Archives for March 2016

Is This Your New Beginning?

March 27, 2016 by Mike McRitchie Leave a Comment

Happy Easter!

For Christians this is a great time of year. The Lord is risen and our sins are forgiven. It is a time of new beginnings. Being that it is springtime the flowers are in bloom here where I live in Northern California. Sun was shining. The aromas in the air were amazing. And it was a time for family get togethers. Sharing food and drink.

Watching my Facebook feed it was clear there was a lot of love and family time happening. There were babies being born. And kids enjoying seeing what the Easter Bunny had hidden for them.

The last week for me was a fun time too as I was able to help some people with updating their resumes and find jobs.

For me there is nothing more satisfying than being a part of someone finding opportunities that fit their skills and passions.

So where are you on your life journey?

Is this a time of new beginnings for you? If so, what does that look like for you? Is it a new place to live? Or a new relationship? A new job or career?

Wherever that passion you have leads you, I wish you the best.

And if you find you need help on your journey. Particularly if it involves a job change or career guidance, contact me and maybe I can help you.

And as we look at the challenges that life brings us. And danger out in the world. Know that you can always make a difference. By bringing your unique gifts. And the passion behind it. As Jesus Christ has done. To share yourself with the world.

Happy Easter.

What to do when you’re stuck in a dead-end job

March 20, 2016 by Mike McRitchie Leave a Comment

How to Find a Job

You’re spinning your wheels. Putting in time. Your job is a grind. No one appreciates your work. Your boss isn’t moving up the ladder any time soon. And you just feel trapped in a dead-end job.

What do you do?

I had this question come up from one of my readers the other day.

He had started in the workforce in a job he was interested in. And then decided to get an advance degree (MBA) to move up in his career. But the opportunities he was searching for after his degree didn’t match what was available at the time in the job market.

The closest thing to this I can think of is you’re shopping for a car or house and you check out lots of them and finally figure out your ideal one. Then when you go to make a purchase, the one you had in mind is not available or doesn’t have all the options you want. And then you have to settle.

That’s what he did. He settled on something that was close and hoped that that would turn into a career that would include good promotions into higher and higher roles.

That didn’t pan out and so for the last two years he’s been searching, to no avail, for that opportunity he’d originally envisioned.

And he’s getting frustrated that he hasn’t found anything in two years.

You may be feeling the same way.

You didn’t envision the job or industry when you first got out of college or high school. But you had to pay the bills and the years just passed by. And now you feel stuck. With no realistic advancement opportunities in front of you.

This is where I caution you before you make a hasty decision that could be bad for you and your career.

There are times where your career plateaus. Whether that comes from being stuck in a job that has no promotion opportunities. Or if you’re just not learning and growing. Or if you are moving from job to job to try to grow your skills and experience but every job has been a lateral move instead of a step up.

Know that this could be the leveling off before your next growth spurt. Like doing physical workouts, you need to build certain muscles or experiences before you can have that break-out experience (i.e. get that new perfect job or promotion).

So don’t get discouraged by that.

Also with a bad economy you may have to bide your time until your industry turns around and starts hiring again.

Get Your ‘Resume Secret Report’…get this ONE THING wrong and recruiters and hiring managers will toss your resume in the ‘NO GO’ pile

Here’s some strategies I recommend.

1) Learn and Document

I find very few people take their career seriously, particularly in their 20’s. They have a nebulous goal (get a good paying job in a certain industry) and they are basically trying to figure out what they want to do for the rest of their work life.

That is fine. You need to do that and it takes time to figure that out. But at a certain point if you are going to progress, you need to lay the foundation for that success.

Part of it is education. Whether that is graduating high school, or a trade school, or an associates or bachelors degree, or an advanced degree like an MBA.

Part of it is experience. With work experience you learn to deal with different challenges and overcome them. By doing that at increased levels of responsibility you get better and become worth more to a company.

But the most overlooked part is…

Having experience and education is good. But that just qualifies you to apply for a job or promotion. It doesn’t get you the interview or get you that job. That takes something more.

