a customer success manager at Riverside Insights
- The most important key to being successful
- How the YEAA program impacted and inspired Alexa’s family
- And so much more…
Resources:
YEAA Website
Leaders Across America
On today’s special show, we interview Jacob Melvin, a finance student at Michigan State University who has just completed year one of the YEAA program.
Running a $177,000 business this past summer, and earning over $30,000 in income, Jacob managed to break the all-time rookie record for sales along with the all-time Michigan sales record for a branch manager.
In this episode, he is going to talk about his experience at Young Entrepreneurs as a freshman in college and the benefits he got from the program
You will find out more about Jacob, his background story and what made him join our program.
You will discover how 18 to 22-year-olds can actually achieve success with the program and what it takes to win.
Jacob will talk about some of his highs and lows while going through the internship and he will share how he managed to overcome the challenges he had to face.
He will also talk about the importance of continuous recruiting and finding more people for the team, the role of mentors in setting you up for success, his plans and goals for 2023 and so much more.
Enjoy this incredible conversation with the number one sales leader ever in the state of Michigan!
What You Will Learn In This Show
- Jacob’s experience at Young Entrepreneurs as a freshman in college and the benefits he got from the program
- How 18 to 22-year-olds can actually achieve success with the program and what it does take to win
- The role of mentors in setting you up for success
- Plans and goals for Jacob's business in 2023
- And so much more…
On today’s special show, we interview Chris Goldman, one of our successful alumni.
Chris was a branch manager in Spartanburg, South Carolina for two years, 2016 and 2017 and won the Manager of the Year each time.
Today Chris is the owner of Dahlia Homes, a real estate investment company, specializing in property management, acquisitions and construction management in South Carolina.
In this episode, Chris is going to talk about his most important takeaways from the program and his journey to becoming an entrepreneur in the real estate space.
You will learn more about how Chris found out about our program and what made him decide to join.
Chris will share his unique story of coming from a less privileged background and how he sees Student Painters as a great opportunity, particularly for people coming from a similar background.
He will share why he believes that our program is a level playing field, where all you have to do is outwork everybody else to succeed.
Chris will also talk about how our process and coaching enabled him to compete on an equal footing with everyone within the organization.
You will discover what are the main reasons why Student Painters actually works and how to find the metrics that help you get the best results.
Chris will share how the YEAA experience helped him in starting and running his real estate business and will reveal the main things he learned during the Student Painters program that he still uses today.
He will also share more details about his business and how he started Dahlia Homes and much more.
Listen now and enjoy!
What You Will Learn In This Show:
- The main reasons why Student Painters actually works
- How did our process and coaching enable Chris to compete on an equal footing with everyone within the organization?
- How did the YEAA experience help Chris in starting and running his real estate business later
- About Chris’ results in the program and the big lessons he took from the experience later on
- What is Dahlia Homes and how did Chris start it?
- And so much more…
Resources:
YEAA Website
Leaders Across America
Dahliahomes.com
On today’s special show, we interview Eric Emerick one of our successful alumni who ran a $100,000 plus business back in 2013-2014. What is unique about him is the path he chose after leaving our program and graduating from Purdue University in 2017: he moved to New York where he went to an acting school to perfect his acting skills.
Today he is an actor, a model, a sailing instructor, and also a project manager for his sets. Although his professional path seems different from other alumni of our program, Eric is actually an entrepreneur in many different ways.
He believes that entrepreneurship is more like a way of thinking and that you can bring that toolbox and that skill set to anything you set your mind to
In this episode, Erick is going to talk about how his Student Painters experience taught him invaluable lessons that h applies in his career today.
You will learn more about how Eric found out about our program and what made him decide to join it.
You will also find out more details about Eric's results in our program.
He will share with you the reasons that make him decide to become an actor and he will reveal how you can make a business out of an acting career.
Eric will talk about his career, the movies he was in and his goals for the next five years, and much more.
Listen now and enjoy!
What You Will Learn In This Show
- More details about Eric's results in our program
- When and why did Eric decide he wants to follow an acting career?
- How you can make a business out of an acting career
- How his Student Painters' experience helped Eric become the person he is today
- And so much more…
Resources:
YEAA Website
Leaders Across America
Ericemerick.com
Eric’s Instagram
Erick’s Linkedin
On today’s special show, we interview Xavier Cole, one of our alumni, a graduate of UConn, who is today a visionary real estate consultant with Berkshire Hathaway Home Services Commonwealth Real Estate.
He was a branch manager in our program in 2020 and he believes that this experience had a huge impact on his professional life and set the foundation for who he is today.
He is also the host of “Make Excuses or Make it Happen”, a new podcast that takes in the first-hand experiences’ of premier global and regional entrepreneurs focused on real estate, finance, and education and offers free content and consultations for those looking to eliminate all excuses and make it happen.
You will find out How Xavier heard about the program and what made him decide to join YEAA.
He will share some of the main things he learned from our program and how those lessons helped him in his career later on.
Xavier and Steve will also talk about the amazing power of the YEAA network.
You will find out more about Xavier’s passion for real estate and his journey in this space and he will share a little bit of what he does as a visionary real estate consultant at Berkshire Hathaway Home Services Commonwealth Real Estate.
You will learn more about Xavier’s new podcast, what he plans to discuss there, what the concept of “Make Excuses or Make it Happen” really means and so much more.
Enjoy!
What You Will Learn In This Show:
- Some of the main things Xavier learned from our program and how those lessons helped him in his career later on
- The power of the YEAA network
- What does Xavier do as a visionary real estate consultant at Berkshire Hathaway Home Services Commonwealth Real Estate?
- What does Xavier plan to discuss on his new podcast?
- And so much more…
Resources:
YEAA Website
Leaders Across America
Xavier’s Instagram
Xavier’s Facebook
Berkshire Hathaway Commonwealth Real Estate
Make Excuses or Make it Happen
On today’s special show, we interview Joe Delia, Operating Principal at Keller Williams Paint Creek, and owner of the Delia Group. He is also one of our alumni and he talked about his experience with Student Painters in a previous episode.
This time we invited Joe to talk about what students need to do in order to be able to apply to elite companies like Keller Williams after college
With more than 800 franchises. Keller Williams is the largest residential and commercial Real Estate company in North America, and the second-largest in the world.
You will first find out what Keller Williams specializes in, what is their business model and why it would be a great opportunity to work for them when you graduate college,
Joe will share the hiring process he goes through in his company and what you could expect if you apply at Keller Williams.
You will find out what kind of student Joe looks for when conducting interviews with someone who just graduated college.
Jope will share the exact processes a candidate goes through when applying for a job at Keller Williams.
He will reveal what is the Keller Personality Assessment and how it is used in the recruitment process
For all these and much more, tune in to this very informative episode and get a blueprint of exactly what you need to do while in college so that you can apply for a great job at an elite company.
What You Will Learn In This Show
- What does Keller Williams specialize in and what is the theory business model?
- The hiring process Joe goes through in his company and what you could expect if you apply at Keller Williams
- What does it mean to have on your resume something like the YEAA?
- The Keller personality assessment and how it is used in the recruitment process
- What do the first six months of working for Keller Williams look like?
- And so much more…
Resources:
YEAA Website
Leaders Across America
68 | Joe Delia | Amazing Business Successes
Thedeliagroup.com
In today's episode of the Leader Across America podcast, Steve sits down with Aaron Acorn and Josh Drushel, both Vice Presidents of the Young Entrepreneurs Across America program for the final episode of their special four-part series. The topic for today's show involves the benefits students can gain by being part of the Young Entrepreneurs Across America program.
As the summer winds down and we approach the end of this year's internship, Steve, Aaron and Josh take some time to reflect on why this year's executive team may be the strongest yet, and highlight some of the benefits of the program.
Beyond the growth potential that the program provides to participants - offering opportunities to build new skills and helping to make themselves more marketable - it also answers a question many have asked: "Is there anything left to learn?" What they quickly realize however, is that learning never really ends. As you gain experience in business and get better at your job, your learning opportunities actually increase.
Networking is another powerful benefit of the program. Working with like-minded people on an executive team provides powerful opportunities for connection and learning, whether it be from your own class, the executives above you or the people that come after you. Once you reach the executive level, you're able to create that connection with the top 10% of the entire country.
Steve, Aaron and Josh also take time to discuss the deep level of interaction and hands-on learning present in the program. Many internships are based on "shadowing," offering small glimpses of what that office actually looks like. However, what's missing is real world experience, a hands-on approach that provides more opportunity for learning.
Enjoy!
What You’ll Learn in this Show:
- Why this year's executive team may be the strongest they've ever had going into 2022.
- The answer to the perennial question: "Is there anything more for me to learn?"
- How the networking opportunities offered by the program allow you to build connections with the top 10% in the country.
- Why internships that only allow participants to "shadow" office environments are missing out on a powerful learning opportunity.
- And so much more...
Resources:
YEAA Website
On today’s special show, we interview Joey Szczepaniak a former intern of ours who had excellent results in our internship program back in 2016. He stayed with us only for one year, but he believes that year had a major impact on his life, both professionally and personally.
Since he left YEAA he had an amazing story filled with great opportunities and he thinks that his experience in our program is what led to all the things that he's been able to accomplish today.
In today’s show, Joey will share his background story and what made him decide to join Young Entrepreneurs Across America.
He will share the results he had in the program and the most important lessons he took away from it.
He will also talk about his experience as an intern account manager at ALKU after leaving Student Painters.
You will find out how Joey got a quarter-million-dollar a year position and why he turned that down.
You will also find details about Joey’s experience as a sales specialist at Self Publishing School as well as about his experience working as a Senior Advisor at Traffic and Funnels.
Joey will talk about the amazing power of the YEAA culture and network and he will share the most important keys to his success
Tune in to our latest episode to hear another story of an amazing young leader whose journey to success started at Student Painters!
What You Will Learn In This Show
- What were Joey’s results in the program and his biggest takeaways?
- Why did Joey turn down a quarter-million-dollar a year position?
- The power of the YEAA culture and network
- Joey’s experience as a sales specialist at Self Publishing School
- What are the three rules of sales and how does Joey use it
- Joey's experience working as a Senior Advisor at Traffic and Funnels
- And so much more…
Resources:
YEAA Website
Leaders Across America
Joey’s Instagram
Joey’s Facebook
Joey’s Linkedin
On today’s special show, we interview Patrick Gorman, a second year branch manager and a rookie executive with Young Entrepreneurs Across America, who produced over $90,000 in business and profit exceeding $28,000 during his first year in our program.
Patrick will dive deep into his s rookie year keys to success, month by month as well as he three most important things he enjoyed the most in his first year.
You will find out what you need to do to ensure a great second half of the summer at YEAA.
You will also learn why it is important to continue recruiting painters and some secrets to managing a great team.
Patrick will share some some real life experiences he had with the YEAA and the key benefits he got out of the program so far.
He will reveal some of his highs and lows and some pitfalls he encountered during his internship.
Plus, Patrick will share his plans for this year and some of his goals for the future
For this and much more, tune in to our latest episode!
What You Will Learn In This Show:
- Patrick's rookie year keys to success, month by month
- Three key things Patrik enjoyed the most in his first year
- What you need to do to ensure a great second half of the summer at YEAA
- The benefits Patrick got out of the program so far
- Patrick's highs and lows and some pitfalls he encountered during his internship
- Patrick’s plans for this year and his goals for the future
- And so much more…
Resources:
YEAA Website
Leaders Across America
On today’s special show, we interview two of our succesful rookie entrepreneurs, Nick Draginoff and Dylan Klocker, to capture a little bit about their story so far since joining Young Entrepreneurs.
Nick is a sophomore at Miami University, Ohio, and so far he has about $55,000 in sales and 45 estimates completed.
Dylan is a sophomore at UMass Amherst, and he has about 130,000 in sales, 53 estimates completed and about 22 jobs booked
In today’s episode, you will find out a little bit about Nick and Dylan's background stories and their experiences in the program so far.
They will share their opinion about what is the best part of our organisation, as well as the skills they have developed since joining the program.
You will find out how Nick and Dylan became interested in the program and how they knew they'd succeed.
They will also talk about their biggest fears since they started this journey and their key secret to maintaining a successful business while being a full-time college student.
Nick and Dylan will also talk about their personal and professional growth since joining the program and the top characteristics they think you should possess to be a winner in this program
For this and much more, tune in to our latest episode!
What You Will Learn In This Show
- What skills have Nick and Dylan improved since they joined the program?
- How did Nick and Dylan become interested in the program and how did they know they'd succeed?
- The biggest fears Nick and Dylan had since they joined the program
- The key secret to maintaining a successful business while being a full-time college student
- The top characteristics you should possess to be a winner in this program
- Nick and Dylan’s parents' first reaction when they heard about the program
- And so much more…
Resources:
YEAA Website
Leaders Across America
On today’s show, we talk to Charles Beck, a young leader who will share with us insightful details about his 5 years experience with Student Painters that started back in 2014. Currently, Charles owns his own painting business and he is also a Field Underwriter at Symmetry Financial Group. In today’s show, you will find out when Charles heard about Student Painters and what drew him into the program.
You will also learn some details about Charles’ achievements in his first and second years in the program.
Charles will share some of the key habits a young leader should develop to set himself up for success
Charles will talk about how Student Painters changed his life both personally and professionally.
He will also reveal some details about what he does today and what are his goals for the next years.
For this and much more, tune in to our latest episode!
What You Will Learn In This Show
- When did Charles hear about Student Painters and what drew him into the program?
- What are Charles' key takeaways from the program?
- Key habits you should develop at a young age to set yourself for success
- How Student Painters changed Charles both personally and professionally
- Some advice for our rookie managers
- What is Charles doing today and what are him goals for the next years
- And so much more…
Resources:
YEAA Website
Leaders Across America
Charles’ Linkedin
On today’s show, we talk to Ben Cummings, a Branch Manager at Student Painters back in 2012 who used what he learned in the program to start three different companies
He is currently the CEO of Sales Rev, an organization that helps small businesses streamline and innovate how they do business as well as adopt the right technology stack for their needs.
Before Sales Rev, he owned a video production company in Detroit and a full-service landscaping company.
“An entrepreneur at heart”, as he likes to call himself, Ben is also a creative person and a talented musician. He plays as a drummer in a band called Schema Things.
In today’s show, you will find out how Bem started his experience in the YEAA program and how he became a Branch Manager.
Ben will talk about his results as a Branch Manager at Student Painters, key takeaways from the program and the pivotal moments that changed his life both professionally and personally.
He will share the biggest mistakes during the program and the lessons he learned from them.
Ben will reveal How Ben used what he learned in the program to start three companies.
You will also find out what is the #1 thing you have to do to become succesful, why implementing a process and a system is important in a business and some tips to finding your first customers.
For this and much more, tune in to our latest episode!
What You Will Learn In This Show
- How Ben started his experience in the YEAA program and how he became a Branch Manager
- Ben’s results as a Branch Manager at Student Painters
- Ben’s key takeaways from the program and the pivotal moments that changed his life
- The #1 thing you have to do to become successful
- Ben’s biggest challenges during the program and how he overcame them
- How Ben used what he learned in the program to start three companies
- And so much more…
Resources:
YEAA Website
Leaders Across America
Ben’s Linkedin
Schema Things Youtube Channel
On today’s show, we talk to Laura Lawson EVP and Chief People Officer at United Wholesale Mortgage and elite company helping independent mortgage brokers deliver a far superior client experience than banks and retail lenders.
Additionally, they offer training, technology, marketing support, and more to help their partners compete, win, and grow their businesses.
In this special episode, Laura is going to share important insights and the steps you can take as a young student or graduate to get the attention of an elite company like UWM.
Throughout the interview, you will learn what Laura is doing at United Wholesale Mortgage as well as a little bit about the company's business model.
Laura will share some keys to creating and maintaining UWM’s workplace culture.
She will also talk about the importance of constantly seeking feedback from your team.
You will find out what are some of Laura’s biggest challenges when hiring someone in the organization.
Laura will share some tips on how to apply for a job at United as well as how she chooses the best candidates.
You will discover what you need to know before applying for a job at UWM and also what is the income range and the benefits you can have working for them.
Plus, you will learn why having YEAA experience is a big plus when applying for jobs at UWM.
Tune in to our latest episode to learn more about how to get an elite job right after college!
What You Will Learn In This Show
- Laura's role at United Wholesale Mortgage and a little bit about the company’s business model
- Keys to creating and maintaining UWM’s workplace culture
- The importance of constantly seeking feedback from your team
- What you need to know before applying for a job at UWM
- The income range and the benefits you can have working for UWM
- Why having the YEAA program experience is a big plus when applying for a job at UWM
- And so much more…
Resources:
YEAA Website
Leaders Across America
Laura’s Linkedin
Uwm.com
www.Uwmcareers.com
On today’s show, we talk to Fernando Tenesaca, Senior Executive at YEAA, currently building the New England Team for Young Entrepreneurs Leadership Development Program for our 2022 Summer Internship opportunity.
As a Senior Executive, Fernando is recruiting and interviewing candidates for the Branch Manager position from public and private institutions in the New England area and also mentoring students in starting their first profitable business
In today’s show, Fernando will talk about his backstory, how he heard about our program and what made him join it.
