2013 PA SkillsUSA Presentation

I’m Very Excited to Be Here!

WINNING!

#FAIL

FIRST LESSON

IT IS OKAY TO FAIL!

Some of you will pay attention…

Some of you will be all like…

And some of you might actually learn something!!!

If that happens, I’ll be all like…

Why Should You Listen to Me???

I AM NOT YOUR FATHER!

I AM NOT YOUR TEACHER!

I’M JUST LIKE YOU!

PROOF… I ALSO WORE A RED JACKET!

Why did they ask me to talk

tonight?

Because of theChoices I Made…At Your Age

I TOOK ADVANTAGEOF OPPORTUNITIES!

Tech School, Coop / Apprenticeship, School Organizations, Competitions,

Night Classes

SOUND FAMILIAR?

SOME CHOICES

WERE NOT POPULAR WITH FRIENDS

PEOPLE THOUGHT I WAS CRAZY

BUT THAT’S OKAY!

I KNEW WHAT I WANTED DO!

START MYOWN

BUSINESS…

…THE DAY AFTER

HIGH SCHOOLGRADUATION

THAT’S ME

FOUNDER & CEO

IT CONSULTING

JUNE 19981 Day After Graduation

Age 18

OFFICE: Mom’s Basement

2013: One of My Cars and Office

SO HOW DID THAT HAPPEN?

SECOND LESSON

TIME GOES BY FAST!

STOP AND SMELL ‘EM

Associates Degree…

Yep… It’s All I Got!

WITH NO FEAR OF FAILING

I DECIDED TO MAKE THE LEAP AND RUN MY

BUSINESS FOR A LIVING

1998 – Graduated High School, Started IT Consulting2000 – Graduated College – Decided to pursue growing business2002 – Bought My Own House2004 – Changed business name to PointSolve, hired people2005 – Ran for Public Office… and Won – Youngest in history2005 – Bought First Investment Property2006 – Started Municibid2007 – Became VP of a Town, In Charge of $45,000,000.2010 – Sold the IT Company I Started in 1998 (hundreds of customers)2011 – Municibid Started Growing Fast (200 customers), hired people2013 – Named top 40 business people in Philadelphia under age 402013 – Municibid tops 1000 customers2013 – Speaking For Organization That Got Me Started

IT DEFINITELY HAS BEEN

A ROLLER COASTER RIDE

AND…

YOU ONLY GET ONE RIDE

SO, ENJOY IT!!!

Seriously.

DON’T BE A GRUMPY CAT

10 HONEST, REAL TIPSYOU CAN USE,

STARTING TODAY!

FROM ME…I’ve been in your shoes

TRAVEL THE WORLD

WHEN YOU’RE YOUNGDon’t have money? Figuring it out is the fun part.

IDEA: Work on a cruise ship.

LEARN A NEW LANGUAGE

I RECOMMEND SPANISH & MANDARIN CHINESE

DO THINGSTHAT SCARE YOU

IDEA: SCUBA DIVE WITH SHARKS… I HAVE.

MIX IN A SALAD

EAT HEALTHY FOOD AS OFTEN AS POSSIBLE!

DRINK MORE WATER

YOU WILL FEEL & LOOK BETTER

EXERCISE!

I RECOMMEND TRYING YOGA… EVEN FOR GUYSI DO IT.

DON’T BE TAN MOM

WEAR SUNSCREEN!

BE KIND & RESPECTFUL

TO ALL PEOPLE!

DON’T BE COCKY

ACT LIKE YOU’VE BEEN THERE BEFORE

LISTEN TO& RESPECT

YOUR PARENTS & TEACHERS

LIKE ME,THEY ARE HERE

TO HELP

TRUST ME…Moms Never Stop Nagging!

Deal with it.

WHEN ASKED TO SPEAKHERE IN 15 YEARS…

SAY YES!

I WISH YOU ALL THE BEST OF LUCK HERE & IN THE FUTURE!

YOU CAN DO IT!

Oh! And one more thing…