The ECU Business Leadership Conference was amazing!  Bernita Demery, whose speech was about getting noticed for the right reasons; she threw mints by the handful, pelting the audience, it was a blast.  There were students who almost fell out of their chairs from the uncontrollable laughter.  However, overall the best presentation, in my opinion, was given by Algenon Cash from Wharton Gladden titled – “Are You #LockedIn?”

I’ll admit, this presentation was not my first choice.  I had planned to attend “Earning A Seat At The Table” by Christopher Munley.  His session was canceled and I had the luxury of attending Algenon Cash’s session.  Mr. Cash was by far one of the best speakers I have come across and I was unprepared for the lesson I was about to receive.  He masterfully engaged the audience and made sure that they understood the topic.  The presentation was about how to be successful and to my surprise I was wrong on my own plan for success.  Turns out I had no plan and was not ready, but now I am.

Algenon Cash began the presentation asking students in the room, “Whose about to graduate?” and “Do you have a job lined up?” A lady by the name Casey replied, she was open to anything, meaning any kind of job, anywhere.  You could see the surprised look in Mr. Cash’s face when she said that.  Mr. Cash replied with “So where would you like to work?” and “Do you have a plan?”  Casey answered with California and that she had no plan and would take a job in Cosmetics in California.  Instead of correcting her there he began to start his presentation and told Casey that she would get her answer on what she should do later in the session.

Mr. Cash then began to describe his steps to achieving success:

1. Self-discipline

2. Who you know (develop strong relationships with other individuals who will help create your success)

3. Work hard (find something you’re passionate about and learn how to make money with that passion)

4. Understand your purpose in life (wake up knowing what your definition of success is and how you plan to fulfill it)

5. Understand your values (Strong values won’t change and they will bring about a positive attitude.  Make sure that your values won’t become problematic like a value based on making money)

6. Imagination (Algenon Cash said “everything is built twice,” an architect must first imagine the building before it can actually can built.  In other words, we must “Know our destination,” because if we strive to arrive where we desire to be it will eventually happen.)

Algenon Cash then began to ask the class if we would be willing to get on a bus to California if everything was paid for?

New clothes, food, places to stay, etc… The only catch was we had no idea how we would get there, there was no map at all – we knew California was out west and that’s the direction we’d travel.  He said we could “hope, wish and pray we’ll make it to California,” but without a plan it’ll be highly unlikely that we arrive in California.

For a large part of my life I believed that everything would fall into place. Unfortunately, I wouldn’t apply any work for that to occur, I just expected it to happen because it had before.  When I got my job for the TIO department I met Shelly Spear on a train ride and we connected.  I began telling her my dream job and she found a place for me in her department.  I thought that would be enough of a start for me, it wasn’t.  I need to accomplish a lot more to become a copywriter for an advertising agency.  I’ve now begun to notice my fault and I will now accomplish what I need to do.

I will end on an excellent quote Algenon Cash’s grandfather told him.  His grandfather said something along the lines of “Every morning in South Africa a gazelle will wake up at sun rise ready to run faster than the fastest lion and the lion will wake up ready to run faster than the slowest gazelle, It doesn’t matter if you are the lion or the gazelle when you wake up at sunrise, be prepared to run!”  I’ve now started to run, now the question is if you will join me!

East Carolina University student, Caleb Koppelmeyer, authored this guest article about his experience meeting Wharton Gladden Managing Director Algenon Cash.