Leaders Across America With Steve Acorn

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47 | Aaron Acorn and Josh Drushel | Good Managers vs Great Managers May 26, 2021

Show notes

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

46 | Brian Rossini | How YEAA internship Can Supercharge Your Career May 19, 2021

Show notes

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

45 | Matt Mongiat | Be Your Own Boss While Building Your Foundational Skills May 12, 2021

Show notes

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

44 | Matt Scherer | The Secret Mantra of Top Performers May 05, 2021

Show notes

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

43 | Aaron Acorn and Josh Drushel | 4 Keys to Starting and Managing a Successful Start-Up Apr 28, 2021

Show notes

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

42 | Joe Osterfeld | How YEAA Internship Fast-tracked My Career Apr 21, 2021

Show notes

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

41 | Andrea and Bryan Mulligan | How Our Nineteen-Year Old Son Ran a $173,000 Business In A Single Summer Apr 14, 2021

Show notes

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

40 | Ben Arwine | The Entrepreneurial Mindset and How to Vet New Opportunities by Looking at the Bigger Picture Apr 07, 2021

Show notes

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

39 | Logan Bryant | How Resilience Helped Me Pivot After Reaching Break-Even Point Mar 31, 2021

Show notes

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

38 | Jillian Walker | How to Set Yourself Apart, Mindset Strategies, and Overcoming Your Biggest Failures Mar 24, 2021

Show notes

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.

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