What We’ve Learned From Interviewing Business Leaders During Quarantine
The hardest times often lead to the greatest moments of your life.
In this time of uncertainty, we felt it’d be a useful tool for Generation Z to hear from successful business leaders about how they overcame adversity in their 20s.
On our podcast, we interview influential leaders to hear about the risks they took and mistakes they made that led to the success stories of their 20s. We’ve shared over 40 interviews with individuals that have seen great achievements in their professional careers.
Colin McMahon
Editor-in-Chief of the Chicago Tribune
“Don’t allow rejection to knock you off your game.”
After graduating from college, Colin McMahon felt he was qualified to apply to a handful of well-known newspaper companies. He recounts one interview in particular with the Baltimore Sun, which at the time was one of the top newspaper companies in the country. Colin was completely shot down by the recruiter, being told that he was unqualified and not ready to join their company. Colin’s felt crushed after this rejection, but he knew he couldn’t give up.
After reflecting on his own accomplishments and career aspirations, McMahon was able to understand that this rejection wasn’t the end of the world.
“This rejection didn’t defy my job search or skills as a journalist. For all I knew, the recruiter could’ve been having a bad day. I knew I couldn’t give up after one rejection.”
Shortly after, Colin was introduced to an individual at the Chicago Tribune and ended up accepting a position with the company. A few months into his career with the Tribune, the Baltimore Sun reached out to Colin to see if he’d be interested in leaving the Tribune to work at the Sun. Colin declined the Sun’s interest and continued his career at the Tribune, where he is now the Editor-in-Chief.
“I don’t like to say everything happens for a reason, but I do like looking at where I am in my life to look back at things that originally didn’t go my way. What if the Sun never rejected me? What if I left the Tribune? Would my life be better or worse? I for sure wouldn’t be where I am today.”
Jewel Burks
Head of Google for Startups — US
“Understand your strengths and weaknesses, in order to find the right people to help you succeed.”
Early on, Jewel Burks always knew she wanted to become an entrepreneur. While taking MBA prep courses, she came up with an idea for a company that she began to focus in on. There was a point when she had to make a tough decision between continuing to get her MBA or turning her idea into a company. Jewel decided to pursue her company, PartPic, which she successfully built and sold to Amazon in her 20s.
Jewel shared that while launching her company, her biggest roadblock was trying to create PartPic with zero tech experience. She didn’t let this stop her.
Burks knew she had to surround herself with people who could help her understand more about engineering and technology. She began to spend time with engineering students at her school, from who she could learn. Jewel understood early that she didn’t have the skills or experience to bring her vision to life, which is why she knew she had to find the right people to work with.
Jewel didn’t let her marketing degree stop her from creating a tech company. Instead, she found people with the skills necessary to help build her company.
AJ Vaynerchuk
Co-Founder of VaynerMedia and CEO of VaynerSports
“Managing burnout in your 20s is crucial.”
At 22 years old, AJ Vaynerchuk co-founded VaynerMedia; by 25, he managed 40 people and 300 employees; and by 26 he had four years of agency experience. AJ was able to build and grow his company to a $100 million dollar agency, all while in his 20s.
Regardless of his early success, VaynerMedia’s rapid growth left AJ feeling burned out in his 20s.
Vaynerchuk decided to give therapy a chance, in order to help him learn how to balance his work and personal life in a more efficient way.
“You have to focus on the human mind in order to solve burn out.”
From therapy, AJ discovered that there is a defensive and offensive side of the human mind. Therapy can help those struggling with getting back to even on their defensive side, but finding other resources to assist with mental strength on the offensive side is equally as important.
These offensive tools can include:
- Exercising
- Eating a balanced diet
- Improving your sleep habits
Effective career advice is an important asset because it helps point young people in a direction towards success.
We need to share more stories of how successful people got to where they are today, in order to inspire the next movers and shakers of the professional world. Colin McMahon, Jewel Burks, and AJ Vaynerchuk got to where they are today by remaining resilient, thinking outside the box, and utilizing resources in the workplace. These are three crucial skills that will help YOU become successful.
Stream In Their 20s on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, & YouTube to be inspired. Learn more about their mission at www.intheir20s.com