And that is a demonstrated ability to perform the tasks required of the position you’re trying to get.

So how do you demonstrate that ability?

You do it by detailing concrete results you’ve achieved in areas that show how you’ll benefit the company if they place you in that role.

Here are some areas to explore.

Have you brought in new business (increased sales, created a new product or service, got add-on project work)?
Have you increased company profits?
Have you reduced costs?
Have you retained customers by good customer service or other initiatives?
Have you saved time and money by making a process or procedure more efficient?
Did you create or improve a work process?
How big a budget have you managed?
Did you produce more than the standards or more than your peers?
Have you prevented or solved a particularly difficult problem?
Did you go above and beyond what was required in your job description?
Did you make recommendations that were adopted for the betterment of the company or project?
Do you have a record of regular promotions?
Have you managed, lead or trained others?
Did you lead any special projects?
Did you work with any name-brand companies?
Have you been published?
Have you won any awards?
Have you been recognized for your actions (by a boss or client)?

So how do you write up your accomplishments (or answer the question in an interview)?

Use the STAR Formula that is used by interviewers to assess your abilities to get results.

Situation: The interviewer wants you to present a recent challenge and situation in which you found yourself in.

Task: What did you have to achieve? The interviewer will be looking to see what you were trying to achieve from the situation.

Action: What did you do? The interviewer will be looking for information on what you did, why you did it and what the alternatives were.

Results: What was the outcome of your actions? What did you achieve through your actions and did you meet your objectives? What did you learn from this experience and have you used this learning since?

Or use the C-A-R method (Challenge-Action-Result).

Here’s some examples that demonstrate this.

Increased ROI for IT spend by 65% through elimination of low priority projects.
Ensured rapid, appropriate issue escalation / resolution through implementation of multi-level backend support system.

And use specific numbers to highlight your results.

By reviewing your accomplishments regularly (I recommend weekly if you’re looking to change jobs or push for a promotion in the next year or at least monthly otherwise) to ensure your resume is up to date and to be ready for a last minute promotion opportunity.

Nothing is worse than having the job of your dreams show up and you’re not ready to apply for it. And rushing this process can result in you not getting a job you were fully qualified for.

So besides an updated accomplishments list and resume that reflects that, what else can I do to put myself in the drivers seat of my own career?

2) Sometimes change is good.

You’re in a job you’ve been in for several years. For whatever reason things have gone stale. You’re no longer feeling challenged or the day to day work has become dreary or boring.

Or you’re early on in your career and you see that your current job is just a stepping stone but the internal promotion opportunities are not there. What do you do now?

This is where I counsel people to do a couple of things.

Invest in your education or experiences outside your job

Sometimes you have volunteer opportunities outside work that you can use to develop skills needed for the next promotion. Or you can start a side business to build skills and earn a little side money. Often there is a translation of what you learn there into your current job or could be the extra push to give you confidence to apply for that promotion.

Or you can go back to school or take online courses to get the certifications or degrees you might not have completed earlier in your career to gain entry into those higher level jobs.

Change Jobs

Sometimes I know this is easier said than done. But you need to be open to it. I’ve often seen people early on in their career in roles without any realistic promotion opportunity. And they spend years working there and limiting their career growth because they weren’t willing to step outside their comfort zone and take on a new scary challenge at a new company.

Now you do have to do your research and not just jump to jump. Hiring managers are still a little wary of people who jump from job to job every year or two. The bureau of labor statistics from 2014 shows people change jobs every 4.6 years. And younger people in their 20’s, who are early in their careers, often change every two or three years.

Now recognize that it takes at least a year in most jobs to be competent and another year to fully learn it and get everything you can from it. But after that you need to be looking at and assessing your career growth. If your upward mobility is limited or you aren’t being challenged, it may be time to move on.

And when it is time to move on, review your accomplishments, update your resume, and begin the search process.

And if you are struggling with coming up with your accomplishments or your resume is looking dated, or you need help putting it together, let me help you out.

