7 Smart Decisions All Kids Under 25 Should Make (Includes Free Audio Link)

Here are a few things that are always a part of my thought process. Please feel free to share this with someone you think might benefit.

1) Stay later than you have to. Whether it’s work, internship, lunch with someone important, get there on time (ten minutes before), and stay until the conversation and enthusiasm has left the room. The secret to striking up conversation with someone important is to wait until the very end, and catch up with them after the let-out.

2) Do it for free. The great result of offering your services for free, is that people find out that you exist. Prices scare customers away when they aren’t confident that you’ll deliver. Offer your services at no cost or even low cost, and if you’re really good at it, they’ll tell their friends about you.

3) Set up meetings with important people. Email someone you look up to and ask them out to lunch. They could say no, and there’s no loss in that. But, they’ll most likely say yes (and, I’m not promising you this, but, they’ll probably pay for your lunch, too.)

4) Ask for an opportunity. The golden response lies in the question you ask.

5) Wait tables. Pour wine from the guests’ right and as you go to the others at the table, move counter clockwise. You’ll also pick up great skills working at a restaurant, and you’ll learn that paying attention to detail not only gets you a major tip (on a really good night), but it also teaches you how to make people happy. That’s all it’s really about.

6) Build a clear on-line presence. A splash page is all you need to begin. About.me is a great (free) platform to tell people who you are and what you do. And it’s also the best way to point people to your work.

7) Create something. If you know fashion, tell us what to wear. If you’re a great manager, tell us the secret to leading an effective team. You bake a delicious cheesecake? Teach us how to do it. Either way, we’re waiting on you.