To end the week we are very happy to feature Dan Schawbel, aka the Personal Branding Guru. Not only has Dan helped the company he works for explore and benefit from Social Media, but he has also used it to position himself with a blog, a magazine, worldwide syndication, the creation of the Personal Branding Awards and a book deal for Me 2.0. Check out what Dan has to say about Gen-Y trends, taking online networking offline and how corporations can keep up!

Gen-Y Magic: Is all of this personal branding that is going on with Social Media, good for companies? Is their loyalty to a company anymore, or is it all egotistical and self-promoting?

Dan: Companies cannot escape the widespread adoption of personal branding, so they must embrace it. Since talent is equal to brand, every company must consider each employee as an ambassador, not just the CEO. The difference between me 1.0 and me 2.0 is the fact that everyone in a company can stand in front of their corporate brand, not behind it. Now, with a blog, podcast or social network profile, you can represent both yourself and your company at the same time for better or worse. Social media is necessary for companies that want to listen to customers, better their products and services and be apart of communities where their competition is already playing in.

It does appear that loyalty is dying, but whose fault is that really? The average college graduate will switch jobs on average of 1.6 years, which is quite the stat. In my opinion, companies can't treat millennials like other generations because, let's face it, we have a different world view. When comes want to recruit us, they have to play on our turf (Facebook, etc) and not their own corporate website. An individual has the ability to choose if they want to be egotistical or not. The more successful personal brands will figure out a way to help their company, while helping themself. In order to gain Gen-Y's loyalty in the workplace, companies need to be more flexible, give instant gratification and set realistic expectations from the start.

GYM: Gen-Y is all about work-life balance, or so it may seem. I've seen countless numbers of young professionals, including you, working till they drop. Where is the balance that Gen-Y seeks?

Dan: There is no such thing as work-life balance anymore because we are a hyperconnected species. Our cell phones are an extension of our body. I know it may seem scary, but the reality is that we are always occupied with something. In order to be successful, you need to treat life as one giant networking event. Each new interaction could lead to a new opportunity! Not all Gen-Y's work till they drop, but the smart ones do because there is no such thing as job security anymore. Facebook ended work-life balance when it allowed anyone to join, leaving college students completely exposed. Sometimes in order to do what we really want, we have to work after our full-time job, to prepare for the future that we truly want to live. Blogging, of course, is one path to that future.

Gen-Y wants to be connected to their friends all the time, which can sometimes become a distraction, but we are social creatures. Your network is your net worth and when you are interacting with like-minded people, you can solve problems faster and become more successful.

GYM: Is Gen-Y expanding/growing/advancing too fast for Corporate America to keep up?

Dan: I would argue that most companies aren't doing a great job dealing with Gen-Y because they don't differentiate this group from the older generations, so they get the same treatment. Gen-Y readily adapts to technological advances and adopts this technology to communicate with people in the office. The issue is that older generations prefer email, phone calls and face time over instant messaging and Facebook chat. Corporate America is certainly behind and the first step in redemption is awareness.

GYM: There are a lot of young nonprofit leaders that we have profiled and are in talks to. How can they begin to brand themselves to a point where real change can happen?

Dan: It takes a long time to make change. It might even take a lifetime for some. The lead, influence and build followers isn't an overnight goal. The first thing everyone needs to do is to go through self-discovery, to find out who you are and what you want to do for the rest of your life. Once you have an idea of who you would like to become, then use social media, your network and all other resources in hand, to make it happen, one day at a time. You should bond with others that have similar goals and help them out first, without asking for anything in return.

GYM: How can all of this online networking, group forming, change calling and branding be applied in this "real world?"

Dan: A social network is a virtual companion to your real world network. Everything you do in real life is reflective in your online life and both must be consistent. By building your brand online, you are attracting people who are like you and you can take those relationships offline and deepen them. A blog is like a neg for catching these individuals and social networks are a way to store the relationship online and refer back to it when you want to engage in conversation. It's much easier to connect with people online. It's much less awkward to send someone a Facebook message rather than introduce yourself to them in person. Social networks have eliminated a lot of people's "nervousness" when they first start networking.

GYM: Can you give us a brief instance of a time when you created magic in someone's life?

Dan: I used to be a big brother to a young child who had divorced parents. I would take him various places and befriend him and I believe it really made a difference in his life. I was seen as a role model, not because of everything I've been doing in my career, but as someone who is older and who can give advice. I believe that any new person you meet can change your life and in this situation, I was able to give him support when he needed it.

