As a football player, I was surrounded by coaches who were from a different generation than me. Thankfully, I was around some great ones.
Playing college football was a dream come true. I knew it was my only shot at getting a college education. What I didn't realize, was the impact the game would have on my future. That impact happened off the field.
Through our mentorship program, I met several key business leaders who poured into me. They spotted my passion to connect with others and put me in positions to rub shoulders with their executives. Soon, I became the unofficial 'go-between' for younger employees and their managers. I had a knack for hearing their concerns, seeing their perspective, and translating that back to managers and the executive team.
I'll never forget the day when the COO sat back in his chair, looked at me and said, “You're like the millennial whisperer we desperately need around here. You speak millennial."
From that day forward, I knew what I wanted to do with my life.