If this was helpful please share it with your friends and if you know of someone who is looking to make a change who might need help with their resume or some career guidance, send them my way.

Is It Time To Update Your Resume? Get The ‘Resume Secret Report’…get this ONE THING wrong and recruiters and hiring managers will toss your resume in the ‘NO GO’ pile

[How to Get That Job] Insider Secrets to Candidate Selection

March 11, 2016 by Mike McRitchie Leave a Comment

Wireless Telecom Jobs | How to Get That Job

You see a job posting on Monster that looks like a good fit. You apply to that job and submit your resume. Then you wait. And wait. And wait. Then rinse and repeat.

And it doesn’t work. It is like buying that lottery ticket. You won’t win the big prize. But you’ll keep hoping. And you’ll keep missing out.

So what are you missing in this process?

You don’t understand what is happening with the hiring process on the hiring manager’s side of the table.

So whether it is the wild and woolly world of wireless telecom jobs hiring, or in a more mundane industry, the concepts are the same. Let’s take a look.

What are your options?

Internal Hire
External Direct Hire
External Temp to Perm
External Perm Placement

Internal Hire

Advantages:

The internal hire is familiar with the company since they are already working there.
They have company issued equipment (laptop, systems access, phones).
Often quicker to get up to speed on company processes and procedures.
Often able to fit within the salary structure.
Builds internal morale since other team members see that hard work and company loyalty are rewarded
Lowers hiring costs by not paying an additional fee.

Disadvantages:

You lose out on new blood…new ideas that can feed the team. This has the effect over time of “inbreeding” – where the group gets more homogenized and suspect of outsiders (new team members). Can become resistant to change if you don’t manage that.
You may compromise important skills or relationships that could be augmented with an external hire.
You may have to transfer other work off their plate or they may have to do two jobs for an interim period which can result in lost focus.
Prior work that is being left behind may be negatively impacted and may require massaging with the client and prior teams.

External Direct Hire

Advantages:

Larger pool. By expanding outside your existing team and company, you can find others with a better skill set. Increased supply can result in a better quality hire.
Known quantity. Often an external direct hire comes from a referral. People often won’t refer people who won’t do the job well. So you get the benefit of a good pre-screened candidate.
Beneficial relationship. Often helping out a colleague with hiring someone they care about, will build that relationship further. And sometimes that can convert into more business done between the two people in the future.

Disadvantages:

Shoehorning a person into a role to avoid disappointing the referrer. This can lead to problems down the road.
May take longer than an internal hire to get them familiar with corporate policies and procedures and fully operational.
Avoids paying additional recruiter fees for a possible lower cost hire.

External Temp to Perm

Advantages:

Allows an easier try-before-you-buy approach to hiring an employee. They start as a contractor and then convert to a perm position for a fee (or not if a certain number of contracted months passes first).
Spreads the agency placement fee out over several months to avoid a lump sum hit to cash flow.

Disadvantages:

You are paying a higher rate for the same performance. In addition to salary and often minimal benefits, you are also paying for the profit of the staffing agency. That is profit they are getting that you are not.
You may have someone looking for a temp position who has no intention of becoming a permanent employee. That can cost time and money that has to be re-spent on a replacement candidate.

External Perm Placement

Advantages:

Hiring someone through an agency directly without a temp placement term puts extra focus on finding the right fit. You don’t want to spend that kind of money up front, only to have to go in another direction after a bad hire. Now that issue may be the same with the other options, but it is more pronounced in this method.

Disadvantages:

Having a staffing agency find and place a candidate for a one-time fee is a significant risk. Normally that risk is mitigated with guarantees of a happy result or alternate placement and waiving some fees.

So that is one way hiring managers view the placement options. Often it is a balance between the competing objectives of time-money-skills.

Ultimately your first goal is to find someone who can do the job and do it well. The next is to get them on board quickly. Typically someone else is doing that job right now and probably isn’t excited to be doing two jobs. And is therefore very motivated to make that hire. The third is to get them into the position as quickly as possible so you’re not having to cover for them.