GYM: Thanks Dan, you are off the Gen-Y Hot Seat!

Check out this interview Dan did with Lee Cockerell on the Personal Branding Blog

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Every week over on LeeCockerell.com, Lee shares a Leadership thought, just something to think about in your daily life. Every week, we will be sharing with you that thought and adding some insight into how that plays into the Gen-Y lifestyle. So without further ado, this week's leadership thought is:

We have to to continue to educate (train) ourselves and our teams so they have the knowledge to make the right decisions and to perform effectively.

I like the second half of this equation. It's not solely about training yourself. You need to train your team to be on the same level or better than you to be successful. If you want your company to adapt social media, teach them about it so that they become the experts. If you are well versed in accounting, help out others that are a little sluggish in your organization. By making everyone better you make your team better. It goes back to the old saying that

"you are only as strong as your weakest link."

What do you think? How do you help your weakest link?

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Stacey Monk is the founder & CEO of Epic Change, a startup nonprofit that “helps hopeful people in need share their stories to acquire resources that will improve their lives.” Epic Change makes loans to global grassroots changemakers, then shares their stories in ways that generate income to facilitate loan repayment & sustain their efforts. Their current project is to finance the reconstruction and expansion of a locally-led primary school in Tanzania that serves over 200 children. This is her story

Before I start, I have a confession to make: I'm a Gen Y wannabe. My own birth preceded the Millenials by at least a few years, and I only wish I were still in my 20s. But I'm thankful for the extra decade, I suppose; I've gone to college, grad school and built a successful career in change management and consulting with companies like Deloitte and Genentech, have worked in the public sector and the theatre, and even ran my own small firm, Funken Consulting, before I launched my most recent endeavor, Epic Change. Since doing so, some of the most important lessons I've learned about leadership and creating "magic" have been from people much younger than me.

One of those people is Zoe Flanagan, a student at Lewis & Clark in Portland, Oregon, who joined us on our most recent trip to Africa, so I decided to ask her a few questions about her experience with Epic Change.

Stacey: Describe your experience with Epic Change in Tanzania, and the key lessons you learned. In what ways do you believe Epic Change is creating magic there?

Zoe: My experience with Epic Change this summer was extremely educational. I’ve worked with many different NGOs in many different countries and this summer made me reexamine the effects people can have when they are trying to help. I understand now that even with good intentions, one can do more harm than good.

The magic I saw this summer came mostly from Mama Lucy, who founded the school at which we were working in Tanzania, and the interactions between her and Epic Change. The partnership was very clearly a strong and honorable one. So often in this world we are taught not to trust those who are different. This summer I saw the wonderful results of the Epic Change approach, which emphasizes trust and respect for local leadership. Many times throughout the summer I had waves of excitement for what this trust produced. In contrast to this excitement, I felt a heavy fear in me when I looked around Arusha, a town full of NGOs with good intentions, and I saw a clear absence of trust. So what I came out of this summer with was an idea of how good things could be when thought and trust are put into aid work. This has instilled in me a sense of humility, which I really cherish.

Stacey: In what ways do you think Epic Change, and Gen Y, are approaching social change differently than their predecessors?

Zoe: Well, one of the most popular subjects in my generation is sustainability; it’s a concept often discussed both in economics and environmental issues. Epic Change is certainly working with this idea of sustainability in mind and I believe it is a great approach. Given the fragile state of the world that has been passed down to us, Generation Y understands well the importance of sustainable thinking. It is our responsibility to future generations to act in sustainable ways.

Stacey: How do you believe Gen Y innovations - like YouTube, Facebook, MySpace - and other tools are helping organizations like Epic Change to do good? Do you think the Epic Change story would be possible without tools like these?

Zoe: I certainly think Epic Change would be able to work without these tools, mostly because I believe in their message and their passion, and with both of those you work with what you have. That being said, I think Epic Change uses these tools in a great way. They have been able to bring people together. With their videos, they spread the idea of hopeful and bright futures for children like Gideon, Glory and Pius who are usually tagged as lost causes. This is one of my favorite aspects of Epic Change. I think they are able to use these tools to create a more diverse interest group as well, which is very helpful for the organization.

Stacey: What advice would you offer to organizations who are trying to connect with your generation?