He will share his results in the program and the greatest lessons he took from his first year.
He will also talk about some of the challenges he had as a rookie manager and how he managed to overcome them.
You will learn some which are some of the most important keys to a successful startup.
You will also find out some interesting details about Fernando’s speech on perspective and taking advantage of pivotal moments in your life.
For this and much more, tune in to our latest episode!
What You Will Learn In This Show
- Fernando’s results in the program and the greatest lessons he took from it
- Important keys to a successful startup
- Tips to building a solid relationship with clients
- The importance of understanding your “why”
- Fernando’s speech on perspective and taking advantage of pivotal moments in your life.
- And so much more…
Resources:
YEAA Website
Leaders Across America
Fernando’s LinkedIn
On today’s show, we talk to John Gave, Managing Partner at The Metiss Group, a company that provides team development solutions, recruitment selection services, talent assessment, and EOS integrator recruitment.
John's experience working with emerging companies through growth and performance initiatives enabled him to accelerate the company's growth.
To help The Metiss Group and their clients create more predictable results through consistent process application, he uses experience from his days as a software developer, systems engineer, and distribution center manager. He also plays an important role in growing new markets for the company.
In today’s episode, John will talk about some important strategies for finding the right talent for any type of company and role.
You will learn how John and his wife started the Metiss Group, the inspiration behind it and what the company does today.
You will find out more details about John's role in the company as a Managing Partner.
John will talk about creating specific defined approaches to helping organizations make a better hire and how to minimize the most common hiring mistakes.
He will also share some secret keys to a great hiring process and will reveal the reasons behind most retention issues and how to prevent them.
You will learn what a scorecard is and why you need to have one when hiring new talents.
John will also discuss the importance of having a healthy organization and will reveal some secret keys to becoming a great leader and why this is crucial for your organization.
He will also share his thoughts on the YEAA program and why he believes this is an important experience for a college student
For these and much more, tune in to our latest episode! Enjoy!
What You Will Learn In This Show
- Creating specific defined approaches to helping organizations make a better hire
- The secret keys to a great hiring process
- What is a scorecard and why do you need to have one when hiring new talents?
- Secret keys to becoming a great leader and why is this crucial for your organization
- John’s thoughts on the YEAA program and why he believes this is an important experience for a college student
- And so much more…
Resources:
YEAA Website
Leaders Across America
On today’s show, we talk to Mike Praeger, Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder at AvidXchange, a successful company that provides “AP” (accounts payable) automation software and payment solutions for middle-market businesses and their suppliers. As a YEAA alumnus, Mike believes that the experience and skills he gained in our program contributed greatly to becoming who he is today - the owner of a company valued at over a billion dollars. You will find out how Mike got involved with Student Painters and what are some of the takeaways he gained from his experience as a branch manager. You will discover what Mike did to start and grow AvidXchange, and what the company does today.
Mike will reveal his secrets on how to build and manage a great team and he will talk about how important it is for a CEO to have a vision of the company and be able to help execute that vision.
He will also discuss the importance of surrounding yourself with people that are better than you and why getting out of your comfort zone is the key to success.
For this and much more invaluable advice from one of our most successful alumni, tune in to our latest episode!
What You Will Learn In This Show
- How Mike got involved with Student Painters and some of the takeaways he gained from his experience as a branch manager
- What Mike did to start and grow AvidXchange, and what the company does today
- How important it is for Mike as a CEO to have a vision of the company and be able to help execute that vision
- The importance of surrounding yourself with people that are better than you
- Why is getting out of your comfort zone the key to success?
- And so much more…
On today’s show, we are joined by YEAA Vice-President Josh Drushel and Aaron Acorn who share with us the 4 keys to starting and managing a successful start-up business.
Drawing from their combined experience of nearly three decades, Josh and Aaron share some of the biggest things that can help eighteen-year-olds manage a large painting business at YEAA (Young Entrepreneurs Across America).
You will learn the importance of having enough human capital at your disposal. Being a labor-intensive business, unless you over-hire and always have some fallback options, your business will stall sooner, or later as “unforeseen circumstances” come up.
Perhaps, retaining your employees is as important (if not more) than the hiring process. And on today’s show, Josh and Aaron emphasize setting expectations right away and rewarding employees adequately.
Next, we discuss marketing and reveal why it’s important to make an early start. Always having a full sales pipeline will help you work out any hiccups so you can hit your revenue goals.
You do not want to miss the show ending where we talk about communication. Clear communication with your vendors, painters, and customers will help you run your first business smoothly and profitably.
This is a show you do not want to miss.
Enjoy!
What You Will Learn In This Show
- The 4 Keys to managing a start-up
- Expert tips for guaranteeing employee satisfaction
- Keeping your sales pipeline full, and how it can help you hit your revenue goals
- How to communicate clearly with your vendors, painters, and customers
- And so much more…
Resources
Young Entrepreneurs Across America
Leaders Across America
On today’s show, we talk to Galen Malthouse, a young leader from the University of Victoria in British Columbia, Canada.
This is going to be a different kind of episode because Galen is not one of our alumni and he is not working for YEAA. He works with Scholars Edge, another company dedicated to empowering and developing the very best university students through business ownership.
Galen is here today because of what he's been able to accomplish in the student development, student painter space in North America. He made $23,000 as a rookie and produced $85,000 in business in 2018. He just completed his fourth summer as a branch manager, making $440,000 and profited over $110,000.
You will find out a little bit about Galen’s story and background. What drew him into the Scholars Edge program and how did he know it was the right choice for him.
Galen will share his results in each year of the program and how he achieved them.
He will talk about the importance of production managers and how he managed to bring his team together to achieve the same goals.
You will find out what were Galen’s biggest fears when he started the program and how he overcame them.
Galen will reveal the most important element in any business as well as some of the takeaways that he got out of the Scholars Edge program over the four years.
For this and much more invaluable information on what you need to do to get great results in the student painter space, tune in to our latest episode!
What You Will Learn In This Show
- The activities Galen took to position himself for a sale of $400,000 plus
- How to bring your team together to achieve the same goal
- Galen’s biggest fears when he started the program and how he overcame them
- Some of the takeaways that Galen got out of the Scholars Edge program over the four years
- What are the future goals Galen has set for himself and his team?
- And so much more…
Resources:
YEAA Website
Leaders Across America
Galen’s Linkedin
On today’s show, we talk to Anna Ostrowski, National Sales Onboarding and Training Manager at Henry Schein, an elite company that is always on the lookout for young talented professionals to be part of their worldwide team.
It is going to be a special episode in which Anna is going to share important insights and the steps you can take as a young student to get the attention of an organization of this status.
You will find out what Henry Schein's business model is and how it makes a difference, as well as what are the schools throughout the country that this company partners with.
Anna will share her own experience of how she got hired by Henry Schein and how she got the role she has today.
She will also reveal some key things she looks for in an applicant and the questions she asks them to decide if they can be a good fit for the company.
You will discover what is the most important thing you should have in your resume when you apply to Henry Schein.
More than that, you will find out what are the reasons why graduates of our program do so well at Henry Schein.
For this and much more invaluable information of what you need to do to get an elite job coming out of college, tune in to our latest episode!
What You Will Learn In This Show
- What is Henry Schein’s business model and how does it make a difference
- The schools throughout the country that Henry Schein partners with
- Key things Anna looks for in an applicant to see if they can be a good fit for Henry Schein
- What makes Henry Schein an elite company and how much do their sales reps earn?
- What is the most important thing you should have in your resume when you apply to Henry Schein?
- And so much more…
Resources:
YEAA Website
Leaders Across America
Anna’s Linkedin
Henryschein.com
On today’s show, we talk to Abigail Jaqua, a recent internet of Young Entrepreneurs, who ran a business in Kalamazoo, Michigan in 2021 and completed the internship with an incredible result, with an $80,000 business and profits over $17,000.
In today’s show, Abigail will talk about her experience with the YEAA internship and will give a roadmap of exactly what she did from the time training was over, in the middle of February, until about May the 10th.
She will talk about how she found out about the YEAA program and what made her decide to apply, while she will also share the biggest goal that motivated her during the internship.
You will learn what Abigail's end result in the program was and how she achieved it.
Abigail will talk about her amazing pre-season and will share some effective strategies she used to make it happen.
You will find out how Abigail managed to make the YEAA experience a really fun one and enjoy the whole process.
Abigail will also talk about her current job as a real estate agent and how her experience in the program helped her, while she will also share some of her plans for the future.
For this and much more about Abigail’s journey and the great lessons she took from our program, tune in to our latest episode!
What You Will Learn In This Show
- What was the biggest goal that motivated Abigail during the internship?
- What was Abigail’s end result in the program and how did she achieve it?
- How was the training step for Abigail and the takeaways she got from it
- About Abigail's amazing pre-season and the strategies she used to make it happen
- How to make the YEAA experience a really fun one and enjoy the whole process
- And so much more…
Resources:
YEAA Website
Leaders Across America
Abigail’s Linkedin
Abigail’s E-mail Address: abigail.jaqua@gmail.com
On today’s show, we talk to Abigail Jaqua, a recent internet of Young Entrepreneurs, who ran a business in Kalamazoo, Michigan in 2021 and completed the internship with an incredible result, with an $80,000 business and profits over $17,000.
In today’s show, Abigail will talk about her experience with the YEAA internship and will give a roadmap of exactly what she did from the time training was over, in the middle of February, until about May the 10th.
She will talk about how she found out about the YEAA program and what made her decide to apply, while she will also share the biggest goal that motivated her during the internship.
You will learn what Abigail's end result in the program was and how she achieved it.
Abigail will talk about her amazing pre-season and will share some effective strategies she used to make it happen.
You will find out how Abigail managed to make the YEAA experience a really fun one and enjoy the whole process.
Abigail will also talk about her current job as a real estate agent and how her experience in the program helped her, while she will also share some of her plans for the future.
For this and much more about Abigail’s journey and the great lessons she took from our program, tune in to our latest episode!
What You Will Learn In This Show
- What was the biggest goal that motivated Abigail during the internship?
- What was Abigail’s end result in the program and how did she achieve it?
- How was the training step for Abigail and the takeaways she got from it
- About Abigail's amazing pre-season and the strategies she used to make it happen
- How to make the YEAA experience a really fun one and enjoy the whole process
- And so much more…
Resources:
YEAA Website
Leaders Across America
Abigail’s Linkedin
Abigail’s E-mail Address: abigail.jaqua@gmail.com
On today’s show, we talk to Peter Schanz, Sales Counselor at Fischer Homes and CEO of Seasonal Setter, a holiday decorating business he started in 2018 inspired by his experience with the Young Entrepreneurs Across America program.
Back in 2015, as a rookie branch manager with us, Peter did about $45,000 worth of business. After attending our internship, he believes he has advanced much further in life than he would have otherwise.
In today’s show, Peter shares how his decision to join YEAA led him into the world he is in right now and the most valuable lessons he learned from our program.
He will share a little about his personal story and background and then he will talk about how he heard about YEAA and what made him decide to join it.
Peter will talk about his first year in the program and the secret to his success, and then he will also share the challenges and achievements of his second year at Student Painters.
He will speak about his experience as Sales Counselor at New Home Sales Counselor Fischer Homes and how he applies there what he learned at YEAA.
After that, he will share the story of Seasonal Setter and what are his future plans for this company.
For this and much more about Peter’s journey to success, tune in to our latest episode!
What You Will Learn In This Show
- Peter's first year in the program and the key to his success
- What can you do to work smarter, not harder?
- Dealing with naysayers and haters. How to overcome negative feedback and remain motivated
- Challenges and achievements in Peter’s second year at Student Painters
- The story of Seasonal Setter and what are Peter’s future plans for his company
- And so much more…
Resources:
YEAA Website
Leaders Across America
On today’s show, we talk to Jenna McBride, majoring in finance and entrepreneurship, with a big passion for the business field that includes sales, finance & marketing.
Jenna is on her third internship year with Young Entrepreneurs Across America. She had an incredible preseason and in her rookie year, she did $121,000 in business.
In today’s show, Jenna will talk about her success in the program while highlighting some key strategies that any rookie manager can learn a lot from.
She will talk about her incredible pre-season and give a roadmap of exactly what she did to set her business up for success.
Jenna will also reveal how she found her marketing and her painting team and the importance of being aggressive on social media when searching for people to hire.
She will share her biggest fears at the beginning of the program and how she overcame them, and then she will talk about the COVID challenges she had to face in her first year.
Jenna will also talk about her experience as a coach and field adviser in the program and the biggest lessons she took from it.
Tune in for this special episode to learn from Jenna’s experience how to set yourself up for success in the YEAA program!
What You Will Learn In This Show
- About Jenna’s incredible pre-season and the strategies she applied
- How to set yourself up for a great month of May to propel you into a great launch of your business at YEAA
- Jenna’s experience as a coach and field adviser in the program
- How did Jenna find her marketing and painting team?
- The COVID challenges Jenna had to face during her first year in the program
- And so much more…
Resources:
YEAA Website
Leaders Across America
On today’s show, we talk to Brian Marr, a successful entrepreneur with over 40 years of experience in the commercial printing and marketing industry.
As the owner and president of National Wholesale Printing Corp, Brian excels at establishing long-term relationships with clients and teams to meet their specific marketing needs.
In this episode, you will discover how Brian started his printing business at 19 years old and how his company evolved over the years.
Brian will share how he survived the downturns he faced over the years and some great tips for mastering damage control in a company.
He will also reveal some of the sacrifices he had to make overtime to keep his business growing, and he will also talk about the most exciting part of being a business owner.
You will find out what are the most important skills and some of the key habits a successful entrepreneur should have.
For these and much more, tune in for this special episode
What You Will Learn In This Show
- Who is Brian Marr and how did he start his printing business at 19 years old
- How Brian’s printing company has evolved over the years
- How Brian has survived the downturns he faced in the industry or economic situations
- Great tips for mastering damage control in a company.
- Key habits and skills a successful entrepreneur needs to have
- And so much more…
Resources:
YEAA Website
Leaders Across America
On today’s show, we talk to Brian Marr, a successful entrepreneur with over 40 years of experience in the commercial printing and marketing industry.
As the owner and president of National Wholesale Printing Corp, Brian excels at establishing long-term relationships with clients and teams to meet their specific marketing needs.
In this episode, you will discover how Brian started his printing business at 19 years old and how his company evolved over the years.
Brian will share how he survived the downturns he faced over the years and some great tips for mastering damage control in a company.
He will also reveal some of the sacrifices he had to make overtime to keep his business growing, and he will also talk about the most exciting part of being a business owner.
You will find out what are the most important skills and some of the key habits a successful entrepreneur should have.
For these and much more, tune in for this special episode
What You Will Learn In This Show
- Who is Brian Marr and how did he start his printing business at 19 years old
- How Brian’s printing company has evolved over the years
- How Brian has survived the downturns he faced in the industry or economic situations
- Great tips for mastering damage control in a company.
- Key habits and skills a successful entrepreneur needs to have
- And so much more…
Resources:
YEAA Website
Leaders Across America
On today’s show, we talk to Chandler Bolt, an investor, advisor, founder of Self-Publishing School & SelfPublishing.com, and author of six bestselling books.
Chandler’s journey to success started with the YEAA Program back in 2011. He was a branch manager and a regional manager and he won the Rookie Executive of the Year in 2012.
In this episode, you will discover a little about Chandler's story and background and how the experience with YEAA Program transformed him personally and professionally.
You will find out some important concepts that Chandler has taken from the program.
He will reveal what is “public accountability” and how he used this concept to achieve success.
He will also talk about what is Self-Publishing School and how he started the business.
Chandler will share what were the most important things that led him to become the “Entrepreneur of the Year”.
He will also talk about the challenges that Chandler had to overcome, the most rewarding part about being an entrepreneur and much more.
Tune in to our latest episode to learn more about Chandler’s experience with Student Painters and how it opened the door to his success as an entrepreneur!
What You Will Learn In This Show
- How the experience with YEAA Program transformed Chandler into who he is today
- Learning theory vs getting real-life experience in business
- What is public accountability and how Chandler used this concept to achieve success
- What is Self-Publishing School and how Chandler started the business
- The most rewarding part about being an entrepreneur
- And so much more…
Resources:
YEAA Website
Leaders Across America
Chandler’s LinkedIn
Chandler’s Facebook
Self-Publishing School
Get Chandler’s Book for free
Books:
Chandler Bolt - Published.: The Proven Path From Blank Page To 10,000 Copies Sold
Chandler Bolt - Book Launch: How to Write, Market & Publish Your First Bestseller in Three Months or Less AND Use it to Start and Grow a Six Figure Business
On today’s show, we talk to Jon Gusanders who shares a fascinating, unique story with a powerful message about freedom and how to take control of your life at a young age.
Jon was a rookie branch manager with the YEAA back in 2005 and he believes that the biggest lesson he took from our program is “to be able to wake up every day and have control over what you do and how you do it”.
In this episode, you will discover how Jon learned about YEAA internships and what attracted him to the program.
You will also find out what is Jon’s biggest takeaway from the program and how this experience helped him become who he is today.