Besides the various staffing models listed above, what are other things that are considered when making a hiring decision?

Who does the boss like? Or who has he/she worked with previously that would be recommended?
How can existing staff be shuffled up to get the right combination of people in place?
Who has the best alignment of their skills to our needs?
How quickly can they come on board? If they are unemployed or able to leave quicker than two weeks, what is that? That may sway a decision between a couple options.
What do others say about this potential hire? Are they getting a positive reference? Or luke warm?
The interview. Is there a personality match? Any unexpected questions?

So what can you do to give yourself the best chance for success in being hired with this reality?

Best Practices

So you’re going to take on the hiring gauntlet. Here’s what you can do to increase your chances of success.

Network like crazy. If your’e the extravert type, get out and attend the industry functions. If you can be more visible to your management, vendors, and clients, do that. You never know where that next job may come from. Let those in your LinkedIn network know you’re looking and ask for suggestions.
Be that go-to person. At work, over-perform. Be that person everyone wants to work with. That will help you in your next role. This is a great option for the introvert.
Do anything and everything to get in the door at your desired company. It is a lot easier to get that next job from the inside than to get the plumb job cold without any relationship built in advance. Know more about the company you’re eyeing at. Check the salary base information, job description, the mission and vision, and the workplace culture so that you’ll know how impress them and get noticed in no time.
Get your resume in front of recruiters and job placement agencies. Often these agencies have pre-built relationships with companies and hiring managers you would never be able to access on your own. Just make sure you apply directly with those you have relationships.. As I mentioned earlier, if the hiring manager has a choice of a direct hire versus one through a staffing agency, they’d almost always choose the direct route to save money.
Get help. Often you’re your worst critic. Most people are not good at evaluating their own performance, strengths, and abilities. Do hire a resume writer, have your resume critiqued.

For a free resume assessment, send me an email. Then I’ll review it and provide my best suggestions for improvement. If you want to jump ahead and have your resume rewritten, just email me and we’ll discuss the pricing and results you can expect.

Why get in touch with me?

You’re sick of sending out resumes and never hearing anything back.
You don’t want to be chained to the same desk for the next 20-40 years.
You played by the rules, got your education, and now are struggling to get a job even close to what your abilities and education support.
You’re unemployed or underemployed and sick and tired of it. You want a real job now.
You want to be paid what you’re worth.
You want to wake up excited to go into the office.
You want the title, money, and respect that goes with that position you deserve.

If any of these sound like you, get a hold of me today. Together we’ll figure out your best options to land that next job. And when we do, we’ll dodge those landmines in the way of your successful job search.

Wireless Telecom Jobs – What You Need To Know

March 6, 2016 by Mike McRitchie 2 Comments

Having been in the Wireless Telecom Industry for over 20 years, I’ve seen the industry grow and evolve in many ways.

We went from brick phones to flip phones to smart phones.

Even how you choose your wireless carrier has changed over the years.

There have also been significant changes in the wireless telecom jobs that support the wireless infrastructure development niche (i.e. cell tower development and modification business).

In this article I’ll discuss the various telecom wireless job titles, key attributes and requirements for success in those roles, and how you may progress through these jobs in your wireless telecom career.

Get access to exclusive telecom jobs! (including recruiter-only job postings not available elsewhere)

These roles are specifically focused on the wireless infrastructure development niche (particularly cell site program and project management (project manager, project coordinator), real estate acquisition and the modification of those rights (site acquisition specialist, site acquisition manager, zoning manager), and construction (construction manager). I do not delve into the RF Engineering or associated sub-specialties.

This also focuses on the major Wireless Carriers (AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, Sprint), the Tower Companies (American Tower, Crown Castle), and the Development Consultants.

Those include large “Turf” Consultants (like MasTec, Bechtel, Black & Veatch, Goodman Networks, Ericsson) as well as the mom and pop consultants and contractors who often supply the boots-on-the-ground services (site acquisition, land use, construction, environmental compliance, A&E, etc.)