Zoe: One thing I always looked for in an organization was respect for what I had to say. Very often being young is seen as being inexperienced and that is all. I believe I am inexperienced but I do also think I have some good ideas. I am very impressed when organizations involve the younger generation in a real way and give them opportunities to be heard.

Stacey: Based on your experience with Epic Change this summer, how will you continue to create magic?

Zoe: First of all, I plan on continuing to work with Epic Change. At the same time I am in college and hoping to study more about sustainable development. Given the emphasis that the Epic Change model places on storytelling, I know a lot of change is created when people tell their stories, so I plan on telling my story and explaining what I learned this summer to others. Thanks for the opportunity to do that here.

Stacey: As the leader of Epic Change, I was very interested to read Zoe’s responses to these questions, and thought she provided an excellent primer on a few simple rules of Gen Y leadership:

• Respect diversity.
• Think sustainably.
• Spread hope.
• Be resourceful.
• Be inclusive.
• Use your voice.

Especially in the business of creating social change, the power of these strategies cannot be underestimated.

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Here is a clip from Lee's keynote on Tuesday morning, October 14th at Create Chaos in Orlando, FL. Lee addressed 500 creative professionals on the topics in time management, being a better leader and employer and how to create magic in your own life.

Tuesday also marked the release of Lee's book, Creating Magic. Look for it at all of your book retail chains and online as well! If you get a copy, be sure to tell us so we can relay the word. If anyone wants to write a review or their take on the book, Creating Gen-Y Magic is your floor. Send an email to greg.rollett@endagon.com and we will print your magic!

Thanks for checking out the video and continue to create magic in the lives of people everywhere. Together we are proving that Gen-Y is going to progress and take our lives into territories for the betterment of existence.

For those looking for discount Disney Tickets, there is so much magic going on during the holidays including seeing some of the magic that we saw at Create Chaos.

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Adam Gilbert is creating magic every single day with his clients over at MyBodyTutor. He is also another lucky winner of a copy of Creating Magic from the Brazen NYC Meet Up! I've spoken to several people who are on his program and it's truly remarkable what he's able to help them do. You can read more form Adam over at his blog, Guru Gilbert. We're lucky enough to have him here on our very own Gen Y Hot Seat. Enjoy!

Gen-Y Magic: One of your marketing philosophies is the 100% belief in your product and commitment. Can you talk more about this?

Adam: Belief, it turns out, is an incredible business strategy.

Belief is what keeps me up at 4am thinking of ways to improve my company and how I can better serve my clients. Belief is what gets me up every morning excited to work. Belief is what ultimately made me quit my full time job to start my company. Belief is what causes me to want to stay in on a Friday or Saturday night to work on my business.

Belief is what gives me the confidence to guide and lead my clients to success. Belief is what is going to give me the courage to go up against the behemoths one day. Belief is what makes me want to give my clients my absolute best on each and every interaction I have with them. Belief is what makes me believe I can change the world one client at a time (and is helping me to do just that)!

Belief is what makes anyone crazy enough to think they can actually change the world.

Here’s a perfect example:

One summer, a long time ago, I decided to sell knives. I saw this ad and I thought it would be an interesting experience. It turned out I’d be selling knives to my family and friends. The idea was to then sell knives to their friends and then their friends and so on. Or so the company hoped. There was one problem though.

Although the knives cut through leather and rope they were really expensive. Try $1500 for an entire set. After a lot of cajoling I sold my first (and only!) set to my mom and I felt absolutely terrible.

Additionally, my wonderful Aunt was kind enough to throw a ‘knife party’ inviting all of her great friends over. They all bought knives including my Aunt. Not because I was an incredible salesman. They bought knives because my Aunt has incredible friends that will support her and wanted to do her a favor. I stopped selling knives immediately after that party.

I felt like people were buying out of pity. These people didn’t really want knives. They weren’t actively looking to spend $1500 on a knife set. No! They were buying because they knew me or because they were a friend of my Aunts. Or because they were my mom and felt bad for me!

Not because I was really helping them. Or I was offering something of incredible value.

I need to believe with every molecule of my body in what I’m offering people because I’m not a salesman. And I also need to believe that what I’m doing is worth doing. That it will make an impact.

My clients tell me all the time I’m doing what I’m meant to be doing (and I know it!). I knew I was onto something when one of my entrepreneurial friends who knows more mega-successful entrepreneurs than anyone I’ve ever met told me I’m the best salesman he’s ever met in his entire life?!