Jon will also talk about how he left the program and started a small business while attending Illinois State University.
He will also share how he got into liquor sales and how he became a Retail Sales Manager at Provi.
You will find out Jon’s fascinating story about how he enjoys new life experiences while living in an RV and much more.
Tune in to our latest episode to learn more about Jon’s unique story!
What You Will Learn In This Show
- The biggest takeaway that Jon took from Student Painters
- How Jon got into liquor sales and how he became a Retail Sales Manager at Provi
- Building relationships and trust with your clients
- Wonder on Wheels. Enjoying freedom and new life experiences while living in an RV
- And so much more…
Resources:
YEAA Website
Leaders Across America
Jon’s LinkedIn
On today’s show, we talk to Gabe Elias, a junior at Bridgewater State University who just finished his rookie branch manager year at the Young Entrepreneurs Across America program. He ran a $175,000 business and earned over 30,000 last summer as a sophomore, a life-changing experience that helped him grow personally, as well as professionally.
In this episode, you will find out a little bit about Gabe’s background and who he was before joining the program.
He will also share how he learned about YEAA internships and what attracted him to this internship.
Gabe will also share some specific activities he did, from the time he entered this program until the end to achieve such great success. And he will also reveal his number one strength that set him apart from everyone else.
He will discuss the importance of creating a marketing team and how social media marketing was vital to his success.
You will learn about Gabe's highs and lows during this internship and how he managed to overcome the challenges he had to face.
Tune in to our latest episode to learn more about how 18 to 22 year olds can actually achieve success with this program and what it takes to win.
What You Will Learn In This Show
- How Gabe learned about YEAA internships and what attracted him to the program
- The benefits Gabe got from his first year in the program
- Gabe's highs and lows during this internship
- The importance of establishing a marketing team for Gabe’s success
- Specific activities Gabe did, from the time he entered this program until the end to achieve such great success
- And so much more…
Resources:
YEAA Website
Leaders Across America
Gabe’s Linkedin
Gabe’s Instagram
Gabes’ Twitter
On today’s show, we talk to Gabe Elias, a junior at Bridgewater State University who just finished his rookie branch manager year at the Young Entrepreneurs Across America program. He ran a $175,000 business and earned over 30,000 last summer as a sophomore, a life-changing experience that helped him grow personally, as well as professionally.
In this episode, you will find out a little bit about Gabe’s background and who he was before joining the program.
He will also share how he learned about YEAA internships and what attracted him to this internship.
Gabe will also share some specific activities he did, from the time he entered this program until the end to achieve such great success. And he will also reveal his number one strength that set him apart from everyone else.
He will discuss the importance of creating a marketing team and how social media marketing was vital to his success.
You will learn about Gabe's highs and lows during this internship and how he managed to overcome the challenges he had to face.
Tune in to our latest episode to learn more about how 18 to 22 year olds can actually achieve success with this program and what it takes to win.
What You Will Learn In This Show
- How Gabe learned about YEAA internships and what attracted him to the program
- The benefits Gabe got from his first year in the program
- Gabe's highs and lows during this internship
- The importance of establishing a marketing team for Gabe’s success
- Specific activities Gabe did, from the time he entered this program until the end to achieve such great success
- And so much more…
Resources:
YEAA Website
Leaders Across America
Gabe’s Linkedin
Gabe’s Instagram
Gabes’ Twitter
On today’s show, we talk to Tyler Lajoie, a young entrepreneur with an inspiring vision and perspective on life, career, and success. In 2018, Tyler was the Manager of the Year in our program, he made over $100,000 in his first year and he came back in 2019 as an executive.
Tyler has successfully run three different entrepreneurial ventures after graduating from the University of Massachusetts Amherst.
In today’s show, Tyler will share how he heard about the YEAA internship and what attracted him to the program.
He will also talk about the huge impact that Young Entrepreneurs had on both his career and personal life.
You will find out how you can block the outside noise and listen to the inner voice in order to succeed.
You will also discover the key secrets to becoming a successful branch manager and why having a deep-rooted “why” is essential for a young entrepreneur.
Tune in to our latest episode to learn more about Tyler's remarkable journey to success and the invaluable lessons he learned along the way.
What You Will Learn In This Show
- How Tyler heard about the YEAA internship and what attracted him to the program
- The impact Young Entrepreneurs had on Tyler’s life
- The outside noise vs the inner voice and who to listen to
- 3 different entrepreneurial ventures Tyler ran after graduating University of Massachusetts Amherst
- The key secrets to becoming a successful branch manager
- And so much more…
Resources:
YEAA Website
Tyler’s Linkedin
On today’s show, we talk to Tyler Lajoie, a young entrepreneur with an inspiring vision and perspective on life, career, and success. In 2018, Tyler was the Manager of the Year in our program, he made over $100,000 in his first year and he came back in 2019 as an executive.
Tyler has successfully run three different entrepreneurial ventures after graduating from the University of Massachusetts Amherst.
In today’s show, Tyler will share how he heard about the YEAA internship and what attracted him to the program.
He will also talk about the huge impact that Young Entrepreneurs had on both his career and personal life.
You will find out how you can block the outside noise and listen to the inner voice in order to succeed.
You will also discover the key secrets to becoming a successful branch manager and why having a deep-rooted “why” is essential for a young entrepreneur.
Tune in to our latest episode to learn more about Tyler's remarkable journey to success and the invaluable lessons he learned along the way.
What You Will Learn In This Show
- How Tyler heard about the YEAA internship and what attracted him to the program
- The impact Young Entrepreneurs had on Tyler’s life
- The outside noise vs the inner voice and who to listen to
- 3 different entrepreneurial ventures Tyler ran after graduating University of Massachusetts Amherst
- The key secrets to becoming a successful branch manager
- And so much more…
Resources:
YEAA Website
Tyler’s Linkedin
On today’s show, we talk to Joe Lisa, an ambitious, hardworking and self-driven young leader with a passion for entrepreneurship, leadership, and creativity. He was an intern with us for three years from 2016 to 2018 and he cumulatively ran a $950,000 business and earned over 100 grand while he was in school.
Joe studied Business Administration at Bowling Green State University, focusing on sales, leadership, and entrepreneurship. Today he owns 58 properties and runs a successful business in the Airbnb space.
What is really unique about Joe is his positive attitude and his view on life, which are, in his opinion, the most important keys to his success.
In today’s show, Joe will share a little about his background and how he got to Bowling Green State University. Then he will talk about how he heard about the YEAA internship and what was the thing that drew him into the program.
He will also reveal what were the key skills that led him to success in the program and the lessons he learned from this experience.
You will find out how Joe started his Airbnb business and the challenges he had to overcome.
Joe will also share some of the creative and unique Airbnb ideas that led him to success and also how he gets his capital for buying new properties.
For this and much more about Joe’s amazing journey to success, tune in to our latest episode!
What You Will Learn In This Show
- How Joe heard about the YEAA internship and what was the thing that drew him into the program
- How being part of Young Entrepreneurs helped Joe become who he is
- The event in Joe’s life that made him realize he wants to leave a legacy behind
- How Joe started his Airbnb business and the challenges he had to overcome
- Creative and unique Airbnb ideas that led Joe to success
- And so much more…
Resources:
YEAA Website
Joe’s Linkedin
Fireside Instagram
Website
On today’s show, we talk to Nick Turnbull, Head of Manufacturing Execution at The Kraft Heinz Company. Previously, he was the Director of Quality and Operations at TurtleCell LLC, a company that he co-found in 2011.
Nick was a YEAA intern back in 2010 and he stayed with Young Entrepreneurs for three years. He went to the University of Michigan and graduated with an engineering degree in mechanical engineering. He won numerous awards including Executive of the Year and Entrepreneur of the Year.
In this episode, Nick will talk about how he heard about the YEAA internship when he was a student at the University of Michigan and was the thing that drew him into the program.
You will learn about the progress he made year after year and you will also discover what kind of person you need to be to succeed in this internship.
Nick will also talk about the next business step he took after he left the program, how he founded Turtle Cell, and his experience with the Kraft Heinz program.
For this and much more about Nick’s incredible journey to success, tune in to our latest episode now.
What You Will Learn In This Show
- How did Nick hear about the YEAA internship at the University of Michigan?
- What kind of person do you need to be to succeed in this internship?
- The progress Nick made year after year in the program
- How Nick and his partner founded Turtle Cell and what made the business successful
- Nick’s experience with the Kraft Heinz program
- And so much more…
Resources:
YEAA Website
On today’s show, we talk to Joe Delia, CEO of the Infinity Group, Operating Principal at Keller Williams Paint Creek and Somerset and founder of the Delia Group.
Joe was a YEAA intern back in 2004 through 2008 and has since gone on to become a huge success in the real estate business, including over $100 million in the house selling space, over $157 million in the mortgage business, etc.
You'll discover some of Joe's amazing business successes in the real estate space.
You'll learn how his massive successes tie back into his core values.
You'll also discover how he finds top talent for all of his companies within that real estate space.
For all this and much, much more, tune in to our latest show now.
What You Will Learn In This Show:
- Joe's amazing business successes, including over $100 million in the house selling space, over $157 million in the mortgage business, etc.
- How his massive successes tie back into his core values.
- How he finds top talent for all of his companies within that real estate space.
- And so much more...
On today’s show, we talk to Sammy Lee who is a senior at Indiana University Bloomington. Thanks to his hard work and willingness to step out of his comfort zone, Sammy was able to run a $82,000 business with over $14,000 in profit and was awarded the Quality Award in Indiana for his team's excellent work.
His experience in the program paid off in ways he couldn't have imagined, as his successful time as an entrepreneur landed him an internship with pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly - an internship that eventually led to a full time position.
You'll discover a little of Sammy's background prior to joining the program.
You'll learn the importance of gaining experience and getting out of your comfort zone while still in college.
You'll discover how Sammy was able to run an $80,000 business, making over $14,000 in profit.
You'll also learn how his early experience with the program helped him land an internship, and eventually a full time position, with Eli Lilly.
For all this and much, much more, tune in to our latest show now.
What You Will Learn In This Show:
- A little of Sammy's background prior to joining the program.
- The importance of gaining experience and getting out of your comfort zone while still in college.
- How Sammy was able to run an $80,000 business, making over $14,000 in profit.
- How his early experience with the program helped him land an internship, and eventually a full-time position, with Eli Lilly.
- And so much more...
On today’s show, we talk to alumni Dana Ward who, at the age of 18, was able to run a $75,000 business with $14,000 in profit.
Currently working as a management trainee, Dana's new boss heard about her experience in the YEAA program and was so impressed by her skills and experience that she will be eventually placed in a management position, just two years out from university.
You'll discover a little of Dana's background, and how it prepared her for participation in the program.
You'll learn how her experience working with Young Entrepreneurs helped her choose a college major and refine her career path.
You'll also discover some of the mistakes she made early on, and how she learned from them to create a successful business.
In addition, you'll learn some key pieces of advice Dana offers to those who have not yet enrolled in the program.
For all this and much, much more, tune in to our latest show now.
What You Will Learn In This Show:
- A little of Dana's background, and how it prepared her for participation in the program.
- How her experience working with YEAA helped her choose a college major and refine her career path.
- Two pieces of advice Dana offers to those who have not yet enrolled in the program.
- And so much more...
Today's episode of Leader Across America is a very special one, because we are featuring Mark McBride, the father of one of our interns, Jenna McBride.
Mark will be offering some unique insights as a parent, seeing the program and its results from the outside, as well as the effect it's had on his daughter.
In this episode, you'll discover Mark's initial reaction when Jenna came home with information about the program.
You'll learn about his initial skepticism around his daughter's willingness to run a business, let alone a painting business.
You'll also discover the changes - mainly growth and leadership - he's seen his daughter develop through the program and how that will impact her future.
For all this and much, much more, tune in to our latest show now.
What You Will Learn In This Show:
- Mark's insights as a parent, watching his daughter participate as an intern in the program.
- His initial skepticism about his daughter's willingness to run a business, let alone a painting business.
- The changes - mainly growth and leadership - he's seen his daughter develop through the program.
- And so much more...
On today’s show, we feature alumni Austin Hines who, in a single summer, was able to run a $155,000 business with earnings over $30,000.
As a current senior at the University of Cincinnati, his particular internship program only offered him a single summer where he could make money. He applied himself and made the most of it, being very successful as a result.
In this episode, you'll learn about Austin's background as an intern with Young Entrepreneurs Across America in 2018.
You'll discover some of the key concepts he learned as part of the program, the primary one being that hard work equals freedom.
You'll also learn how Austin has come to see life as a balancing act, and how he's embraced the concept of life as a journey.
Join us and discover how Austin turned a single summer (as well as some seriously hard work) into a massive success!
For all this and much, much more, tune in to our latest show now.
What You Will Learn In This Show:
- A little of Austin's background as an intern with Young Entrepreneurs Across America in 2018, and how he was able to run a $155,000 business and reach profits over $30,000 during that year.
- Key concepts he learned, the primary one being that hard work equals freedom.
- How Austin sees life as a balancing act and how he's really embraced the concept of life as a journey.
- And so much more...
On today’s show, we interview Nick Germano who shares some of his insights after just finishing his first internship. From struggles at the beginning to assembling a great team and finding success, Nick offers some great advice for those considering the program.
You'll learn about Nick's background prior to joining the internship as well as the decision he had to make as to whether or not it was something he could fully commit to.
You'll discover how the people he's met and the connections he's made have continued beyond the program itself.
You'll also learn why Nick puts so much emphasis on assembling and relying on a solid team to achieve success.
Join us and discover how Nick became Entrepreneur of the Year 2021, running a $190,000 business with $40,000 in profit!
For all this and much, much more, tune in to our latest show now.
What You Will Learn In This Show:
- A little of Nick's background and the decision he had to make as to whether he could fully commit to the internship or not.
- The connections he's made with people involved in the program, connections that continue today.
- The importance of assembling (and being able to rely on) a great team that you can trust.
- And so much more…
Resources:
YEAA Website
On today’s show, we interview Riley Parker who shares with us her thoughts on being a woman in a male-dominated business. You will learn how YEAA impacted Riley’s job search and dramatically altered the trajectory of her career.
Fortunately for Riley, when she signed up for the YEAA internship, her parents backed her up as much as possible.
While many women would be opposed to running a painting business, Riley was not one of them.
On today’s show, you will learn the importance of conviction and resilience. You will learn how a stellar mindset can help you overcome negativity and achieve your dreams and goals.
Riley interned with YEAA from 2019 to 2021, and generated revenues of nearly $600,000 in these 3 years while earning profits of $55,000. In this segment of the show, Riley talks quite a bit about how her mentors helped her overcome the challenges that she faced at YEAA.
Upon graduation, her experience of running a business proved to be the differentiating factor that helped Riley land her dream job.
For all this and much, much more, tune in to our latest show now.
What You Will Learn In This Show
- How can women find success in a male-dominated business?
- Why women should NOT be afraid to take up the YEAA challenge
- How did I know that running a business was the right thing for me as a sophomore?
- Building a stellar mindset and keeping negativity away
- Why I decided to come back in my second year
- How did YEAA help me in my job search
- And so much more…
Resources:
YEAA Website
On today’s show, we interview Riley Parker who shares with us her thoughts on being a woman in a male-dominated business. You will learn how YEAA impacted Riley’s job search and dramatically altered the trajectory of her career.
Fortunately for Riley, when she signed up for the YEAA internship, her parents backed her up as much as possible.
While many women would be opposed to running a painting business, Riley was not one of them.
On today’s show, you will learn the importance of conviction and resilience. You will learn how a stellar mindset can help you overcome negativity and achieve your dreams and goals.
Riley interned with YEAA from 2019 to 2021, and generated revenues of nearly $600,000 in these 3 years while earning profits of $55,000. In this segment of the show, Riley talks quite a bit about how her mentors helped her overcome the challenges that she faced at YEAA.
Upon graduation, her experience of running a business proved to be the differentiating factor that helped Riley land her dream job.
For all this and much, much more, tune in to our latest show now.
What You Will Learn In This Show
- How can women find success in a male-dominated business?
- Why women should NOT be afraid to take up the YEAA challenge
- How did I know that running a business was the right thing for me as a sophomore?
- Building a stellar mindset and keeping negativity away
- Why I decided to come back in my second year
- How did YEAA help me in my job search
- And so much more…
Resources:
YEAA Website
On today’s show, we interview David Knollman from Amazon who shares with us his distilled wisdom on constantly challenging yourself, and overcoming your obstacles.
As a student at the University of Cincinnati, when David first came across Young Entrepreneurs Across America, he was hugely sceptical. And admittedly, he thought that the internship was “too good to be true”.
Talking to his peers convinced David to sign up on the dotted line. When David started his internship, he knew what he was walking into. That it was going to be an intensely difficult program that would challenge him time and time again.
His first year as a Student Painter was a huge learning experience for David. In spite of that, he ended up earning $7,000 in profit.
When he came back in his second year, David had a chip on his shoulder – and he was determined not to make the same mistakes again. In his second year, David ended up earning nearly 3x profits on sales of $110,000.
David’s Young Entrepreneurs Across America experience proved to be a foundational one as it helped him navigate the highs and lows at Amazon.
