At age 14, I was hobnobbing with some of the wealthiest men in Chicago at a private country club: I was their caddy.
The experience proved incredibly formative. You’d show up each day to work, game face on, hoping to be paired with a good tipper. If you were lucky, you got Dave Thomas, the founder of Wendy’s…
He’d usually hand out about $200 in cash for 18 holes of golf. As a teenager, that was practically a full salary.
On less fortunate days, you might get stuck with Mr. Underwood, a stuffy old guy who’d throw a couple bucks your way at the end of the game.
Either way, you worked hard and kept your chin up, because you could never be quite sure of the reward.
The conversations were equally as valuable.
As a caddy, I got to meet all kinds of different people, mostly business executives who had done well in their respective industries. I’d hear them talk about politics, business, relationships, children - all sorts of life lessons.
I learned to read the room, pick up on emotions, moods, and formalities.
That caddying job taught me the nature of opportunity. No matter who you were paired with, you put in as much effort as possible in hopes of a good outcome. You stayed focused and kept your ears peeled to see what insights you could glean.
Every day out had potential, every person was a gold mine. It was all about what you put into it.
Before I was 18, I was working full time at Conagra Brands (thanks to some help from my father) - the youngest person by a long shot - and could hold my own. I knew a lot about communication and relationships, overcoming challenges, and getting inventive with solutions.
And I took advantage…be sure to learn and take advantage when you can.
General Manager at Majestic Neighborhood Cinema Grill
1moThis is a good story to share, and this kind of evolving leadership creates better teams & happier clients.