It makes me laugh a lot because I’m really not! I just speak and write with my heart and my soul. I live what I teach. I just believe (and know) what I’m offering with every cell of my body works and I’m reinforced with this belief each and every single morning when I read how great my clients are doing.

You can’t fake that belief. Ever. And if you can (if you’re one of those ‘I can sell ice to an Eskimo’ types) you’re going to give up when the going gets tough. You’ll find something else. And c’mon, people aren’t dumb. You can sense a fake a mile away.

And in business (and with anything!) you need to be at it day in and day out if you want to realize your goal. Consistency is critical. No matter what.

That only comes from belief. And if you don’t (truly, deeply) believe in what you’re doing you’ll never stay committed.

GYM: I can’t help but see more vegan restaurants, salad shops and generally more health conscience menus. Is this something Gen-Y helped to dictate or is it a shift in American culture to really be a little more health conscience?

Adam: Well, we (consumers) dictate what kind of restaurants and stores are out there every single day by voting with our wallets.

I also think the internet has created this era of hyper-communication and hyper-productivity and infinite distractions. We’re all glued to our blackberries and computers and phones and work. We’re busier than ever.

But for what?

People are starting to realize that all of these amazing tools to work more mean nothing without their health and fitness and without quality of life. Because of this we are willing to pay a premium for healthier food stores and healthier restaurants.

It’s also a shift in American culture. The Baby Boomers aren’t like our grandparents. They don’t want to just retire to Florida and call it a day.

They want to be active in their ‘golden years’. As they should!

They see and feel how exercise and eating right pays off big in quality of life.

GYM: One topic you always hear in Gen-Y circles is work/life balance. Where does health and fitness come in that balance?

Adam: My answer is going to be pretty obvious but here it goes. When you’re health and fitness is in order…everything else is better. When you eat healthy, you feel healthy. When you eat great, you feel great.

When you eat crappy, you feel crappy.

When you exercise, you feel energized. When you don’t exercise you feel tired and lethargic. Remember: objects in motion stay in motion. Objects at rest stay at rest.

Right? Whenever I have days where I don’t do anything, I don’t feel like doing anything because I’m exhausted. From what though?

I really believe that everyone’s health and fitness should be a huge priority.

The main reason is that you can start taking action in this area immediately. Make your next meal a healthy one. Make it a point to exercise today. If you maintain good healthy habits, it will benefit you in all other areas of your life.

You’ll have more energy and vitality to make bigger changes. The very first day my clients eat right and exercise, they notice an immediate difference in their mood and motivation and energy levels.

It’s not a coincidence.

GYM: Professional sports have been a sore spot lately with the performance enhancing drugs. Is this as big of an issue as the media makes it out to be with regards to youth athletics and school sports?

Adam: When I’m talking with a client and he/she asks me why they don’t look like Brad Pitt in the movie Fight Club or Giselle after a week of working with me it really irks me.

When I read stories about how people are trying to gain weight so they can get their stomach stapled because it’s the easy way out, it really bothers me.

When clients or even friends ask me what type of pills they should take to lose weight because they don’t look (and feel) the way they want to after only 4 days of eating right and exercising it kills me.

Everyone wants things yesterday. Not now. Not tomorrow. But yesterday. No one wants to work for anything anymore especially when it comes to their health and fitness.

Let me ask you something,

Do you really believe there is a healthier and more sustainable way to realize your health and fitness goals than by eating right and exercising consistently?

Deep down we know there isn’t.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m extremely results oriented but in our bigger, faster, stronger society it’s bringing up a generation of impatient kids who give up after a week if they don’t realize their goals.

Performance enhancing drugs being taken in youth athletics and school sports is a big deal in the media for two reasons. One is because these drugs are dangerous and they can do serious long term damage.

But I think the really dangerous part of all of this is that we’re sending a message to our kids that it’s okay to cheat. That it is okay to do things that are not only illegal but also unhealthy and unethical to get ahead.

I think it’s going to create a generation of people who give up very quickly if they don’t succeed.

There is no such thing as an overnight success. It takes your entire life to be an overnight success but most people don’t realize that.

So yes, I do think it’s a big deal. Kids are extremely impressionable.

And stop thinking these lose 30 pounds or gain 30 pounds of fat or muscle in 3 days are real. They aren’t!

