This quote from Simon Sinek made me think of why I got into education. Here are some thoughts on how I got to where I am today.
I spent about 11 years in the corporate world. I was “let go” from The Stroh Brewery in 1999 after helping sell most of its assets as a member of the “Strategic Transition Team”. I essentially helped turn out the lights. As a part of my severance I was given “executive outplacement”. There I was coached in interviewing, cover letters, resumes and networking. During this training I learned that when asked, “what do you do”?, you should answer in terms of how you help others (either individuals or organizations). I was instructed that previous positions on my CV or letters of introduction should be couched in terms of “helpfulness”. I landed a job within three or four months at a reputable, publicly traded, “below the line” marketing firm, Visual Services Inc. (VSI). We did everything in marketing except what you regularly see, advertising. I was hired to help General Motors conquest the competitors’ drivers through the implementation of a program called AutoShow In Motion - no small task, given the quality, or lack thereof, of GM’s product line at the time. Iin Early 2001 VSI earned an RFQ to produce an “AutoShow In Motion” for the level eight and higher executives from GM. The purpose of the show was to demonstrate to GM’s top brass that their product was S**T compared to the competition. Then the Twin Towers in NYC came down . We all know now what the future held for GM (and the American Economy, in general) from that moment. Shortly after an eleven day trip promoting VSI’s services, the Executive VP in charge of the GM account called me into his office. This time I was not asked to stick around to close off the lights; I was caught up in the second round of layoffs for VSI. Later, VSI would be removed from the NYSE never to be heard from again. I dabbled in some freelance work and a short stint at a boutique marketing firm only to find myself at a pivotal crossroads. Here I was, living in Grosse Pointe Michigan, jobless for the second time in two years and America is at war. To add to the drama, I had a mortgage, a two year old son and a longing I couldn’t ignore any longer. As the event did for so many people, 9/11 caused me to reflect and reevaluate my purpose and pursuits; How I “helped” GM’s top line by conquering the competition was not how I wanted to start my CV. There was no sense in waiting any longer; I began to earn my secondary teaching certificate at Wayne State University in Detroit, MI. I had been thinking about becoming a teacher for untold years. While “the calling” had been in my heart and soul for a time dating much farther back, the most definite point I can put a finger on is at my first job after earning my MBA from Indiana University as an Account Executive for Conrail’s Forest Product Division. Conrail “strongly encouraged” new employees to work 20 hours of community service each month. I accepted an assignment through Junior Achievement to help a high school senior class start their own tee shirt business. After three or four visits, I knew I had found my true calling - helping young people develop their business acumen and actively apply it to their own ideas. My wife and I put in place a plan for me to continue in the corporate world until I was 40 and then become an educator. (9/11 hastened the journey by two years.) Spending more time in the corporate world was important for two reasons:
I have now been a business and marketing educator for one year more than I was in the corporate world. The paychecks are not as large but the “value” of the rewards are tremendous. More to follow. I encourage you to be a part of the conversation; please comment. Leave a Reply. |
Author: Dan Jackson
Experienced Reflective Learner and Strategic Thinker with an ongoing track record of of innovative, adaptive leadership in education and business management. Archives
December 2019
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