Telecom Wireless Jobs

What are the wireless telecom jobs?

Although the job titles supporting the building of cell towers haven’t changed much.

Project Manager
Site Acquisition Specialist
Zoning Manager
Project Coordinator
Construction Manager

The meaning of them has changed quite a bit since the late 1990’s as the industry has evolved.

Wireless Telecom Jobs Project Manager

Project Manager

The project manager role has been largely consistent although there is some variation here. Typically they are heavily focused on planning and managing the project’s key deliverable milestones and making sure the project stays on track with client expectations.

This means attending weekly deployment meetings, ensuring certain procedures are followed, and confirming deliverables.

Some variation comes with financial accountability for the project. As project margins have become leaner and leaner, there has been an increased focus on ensuring you hit your target margins for the project (even though that is mostly accounted for by hitting the milestones when due – and those are based on the initial project plan).

The project manager is the key communicator with the client and needs to communicate well via email, phone and in person.

They also need to be able to negotiate effectively to ensure the project stays under budget.

They typically need to have good Microsoft Excel skills. This includes being proficient at sorting and filtering data, doing vlookups to align and transfer data between spreadsheets.

Are you a wireless telecom project manager? Don’t get caught flat-footed when the next project ends. Get on my list to hear about PM job opportunities my industry network shares with me – often exclusive telecom project manager jobs.

Wireless Telecom Jobs Site Acquisition Specialist

Site Acquisition Specialist

In the past this was someone with a commercial real estate or law background and often needed a real estate license. They were responsible for locating acceptable cell site locations (raw land, commercial buildings, existing towers, water tanks, etc.) and then negotiating lease agreements with property owners and sometimes crossed over into the land use planning role (or converted the feedback from their Zoning Manager) for site selection and permitting with the local jurisdiction.

Over time as more and more towers have been built, the Site Acquisition Specialist’s role has radically evolved.

Where in the past they were negotiating new leases for new towers, now they are collocating on existing towers. And these towers are often owned by tower companies – such as Crown Castle and American Tower.

As such, the skill set has evolved from one of lease and location negotiation to one of a more administrative function – filling out collocation applications and following up.

Another key element that has changed is the level of technical knowledge needed and attention to detail required.

This is because the RFDS (Radio Frequency Data Sheet) has become a much more important element in getting an installation done correctly the first time.

Site Acquisition Specialists have to convert the information in an RFDS into a collocation application. And in many cases they have to compare an RFDS to the collocation application, construction or zoning drawings, structural analysis, and pictures to make sure all the data is lining up and accurate.

Along with this required attention to detail, it is also less necessary to have a Site Acquisition Specialist in a market to be successful. If they are just dealing with collocations, and have a zoning manager handling the zoning and building permit components, they can be at a centralized hub location, or most anywhere.

So where do the best Site Acquisition Specialists come from these days?

Other Companies – someone with site acq experience is far ahead of someone who needs to be trained from scratch. However, some experienced site acqs have bad habits or have burned bridges in the past so you have to be careful when hiring someone like that. There you want to check references or others in the industry who have crossed paths. Very few people in this small industry can fly completely under the radar. They leave tracks. And those will tell a hiring manager the rest of the story that may not show up on a resume.

Real Estate Agents – someone with a real estate background – whether commercial leasing, property management, or residential real estate – often have the ability to read and understand the various documents involved.

Lawyers and Law Graduates – lawyers have the contracts understanding and are typically diligent enough to handle the complexities and detail-oriented nature of Site Acquisition. And often lawyers find out after getting into law practices that they don’t enjoy the work and become available to our industry.

Are you a site acquisition manager or site acquisition specialist? Get on my list. I’ll share site acq telecom jobs with you that my industry insider network tells me about.

Wireless Telecom Jobs Zoning Manager

Zoning Manager

Zoning can often be combined with the Site Acquisition Specialist role. But where there is a big enough company or the Site Acquisition Specialists are not strong enough in the land use field, companies will often hire a Zoning Manager to fill that void.