In this segment of the show, David gives us a peek into his 5+ years of work life at Amazon. You will learn about winning, failing, and mustering the resilience to get up, and win yet again.
Do not miss this one.
What You Will Learn In This Show
- What should you do when you run into a wall?
- Cheap fun vs. expensive fun – building stories that you can tell all lifelong
- Surviving the topsy-turvy work-life at Amazon
- And so much more…
Resources:
YEAA Website
On today’s show, we interview David Knollman from Amazon who shares with us his distilled wisdom on constantly challenging yourself, and overcoming your obstacles.
As a student at the University of Cincinnati, when David first came across Young Entrepreneurs Across America, he was hugely sceptical. And admittedly, he thought that the internship was “too good to be true”.
Talking to his peers convinced David to sign up on the dotted line. When David started his internship, he knew what he was walking into. That it was going to be an intensely difficult program that would challenge him time and time again.
His first year as a Student Painter was a huge learning experience for David. In spite of that, he ended up earning $7,000 in profit.
When he came back in his second year, David had a chip on his shoulder – and he was determined not to make the same mistakes again. In his second year, David ended up earning nearly 3x profits on sales of $110,000.
David’s Young Entrepreneurs Across America experience proved to be a foundational one as it helped him navigate the highs and lows at Amazon.
In this segment of the show, David gives us a peek into his 5+ years of work life at Amazon. You will learn about winning, failing, and mustering the resilience to get up, and win yet again.
Do not miss this one.
What You Will Learn In This Show
- What should you do when you run into a wall?
- Cheap fun vs. expensive fun – building stories that you can tell all lifelong
- Surviving the topsy-turvy work-life at Amazon
- And so much more…
Resources:
YEAA Website
Can a YEAA internship dramatically alter your career trajectory?
On today’s show, we interview former YEAA intern and Sales Engineer, Keyence Corporation, Sean Burtless-Creps who shares with us his distilled wisdom on work ethic, handling rejection, and entrepreneurship.
Sean chanced upon the YEAA opportunity when he was pursuing his bachelor’s degree at the University of Michigan. Encouraged by the success of his peers, he decided to take a leap of faith – a move which completely changed this career trajectory.
As a student painter, Sean ran a $62,000 painting business and earned a handsome profit of $12,000. In this segment of the show, Sean shares the advantage of working in an organization with a formulaic and proven approach.
Additionally, you will learn how the internship taught Sean the importance of great work ethic while honing his people management skills.
The YEAA internship also proved to be the differentiating factor which helped Sean secure some dream internships.
In the last segment of the show, Sean gives us a peek into his work life as a Sales Engineer at Keyence Corporation. You will learn the importance of developing soft skills alongside technical skills in this segment of the show.
Enjoy!
What You Will Learn In This Show
- Why the YEAA is the safest and best environment for those looking to get a taste of entrepreneurship
- How to land your dream internship
- The importance of developing soft skills
- And so much more…
Resources:
YEAA Website
Is it even possible for a sophomore to manage a $2 million business?
On today’s show, we interview Kevin Hiselman who shares with us his distilled wisdom on perseverance, and overcoming your fears. You will learn how Kevin managed a $2 million painting business while he was a sophomore at UMass, Amherst.
Kevin was first introduced to YEAA when he was taking classes at UMass. And while he has eager to sign up immediately, he had to fight off the initial scepticism from his friends and family.
One of the biggest things that attracted Kevin to the internship was the opportunity to get mentored by folks who were just slightly older than him.
In his first year with YEAA, Kevin ran a $110,000 business and earned $20,000 in profits. As a district manager in his second year, he dramatically scaled up his business to $2 million in revenues and $110,000 in profits.
Topics discussed on today’s show include overcoming your fear of running a business, cultivating leadership skills, and learning responsibility and accountability.
You do not want to miss this one.
Enjoy!
What You Will Learn In This Show
- What does it take to successfully complete a YEAA internship?
- Why YEAA is the most fun experience that you can ever have
- How the YEAA internship taught me responsibility and maturity
- How I ran a $2 million painting business at YEAA
- And so much more…
Resources:
YEAA Website
Can the YEAA internship have a truly transformational impact on your life?
On today’s show, we interview the incredible Blake Johanson who shares with us his distilled wisdom on building your confidence, and being adaptable. You will also learn how the YEAA internship helped Blake land his dream internship.
Blake interned with YEAA in his freshman and sophomore year in 2020, the year of the pandemic. He talks about tackling naysayers who tried to demotivate him from trying something new.
His conviction paid off big time as Blake ended up running a $100,000 business and earning $16,000 in profits.
Currently in his senior year at MSU, Blake is interning with Upper Deck, a sports entertainment company that deals in sports cards.
He walks us through the interview process, and how he beat hundreds of applicants to land the coveted internship.
This is a show you do not want to miss!
What You Will Learn In This Show
- How the comprehensive YEAA training helped me get started off on the right note
- How did I know that running a business was the right thing for me?
- How treading the less beaten path can pay off in a big way for you
- And so much more…
Resources:
YEAA Website
On today’s show, we interview Logan and Chris who share with us their YEAA experience, and how the internship has changed their life. They share the highs and lows which they encountered as they ran $90,000 painting businesses while earning a $15,000-$20,000 profit.
Last year, Logan, a Northern University student and Chris, a Penn State student were both searching for an internship that would truly add value and allow them to grow as individuals.
This is when they stumbled across Young Entrepreneurs across America.
Once they signed up for the YEAA internship, they were first put through an elaborate training where they learnt how to do estimates and make cold calls among other things. This training also allowed them to interact with their seniors who would eventually mentor them through their first real entrepreneurship adventure.
In the next segment of the show, Chris and Logan share the biggest highs and lows that they encountered over the course of the summer.
They talk about tackling unhappy customers, dealing with employee issues, and battling the challenges of the pandemic here.
You will learn how grit and a stellar mindset can help you ride out your toughest challenges.
Both Chris and Logan also share the benefit of working in a franchise operation that relies on proven systems and processes.
This is a show you do not want to miss.
Enjoy!
What You Will Learn In This Show
- How to de-escalate situations and tackle unhappy customers
- The benefits of working in a franchise operation that relies on proven systems and processes
- Staying calm and riding out the storm
- Why YEAA is nothing like your typical internship experience
- And so much more…
Resources:
YEAA Website
How can you make the most of your formative years? And, what are some things that you can do right now to gain massive forward momentum in the long run?
On today’s show, we interview Tom Pivoso, Founder Campus Well who shares with us his distilled wisdom on resilience, confidence, and stepping out of your comfort zone.
Back in 1989, Tom was a sophomore at the University of Delaware when he chanced upon a YEAA flyer. Tom signed up on the dotted line and this decision dramatically changed the course of his life and career.
In his first year, Tom earned a handsome $20,000 profit on revenues of $63,000 – which was admittedly, more money than he had ever imagined.
Subsequently, lured by the idea of coaching, Tom signed up as a district manager with YEAA in his second year. In his last year as a district manager, Tom supervised 10 student painters while running a large $7 million painting business.
This experience stoked his entrepreneurial spirit, and upon graduation, Tom started a new venture wherein he helped student organizations connect with national marketers to raise the necessary funds.
Currently, Tom manages a subscription-based content platform, Campus Well that helps improve the health and wellness of students.
Among other things, on today’s show, you will learn the importance of accountability, clear communication, and developing confidence.
Enjoy!
What You Will Learn In This Show
- Why accountability is key to the success of a relationship
- Why a YEAA internship is the surest way to fast track your career
- Why taking head-on challenges and developing resilience
- Why you need to work on developing skill sets that you can leverage for your whole life
- And so much more…
Resources
Campus Well
Leaders Across America
On today’s show, we interview Scott Snyder who shares with us his thoughts on entrepreneurship, faith, and mindset.
Scott interned with Young Entrepreneurs back in 1998 when he was a student at the University of Miami. In his first year as a student painter, Scott ended up earning a respectable $11,000 in profits on sales of $43,000.
However, bogged down by the stress of managing a business, Scott decided to “take it easy” in his sophomore year by taking up an internship with General Motors.
But he was quick to realize that he had walked away from the better alternative that would do greater good for him in the long run.
So in his third year, Scott was back to re-commence what ended up being a long, fruitful 10-year relationship with Student Works.
Upon graduation, Scott decided to pursue his passion by teaching physics to seventh-graders. Nevertheless, he continued working as a student manager until he had to take a step back to fulfil his fatherly responsibilities.
Currently, Scott serves as a church pastor in Butler Town
Other topics discussed on today’s show include the importance of a stellar mindset.
Enjoy!
What You Will Learn In This Show
- Why did I continue as a student painter for 10 years after graduation?
- How to shed negativity and develop a stellar mindset
- What does it take to be a successful student painter?
- And so much more…
Resources:
YEAA Website
Ever wondered about the interconnectedness of the global economy? And how COVID has disrupted industrial operations across the world?
On today’s show, we interview Marty Kelcher, Purchasing Manager, Mainline Supply Company. He will share us his thoughts on entrepreneurship, delegation at the workplace, and the macro-economy.
13 years ago, in 2008, Marty ran a $50,000 painting business in Dayton and Cincinnati while interning with Young Entrepreneurs. This internship proved to be massively impactful for Marty as he learned some lifelong lessons that set the tone for a successful career.
In this segment of the show, you will learn how YEAA gives 18–20-year-olds opportunities that they would typically get when they are in their mid-thirties or forties. Here, you will also learn the many advantages of working in a proven, franchise business model.
In the latter half of the show, Marty gives us a peek into his role at the Mainline Supply Company.
As the purchase manager of a large industrial distribution house, Marty manages operations that are strongly affected by macro-economics. Specifically, you will learn how covid has led to huge raw material increases which have disrupted supplies and projects across the world.
This is a show that you do want to miss.
Enjoy!
What You Will Learn In This Show
- How covid has disrupted worldwide industrial operations
- The interconnectedness of the global economy
- How a YEAA internship teaches you valuable lessons in
- And so much more…
Resources:
YEAA Website
How do you know that you are cut out to run a business? And what are some of the biggest challenges that you are likely to encounter as you make your foray into entrepreneurship?
On today’s show, we interview former YEAA painter and manager, Michael Page, Ken Hansell who shares with us his distilled wisdom on stepping out of the comfort zone, fostering the right team culture and the meaning of resilience.
As a sophomore at the College of Charleston, when Michael first came across the YEAA opportunity, admittedly, he thought that it was too good to be true. But when he visited the sales conference, he was blown away by the energy and excitement.
In his first year as a student painter, Michael ended up running a $82,000 painting business in Charleston. In this segment of the show, he particularly talks about the challenge of building and managing a dream team.
Upon graduation, he first worked for Elbeco Inc., a uniform manufacturer in Kansas City. However, in 2017, he transitioned to the international recruiting firm, Michael Page.
The last segment of the show is particularly interesting as you will get an inside peek into Ken’s life at Michael Page. You will learn how the jobbing market went into a sharp slump when the pandemic first struck. And how the current market situation is in sharp contrast as companies are desperately looking for great talent.
You will also learn about Michael Page’s Five Core Values in today’s show.
Enjoy!
What You Will Learn In This Show
- Why did I decide to run a business in my sophomore year?
- How to build a dream team, foster the right culture, and find buy-in
- How a YEAA internship can teach you some important lifelong lessons in resilience
- How keeping an open mind is a must for growth and success
- And so much more…
Resources:
YEAA Website
In today's episode of the Leader Across America podcast, Steve sits down with Aaron Acorn and Josh Drushel, both Vice Presidents of the Young Entrepreneurs Across America program for the final episode of their special four-part series. The topic for today's show involves the benefits students can gain by being part of the Young Entrepreneurs Across America program.
As the summer winds down and we approach the end of this year's internship, Steve, Aaron and Josh take some time to reflect on why this year's executive team may be the strongest yet, and highlight some of the benefits of the program.
Beyond the growth potential that the program provides to participants - offering opportunities to build new skills and helping to make themselves more marketable - it also answers a question many have asked: "Is there anything left to learn?" What they quickly realize however, is that learning never really ends. As you gain experience in business and get better at your job, your learning opportunities actually increase.
Networking is another powerful benefit of the program. Working with like-minded people on an executive team provides powerful opportunities for connection and learning, whether it be from your own class, the executives above you or the people that come after you. Once you reach the executive level, you're able to create that connection with the top 10% of the entire country.
Steve, Aaron and Josh also take time to discuss the deep level of interaction and hands-on learning present in the program. Many internships are based on "shadowing," offering small glimpses of what that office actually looks like. However, what's missing is real world experience, a hands-on approach that provides more opportunity for learning.
Enjoy!
What You’ll Learn in this Show:
- Why this year's executive team may be the strongest they've ever had going into 2022.
- The answer to the perennial question: "Is there anything more for me to learn?"
- How the networking opportunities offered by the program allow you to build connections with the top 10% in the country.
- Why internships that only allow participants to "shadow" office environments are missing out on a powerful learning opportunity.
- And so much more...
Resources:
YEAA Website
What is the ONE thing that can springboard you miles ahead of the competition?
On today’s show, we interview Matt Buhl, Employee Benefits Services, USI Insurance Services who shares with us his wisdom on grit and relationship building. You will learn how his YEAA internship helped him land 9 job offers while he was still in his second to last semester of college.
Matt interned with YEAA from 2014-2016. As a freshman, he was immediately stoked at the opportunity of running his own business. Matt talks about how he almost quit after 20 consecutive no’s. But his tenacity kicked in and he ended up running a $72,000 business in his first year.
In his last year as a student painter, he ran a $285,000 painting business – thus setting the tone for an extremely successful career.
Also, as a student painter, while Matt discovered his love for sales, he also discovered that he was really cut out for entrepreneurship.
When Matt graduated from Central Michigan University, he already had 9 job offers to choose from. Matt talked about his YEAA experience in every interview, and this proved to be the “differentiating factor” that set him apart from the crowd.
So, in 2018, Matt was one of the ten people hired to work for Mutual of Omaha from a pool of 300 candidates. Since the beginning of the year, Matt has been working with USI Insurance Services as an Employee Benefits Consultant.
Matt gives us a peek into his role and his workplace and emphasizes the importance of strategic marketing and relationship building in this episode of the show.
Enjoy!
What You Will Learn In This Show
- What kind of person can be successful as a student painter?
- How YEAA can help you land your dream job
- A peek into the insurance industry
- How the YEAA internship can springboard your career
- And so much more…
Resources
Young Entrepreneurs Across America
Leaders Across America
On today’s show, Aaron and Josh join us for the third part of our special 4-part series. The topic for today’s show is the importance of finishing your YEAA internship strong.
The YEAA internship starts in February and ends in July or August. Like everything that is incredibly rewarding, interns need to put in a monumental effort to be successful. And so, it is natural to notice signs of burnout towards the fag end of the internship.
Steve, Josh, and Aaron emphasize the importance of fighting this burnout on today’s show.
4 months into the internship, you already have your systems in place. Your painters are primed, far more efficient, and know exactly what they are supposed to do. And your marketing is running like a well-oiled machine.
Needless to say, retaining your momentum will enable you to produce more and earn better margins.
If you finish strong, you will also have a great story to tell. Running a large, profitable painting business will set you apart from the crowd – and will go a long way to help you snag your dream job.
Additionally, you will also learn that strong finishers have an extremely good chance of joining YEAA as executives – irrespective of whether they end up on the awards trip or not.
Last but not the least, a final push will dramatically increase your profits. You will learn how a final push will go a long way in securing your near-term future.
Enjoy!
What You Will Learn In This Show
- Why it is so important to finish your internship strong
- Why you can produce more and earn better margins in the final 60 days of your internship
- Why a successful YEAA internship is the best resume-builder – the “differentiating factor” that can catapult you ahead of your peers
- Enjoy!
Resources
Young Entrepreneurs Across America
Leaders Across America
On today’s show, we interview rookie managers, Cohan Robinson and Elijah LeMar who share with us the transformational impact that the YEAA internship has had on their lives.
Currently three months into their internship, both Cohan and Elijah are on track to run large and extremely profitable painting businesses.
After signing up with YEAA, life has taken a 360-degree turn for both Cohan and Elijah.
While Cohan had worked as a painter prior to his internship, Elijah, a UMass student came on board with zero work experience.
So, understandably, both Cohan and Elijah were extremely nervous when they first started off.
Once they kickstarted their internship with the training, Cohan and Elijah got an opportunity to interact with the entire YEAA team. The dynamic culture instantly rubbed off on them, and their nerves were soon replaced with excitement and anticipation.
On today’s show, you will learn how we, at YEAA, prepare eighteen- and nineteen-year-olds to run large painting businesses.
Supportive mentors and proven systems and processes are the exact things needed to create a transformational impact on our interns.
Tune in for some great insights!
What You Will Learn In This Show
- How the YEAA internship can massively accelerate your learning
- Why you cannot get to a yes without going through many no’s
- Why a structured and supportive environment is the key to success
- How can eighteen-year-olds with no previous experience manage to run a large painting business
- And so much more…
Resources
Young Entrepreneurs Across America
What is the secret sauce behind hyper-growth and success?