GYM: I love your concept of accountability. How important is that, not just in fitness but in our everyday lives?

Adam: I believe everyone knows how great eating right and exercising can make you feel (and look). However, it’s very difficult to do that consistently.

And that’s why accountability is huge. Being forced to look in the mirror and ‘own up’ to yourself every single night so to speak is why my clients are seeing and feeling amazing results.

It’s why my clients (ranging in age from 15 to 77 years young now!) are finally able to stick to a health and fitness plan. I have clients that have never been able to stick to a ‘diet’ for more than a week before starting my program.

Lying to yourself is the worst feeling in the entire world and I make it very difficult for my clients to lie to themselves.

We all want the best life possible. We all dream of great things. Some more than others but we all dream.

Life happens though. Work happens. Our friends happen. Things happen. Relationships happen. And on and on…

The intoxicating allure of TV, dinners, our friends, our kids. The distractions really are endless! And before you know it, you totally forget about yourself!

Unfortunately, it’s just too easy to make excuses and procrastinate. It’s even easier to lie to ourselves and rationalize poor eating and lack of exercise.

But it’s more than just accountability that I offer.

No one dreams of being overweight when they are a little kid. No one dreams of being unhealthy and out of shape either.

Everyone has greatness in them. But it’s just really easy to get stuck. It’s really easy to pile rationalizations on top of that greatness. (Well, the kids need this. I have to do this for work. My friend needs me, etc., etc.)

Every time I watch the move Rocky I get ridiculously pumped up. We all do. I’m sure of it.

But it’s just so easy to let life get in the way and to cover that fire up.

I ignite that fire in my clients each and every day. And it makes for an incredible combo with accountability.

So accountability is huge in every aspect of our lives. I just believe we need it most with our health and fitness.

Usually the first thing people forget about is their health and fitness.

You’re not going to stop going to work. You’re not going to stop hanging out with your friends. You’re not going to stop doing a lot of things when you’re really busy. But the one thing most people do, unfortunately, is stop taking care of themselves.

GYM: Adam, you are officially off of the Gen-Y Hot Seat. Thanks for playing along!

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Every week over on LeeCockerell.com, Lee shares a Leadership thought, just something to think about in your daily life. Every week, we will be sharing with you that thought and adding some insight into how that plays into the Gen-Y lifestyle. So without further ado, this week's leadership thought is:

Education (training) is one of the key ways to achieve improved results in anything you want to accomplish. Making sure that everyone is trained properly is vital and one of the best uses of your time.

As someone going through both the learning and the training mentorship process, I think this is a key component to Gen-Y and our development. Making sure you are prepared for battle every step of the way will ensure that you have put yourself in a place to succeed. Football teams do it, so do speakers. So do great managers and team players. How do you educate yourself?

Contest:
Here's a famous quote for you,

Now you know and knowing is half the battle.

If you can tell me where that came from you will win a Gen-Y Magic Prize Pack!

-Gen-Y Magic Team

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Today on the Gen-Y Hot Seat we are pleased to feature Christopher Scott, a young leader for nonprofits, innovations and change. He is working on helping young nonprofits grow and learn and also leads his own group, A Day of Hope, which delivers baskets of food and turkeys to families in need for Thanksgiving. In our time together we got to chat about time management and if Gen-Y is prepared to lead the social change that is needed today. Enjoy!

Gen-Y Magic: Time is a very important issue to Gen-Y. We never have enough of it and we love to overbook. How does time affect what you do as a young leader?

Chris: How does time affect what I do as a young leader? – I see time as an asset and a liability; an asset in the way that it’s something I can use to make a difference in the world and a liability because I never quite have enough time.

I’ve spent a large amount of effort learning how to use time more effectively. The best resource has been Jason Womack. Over years Jason has helped me tremendously to focus on planning, getting the right things done, and to keep commitments. He has dramatically helped me to become more productive, learn how to focus on important things, and get the most out of my time.

Time is a very sensitive issue for a Gen-Y leader because often as young people we don’t have administrative or personal assistants to help lighten our work load. We end up paying bills, doing mail merges, picking up the dry cleaning, and shopping for our own groceries. Now I’m at a point in my life where I pay someone part-time to do these for me, but for a long time I was the one dedicating time every week to these tasks that could easily be done by someone else.

GYM: As a Gen-Y leader you have to find ways to free up time so you can focus on things that are important.

