When I was in high school—pursuing a college baseball career–my father sat me down and asked me a heavy question: “Now that you’re 16, you have two options: are you going to go work a job at McDonalds to help your family out, or are you going to make baseball your job so you can earn a scholarship and help us out that way?”
I chose baseball. Some might not consider high school baseball a job, but I sent 50 hand written letters to college coaches across America trying to find a place to play—that was hard work for a 17-year-old kid. (And if you have a high school athlete trying to get recruited, that is the best way to make an impression.) I wasn’t talented enough to have them come to me, so I went to them in an effort to sell myself.
I received 49 no’s. But I got my one yes months before graduating high school and went on to play Division II baseball. The one yes is all that matters. If I learned anything from my first job it was to keep working, keep writing, and keep pitching, until you get that one yes. It is all that matters.
So, in D CEO‘s October issue, we asked three DFW executives what they learned from their first job. Here is what they had to say:
Doug Moore
Head of Americas Region and CEO, Fujitsu North America
“I was a Stuckey’s attendant on Interstate 40 outside of Albuquerque. I learned to be flexible; I pumped gas, cleaned the bathrooms, and flipped burgers. I even had the honor of making the cans of ‘rattlesnake milk’ that were sold as souvenirs. We would get cans of condensed milk, remove the labels, and—oops—I should say no more! Who knows what type of trademark violations ensued? Fortunately, I was just a 15-year-old-kid doing as I was instructed.”
Tiffany Woodson
Managing Partner, Ink + Oro
“I earned my first paycheck when I was 16 at an American Eagle store. My job taught me to serve others and to have humility. I also learned the financial cycle; my paycheck just covered my car and gas. This left no money for spending or fun, which meant I needed more. I took a second job as a nanny. My weekends were no longer mine, but my bank account was growing. Understanding the rewards of making sacrifices as a teen was the best lesson I could have learned.”
Mark Danuser
Owner, Tatum Brown Custom Homes
“I had a newspaper route when I was 12. I remember barely being able to keep my bike upright, as I weighed about 90 pounds soaking wet. I learned that discipline and hard work are essential to success. I had to get up early and roll papers before distributing, rain or shine. Manual labor at that age is eye-opening. My second job was alphabetizing books for Missouri Book Services. My aisle was S, so whenever Shakespeare comes up in Trivial Pursuit, I have the answer.”
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