On today’s show, we interview Seth Helfman, President, City Contracting Services who shares with us his thoughts on entrepreneurship, delegation, and focus. You will learn how Seth has managed to grow his contracting business from 0 to $6 million in 7 years flat.
Growing up, Seth always had his eyes set on entrepreneurship. So, after graduating from the Ohio State University, Seth joined his family’s construction business and slowly worked his way up.
While this was a learning and fruitful experience for Seth, he decided to work for a family friend after a while. This new stint started off with a bang for Seth as he managed to generate new business worth $4.6 million in his first 60 days of employment.
In this new role, Seth oversaw public school projects and got an inside peek into the bidding and project management process.
Finally, in 2014, Seth decided to branch out on his own with City Contracting Services. For the first 3 years of his business, Seth was a solo entrepreneur wearing multiple hats. Today, he employs an in-house team of six apart from numerous sub-contractors.
As an experienced entrepreneur, Seth shares with us distilled wisdom on growth and scaling. While he experienced some great success as a one-man organization, Seth could not grow his business beyond a certain point, no matter how hard he tried.
In 2017, Seth finally hired his right-hand man Brad which set the ball rolling for him once again.
Having the right team to back him has enabled Seth to execute large and prestigious projects to perfection.
On today’s show, Seth shares how he manages to keep his finger on the pulse of his business. We reveal the different perks of being a business owner - and why the pros far outweigh the cons.
Enjoy!
What You Will Learn In This Show
- How to grow and scale your business to the next level
- The perks of being a business owner – and why the pros far outweigh the cons
- Importance of having your “finger on the pulse” of your business
- Why you need to work on keeping your sales pipeline full. All the time.
- How to bid for and execute contracting projects in the public space
- And so much more…
Resources
Young Entrepreneurs Across America
How do some student managers manage to hit audacious sales goals and earn cushy profits? While their counterparts enjoy limited success even after working equally hard?
On today’s show, we are joined by YEAA Vice-President’s Josh Drushel and Aaron Acorn who share with us some of the biggest things that can help you evolve from being a good manager to a great one.
At Young Entrepreneurs Across America, we have, over time honed in on systems and processes to help you manage a large painting business without experiencing stress or panic.
The student managers who follow these systems to the T end up running businesses that clock turnovers of $100,000 or more. While those who deviate from these systems enjoy limited success even after working as hard as their counterparts.
So, on today’s show, we have Aaron and Josh sharing some of the biggest and most common mistakes that prevent student managers from hitting their ambitious goals.
One of the most important things that we emphasize is the importance of keeping your recruiting, estimation, and sales pipelines full. If you get too involved in production and shift your focus away from these crucial aspects, you will find yourself lagging behind sooner or later.
Along with the big things, you will also learn why you need to make the “small things” a part of your workflow. Particularly, we talk about the importance of incentivizing your painters, prepping your marketing material, and doing your payroll the right way.
Enjoy!
What You Will Learn In This Show
- How to go from being a good manager to being a great one
- Why you need to keep your recruiting, estimates, and sales pipelines full. All the time.
- Why you should not spread yourself too thin – how to work on your business as opposed to in it
- What are some of the “small things” that can move the needle forward for you?
- And so much more
Resources
Young Entrepreneurs Across America
Leaders Across America
How can a YEAA internship help you build the foundational skillsets that can catapult you ahead of the competition?
On today’s show, we interview Brian Rossini, brand manager for Thrasio who shares with us his distilled wisdom on failure, grit, and leadership.
Back in 2016, Brian ran a $103,000 painting business with YEAA earning a handsome profit of $22,000. For his efforts, he even earned the Manager of the Year award.
As a student painter, Brian learned some valuable and lifelong lessons in grit and leadership which set him up for bigger and better things. You will also learn the importance of taking ownership and having a strong support system to back you up.
After graduating from UMass in 2018, Brian worked as a Business Development Rep with Hubspot before moving on to Thrasio. In every interview, Brian’s experience as a student painter proved to be the differentiating factor that set him apart in a crowded job market.
Thrasio, an e-commerce start-up and an acquirer of Amazon third-party private-label businesses is the fastest company ever to reach a valuation of $1 billion. In this segment of the show, you get a peek into Thrasio’s unique business model which has fuelled their scorching growth.
Enjoy!
What You Will Learn In This Show
- How a YEAA internship can be your USP in a crowded job market
- Most important lessons learned as a YEAA intern
- A peek into Thrasio’s unique business model
- And so much more…
Resources
Thrasio
Young Entrepreneurs Across America
Is it even possible for an eighteen-year-old to get managerial-level experience that is typically available to people in their mid-thirties?
On today’s show, we interviewed UMass student Matt Mongiat. Matt worked with YEAA from 2018-2020 and currently, he is in charge of recruiting for the wellness tracking company, Vessel Health. On today’s show, Matt shares his distilled wisdom on entrepreneurship, leadership, and taking the path less trodden.
From 2018 to 2020, Matt interned with YEAA, and this experience changed him completely as an individual. Before starting his internship, Matt was painfully introverted and admittedly, he found his progress stunted because of his fixed mindset.
As a YEAA intern, Matt got the opportunity that is available to very few nineteen-year-olds. In this first year, Matt ran a $100,000 business that earned profits of $15,000.
He significantly expanded operations in his second year when he managed and coached three rookie managers. As a district manager, Matt’s responsibilities expanded significantly as he ended up managing a $250,000 painting operation.
One of the primary things that attracted Matt to the YEAA internship was the exceptional opportunity to differentiate himself. The internship helped Matt hone his leadership skills while being his own boss. He also built a powerful network of life-long friends that are standing him through thick and thin.
Towards the end of the show, Matt talks about his current employer, Vessel Health. You will learn how Vessel is revolutionizing the way people track their health. Matt also shares how Vessel plans on achieving its audacious goal of hitting a billion-dollar valuation.
Enjoy!
Resources
Vessel Health
Young Entrepreneurs Across America
What is it that top performers do differently? What is the secret success mantra that allows them to win again and again?
On today’s show, we interview Matt Scherer, Account Director, AT&T Global who shares with us his distilled wisdom on entrepreneurship, marketing, and tenacity. As a business leader with AT&T today, Matt manages more than $80 million in revenue today.
Back in 1994, Matt interned with YEAA while he was studying at Bowling Green State University. It has been almost three decades but Matt still vividly remembers his experience as a Student Painter.
In his first year at YEAA, Matt ran a $54,000 painting business and earned a profit of $10,000. He continued his stellar run and eventually went on to earn the Executive of The Year Award.
Looking back, Matt shares how enjoyed being his own boss and taking charge of his own destiny. Be it marketing, managing production or reading P&L statements – all the foundational lessons that Matt learned back in his day have helped him through the course of his extremely successful career.
Currently at AT&T Global, Matt is helping some of the world’s biggest financial organizations like Deutsche and TIAA leverage the latest technologies to better connect with their customers.
You will learn how top performers approach challenges differently. And you will also get some valuable lessons in customer service and satisfaction.
Tune in for some excellent insight!
What You Will Learn In This Show
- The dramatic evolution of technology in the finance and the banking sector
- Relationship building, and how it can catapult you ahead
- Challenges that top performers face and how they overcome them
- Valuable lessons in customer satisfaction
- And so much more…
Resources
Young Entrepreneurs Across America
On today’s show, we are joined by YEAA Vice-President’s Josh Drushel and Aaron Acorn who share with us the 4 keys to starting and managing a successful start-up business.
Drawing from their combined experience of nearly three decades, Josh and Aaron share some of the biggest things that can help eighteen-year-olds manage a large painting business at YEAA (Young Entrepreneurs Across America).
You will learn the importance of having enough human capital at your disposal. Being a labor-intensive business, unless you over-hire and always have some fallback options, your business will stall sooner, or later as “unforeseen circumstances” come up.
Perhaps, retaining your employees is as important (if not more) than the hiring process. And on today’s show, Josh and Aaron emphasize setting expectations right away and rewarding employees adequately.
Next, we discuss marketing and reveal why it’s important to make an early start. Always having a full sales pipeline will help you work out any hiccups so you can hit your revenue goals.
You do not want to miss the show ending where we talk about communication. Clear communication with your vendors, painters, and customers will help you run your first business smoothly and profitably.
This is a show you do not want to miss.
Enjoy!
What You Will Learn In This Show
- The 4 Keys to managing a start-up
- Expert tips for guaranteeing employee satisfaction
- Keeping your sales pipeline full, and how it can help you hit your revenue goals
- How to communicate clearly with your vendors, painters, and customers
- And so much more…
Resources
Young Entrepreneurs Across America
Leaders Across America
On today’s show, we interview Joe Osterfeld, Software Engineer, Bold Penguin who shares how the YEAA internship fast-tracked his career and catapulted him many years ahead of his peers.
Back in 2012 when Joe was studying at the Baldwin Wallace University, his friend Mike informed him how he had managed to make $18,000 over the summer as a student painter with YEAA. Joe was immediately intrigued.
A meaningful internship where he got the opportunity to build some hardcore foundational skills was exactly what Joe was looking for. And YEAA did not disappoint.
Joe ended up running a $65,000 painting business in his first year. And in his second year, as a district manager, he managed and oversaw $300,000 business.
You will learn how YEAA offers college students the opportunity to cultivate their business acumen. And gain experiences that typically mid-level executives gain when they are in their thirties. Joe talks a great deal about how the internship taught him valuable people skills that are holding him in good stead to date.
Upon graduation, Joe managed to snag a job at LexisNexis. Over the years, he has transitioned from sales to software development. Currently, Joe is working as a software engineer with Bold Penguin, one of the largest commercial insurance marketplaces in the country.
Enjoy!
What You Will Learn In This Show
- Building foundational career skills at YEAA
- Cultivating people skills and how it can fast-track your career
- How my YEAA internship helped me secure my dream corporate job
- And so much more…
Resources
Young Entrepreneurs Across America
On today’s show, we interview Andrea and Bryan Mulligan. Andrea and Bryan are proud parents to Entrepreneur of the Year, nineteen-year-old Enin Mulligan who ran an incredible $173,000 business in the summer of 2021.
A business major at UMass, Amherst, Enin was stoked when he first came across the YEAA internship. Andrea and Bryan, however, were cautious and understandably they wanted to make sure that their son was not being scammed.
After all, who would trust a nineteen-year-old to manage a large business? And that too with zero capital investment. After doing their due diligence, Andrea and Bryan were relieved to discover that the YEAA internship was all that they promised. And even more.
Enin was completely committed to his internship from the get-go. And having supportive mentors and a dream team to back him up also gave Enin the confidence to set massive goals.
So, how did Enin manage to run a $173,000 business and earn $40,000?
Andrea and Bryan share how Enin’s tenacity was the single most important thing that led to his incredible success. And Bryan shares how, in fact, he also learned a thing or two about work ethic by supporting Enin through his journey.
They also share the incredible pride that they felt when Enin received his Entrepreneur of the Year Award.
Tune in to this special show today!
What You Will Learn In This Show
- How YEAA gives young adults the incredible opportunity to manage large businesses
- How to maximize your success as a YEAA intern
- Importance of tenacity, and going all-out
- Life Lessons that you will learn as a YEAA intern
- And so much more…
Resources
Young Entrepreneurs Across America
What is the ONE thing that can jumpstart your career and helps you reach your goals faster?
On today’s show, Steve interviews Ben Arwine, Strategic Consultant, Garage Group show shares with us his wisdom on vetting new opportunities and cultivating the entrepreneurial mindset. You will learn the importance of mentorship and why leaning on others is the best way to fast-track your growth.
Back in 2013-2014, Steve interned with YEAA and ran a $45,000 and $300,000 business in his first and second years respectively.
Once Steve started working with YEAA, he realized that the internship was less about painting and more about leadership and growth. Here, you will learn why you should always look at the big picture rather than being swayed by short term gains.
In his first year, Steve made the most common rookie mistake of not utilizing his mentors. So, when he came back to work at YEAA in his second year, he made sure that his mentees learned from his experience.
Currently, as a Strategist with Garage Group, Ben helps large companies overcome their innovation challenges.
Enjoy!
What You Will Learn In This Show
- Understanding the bigger picture and how the YEAA internship can have a transformational impact on your life
- Why learning from others is the best way to fast-track your growth
- Cultivating the entrepreneurial mindset
- And so much more…
Resources
Young Entrepreneurs Across America
On today’s show, we interview Logan Bryant, Associate, Benesch Law who shares with us how the YEAA internship forced him to embrace a new life philosophy. And how he managed to successfully finish his internship after almost reaching breaking point.
You will also learn some important lessons in resilience, organization, and mindset in today’s show.
Born in a small town of 1,500 in rural Ohio, Logan was just going through the motions when he came across the YEAA internship opportunity. Admittedly, at first, he was attracted to YEAA just because it was a far more attractive option compared to working minimum wage at McDonald’s.
But he soon realized that the YEAA internship was much more than that.
Logan talks about the extensive sales training and the mentorship program at YEAA. And how his mentor, Mat Harvey helped him out during the onboarding process.
But, being independent-minded can sometimes work against you. And that’s what happened with Logan when he decided to go with his own gut instinct instead of relying on his mentors. Logan ended up micro-managing his crew and ended up with zero sales in the pipeline midway through his internship.
Admitting defeat would mean missing his sales targets, not being on the award’s trip to Jamaica, and most importantly, letting down his painters who relied on him for their livelihood.
At this breaking point, Logan could quit, but he decided to do something to fix the problem.
Not one to give up easily, Logan spent all day handing out custom quotations to home-owners in Albany. Fortunately for him, at 7 pm, Logan’s phone rang, and he got the order that would keep his painting operation going.
This experience taught Logan the importance of planning and organization. And all these lessons held him achieve his goals in law school. Logan, who had finished his undergraduate degree with a 2.9 GPA finished in the top 10% of his class.
As a corporate M&A lawyer with Benesch Law in Cleveland, Ohio, Logan is helping organizations scale up their operations via the acquisition route. He talks about all the thoroughness and hard work that his job demands from him. He also shares with us his experience of working with billionaires, and what he has learned from them in the process.
You will also learn why Logan was inspired to write his book, Master the Mind.
Tune in to this special show now!
What You Will Learn In This Show
- How the YEAA internship had a transformational impact on my life and taught me some important lessons in planning & organization
- How I went from being a mediocre undergraduate student with a 2.9 GPA to graduating in the top 10% at my law school
- Showing resilience in adversity
- My big WHY that inspired me to write my book
- And so much more….
Resources
Young Entrepreneurs Across America
Master Your Mind
In today’s show, Steve interviews Jillian Walker, Account Manager in Business Development for the Detroit Tigers & Olympia Entertainment who shares her thoughts on mindset, failure, and accountability.
Back in 2015, Jillian interned with us and successfully ran a $70,000 painting business.
Jillian grew up in a small Michigan town and was an extremely involved student who excelled in sports as well as academics. Always game for trying something new, Jillian was extremely excited when she first came across the YEAA internship while studying business administration at Central Michigan University.
Taking up the YEAA internship was a conscious decision to set herself apart in a crowded job market. She talks about the importance of working hard during pre-season and shares how she managed her painting crew that summer in this segment of the show.
You will learn how Jillian enlisted the help of her brother and best friend just so that she could meet her production targets and qualify for the awards trip to Jamaica.
Upon graduation, Jillian first worked in the mortgage industry with Quicken Loans before she got her dream job as an account manager with the Detroit Tigers. Here, Jillian shares her job responsibilities, the different opportunities, as well as challenges.
She talks about how COVID brought all the sporting events to a complete standstill last year, and how she and her team are keen to get back into gear with the end of the pandemic finally in sight.
You will love listening to this show.
Tune in now!
What You Will Learn In This Show
- How the YEAA internship taught me important lessons in time management and accountability
- How to set yourself apart in a crowded space
- How to retain a positive mindset in the face of adversity
- And so much more…
Resources
Young Entrepreneurs Across America
Can the right internship help you land your dream job? And as an intern, can you really learn the critical skillsets that top recruiters look out for?
In today’s show, Steve interviews Dillon Welliver who interned with YEAA back in 2017 and chalked up revenues of $111,000 and profits of $22,000. Dillon, who currently works in the sales division at Salesforce shares with us his wisdom on handling rejection, showing resolve, and building great team cultures.
Originally from Davis, Michigan, Dillon learned about YEAA from a friend. So, he took heed to this advice and signed up for the internship inspite of having zero sales experience.
Being a methodical and hard worker, Dillon started off by focusing on one thing at a time. From handing out flyers to cold-calling to the actual production work, Dillon made sure that each facet of the business was executed to perfection. Particularly, he talks about the importance of team culture and time management in this segment of the show.
Upon graduation, Dillon was keen to work at his dream company, Salesforce. He was rejected three times – but instead of being dissuaded, these experiences only firmed up his resolve. Dillon doubled down on his preparation, and finally got in after his fourth interview.
Dillon shares why conviction is the ONE thing that sets apart the winners from the losers, and how being strategic can move the needle forward.
Enjoy!