Chris: Being a young leader, what is the one thing that lets you teach and help other young professionals and educate them on leadership?

One thing that allows me to teach is experience and insight. Leadership expert and author, John Maxwell states, “Reflection turns experience into insight.”

Almost every day I spend about twenty minutes thinking and reflecting about what I’ve learned throughout the day. I also focus on how I’m going to use what I learned in the future to either become a better leader, or see if I need to share that information with someone else so he or she can become a better leader.

GYM: Is Gen-Y up to the challenge of leading the social and cultural industries through nonprofits? Industries that Millennials may or may not be so familiar with?

Chris: Do I believe Gen-Y is up to the challenge: yes.

Do I believe they are prepared: no.

I think Gen-Y still has some learning to do if we’re going to make the impact on society that is needed. By learning I don’t mean more learning in the classroom. The last thing Gen-Y needs is another degree in nonprofit management from some University where half of the professors have never ran a nonprofit or even volunteered.

To learn they need more hands-on experience such as dealing with people, writing grant proposals, collaborating with other organizations, and interacting with the media in a positive way.

This is stuff you can be taught in a classroom, but you really don’t get a sense of what it is and how to do it until you’re actually in the trenches day-to-day having to find a way to get it done.

Just a side note is that I include myself in part of this list of Gen-Y who needs to learn more. I still have a lot of learning to do, and a lot of leading to do.

GYM: There is a lot of “action” going on in Social Media and on Social Networks. Kids are joining groups, protests and speaking out on change, politics, cultural affairs and more. How do we get this excitement to correlate into real world change?

Chris: It’s great to see kids taking action and speaking out on topics specific to their interests. Kids are showing a lot of initiative to do these things, but if it’s really going to correlate into real world change they need to have more follow-through.

Initiative is great to have on the front end of change, but to reach the back end of change you’ve got to have follow-through.

I think kids are lacking in the follow-through area, the second that they run into a problem or obstacle, they give up and find something else new and exciting. It takes an extremely large amount of time, persistence, and energy to create change, and if kids are serious they need to know and practice follow-through.

GYM: You work for the United Way. What is a large organization like the United Way doing to reach new Gen-Y recruits? Can an organization like the United Way make an impact the way a smaller, more focused nonprofit can?

Chris: Currently United Way has been experimenting with what we call, “Students Live United.” It’s an outreach effort to engage college students in fundraising and service projects. I think one of the main benefits from Students Live United is that it’s going to be a recruiting pool for potential passionate young leaders.

On the topic of making an impact versus smaller more focused nonprofits, I think the answer is “yes” and “no.” I think United Way is an organization more targeted toward the everyday person who wants to make a difference and help people in need, but that person might not really know how. United Way presents an opportunity to that person to make a difference and shows the person different ways to give time and/or money.

Smaller nonprofits are better an engaging individuals in specialized niche areas specific to people’s past experiences and passionate areas. These nonprofits attract people who already know exactly where they want to donate their time and money, and the nonprofit presents an opportunity to do that whether it’s a program for the homeless, underprivileged youth, animal welfare, or domestic abuse.

GYM: Christopher, you are off the Gen-Y Hot Seat!
Chris: Great, I hope that I didn’t cool off the seat while sitting on it!

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Today we are very excited to have Lauren Westbrook sharing her story of social inspiration for the youth and overcoming obstacles and hurdles. Lauren was also a recent winner of a copy of Creating Magic at the Brazen MeetUp in New York. You can read more from Lauren at her blog Socially.Strategic.

Helping other people build confidence and become more efficient at identifying and accomplishing their goals has consistently been an essential part of my life, and one of my greatest joys. While working at a home for teenage mothers during high school, aside from cooking and babysitting, I spent countless hours after my shifts informally counseling residents about job and education opportunities. In my four-year tenure as Executive Director of the Women and Youth Supporting Each Other mentoring program, we ran hundreds of workshops on topics like Birth Control, Sexual Health, Budgeting, and Nutrition for at-risk adolescent women in Boston. Throughout the past year, as a member of Harvard’s Outreach Committee, I have often taken off from my full-time job (Marketing/Brand Management at L’Oreal USA) to speak to students in Harlem, the Bronx and other underrepresented and overlooked communities about attending college and not seeing Harvard as out-of-reach.

