Real World Leaders

We hosted Year Up United Institute Workshop this week. They had the opportunity to speak with Scott Duever from RJP Consulting Group, LLC. He gave some input that not only the students can learn from but professionals. Scott Duever said, "work on your strength to become a master and build on your weaknesses so you're not weak." As they decide whether to purse certificates or education he said, " find what your passionate about and find someone to pay for it." Thank you for your time and insight Scott Duever.

TACONY ACADEMY CHARTER SCHOOL had a great career coaching session with OnCourse Systems for Education. They spoke with two project managers Josh Sivel and Suzette Lopez. When asked what did being the youngest teach you Suzette Lopez responded, "being the youngest teaches you to run with the punches." Josh Sivel as a junior project manager he learned " lean into your curiosities and no decision is the wrong one."

We hosted our very first Institute Workshop! Our students at Community Academy of Philadelphia CS interviewed and learned from two HR professionals. Christine Lippiello and Carrie Yonenson the Director and Chief Officer of Human Resources at Norstella. When asked what to do to stand out during an interview for entry level positions Christine Lippiello suggested "research the company and mention your experience with a part time job or achievements in school." It came time for final thoughts and Carrie Yonenson left our students with this "show that you're hungry, passionate and excited about your position." Thank you both for giving our young leaders this great insight.

The young leaders at Sankofa Freedom Academy Charter School spoke with Bobby Keyes the CEO of ELITE Salons and Suites Bobby Keyes has young kids at home, and he wanted to give our students the same advice he gives his children. He lives by these three rules " Make good decisions, surround yourself with good people, and work hard." He also told our students that there will come a time you feel overwhelmed and he said " When you feel unbalanced, think back to your priorities and what's important to you." Thank you again for your time Bobby Keyes

Another Successful Career Coaching at Real World Leaders! We were thrilled to host Joe Gambone, President of Gambone Management Company, as our guest speaker. Students from Philadelphia Electrical & Technology Charter High School (PETCHS) had the opportunity to interview Joe and gain invaluable career insights. Key Takeaways: • Stay Motivated - Even when life's path is uncertain, pursue your passions and let them guide you toward fulfillment. • Embrace the Journey - Every experience, good or bad, shapes your character and prepares you for future opportunities. A huge thank you to Joe for sharing his wisdom and inspiring the intelligent students at PETCHS!

Today our young adults from Hopeworks and their teacher Pecola King had the opportunity to interview Adam Lurie, CEO of Knexus , and Eric Faggioli, President of Delaware Valley Paving, along with our special co-host, Todd Schumacher Todd Schumacher, CEO of Vici. When asked about overcoming obstacles, Adam said: “Every struggle makes the individual that much more resilient, that much more able to get over challenges that will inevitably happen because they happen to everybody. Understanding how to deal with that is a great skill trait.” Eric spoke about crossfunctional skills can help someone climb to the ranks to a high-level corporate position. He said “Communication skills are super important, along with leadership skills. Constantly refining your abilities and your skills. Communicating with others…. Building relationships, learning more, and developing your skills as a leader.” Todd commended on one of the young adults: "I am impressed that she had an obstacles and she seems to have figured a way to navigate around that obstacle to get going towards where she wants to go. That’s a wonderful trait for anyone to have. There are so many people who have been in her shoes, and the easy thing to do is to give up. She obviously didn’t, and I find that impressive." It was an inspiring conversation for all! Thank you Adam, Eric, and Todd for taking the time to speak with our students!

Today's early morning session with guests David Beldner, Eric French, and Sandra Greenhalgh from Stockwell Elastomerics was absolutely riveting! The students from Williamson College of the Trades were interested in learning about processes at Stockwell, in particular. When asked, David stated the importance of always improving and that they are always doing everything they "can to make a process more efficient". Eric echoed the same sentiment, adding that another thing that makes Stockwell so special is everyone's willingness to step out there and "do what needs to get done!" From the bottom of our hearts, thank you so much for another great sessions everyone!

It was such a pleasure to have our student cohosts from Executive Education Academy Charter School interview Kelly Botti, President and CEO of TruMark Financial Credit Union, today! When describing the twists and turns of her career path, Kelly said “I like to say our careers are more like lily pads than ladders. You jump where the next opportunity is.” Kelly shared with the students: “If I could give advice to my high school self, it would be this. You can absolutely balance it all. It's just time management, discipline, and all the things we talked about today. The question is whether you’re doing it for the right reasons. If you’re doing it to prove something to somebody else, it’s always going to feel empty and stressful. If you’re doing it because you love it and it brings value to your life, there will always be time for it.” Thank you for being a real world leader to our students, Kelly!

It felt a bit like a family reunion yesterday when our TACONY ACADEMY CHARTER SCHOOL students and their amazing teacher Mr. Jed Smith co-hosted our Real World Leaders Radio Show with special guest Joe Hand Jr of Joe Hand Promotions. Joe Hand graciously hosted our first ever Real World Leaders Career Trip this past spring with a cohort of Mr. Smith’s students, and a few of those students had the opportunity to reconnect with Joe on yesterday’s show. Mr. Smith even showed up sporting the Joe Hand Promotions t-shirt he was gifted on the Career Trip! Joe said: “The encouragement I would give to anyone is: Don’t make a commitment to one thing. Be open. Look at me. Who know I would be in this business? Whatever my traits are – passion, commitment, dedication. Those would have worked in any job or any industry that I worked in. Bring that to everything that you do, and good things will happen.” Thank you for taking the time to be interviewed by our students, Joe!

"Do you live to work or work to live?" 🌱 🌍 Global Leadership Academy Schools scholars had the privilege of interviewing Steve Lang, CEO of Mon Cheri Bridals, a "graduate of the school of hard knocks." Steve shared invaluable insights, reminding us to believe in ourselves, stay resilient, and pursue our dreams. ✨ He emphasized that small business owners are the backbone of our country and encouraged young people to stay the course, earn their degree, and absorb as much knowledge as possible. His wisdom reminds us that while money can't buy happiness, financial stability can ease some of life’s challenges. Thank you, Steve, for inspiring the next generation! 💪🌟 #Leadership #CareerAdvice #StayTheCourse #SmallBusiness #FinancialWisdom #GlobalLeadershipAcademy #Motivation #Inspiration #Entrepreneurship #YouthEmpowerment #BusinessInsight #NeverGiveUp #DreamBig #RealWorldLeaders