What You Will Learn In This Show
- How a YEAA internship can help you build foundational and critical skill-sets
- How time management and planning can move you closer to your goal
- How to handle rejection, and convert a “no” into a “yes”
- How I landed my dream job at Salesforce
- And so much more…
Resources
Young Entrepreneurs Across America
On today’s show, we have with us Marissa Brubaker, the incredible Founder of Forever Evolving who shares with us her thoughts on grit and entrepreneurship.
In 2016, Marissa joined the YEAA internship program while she was going to school at Bowling Green State University.
In her first year with YEAA, Marissa ran a $89,000 business and made over $18,000 in profit. While the money was great, more importantly, the internship gave Marissa the confidence to pursue her MBA and ultimately start her own business.
Looking back, Marissa shares that her emphasis on great customer service and organization helped her successfully sell and produce. Having a supportive mentor to lean on greatly helped Marissa as well.
Inspired by her YEAA experience, Marissa enrolled in The Hatch at The Bowling Green State University. Similar to Shark Tank, The Hatch is an elite ten-week program where students learn the ins and outs of a successful start-up.
Learn how Marissa pitched her business idea of Forever Evolving sports bras and managed to secure funding for her dream project.
Enjoy!
What You Will Learn In This Show
- Biggest takeaways from my YEAA internship
- How the YEAA internship gave me the necessary confidence to pursue my MBA and start my own business
- How I managed to secure funding for my dream startup
- And so much more…
Resources
Marissa’s LinkedIn
Ever wondered how our YEAA interns manage large painting businesses even though they have zero experience?
In today’s show, Steve shares seven key steps to successfully running a $80,000 business. You will learn the importance of starting early, leaning on your mentors, and staying consistent throughout.
While scaling the $80,000 peak may seem like a daunting task, Steve reveals how breaking down your business plan into bite-sized segments can help you achieve your goal.
Enjoy!
What You Will Learn In This Show
- Seven keys to running a $80,000 painting business
- How starting early can lead to a successful YEAA internship
- Importance of leaning on and learning from your mentors
- And so much more…
Resources
Young Entrepreneurs Across America
In today’s show, Steve interviews LinkedIn Account Executive Craig Barry who shares with us his thoughts on mentorship, resilience, and entrepreneurship. Craig won the Entrepreneur of the Year Award in 2016 when he racked up sales of $147,000 in a single summer.
Five years back, Craig was unhappy in a warehouse when he came across his good friend, Brandon who was riding a high after running a $100K painting business. Craig was instantly intrigued. Eager to move away from his hourly job, he instantly applied for the YEAA internship.
The YEAA internship started on a rough note for Craig. Though sales were never an issue, Craig did experience some difficult production problems. At one point, Craig was down to just one painter and he had his whole family step to help so that he could honor his deadline!
Apart from his resilience, Craig talks a great deal about why you should never hesitate to ask for help. He shares that he would have never enjoyed his incredible success without his mentors.
You will also learn how Craig managed to land one of the most prestigious job positions available to UMass graduates – an account executive position with LinkedIn. In fact, Craig was not accepted when he interviewed the first time.
But this is when his resilience and strength came into play again. And sure enough, all this hard work paid off.
You will also get a peek into the work culture at LinkedIn in this segment of the show.
Tune in to get inspired!
What You Will Learn In This Show
- What does it take to succeed as a YEAA intern?
- How leaning on well-meaning mentors and asking for help can catapult you ahead
- Importance of resilience and integrity
- And so much more…
Resources
Young Entrepreneurs Across America
In today’s show, Steve interviews Kevin Martignetti, Director of Talent and Recruiting at Vessel who shares his wisdom on persistence, networking, and mindset.
Back in 2014, while studying business at UMass Amherst, Kevin continuously felt that something was unsatisfactory. His lack of real-world experience was clearly frustrating him. This is when the YEAA opportunity came knocking.
Kevin shares how he had 24 no’s before finally getting his first sale as a student painter. A strong support system helped Kevin ride out this difficult start up as he reached out to seniors at YEAA for advice.
Kevin’s efforts paid off big time as his painting business touched revenue of $120,000 and profits of $28,000 in the first year. In his second year, two of his friends joined him and they managed to scale up their business 10x what it was.
The YEAA program continued to benefit Kevin after graduation. He set up a real estate development company with his peers.
After dabbling in the consulting space for a bit, Kevin is currently working with Vessel Health, an organization that is revolutionizing the wellness space.
For all you aspiring and young entrepreneurs out there, Kevin shares some crucial traits that are commonly found in successful people.
Enjoy!
What You Will Learn In This Show
- How a powerful peer network can propel you ahead
- How I ran a million-dollar business as a sophomore
- What a YEAA internship teaches you about business that formal education does not
- And so much more…
Resources
Vessel Health
Mindset
Young Entrepreneurs Across America
How would you face a challenge that requires you to venture into the unknown? And if you were told that “you were not up to it”?
On today’s show, Steve interviews Alecia Hitchman, Senior Account Executive, at Hyland Software who shares her thoughts on conviction, ownership, and excellence.
Alecia came across YEAA in her sophomore year at Bowling Green State University. Apart from being involved in sports and theatre, she was also involved in different student organizations.
While some naysayers (including her own professor) advised Alecia that she was not cut out for the internship, eventually she decided to take on the challenge. And her conviction paid off – big time. With $10K in profit and $47K in sales, Alecia was the only female to get an honor award that year.
Perhaps, relinquishing ownership was the biggest lesson that she learned that year. You will also learn the importance of good and empathetic communication in this segment of the show.
Today, Alecia works as an account executive for Hyland Software – a company that automates and streamlines business processes. She gives us a peek into her role and shares how her team has helped her quickly traverse the journey from being an intern to a high-ranking executive.
Enjoy!
What You Will Learn In This Show
- Importance of excellence and integrity
- How relinquishing ownership can help you build great culture and teams
- Is the YEAA internship a good fit for you?
- Why the YEAA internship is more about management than painting
- And so much more…
Resources
Young Entrepreneurs Across America
Read HTML articles in our blog section to learn everything about web design and development. You will find great tips.
In today’s show, Steve interviews, YEAA alumni and film editor, Phil Serzo. Phil interned with YEAA from 2012-2014 before venturing into film production.
If you are a college student looking for an internship program that will give you a leg up and prepare you for the real world, then you should seriously consider YEAA’s one-of-a-kind management program.
So, WHAT makes YEAA such a unique and rewarding program? And, what are some of the foundational skills that you can pick up as a YEAA intern? Can a YEAA internship really fast track your career and put you miles ahead of the competition?
Phil reveals the answers to these and many more questions in today’s show.
In this sophomore year, Phil wasn’t really sure what he wanted to do with his life. He was just wading through life with an utter lack of focus and ambition. After a night of partying, when he was out for an early morning bite, he came across an intriguing YEAA flyer.
And this flyer pretty much changed the trajectory of his life.
In his rookie year at YEAA, Phil managed to notch up sales of $68,000 and a neat profit of $10,000. He came back for two more summers – and his profits rocketed exponentially every year.
College is supposed to be a rite of passage – which transforms an adolescent into a man. However, formal education does not equip you with real-world skills
Listeners will learn how a YEAA internship fills this gap by helping students hone their problem-solving skills and time-management skills. Additionally, when you sign up for a YEAA internship, you will also learn the importance of hardcore work ethic.
After YEAA, Phil decided to go into film production. And he took up an apprenticeship in NY City at The Edit Centre. In the last segment of the show, Phil also gives us a peek into the gig economy and reveals what all he is doing to counter the challenges brought on by covid.
Enjoy!
What You Will Learn In This Show
- What makes a YEAA internship such a different and unique experience?
- Does college really prepare you for the real world?
- How a YEAA internship can equip you with foundational skillsets and prepare you for the real world
- And so much more…
Resources
Young Entrepreneurs Across America
What do high-achievers do differently that others don’t? How do they achieve their goals of raising the bar higher and higher?
In today’s show, Steve interviews David Ploesser, District Marketing Manager at Federated Insurance, he shares his distilled wisdom on determination, relationships, and mindset. You will learn how betting on yourself can push you to achieve your biggest and most audacious goals.
“A typical 9 to 5 gets you typical results” ~ This is what David lives by, day-in, day-out.
Back in 2011, this mindset helped David become one of the top-performing managers in the country. He earned more than $30,000 in revenue of $100,00 in a single summer. This incredible performance was no fluke, and David shares what he did to make his YEAA internship a resounding success in the segment of the show.
David draws some interesting parallels between YEAA and his current employer, Federated Insurance. At Federated Insurance, David is a branch manager heading a team of 9 high-performing individuals.
David opens up his playbook here and shares why great relationships are key to success in sales. You will also learn about the creative marketing strategies which have catapulted David and his team to the top 10% in the country.
If you are looking for some actionable ways to boost your productivity and growth, tuning in today will particularly help you out.
Enjoy!
What You Will Learn In This Show
- How I made $30,000 as a rookie branch manager at YEAA
- How surrounding yourself with the right people can help you raise the bar higher and higher
- How to channel your fear and boost your productivity
- How to leverage your relationships in the right way
- Getting comfortable with being uncomfortable
- And so much more…
Resources
Young Entrepreneurs Across America
In today’s show, Steve interviews UMass Masters student and all-time YEAA sales record-holder, Charles Bohl. While an average intern at Young Entrepreneurs manages to notch up sales of $75,000, Charles managed to reach $200K in revenue! ($201,395 to be exact).
So, how did Charles manage this impossible feat? In today’s show, listeners will learn how a mix of hardcore commitment, altruistic intent, and a strong support system made this possible.
It is difficult to believe that growing up Charles was very introverted. Raised in a small town with a population of 700, Charles just had one friend. So, it was hardly surprising that he found it very difficult when he first started college at UMass, Amherst.
But he soon realized the importance of reaching out to people – no matter how uncomfortable it was for him.
This evolution in his personality was further accelerated once he joined Young Entrepreneurs in the summer of 2019.
So, when he first joined Young Entrepreneurs, did he have any audacious goals in mind? Had he chalked out any strategy before starting out?
Charles reveals that he had a couple goals in mind, including, keeping his clients and painters super happy.
And, this altruistic intent was perhaps the biggest reason for his stupendous success.
Additionally, Charles shares how he massively under-estimated the power of surrounding himself with great people. Having Steve and the other YEAA seniors at his disposal helped Charles keep his eye on the ball.
Other topics discussed on today’s show include the value of a well-rounded education and why you need to get comfortable with the idea of “being uncomfortable”.
Enjoy!
What You Will Learn In This Show
- Attributes that helped me break the all-time sales record at Young Entrepreneurs
- Importance of working with 100% integrity
- Why you need to get comfortable with the idea of “being uncomfortable”
- How a well-rounded education can set you up for success
- And so much more...
Resources
Young Entrepreneurs Across America
In today’s show, Steve dives into the TWO main types of mindsets: Growth mindset & Fixed mindset.
Are you constantly afraid of being judged? Does the thought of doing something new scare you out of your wits? Is the fear of rejection stopping you from realizing your full potential? If the answer to these questions is in the affirmative, you probably have a fixed mindset.
Whereas if you have a growth mindset, you can go on to achieve your moonshots – those Big, Hairy, Audacious Goals.
But, what can you do if you have a fixed mindset? Is the evolution from a fixed mindset to a growth mindset even possible? Can you shed a mindset which you have lived with all your life?
Sure, you can!
Steve shares some actionable tips to help you out!
Tune in for some excellent nuggets!
What You Will Learn In This Show
- How to shed a fixed mindset
- How cultivating a growth mindset can help you achieve your most audacious goals
- The power of surrounding yourself with the right people
- And so much more…
Resources
Young Entrepreneurs Across America
In today’s show of Leaders Across America, Steve interviews Sean Nastase, district sales coordinator, Aflac.
Growing up in Nebraska and Michigan, Sean always had a big engine for work and a love for sports. As a sophomore, when he came across YEAA, he was instantly excited at the prospect of running his own business.
Sean shares how YEAA taught him all the nuances of running a business. From hiring the right people to managing your finances to handling production, Sean learned a lot in a short period of time.
This experience of his helped him land his dream insurance job at Aflac. Listeners will learn how Sean beat out better educated and more qualified individuals when he was hired as a sales commission agent at this insurance company.
In this segment of the show, you will learn about Aflac’s business model – which is not unlike YEAA.
Currently, as a 22-year old, Sean is responsible for asset management and training other agents who are far older than him.
Topics discussed in today’s show include the importance of committing yourself 100%, the importance of developing a stellar mindset, and developing the confidence to start your own business at a young age.
Enjoy!
What You Will Learn In This Show
- How my YEAA experience helped me hone transferable and critical skillsets
- How running my student painting business helped me get my dream job in the insurance industry
- The power of believing in yourself
- Importance of time management and prioritization
- And so much more…
Resources
YEAA
In today’s show, Steve interviews Aaron Griffin. Aaron worked with YEAA from 2015-2019 and won the Entrepreneur of the Year Award in 2017 for running a $150,000 business, a record in the MI division that stands to date. Aaron has also authored the book, Get After It and hosts a podcast by the same name.
Growing up, Aaron hated entrepreneurship.
Aaron had been helping his father run his pizzeria since he was 12. He had witnessed, first-hand how difficult it was to run a small business.
So, in spite of this, why did Aaron decide to join YEAA in his freshman year?
Aaron shares how he was blown away by the body language of YEAA interns when he first attended the informational meeting. He immediately realized that a YEAA internship was a whole different ball game compared to running a pizzeria.
In the next segment of the show, Aaron shares some interesting details about his YEAA internship. In this first year as a YEAA intern, Aaron’s painting business notched up sales of $150,000 and profits of $10,000.
Aaron was the only student across YEAA to work as a branch manager in his second year. As a branch manager, Aaron went from managing a team of 5 people to managing a team of 25 people.
And, of course, in this third year, Aaron won the Entrepreneur of the Year Award for his spectacular performance as a branch manager in New England, Greater Boston. In his two years as a branch manager, Aaron notched up revenues of $3MM, created 400 summer jobs, and trained 75 branch managers!
So, what sort of mindset do you need to be number #1 on the country?
One of the themes that we touch upon in this show is the importance of being coachable and building tangible skill sets.
Aaron shares how being a part of YEAA can give you access to some incredible mentors who can help you grow to the next level.
Apart from this, Aaron also shares his big WHY that inspired him to write his book and create his podcast.
Enjoy!
What You Will Learn In This Show
- Importance of being coachable and building tangible skillsets
- Mindset strategies to beat the competition and be #1 in your field
- The power of getting mentored by the right mentors
- And so much more.
Resources
YEAA
In today’s show, Steve interviews Colleen Harlan, real estate agent, Keller Williams. Colleen was with YEAA from 2014 – 2016. In her rookie year at YEAA, Colleen managed to break the all-time sales record as she notched up sales of $190,000.
So, how did Colleen manage this incredible feat?
We start this show with Colleen sharing an interesting backstory. Growing up in Minnesota in a close-knit and humble family, Colleen first heard about YEAA in her first year as a student at the University of Wisconsin.
Colleen reveals that she was immediately excited at the opportunity to do business without taking on any risk. Moreover, with no good internship alternatives to consider, signing up for the YEAA internship seemed like an attractive proposition.
But, notwithstanding these advantages, did Colleen have any concerns?
Colleen shares that she had some (misguided) qualms about venturing into a predominantly male field.
In the next segment of the show, Colleen goes on to reveal how she managed her record-breaking feat. Colleen went on to execute 73 different projects over the summer - the average project value being around $2,000.
In this part of the show, Colleen shares how good people skills, the fortitude to deal with life and business events, and the support of other rookie managers helped her along the way.
In the last segment of the show, Colleen reveals some interesting details about her current work as a real estate agent with Keller Williams. She shares how the YEAA experience helps her hone her entrepreneurial skills and gave her the confidence to work as a real estate agent. She wraps up this show by sharing her ambitious future blueprint.
We hope you enjoy listening to this show!
What You Will Learn In This Show
- What kind of mindset do you need to be the absolute best?
- How systems and processes can help you scale up your business
- How people skills can help you manage a large business
- And so much more…
Resources
YEAA Internship
In today’s show, Steve interviews Chris Moore, CEO and Executive Advisor at Elite Business Advisors. Chris worked with YEAA from 2010 – 2016. He shares some of the biggest takeaways from his YEAA experience and reveals how it helped him discover his love and passion for coaching and mentoring.
Chris starts this show by sharing his interesting backstory.
Back in 2010, Chris was waiting tables at Red Robin. This is when he came across YEAA through a common friend. The opportunity to manage a multi-thousand-dollar business with no financial risk had Chris immediately excited. And he was quick to grasp this opportunity.
In his first year at YEAA, Chris managed to touch sales of $75,000. Later on, as a student executive, sales from Chris’s business skyrocketed to a quarter-million dollars.
Chris shares how, as a student executive, he got the opportunity to coach and mentor other students. Chris’s experience with YEAA lasted for six rewarding years.
In 2017, as his entrepreneurial drive kicked in, Chris branched into business coaching with Elite Business Advisors. In the latter segment of the show, Chris makes some interesting comparisons between his B2B business and B2C business (YEAA).
We hope you enjoy this show!
