My first job was as a paperboy running a route back in Vermont that resulted in a life’s worth of lessons from surviving multiple pitbull attacks in the midst of highway traffic to an all expenses paid trip to Italy for a couple weeks that transformed my life.
I then moved into a few different part time roles that carved an ethic and love of work deep into my daily approach to life. From working 3 jobs during the summer between my graduation from high school until soccer tryouts at Babson College to exploding batteries in my car that I thought would prevent me from going to work the midnight to 12pm shift (my father taught me a lesson that night as we washed battery acid off of ourselves) – the value of a dollar was a lesson that was learned during these early years.
It was during college at Babson that I began to rediscover my love of entrepreneurship and to deepen my love of business and of people development.
During college, I discovered a tremendous opportunity through an internship at a local real estate office in Montpelier, VT – Heney Realtors. This is when I knew I had to get into technology, and that I was going to be a ‘transformation junkie’ through technology-fueled capabilities that resulted in very compelling and really cool outcomes for the businesses that I was working with.
Shortly thereafter, I found myself partnering with a buddy back in Boston, in developing some custom websites and even getting paid for this type of consulting work. It was also during this time that I developed the love of hands on technology and of side hustles. I must admit I worked a few days in a CompUSA in Boston, fixed a slew of Banyan Vines issues in dorm rooms, and even helped a local microbrewery in Concord, MA with some technology needs.
As graduation became ever more present – my attention shifted towards getting my ‘first real job’ as the cliche goes…some of these earliest gigs provided lessons that I still carry with me today.
Until next time.