As I discovered, not every young person runs around like a headless chook, in fact some are super switched on about their future careers and I think this is one episode you’ll want your kids to tune into.
Today I had an awesome conversation with four high school students from Wisconsin, USA.
Madelyn, Jenna, Noal and Ryan are hosts on a podcast series called Kids In The Tank, created by BizTank, an educational experience about the world of business for high school juniors and seniors.
Normally the kids will research and interview their guest and then part way through the interview the microphone is FLIPPED and the guests get to ask the kids some tough questions about business.
In my show we reverse it again: I interview the kids first and then they FLIP IT on me. It was a fun interview and a little different to my previous shows.
What have they learnt or become more aware of since starting their own podcast series and interviewing successful business people?
- They are totally switched on about personal branding and the power of social media and your future reputation. What you post today can have an impact on your future.
- It’s important to be nice to everyone. Treat everyone with respect regardless of who they are.
- There’s no need to be afraid of people with really important titles.
- It’s important to build long-term relationships and you should never give up on your goals
- So far they’ve learnt something form every guest that has been on the show. (That’s a very important lesson right there).
Has being on Kids In The Tank changed their view of business?
Yes! They all agree you need to get out there and experience as much as you can about different aspects of business, because that’s how you’ll know if it’s what you really want to do.
By trying a lot of different things, you’ll also find your true passion.
What message would they like future employers to know about young people today?
It’s not fair to generalise young people today as all being lazy.
Not every young person feels they are entitled to success without working for it and the media needs to take some of the blame for blowing things out of proportion.
It was really obvious these kids have great role model at home and I think this is important for all parents to understand. Parents have a huge influence on a kids future work ethic.
FLIP IT: What we discussed.
There is no secret in small business. All the answers are out there, you just need to find them, but more importantly you need to apply what you learn.
You only need to do 10% more than everyone else, not 100% more.
The good, the bad and the ugly of partnerships: And why you need to work out specific roles for each partner before you begin.
Sometimes we block out the negatives and only see the positive in future partnerships, but usually there are hints of future problems if you look hard enough. If a potential partner doesn’t handle stress well, don’t think it can be avoided by you taking on all stressful situations…I can’t last.
If you make a mistake in a partnership, that’s fine, just make sure you learn from it.
How do you set your business apart from other businesses in the same industry?
It’s simple; just do something different. Don’t follow what everyone else is doing. Be a leader.
Listen to your customers. Do they want a faster service or more variety? Listen to their wants and needs and fulfill them.
If you have any question about this episode please feel free to email me directly at My latest book It’s No Secret There’s Money In Small Business is now available from all online booksellers, and if you live in Australia it can be ordered from most bookstores. Also, Book Depository deliver freight FREE worldwide.
Also, please feel free to download my 8-Page article 12 Secrets To Get More People Through Your Front Door. It's a great read.