For An Ambitious Teen
1. Make your LinkedIn profile amazing (google how to do it) & start connecting with your parents, parents’ friends, fellow church members, etc. Definitely connect with Scott Kelly since you likely know him if you are reading this.
2. Start following (google how to “follow” people on LinkedIn) leading thinkers such as David Perell, Ethan Mollick, Simon Sinek, Adam Grant.
3. After you have 50-100 connections search LinkedIn for 2nd degree connections who are doing things that interest you. For example, if you are interested in launching your own business search LinkedIn for “founders” or “owner.”
4. Send out 100 invites per week for 4 weeks to potential mentors and say, “Would love to learn more about your work and wondering if you would be willing to chat via phone for 15 minutes? If that could work, simply send your number and best time to call.”
5. Be prepared for the phone call by researching them k them specific questions based on the fact that you have stalked them online and know as much as you can via their social channels. For example, you could ask, “Why did you move from Investment Banking at KeySource to Duke University Entrepreneurship?”
6. If you do 50 “informational interviews” and good things will happen.
For a Job Seeker
1. Make your LinkedIn profile amazing & acquire over 100 connections (google “make LinkedIn Profile awesome” if needed). Definitely connect with Scott.
2. Decide on 1-3 general industries you want to explore (eg. Accounting, Sales, Healthcare Admin)
3. Search LinkedIn for “Friends of Friends” who might be a good mentor in those industries.
4. Send out 100 invites per week for 4 weeks to potential mentor and say, “Would love to learn more about your work and wondering if you would be willing to chat via phone for 15 minutes? If that could work, simply send your number and best time to call.
5. Be very prepared when you have the phone call. DO NOT ask for a job. However, you could ask, “How does someone like me land at company like yours?”
6. If you do 50 “informational interviews and good things will happen.
From the Founder
It was 2011 and my job as a business banker in downtown Durham was to connect with business owners and entrepreneurs in the area. They were so inspiring and I loved being immersed in a growing ecosystem of innovation. Eventually it was obvious that one of my professional purposes was to connect young people to local business leaders and innovators. We led our first program in the summer of 2012 in Durham and have since executed programs in 20+communities around North Carolina and Virginia.
When I’m not working with communities and schools on summer programs, I lead entrepreneurship at Campbell University (south of Raleigh, NC). Living in Hillsborough, NC and getting outdoors (mountain biking, landscaping, hiking) as much as possible with Angie, Olivia, Andrew, and Kathryn is what continues to keep me going.