Though I am proud of all of my efforts to inspire others, I am particularly excited about having blended my interests in service and entrepreneurship through Westbrook Strategies, the social skills and communication consulting company I started in early 2007. Westbrook Strategies offers private one-on-one and group consultation sessions (on evenings and weekends) that help clients (most of whom are in their late teens and twenties) develop strategies for turning potentially daunting social experiences into enjoyable opportunities to achieve personal and professional goals. We cover a variety of topics -- from Making Conversation, Networking, and Body Language, to Dating & Relationships, Personal Health & Fitness, Career Planning, Transitioning to High School & College, and Interview Skills.

Since the company’s founding, we have helped over 120 clients, including one of my favorite successes: a shy, socially uncomfortable high school senior who claims our consultations on first dates helped him secure a prom date, and our interview skills sessions facilitated his acceptance into Franklin & Marshall College. I am so excited to have gotten the opportunity to read Creating Magic, as I truly believe that the insights and strategies in the book will enable me to pursue Westbrook Strategies and my future service and entrepreneurial efforts, with even greater rigor and efficiency.

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Hey guys, I just got word from Lee and Random House Publishing that we have got Creating Magic up to #2 on the Amazon.com Movers and Shakers List! We would like to thank everyone for their help in writing stories, posting links, throwing up affiliate links and just talking about the book and helping to spread the magic!


Tomorrow Lauren Westbrook is sharing her story of Creating Magic. She was one of the winners of the book at the Brazen MeetUp in New York a few weeks back! Check out Lauren Westbrook below holding her copy of Lee Cockerell's Creating Magic!


Here's to the magic that all of us are helping to spread. Let's get this movement to number 1!

-Greg and the Gen-Y Team

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Today we are pleased to have Bo Menkiti join us in the Gen-Y Hot Seat. Bo is a Washington D.C. Real Estate visionary who started developing homes for teachers, firefighters, and other first-time buyers in the neglected middle market. Bo was featured in 2007's 30 Under 30 from Inc. Magazine and is bringing social awareness to the community about real estate and its value. In this hot seat we chat about first time home buyers and a technology shift for the real estate market, plus a moment of Creating Magic in a hometown neighborhood!

Gen-Y Magic: You have been recognized as a great young businessman, most noticeably in Inc’s 30 under 30. What qualities do you think it takes to be a leader at such a young age?

Bo: Leadership for me has been about articulating a vision and supporting others in working towards that vision. When we were starting our company I knew it is crucial to be powered by a strong sense of purpose, a clear mission and a strong set of values. Before we did anything else, we sat down and came up with four core values that we felt captured what we wanted our organization to stand for. We then went one step further and developed a set of eight beliefs and perspectives that guide our day to day interaction both externally with our partners and clients, and internally amongst our staff. After these values and beliefs were developed and put in place, they helped guide us in creating our business model and our strategy and lead us forward throughout the creative whirlwind of our company’s start up and growth.

In addition to establishing and promoting vision in values, it’s also important for a person in a leadership role to be constantly learning and increasing their understanding of the people they serve and the structural context with in which they operate. As our company grows, we constantly have to reevaluate the needs of the community and fine tune our model to fit their needs and meet the demands caused by current market conditions.

GYM: Gen-Y is a technologically savvy generation. How has technology shaped your business and your communication with both your team members and clients?

“You cannot meet the challenges of today with yesterdays tools and expect to be in business tomorrow” -Unknown

Bo: Technology has been a big part of our outreach to an increasingly tech savvy generation of buyers and sellers. It also helps us in our work to continually automate and improve upon our internal processes and operations.

The real estate industry is evolving as buyers and sellers are getting more and more of their market data online. For buyers, we have implemented two property search technologies on our website and have additional resources to educate them and guide them throughout the process.

For sellers we have a Market Snapshot report that keeps them updated on the market activity around their homes through an automated monthly email. We also have an online portal for clients who are listing their homes with us that enables them to go online and track our teams activities in marketing their home 24/7.

We have embraced this shift towards independent online searching because it takes some of the lower value work off of our plates. It enables us as realtors to focus on the increasingly valuable consultative role of guiding our clients to successfully reach their real estate goals and on negotiating the best deals for them.

Internally we have worked to use technology to further streamline the marketing and administrative side of our work and enhance the communication amongst our team members. We utilize automated marketing communications, publish a monthly e-newsletter and maintain online files for data storage. We also use calendar sharing and other mobile devices to speed up communication between members of our team.