What You Will Learn In This Show
- How a YEAA internship gives you the opportunity to hone foundational and transferable skillsets
- How to run a student painting business with zero financial risk
- How YEAA allows you the opportunity to mentor other students and develop your leadership skills
- And so much more…
Resources
YEAA Internship
Chris’s Email
Elite Business Advising
In today’s show, Steve interviews Joe Schuit, a sports construction consultant at Byrne and Jones Construction.
Joe has always ascribed to the “work hard, play hard” mentality. And growing up, Joe was big-time into sports – but this did not affect his studies in any way. When Joe was in his sophomore year, he got an opportunity to sign up with YEAA for a very rewarding internship that lasted for two years.
In the next segment of the show, Joe reveals some of the biggest takeaways from his YEAA experience. Listeners will learn how a YEAA internship can help develop a wide array of transferable and foundational business skill-sets.
At YEAA, you are not plugging in numbers into an excel sheet. Rather, this is a unique opportunity to garner real-world experience at a very young age. You will get to learn about estimation, sales, marketing, production, and finance – skills that you would normally pick up in your late twenties or early thirties.
Joe shares that YEAA was an extremely rewarding financial proposition as well. In this first summer, Joe managed to notch up $11,000 in profits. His second year was even more spectacular as Joe broke the $100,000 sales barrier, and his profits touched $23,000 – a particularly sizable amount for a college student.
In the last segment of the show, Joe shares some interesting information about his role as a sports construction consultant at Byrne and Jones. In this sales position, Joe has managed to crack deals worth $50 million in the last four years alone.
Listeners will learn how a YEAA internship can equip you with the foundational skill sets necessary to snag your dream position – just like Joe.
We hope you enjoy this show!
What You Will Learn In This Show
- Foundational skills that you can learn at YEAA internship
- How does a YEAA internship compare to other internships?
- How my YEAA internship helped me snag my dream sales position in the construction industry
- And so much more…
Resources
YEAA Internship
In today’s show, Steve interviews Chase Lawson, Account Executive, Oracle NetSuite.
This show starts with Chase sharing his interesting backstory. Originally from South Carolina, Chase has spent a part of his childhood in New Hampshire and Pennsylvania. Chase decided to attend Clemson University for his major in accounting and financial management.
Chase came across YEAA in 2013 when he was in his senior year at Clemson. The opportunity to run a large business as a college student with zero financial risk had Chase all excited. And he immediately signed up for the internship.
Chase ended up having a blockbuster rookie year as he led a team of student painters to notch up sales of $140,000 and profits of $33,000. This incredible performance of his won him the “Manager of the Year” award at YEAA.
After this stellar performance, it was hardly surprising that Chase stayed with YEAA for two more years. Apart from the monetary aspect, Chase shares how the opportunity to help others inspired him to come back for two more years.
In the next segment of the show, Chase gives us a peek into his life as an account executive at Oracle. Based in Austin, Chase regularly ranks among the top-performing account executive at NetSuite. Chase shares how his YEAA internship has helped him hit the ground running at Oracle.
Chase has also authored a book, Financial Freedom: Breaking the Chains to Independence and Creating Massive Wealth. Chase shares his big WHY that inspired him to write this personal finance book.
We hope you enjoy this show!
What You Will Learn In This Show
- How a YEAA internship can help create foundational and critical skill-sets
- How my YEAA sales experience helped me hit the ground running at Oracle
- Importance of having a good personal finance education
- And so much more…
Resources
Chase’s YouTube Channel
Financial Freedom: Breaking the Chains to Independence and Creating Massive Wealth
YEAA Internship
In today’s show of Leaders Across America, Steve interviews Ian Scott, Sales Office Manager, Safehaven Security.
Ian was with YEAA from 2016 – 2019. He joined YEAA when he was a freshman at Jacksons College.
In his first year as a student painter, Ian managed to notch up sales of $200,000. While in 2019, as a student manager, Ian had other student painters working under him. In his last year, he managed sales worth half-a-million dollars.
From cold-calling to imbibing a solid work ethic, Ian shares some of the biggest lessons that he learned in his three-years at YEAA.
Specifically, he shares the importance of being immune to rejections. Listeners will learn why embracing rejections is the ONLY way of being great at outside sales.
In the next segment of the show, Ian gives us a peek into his daily responsibilities as a sales office manager at Safehaven security, an organization in the home security business. Ian is responsible for recruiting, training, and outside sales here.
Ian shares how he managed to beat out the competition and snag this prestigious job. Specifically, he shares how his impressive YEAA experience played an important role in him getting hired in the first place.
Other topics discussed in today’s show include mindset strategies for being great at outside sales, the importance of working on your weaknesses, and some critical attributes of highly successful leaders.
We hope you enjoy this show!
What You Will Learn In This Show
- How to handle and get over rejection
- Importance of leading from the front
- How YEAA can help you gain foundational and critical skill-sets
- How to indulge in critical self-evaluation and work on your weaknesses
- How to develop the right mindset for outside sales
- And so much more…
Resources
YEAA Internship
In today’s show, Steve interviews Cate Latting, Executive Regional Manager at Young Entrepreneurs Across America.
This show starts with Cate sharing how she got involved with YEAA in the first place. Outgoing and athletic, Cate got a chance to co-op in her sophomore year. In this segment of the show, Cate talks a bit about the mental hurdles that she had to overcome when she first got involved in the painting business. Was it worth taking up all the challenges?
Next, Cate gives us some interesting insights into her summer stint where she ended up making an $18,000 profit from her painting job. Home-owners, Cate reveals, like to buy from young and excited students who are heavily invested in making a better future for themselves. Further, you will also learn how having an accountability partner inspired Cate on to put in her best.
One theme that we discuss quite a bit is the importance of communication and follow-up. As is common with many folks who are managing their first business venture, Cate was afraid that incessant follow-up would kill her sale. She talks about her struggle with overcoming this mental hurdle.
Cate also shares how, given the chance she will handle her employees differently. Having gone through 25 painters throughout summer made her realize that she needs to better incentivize her employees.
In her second year at YEAA, Cate is managing a team of 7 first-year interns. How does she plan on mentoring these interns to have a more successful second year?
We wrap with this show with Cate sharing some great advice for aspiring entrepreneurs. Tune in for some excellent insights!
What You Will Learn in This Show:
- How to communicate with prospects and convince them to hire you
- How to deal with your employees and build a dream team for your business
- How an accountability partner can inspire you to put in your best
Resources:
Young Entrepreneurs Across America
Today’s show is a special one as Steve talks to parents of interns to learn how the YEAA internship affected the lives of their sons and daughters from a growth and leadership perspective.
Steve first talks to Dan and Patti, Ian’s parents. Six weeks into his college, Ian first called up Dan and Patti and informed them that he had snagged an exciting internship where he would be running a $75,000 business over the summer.
Needless to say, Dan and Patti responded back with skepticism and concern. After all, how could an eighteen-year-old run a business? Would they have to invest any money upfront? All this sounded too good to be true. Right?
Valid concerns.
Dan and Patti share how their skepticism was slowly replaced with wonder and gratitude as the YEAA experience helped transform Ian into a responsible and extremely hard-working individual. They share how, contrary to popular perception, the internship is more about grooming leaders than teaching students the ropes of the painting business.
Ian returned to YEAA for as a student executive to eventually run a painting business that clocked half-a-million dollars in sales. Currently, Ian is studying engineering at UMASS, Amherst.
Our next interviewee’s on today’s show is Jody, Riley’s mom.
Like Ian’s parents, Jody was pretty apprehensive about the internship when she first learned about it. She goes on to reveal how Jody went on to run a $300,000 business while mentoring other students.
Jody also shares how she and her husband helped Riley alter her mindset so that she could develop the fortitude to manage her business.
We hope you enjoy this show!
What You Will Learn In This Show
- How the YEAA internship allows eighteen-year-olds to run a multi-thousand-dollar business while grooming their leadership skills
- How the YEAA internship allows college students to manage a painting business without any financial commitment
- What sort of mentorship does YEAA provide to its interns?
- And so much more…
Resources
YEAA Internship
In today’s show, Steve interviews Enin Mulligan, a college student from UMass, Amherst. Enin shares how he managed to notch sales of $170,000 in his painting business in his very first year with YEAA.
We start this show with Enin sharing what attracted him to YEAA in the first place. Enin was introduced to this exciting business opportunity through an info session at his college. Talking to other students who had already gone through the program convinced and inspired Enin to take up this challenge.
Enin was quick to realize that if he could really leverage the well-oiled systems and processes if he would simply outwork everyone else. And that’s exactly what he did.
When others were putting out 500 flyers, Enin was putting out 1,000. While others would unwind with their friends or family after dinner, Enin would be out marketing his business early into the morning.
The end result?
His mammoth marketing effort that involved putting out 40,000 flyers in 5 months paid off big time as revenues touched $170,000.
Not bad for an eighteen-year college student with zero business experience. Right?
In today’s show, Enin reveals what all made his incredible success possible. What fears did he have to overcome going into the internship? Was it really stressful to manage his team of painters? How did eighteen-year-old, Enin motivate and inspire his painters to go the extra mile?
For all this and much more, tune in to our latest show now!
What You Will Learn In This Show
- How a YEAA internship allows you to run a large business without any experience
- What are some skillsets that you will pick up as a YEAA intern?
- How to market and sell painting services to complete strangers
- Cold-calling strategies for running a profitable painting business
- And so much more…
Resources
YEAA Internship
In today’s show, Steve interviews Mike Robinson, Executive Vice President, Huntington Bank. Mike handles the wealth management business at Huntington which includes private banking, wealth and investment management, and retirement plan services.
Today, Mike shares why he thinks a YEAA internship is a unique and extremely rewarding experience for college students who are eager to develop core foundational skill sets.
As a business leader, Mike has interviewed and hired numerous people over the years. While 4.0 students have some obvious skill sets, Mike shares how large organizations are equally eager to hire enterprising people with good people skills.
He goes on to share how a YEAA internship helps young people learn all the critical facets of running a business. From recruiting and training to negotiating and estimating, YEAA teaches skill sets that a young person will not learn before they are in their late twenties or early thirties.
While the money at YEAA is great, what is even more important is how it builds your resume.
So, what type of individual should pursue a YEAA internship? Should you consider this internship if you are planning on taking a corporate job? Is it really possible to learn critical managerial skills while running a painting business?
For all this and much more, tune in to our latest show now!
Enjoy!
What You Will Learn In This Show
- How a YEAA internship can help you hone critical and foundational skill sets
- How an entrepreneurial mindset can help you find success in a crowded marketplace
- Is it possible to learn critical skills while running a painting business?
- And so much more…
Resources
YEAA Internship
In today’s show, Steve interviews Brittany Piening, a junior at Ohio State University.
Growing up in Cincinnati, Brittany had to give up her dream of being a professional dancer after dislocating her knee thrice. Currently, she is studying to be a doctor.
In her freshman year, Brittany came across the YEAA internship program courtesy her seniors, Sadie and Matt. What drew Brittany to the program apart from the opportunity of earning thousands of dollars in the summer? In this segment of the show, Brittany shares her big WHY and reveals what all make the YEAA internship such a unique opportunity.
In her first year at YEAA, Brittany’s painting business clocked revenues of $75,000 and profits of $13,000. Listeners will learn some of the biggest lessons that Brittany learned in her rookie year. Topics discussed here include the importance of having a good production team to back you up and the value of being coachable.
On the basis of her YEAA sales experience, Brittany got an opportunity to intern with a billion-dollar company. Unfortunately, this opportunity fell through because of COVID.
So, she worked as a sales counselor at LA Fitness before making the decision to re-join YEAA.
In her second year at YEAA, Brittany is targeting sales of $350,000.
So, what made Brittany come back to YEAA? Is there a real dearth of good internships in the job market? Do other internships give you the opportunity to hone your critical skillsets and grow as individuals? Tune in to find out!
We hope you enjoy this show!
What You Will Learn In This Show
- What are some critical skills that you can learn as a student painter with YEAA?
- The immense value in being coachable
- What makes the YEAA internship a special and unique experience?
- And so much more…
Resources
YEAA Internship
In today’s show, Steve interviews Sherv, senior year at UMass, Amherst.
Growing up, Sherv always was always driven and had a big engine for work. When he was just 14, Sherv started working in a furniture store. This experience stoked his entrepreneurial spirit and instilled in him a keen desire to start his own business someday.
Sherv stumbled upon YEAA in his freshman year at UMass. And he was quick to grasp this exciting opportunity.
However, his first year was a rough one where he struggled to figure out the nuances of running a painting business. And even though he “screwed up a lot”, he managed to chalk up revenues of $80,000 and profits of $18,000 in his rookie year.
His second year at YEAA was even more spectacular as he managed revenues of $120,000 and profits of $43,000.
So, how was Sherv’s first-year different from his second-year? What important lessons did Sherv learn in his first year that helped him notch up a dramatically better second-year?
In this segment of the show, listeners will learn how surrounding yourself with well-meaning mentors can help you overcome some of the biggest challenges.
Additionally, we also discuss the importance of a powerful mindset. If you “got your head right”, you can find the fortitude to overcome some of your biggest and unforeseen professional challenges.
We hope you enjoy this show!
What You Will Learn In This Show
- How a YEAA internship can equip you with transferable and foundational skillsets
- How a strong network can help you overcome some of your biggest challenges
- Importance of a powerful mindset and “getting your head right”
- And so much more…
Resources
Young Entrepreneurs Across America
In today’s show, Steve interviews Logan LaMance, Founder, Kanga Coolers.
Logan graduated from Clemson in 2018. As a first-year student at Clemson, Logan had little inclination from entrepreneurship. Till he discovered YEAA.
In fact, Logan calls his first-year at YEAA the “most transformative” year of his life. At YEAA, Logan inculcated some critical habits and routines that are commonly found in successful people.
However, his YEAA stint was not without challenges.
Particularly, Logan shares how all his painters quit when he was in his first year at YEAA. Did Logan manage to meet his sales goal inspite of this? What important lessons did Logan learn in his first-year that eventually led to a spectacular second-year?
The next segment of the show is about Logan’s business, Kanga LLC. Logan was majorly into tailgating at Clemson. And he was fed up with lugging around large coolers just so that he could enjoy a chilled beer or soda. This led to Logan discussing the idea of a “koozie” for a beer case in a class project at Clemson – and eventually, Kanga LLC.
Logan also shares how he managed to successfully pitch Kanga LLC on Shark Tank. After carrying the Shark Tank application for nearly two years in his backpack, what prompted Logan to finally take the plunge? He shares all the extensive preparation that helped Kanga coolers secure funding from the Sharks.
Other topics discussed on today’s show include managing cash flow, product development, the importance of resilience, innovative marketing techniques, and much, much more…
We hope you enjoy this show.
What You Will Learn In This Show
- Why resilience is the most important trait of successful entrepreneurs
- Biggest challenges of bootstrapping a business
- How marketing and innovative product development can help carve out a place for yourself in a crowded marketplace
- How I manage to pitch my idea at Shark Tank
And much, much more…
Resources
Kanga Coolers
Young Entrepreneurs Across America
In today’s show, Steve interviews Jordan Ames, Associate Marketing Manager, Hubspot. He is also the Founder/President of the Isenberg Sales Club. Jordan worked with YEAA from 2014-2016.
Jordan always had the entrepreneurial bug. As a high school student, Jordan was always working odd jobs to earn some extra cash to cover expenses. Later on, as a college student at UMass Amherst, Jordan was majorly into football and basketball.
Perhaps, it was this competitive spirit that made Jordan snap the YEAA internship when he came across it. But this internship came with its own set of challenges.
In his rookie year, Jordan admits he used to initially short-change the customer. However, he was quick to realize the benefits of under-promising and over-delivering. Jordan shares how he put these learnings to good use in his second year at student painters.
In the next segment of the show, Jordan shares how his tenacity helped him land a job at Hubspot. Here, he also gives us a peek into his daily responsibilities. Moreover, he talks at length about how sales should be relationship-focused with an eye on the long term.
Other topics discussed in today’s show include goal-setting tips, critical skills that you can hone at YEAA, the importance of maintaining a good work-life balance, and much, much more…
We hope you enjoy this show.
What You Will Learn In This Show
- Transferable skill sets that you can hone at YEAA
- Importance of under-promising and over-delivering
- Why sales is a relationship-focused, long-term game
- Importance of maintaining a good work life balance
And much, much more…
Resources
Young Entrepreneurs Across America
In today’s show, Steve interviews Jake Ignasiak, Account Executive, Consumer Sales at Harris Blitzer Sports and Entertainment.
Jake has a sports management degree from the University of Michigan. In his sophomore year, Jake came across YEAA and was quick to snap up the opportunity to run his own business and be his own boss. In this segment of the show we discuss the three things that make an ideal internship – an internship that lays the foundation for a successful career ahead.
Next, Jake shares some interesting details about his incredibly successful YEAA stint. He reveals how he managed to generate revenues of $87,000 over a single summer taking up painting jobs in Northern Michigan.
His YEAA experience paid off in more ways than one as Jake landed his dream job – that of an account executive at Harris Blitzer Sports and Entertainment. Jake regales listeners with some interesting anecdotes in this part of the show. You will learn how he was selected from 5,000 applicants for this position. He also gives a peek into the sports management industry, and reveals some crucial attributes that can help you find success in this incredibly tough industry.