The Zoning Manager is focused on understanding the rules and regulations (ordinances) of each jurisdiction they deal with. This includes.

Copies of ordinances for each jurisdiction
Web addresses for ordinances, applications, zoning maps, assessor maps, etc.
Contact information for the planners, Planning Director, and building department

They also need to be good at analyzing codes and understanding both what is in an ordinance and what limitations or opportunities lie in what isn’t included.

Zoning Managers stay current on ordinance updates and often will work with jurisdictions on their code re-writes.

Zoning Managers often have a land use planning bachelors degree or masters degree. Sometimes attorneys will become Zoning Managers as well if they have a particular interest or background in that arena.

Typically Zoning is a big issue on new site builds. For modifications/overlays the requirements are much more straightforward and can often be handled by the Site Acquisition Specialist without much or any Zoning Manager oversight.

Also certain Federal Telecommunication Act guidelines will affect application and processing requirements and timelines. Zoning Managers should be current on those requirements and ensure they are being met by the site development team.

Are you a zoning manager considering your options? It’s okay to look. Get on the list to hear about the telecom job opportunities my recruiter network shares with me…and I’ll share with you.

Wireless Telecom Jobs Project Coordinator

Project Coordinator

This position is often that backbone of the daily operation. Whether you are on a “Turf” or “Program” based project, where many of the services are outsourced to specialty consultants, or a direct contact with the carrier and self-performing all the duties in house, the Project Coordinator is an important element of the operation.

The Project Coordinator typically does all the heavy lifting. This means knocking out the following key items:

Pulling documents from client databases (i.e. leases, permits, drawings, structurals, RFDS’s, etc.)
Uploading completed deliverables to client databases
Routing documents for review and approval
Handling financial elements like PO’s and invoicing
Updating trackers or preparing reports
Preparing closeout documentation

Good Project Coordinators have a detail orientation. They can handle spreadsheets well. They may also be able to do mail merges in Microsoft Word for sending out mass mailings for jurisdictional approvals or landlord consents.

They can handle large volumes of work and need to be reliable.

They often work closely with the Project Manager.

They sometimes are used in quasi-Project Manager roles due to their understanding of the process of wireless system development and the milestones and deliverable needed.

Good Project Coordinators can come from almost anywhere. Often referrals from other project team members is the best source.

As a Project Coordinator you’re the backbone of every wireless telecom organization. Are you moving up? Get on my list to hear about telecom-specific project coordinator jobs I only share with my industry insiders…like you!

Wireless Telecom Jobs Construction Manager

Construction Manager

The Construction Manager is different from a Tower Supervisor or Tower Crew Member. They often come through those ranks or from another general construction background.

The focus of the construction manager has evolved from one of interpreting drawings, bidding construction jobs, and punch walking sites.

Today’s Construction Manager, especially in the “Turf” or program-focused world is much more extensive and requires a larger skill-set. This includes.

Accurately interpreting RFDS’s
Reading and redlining construction drawings
Taking good pictures of the site to ensure adequate information for site scoping
Understanding Turf Drivers or the various build elements and costs required
Able to manage a profit and loss statement at the job/site level
Can negotiate scope items with the client or general contractor/crew
Multi-tasks under short duration intense situations
Interpret and communicate network related elements with RF Engineers and GC’s
Track, review, and deliver construction deliverables to client or upload to client databases
Attend deployment meetings and comment on construction status at the site level

As you can see, this is a significant portion of the program. Although site acquisition elements may take 70-80% of the project schedule, construction managers address elements through both the site acquisition process and the construction process. And when it gets to construction, days and hours all matter and communication is paramount.

Probably one of the biggest strengths I’ve seen in really good Construction Managers are the following.

Excellent understanding of the build elements
Can interpret the build elements into a financial driver set
Communicates well with client and team members (and communicates often so not one is guessing on construction progress)
Follows up effectively and often
Sets good expectations with the GC/crew for deliverables and schedule
Able to handle a good workload
Good with spreadsheets

Here’s an interesting article about someone transitioning into a wireless telecom construction job from the military. Another way people get into this business.