GYM: Can you share one tale of Creating Magic in your community and how it affected the lives of others in a positive light.


Bo: Before I got seriously involved in real estate, I bought a house in the Brookland neighborhood of DC. The house was great, but it was directly across from a vacant, burned-out liquor store on the corner and another abandoned building right next to it. Every morning as I was leaving my house to go to work, I would stare across the street at the derelict buildings and briefly ponder their potential. My elderly next door neighbor would often remind me of how she had lived on the corner for over 70 years and how sad it was to see those buildings in such disrepair. At one time she had lived on a more vibrant and bustling street 12th Street, where neighbors would shop and take walks with their families, and over the years had witnessed its sad deterioration.

Within the first year of starting The Menkiti Group, we purchased the liquor store and the building next to it. We renovated both buildings and turned the liquor store into our company headquarters and created two beautiful apartments and ground floor retail space in the other building. This transformation has become the representation of the type of change that our company works to create. It was incredible to see not only my neighbor’s reaction to the change, but also the positive response of the whole community. What was once a forlorn corner at the gateway to our neighborhood has been transformed in to a little hub of activity and now stands as a symbol of reinvestment in the 12th Street commercial corridor.


GYM: Your Sales and Marketing team helps young professionals and first time homebuyers in their real estate decisions. Why is that an important initiative for your team?

Bo: The preamble to the realtor code of ethics puts it best:

“Under all is the land. Upon its wise utilization and widely allocated ownership depend the survival and growth of free institutions and of our civilization. …. the interests of the nation and its citizens require the highest and best use of the land and the widest distribution of land ownership. They require the creation of adequate housing, the building of functioning cities, the development of productive industries and farms, and the preservation of a healthy environment.”
-Preamble to the realtor code of ethics

The focus on first time home buyers is a part of our organization’s mission to:

“Enhance the fabric of life in America’s urban communities through the strategic development, management and sale of middle market real estate.”

We have focused on the middle market, as it has been overlooked segment in our city’s real estate market. In D.C. we either have builders who are building luxury condos and homes that can sell at a premium and with higher profit margins, or we have the developers who tap into tax credits and public funds for the development of low income subsidized housing. This has created an ever widening gap in our urban neighborhoods between the Haves and the Have not’s.

The main workforce of the city (police, firemen, teachers, etc) is forced to commute into the city from far out suburbs where they can afford to live. This trend destabilizes neighborhoods, has negative impacts people’s quality of life and has serious adverse affects on the environment. The focus of helping first time buyers is important because it brings much of the workforce back to the city, creating a diversity of homeownership which is crucial for the health, vitality and stability of urban neighborhoods. When people own their homes they are more invested in their communities and more likely to be actively involved in ensuring the community’s success.

Our work with first time buyers is also important because it is one of the things that truly separates us from the competition. We bring high quality services and consultation to a group that usually gets the worst of what the industry has to offer. Most successful realtors gravitate to the highest priced homes they can find, seeking to earn the highest commissions possible. This has the unintended consequence of often leaving the lower priced and first time buyers and sellers (who are most in need of realtors services) to be represented by the least experienced and least successful realtors. Our team is focused on changing that by taking highly educated and capable real estate professionals with track records of success, and focused them on providing the highest quality service to all clients regardless of their income level or real estate experience.

GYM: Your group utilizes a blog to highlight your events, open houses, press, etc. What impact does having this type of open communication have on your appeal to younger buyers?

Bo: Our team works hard to try to stay in communication with our clients through a number of different mediums. We use the blog to stay in touch with our sphere and past clients as well as to reach out to new potential clients. We have our blog feed onto our company Facebook page, so we can constantly stay in front of our network and past clients. The blog is also a way for community members whom we haven’t met to engage with us. Our team stays up on new developments that are happening around the city and is constantly studying trends in the market and sharing some of this information on the blog, so we attract people who are just curious about their neighborhood or the market condition. The younger buyers want to be educated throughout the process, and want to know that the agent who they decide to work with knows the city, knows the market, and knows how to find them the best deal. By sharing this type of information on the blog, our clients and potential clients can see that our team is knowledgeable and fully informed about our market.

GYM: Thanks Bo, you are officially off of the Gen-Y Hot Seat!

To read more about Bo and the Menkiti Group, please visit their website and company blog.

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