We hope you enjoy this show!
What You Will Learn In This Show
- What constitutes an ideal internship?
- What makes a YEAA internship so unique and incredibly rewarding
- A peek into the sports management industry
- The transferable skill sets that you pick up at YEAA
And much, much more...
Resources
YEAA
Jake Ignasiak
In today’s special show, Steve interviews three former students who have gone through the entire 3-year Young Entrepreneurs (YEAA) internship experience. Ian, Evan, and Michael share some of the biggest takeaways from this experience and reveal how this internship helped him grow as individuals.
The first intern we talk to is Ian.
Ian is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. He started with YEAA in the summer of 2017 and managed to chalk up sales of $59,000 and a profit of $12,000.
His second-year at YEAA was starkly different from his first. In his second-year, Ian assumed the role of a rookie executive and had 3 managers under him. Here, Ian shares that his biggest takeaway was that he learned to motivate other people and “make things happen”.
Moreover, he got the opportunity to coach and work alongside the top performer in company history. In this segment of the show, Ian also how he managed to scale up his business to half-a-million-dollars in revenues.
Like Ian, Evan, our second intern also worked with YEAA for three straight summers.
While Kevin’s performance as a student painter was exemplary, he did manage to step from the business every once in a while and have his own share of fun. If you are feeling burnt out due to your workload, you will find this segment of the show particularly interesting.
Our third intern, Michael has gone through the first two phases of the YEAA internship. In fact, Michael finished first in the state and second in the country in his rookie year as he notched up sales of $134,000.
Michael shares his audacious goals for 2021 when he will commence the third phase of his YEAA internship. He also has some excellent advice for college students who are eager to make their mark.
We hope you enjoy this show.
What You Will Learn In This Show
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How a Young Entrepreneurs internship can equip you with transferable skill sets
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Importance of a good work-life balance
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How to motivate others and make things happen
- And so much more….
Resources
Young Entrepreneurs YEAA
In today’s show of Leaders Across America, Steve interviews Joel Puthoff, sales performance coach, and trainer, Fortune 5 Consulting.
As a teenager, Joel admits he lacked focus and drive. Joel admits that he went to college just to play basketball and have fun. In one semester, Joel did particularly badly and ended up with a GPA of 2.0. This served as a wake-up call for him. And at this opportune time, Joel came across YEAA.
At YEAA, Joel shares how he managed to work in a completely hands-off manner – and yet scale up his operations. In this segment of the show, you will learn how Joel managed to delegate all essential business functions – from cold calling to painting.
After graduation, Joel was interviewing with different firms. But his paths crossed yet again with Steve and he ended up moving to Charlotte to manage the student painting operations in the Carolinas. In this segment of the show, Joel regales listeners will some interesting stories about how he managed to set up operations and overcome some of his biggest challenges. After a tumultuous first year, it was relatively smooth sailing for Joel as he managed to scale up the painting business to $2.8 million in annual revenues.
In the last segment of the show, Joel talks a bit about this current role as a sales performance coach and trainer at Fortune Five Consulting. In his position, Joel helps SAAS based organizations grow and scale their operations. Here, Joel talks about he initially struggled to grasp the finer technical nuances of the technology word.
Joel also shares some interesting details about his soon-to-be-launched book which focuses on human optimization or developing high-performance habits.
We hope you enjoy this show!
What You Will Learn In This Show
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How can a YEAA internship set the foundation for a successful career
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How to work in a hands-off manner and scale up your business
- A peek into the world of technical consultancy
- And much, much more...
Resources
Joel Puthoff
Fortune 5 Consulting
Apply for your YEAA Internship here!
In today’s show of Leader’s Across America, we interview Danny Rice. Danny was with YEAA from 2014-2016. Apart from YEAA, Danny has interned with some iconic organizations like Merrill Lynch and Harley Davidson. Currently, Danny works a as an account executive at P&G.
We start this show with Danny recalling how he got involved with YEAA in the first place. As a teenager, he had little direction about what he wanted to do. But the opportunity to manage all aspects of a business at a young age got him excited to sign up for the student painter internship.
Additionally, Danny goes on to share how he managed to snag his very first painting job. Here, Danny regales listeners with his “rain dance story” – which reminds us that if we keep on dancing, it WILL rain ultimately.
Danny also gives us a peek into the unique bond that student painters share with their mentors. Other topics discussed in this segment of the show include imbibing a “No BS (Blame Shift) Attitude” and how to overcome your fear of making mistakes.
Listeners will learn how Danny managed to notch up $70,000 in revenues in his first year and $200,000 revenues in his second year at YEAA.
His YEAA experience helped him snag prestigious internships with Merrill Lynch and Harley Davidson where he learned the nuances of finances and marketing respectively. This ultimately led to a coveted position at P&G.
Other topics discussed in this show include developing a high-performance work ethic, and the importance of maintaining a positive attitude.
We hope you enjoy this show!
What You Will Learn In This Show
- How to cultivate a positive and never-say-die attitude
- How to strategically get internships at organizations that help you gain forward momentum
- How a YEAA internship can equip you with transferable skill-sets
- How a high-performance work ethic can take you places in a corporate setting
- And much, much more...
Resources
Apply for your YEAA Internship here
In today’s show, Steve interviews Danny Robinson, Professional Financial Advisor, Sigma Investments.
This show starts with Danny recalling how he ended up working for YEAA as a seventeen-year-old. Admittedly, Danny’s mentor helped him ease into this new role. Further, listeners will learn how healthy competition egged Danny on to give his best.
So, what challenges did Danny have to overcome as an intern with Young Entrepreneurs? He talks about his struggle with balancing the different aspects of a business. Danny also shares how quick thinking and a strong network helped him overcome some high-pressure situations.
The next segment of this show is about Danny’s role as a financial advisor with Sigma Investment. Here, listeners will learn why taking calculated risks is necessary to grow in your profession. Danny reveals how he managed to secure this lucrative position, and how his Student Painting experience gave him a competitive advantage.
Further, Danny shares how he has managed to establish his credibility among his senior colleagues and clients. Towards the end, Danny shares his daily routine and some excellent habits that make him tick.
We wrap up this show with Danny sharing his vision for 2020 and beyond.
Tune in for some excellent nuggets!
What You Will Learn In This Show:
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How to keep your cool and shine through in pressure situations
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How young people can earn credit while working with senior peers and clients
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Crucial responsibilities of a financial manager
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Tips for young students who aspire to work in the financial planning industry
Resources:
Danny’s Email
YEAA
In today’s show, Steve interviews Simon Fraser, a previous intern with Young Entrepreneurs, author, and videographer.
This show starts with Simon recalling his life as a teenager. As a young adult, Simon was frustrated with his lack of clarity. This is when he came across Young Entrepreneurs. What attracted Simon to Young Entrepreneurs in the first place? Was Simon immediately convinced when he first came across this unique opportunity?
The next segment of the show is about Simon’s experience with Young Entrepreneurs. Strong mentors and proven systems helped Simon quickly pick the ropes of his painting business. Here, Simon shares the struggles he went through as a student painter in his first year. Long work hours, difficult work conditions and lack of material comforts did not deter him. So, what inspired Simon to stay put?
This persistence paid off big time as Simon had a terrific-first year at Young Entrepreneurs. Drawing on these learnings, Simon managed to generate $240,000 in year two. How did Simon manage to scale up his painting business so dramatically? Listeners will learn the importance of delegation, teamwork, and motivation in this segment of the show.
This terrific success and the opportunity to move on to bigger and better things made Simon quit his engineering college to join Young Entrepreneurs as a full-time GM.
The latter part of the show is about Simon’s post Student Painters life. Simon talks a bit about his book, “Undecided”. In his book, Simon highlights why it is important to choose your professional path after careful consideration.
Simon also shares his experience of working at Praxis, a 10-person start-up in the education space. Here, Simon draws some interesting comparisons between working at Praxis and a large organization like Young Entrepreneurs
Eventually, Simon decided to follow his passion and pursue videography as a freelancer. If you are struggling to convert your passion to profit, this segment of the show will particularly interest you.
What You Will Learn in This Show:
- Transferable skill-sets that you can pick up at Young Entrepreneurs
- Benefits and Challenges of Working in a Start-up environment
- How to turn your passion into profit
- Importance of challenging the norm as an entrepreneur and professional
- And so much more!
Resources:
YEAA (Young Entrepreneurs Across America)
Undecided: Escape the system, find your passion, and achieve the freedom and happiness you've always
Simon’s Website
In today’s show, Steve interviews Christian Chasmer, Partner and COO at Vessel, a health-tracking company. Additionally, Christian is also the founder of Elevate, a consultancy firm and CC solutions, a real estate development firm. He also authored the book Lose the Limits.
And he is just 27.
So, how did Christian manage to achieve so much success at such a young age? In this show, Christian shares his incredibly entrepreneurial journey which will particularly interest new and young entrepreneurs.
Was Christian always keen on taking the entrepreneurial route? And, did he possess the necessary skills to manage a painting business when he first joined Student Painters? Listeners will learn about the different challenges he had to overcome once he made his foray into this painting business. So, how did Christian manage to scale up his painting business from $74,000 in this first year to $365,000 in his second year? Here, listeners will get some important lessons in delegation and leadership.
Next, Christian reveals how he got started with his first venture after Young Entrepreneurs, CC solutions, a real estate development company. Christian and his partner put their YEAA experience to good use as they managed to raise capital using creative cold calling methods.
Then Christian goes on to share some interesting details about Bloom Health. Bloom Health has come up with an innovative health tracking solution that allows users to test 15 different health markers at the click of a button.
Christian faced some significant hurdles while starting his consulting business, Elevate. Here, you will learn how to hustle and manage your cash flow when you are starting a new, capital-intensive venture.
If you are a new or aspiring entrepreneur, this show is filled with some excellent nuggets to help you.
Tune in now!
What You Will Learn In This Show:
- Innovations in the healthcare space, and how they are increasing affordability and convenience
- How to manage your cash-flow in the initial stages of a business
- Why delegation and team-work are crucial for scaling up a business
- How to raise capital using creative cold-calling techniques
- And much, much more!
Resources:
YEAA (Young Entrepreneurs Across America)
Lose the Limits
In today’s show, Steve interviews Alex Dalpiaz, Head of Sales, Madewell Concrete.
This show starts with Alex recalling his life as a student at Clemson University. Alex admits that he lacked clarity and was running on autopilot. This is when he came across Young Entrepreneurs Across America.
So, what drew Alex to YEAA in the first place? And, did he have the necessary skills to operate a painting business successfully?
In the next segment of the show, Alex reveals some of the biggest challenges that he faced as a 19-year old running a painting business. Here, listeners will learn why stepping out of one’s comfort zone is critical for growth and personal development.
This opportunity to continuously imbibe new learnings meant that Alex stayed with YEAA for 7 long and extremely fruitful years.
Post-YEAA, Alex worked with some startups in the SAAS space before eventually transitioning to a concreting company, Madewell Concrete.
The last segment of the show is particularly interesting as Alex talks about this current role as Head of Sales at Madewell. How did Alex and his team manage to attain a 400% growth over the last year? And, what steps are they taking to expand their presence to 28 US locations and become a $100m business? Listeners will also learn how establishing systems and processes can help drive customer satisfaction.
We wrap up this show by sharing some excellent advice for aspiring entrepreneurs. Tune in for some excellent insights!
What You Will Learn in This Show:
- Transferable skill-sets that you can pick up at Young Entrepreneurs
- How to project a vision and scale up your organization
- Why taking calculated risks is critical for furthering your career
- Using processes and systems to ensure customer satisfaction
And much, much more!
Resources:
Alex’s LinkedIn
YEAA (Young Entrepreneurs Across America)
In today’s show, Steve interviews real estate agent AJ Mida, real estate agent, eXp Realty.
This show starts with AJ sharing how he got involved with YEAA. What drew him to YEAA in the first place? Was he always inclined towards entrepreneurship? Steve then goes on to share some interesting anecdotes about his Student Works stint.
Admittedly, when AJ started out as a rookie in 2005, he was ill-prepared to manage a painting business. However, Steve’s able mentorship helped him figure out the ropes of the business. AJ managed to clock revenues of $60,000 inspite of his slow start. He put his learnings to good use as he managed to increase his sales to $250,000 in his second year.
So, what are some crucial takeaways that AJ learned from his experience as a Student Painter? And did this experience play a big role in his future success?
The next segment of the show is about AJ’s real estate business. After working for Keller Williams for some time, AJ moved over eXp Realty. Here, AJ explains eXp Realty’s unique and incredibly lucrative commission structure that has allowed him to build up a huge passive income stream. As the eXp Realty team has grown from 2,400 agents to 26,000 agents, AJ’s revenue share team has also increased to 1,800 agents.
Towards the end we share some crucial attributes that truly define a leader of tomorrow. Topics discussed include overcoming your fear of failure, and leveraging the power of visualization to meet your end goals.
We hope you enjoy this success story!
What You Will Learn In This Show:
- How a YEAA stint can equip you with transferable skill-sets that can fast-track your professional career
- How to overcome your fear of failure or rejection
- How a revenue-sharing system can help agents earn more lucrative commissions
- How visualization can help you achieve your most audacious goals
- And much, much more!
Resources:
AJ’s Email
YEAA (Young Entrepreneurs Across America)
In today’s show, Steve interviews Andrew Dennison, founder, Uplift Data Partners and Director of Enterprise Services at DroneDeploy.
This show starts with Andrew recalling his high school life. Why did an engineering student from the University of Michigan enroll at Student Painters? Andrew reveals that he was looking for a unique opportunity that allowed him to garner the hands-on experience of running a business.
Next, Andrew shares his experience of running a student painting business. How did an 18-year old with no prior business experience or painting experience successfully lead and manage people? Andrew shares his biggest takeaways and reveals how he managed to really scale up his business in his second year at Student Painters.
Listeners will find the next segment of the show particularly interesting. Andrew decided to venture into drone technology in 2014 with Uplift Data Partners. This gamble paid off big time for Andrew as Uplift ended up provided their drone services to some of the largest organizations in the United States.
Andrew started Uplift as a solo-entrepreneur and then managed to secure VC funding to scale up his business. How did someone like Andrew (who started with zero knowledge of drones) manage to convince VC’s to back him? He shares how his Student Painting network helped him in this fund-raising process.
In this segment, Andrew draws some interesting parallels between running a technology company and a painting company. Is running a technology company significantly different from running a painting company? And, why did Andrew decide to sell out to PrecisionHawk just when his business was taking off?
Towards the end, Andrew has some excellent advice for aspiring entrepreneurs. Tune in for some excellent nuggets!
What You Will Learn in This Show:
- How a Student Painter stint can equip you with transferable skillsets
- How a Student Painter network can help you scale your business
- A “peek” into the future of drone technology
- How to start and scale up a business
- And so much more!
Resources
DroneDeploy
YEAA
In today’s show, Steve interviews Mike Lamorgese, Equipment and Technology Specialist, Henry Schein.
This show starts with Mike recalling in his teenage years. Mike shares that he was a “novice, young man trying to find his way”. His lack of focus is certainly something that most of us can identify with. This is when Mike stumbled upon YEAA (Young Entrepreneurs Across America).
What drew Mike to YEAA in the first place? In this segment of the show, listeners will learn how a YEAA stint can equip you with transferable skill-sets that propel you ahead in life. Mike reveals how the opportunity to run a real business while in college proved to be an invaluable one for him. Here, Mike encourages all college students to be extremely selective while selecting an internship.
After Student Painters, Mike landed a coveted job at Henry Schein. How did Mike experience as a student painter help him land this job? Listeners will learn how Mike’s YEAA stint was the differentiating factor that helped him get his foot in the door.
Mike goes on to share some interesting details about his position as a digital and technology specialist at Henry Schein. Towards the end, Mike shares his daily routine and reveals some crucial attributes that help him perform at a high level.
What You Will Learn in This Show:
- Importance of getting the right internship that propels you forward
- How YEAA will equip you with transferable skill-sets that help you throughout your professional life
- How leveraging the YEAA alumni network can land you some spectacular opportunities
- Why switching jobs too often is detrimental to your career
- And so much more!
Resources:
YEAA (Young Entrepreneurs Across America)
Henry Schein
Today's show is a special one as Steve Acorn, President, Young Entrepreneurs Across America announces the launch of the YEAA podcast. In this show, we will be sharing real-life stories of young students who have joined the program.
This show is aimed at 18-24-year-olds who have a burning desire to change the course of their life. Steve shares how young 19-20-year-old folks can enroll in the YEAA management program and learn the nuances of running a business. Towards the end, Steve shares his own life story and reveals how he has managed to generate over $200 million in revenues over 34 years.
If you are driven individual, keen on evolving into a better version of yourself, you will love this show. Tune in now!
What You Will Learn In This Show:
- How can the YEAA management program help you?
- What inspired Steve to start the YEAA show?
- Steve’s life story and how he started YEAA in the United States
- And so much more!
Resources:
YEAA (Young Entrepreneurs Across America)