Get on my list to find out about telecom jobs I share only with insiders like you…including jobs that aren’t posted publicly…so you can move to the front of the line.

Your Future In Wireless

So if you’re in one of these roles today or are thinking about getting into the Wireless Telecommunications Industry supporting the system development/cell site construction and modification work, understand what these roles are and where you might fit.

Moving up the ladder in this business can sometime happen quickly with good career management. And other times it can be frustrating due to the fact that many of the roles do not have a series of progressions that allow you to move up in an organization.

Typically the easiest transitions are from Site Acquisition Specialist or Zoning Manager or Construction Manager to Project Manager. I’ve seen situations where a Real Estate (Site Acq or Zoning) Management background is more effective in certain Project Manager roles and other times a Construction background is better. It often depends on the project type and client contact’s background. Both can be successful.

The Project Coordinator progression to Project Manager or either of the other three specialties is a little dicier since they often have the telecom specific knowledge but not the detailed educational background that creates the depth of knowledge and that “X-factor” that helps people be successful when challenged (and in this industry everyone is challenged since it is typically a project and consultant based relationship).

Want to know how hiring managers look at candidates and how to better progress to that next step in your career? Here’s how to get that job…and not suck.

Want to improve your Project Management skills in the real world of telecom? Find out the truth here.

Nancy Reagan RIP | Inspirational Speeches

March 6, 2016 by Mike McRitchie Leave a Comment

Former First Lady, Nancy Reagan passed away today.

Nancy was known for her “Just Say No” campaign against drugs, her husbands accomplishments, and the deep love that she and her husband had for each other – a rock that made everything they did together possible. As with her husband, losing her will not go unnoticed.

So in honor of her and her husband’s legacy, here’s a few videos that really cut to the heart of what she and Ronnie were about. Namely passion, strength, and the power of the individual to determine their own success. And through those things, people will have a better life and we will be better as a country.

So starting with this short but moving unveiling of the Ronald Reagan statue.

Nancy Reagan – RIP – “Ronald Reagan Statue Unveiling”

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LUl_5B-4zw8[/youtube]

On to a teen heartthrob movie actor who shows he’s much more than that – a deep thinker with words of wisdom for the ages.

Ashton Kutcher – Teen Choice Awards 2013 Acceptance Speech

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zuBSRC1zpHw[/youtube]

And for those who like to blame others for their lack of success, here’s a rant from comedian, Adam Carolla, about why taking from the rich isn’t really the solution to our problems as a society or a nation.

Adam Carolla – “What’s the Problem With Being Rich?”

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OB4C2sdjPQw[/youtube]

Steve Jobs and his co-creations, “Apple” and “Pixar” gave him the platform to share thoughts about life and how things are and how they should be. A moving address to the Stanford graduates.

Steve Jobs – 2005 Stanford Commencement Address

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UF8uR6Z6KLc[/youtube]

Back to Ronald Reagan. Here’s a classic speech about how not to look to Washington for our solutions. This is very appropriate today as we see the implosion of both political parties and the emergence of anti-establishment candidates (Trump, Cruz, Sanders) due to so many decades of abuse of the voters by both political parties (and the feeding of their own careers and donors at the expense of the people who vote them into office).

Ronald Reagan – “Government is the Problem”

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3IlcDvXaUCw[/youtube]

Moving over to a sporting entertainer in “The Rock”. The “Bring It” movement.

The Rock – “Bring It”

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5jVpCq9ibAg[/youtube]

And a clip from a later iteration of Rocky. Where he counsels his son on how to overcome what life and other people throw at you.

Rocky Balboa – “Sunshine and Rainbows”

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D_Vg4uyYwEk[/youtube]

And let’s close things out with a speech by Eric Thomas. One that wraps up the angst that seems to be rampant between the haves and have nots and how what you are and who you become is up to you and only you.