Scott M

What is the one piece of career advice you wish someone gave you when you were younger?

Learn early that relationships are worth more than any deal, title, or paycheck. Skills will open doors, but the way you treat people determines which doors stay open for years. Invest in trust, keep your word, and look out for others. Opportunities tend to follow people who others want to work with.

In layperson terms, what do you actually do at work?

In simple terms, I help businesses grow. I find the right people who could benefit from what we offer, have real conversations to understand their needs, and show them how we can solve their problems. Once we start working together, I make sure they get results and stay happy so the relationship lasts.

Did anyone ever oppose your career plans when you were young or push you in a direction you did not want to go?

Yes, but not in a pushy way. Some people thought I should take a safer and more traditional path with a steady job, a clear ladder to climb, and as little risk as possible. I knew they meant well, but I have always felt I work best when I am building something of my own and taking full ownership of the outcome. It is good to listen to advice, but at the end of the day you are the one who has to live with your choices, not the people giving you directions.

How did you pick your career? Did you know all along?

I picked my career because I wanted my effort to directly impact my results. I liked the idea that the harder I work, the more I make. I did not know from the start that it would be sales and entrepreneurship, but I knew I wanted control over my own success. Over time I found roles and built businesses where the connection between effort and outcome is clear, and that has kept me motivated to keep pushing.

How did you start building your network?

I started by focusing on the people around me. I made an effort to build real relationships with coworkers, clients, and even people I met casually who shared similar interests. I stayed in touch, followed up, and tried to be helpful without expecting anything in return. Over time those connections grew into a larger network, and new opportunities started coming from people I had built trust with years earlier.

What is the biggest challenge you had to overcome to get to where you are now professionally? How did you overcome it?

The biggest challenge was myself. I refused to be average and pushed to go the extra mile to be in the top one percent. The hardest part was hitting my own plateaus and finding a way to break through them. It was like working a muscle at the gym. When I push my limits, I tear the muscle so it can grow back stronger. I treat my mind the same way. When I do not fold under pressure, I come out stronger and able to handle more the next time. That mindset has shaped my career because every breakthrough has raised the standard for what I expect from myself and what I deliver professionally.

When you were a student, did you do anything outside of school to build skills or get knowledge that has helped your career?

When I was a student, I didn’t rely on school to prepare me for my career because nothing I learned there applied to the work I do now. Everything that built my skills came from outside the classroom. I learned by doing real things — taking on projects, figuring out problems on my own, making mistakes, and asking questions to people who had already achieved what I wanted. Those experiences taught me how to adapt, think critically, and take action, which became the foundation for my career.

What is it like when your job gets tough?

When my job gets tough, I treat it like training. Pressure is just resistance, and resistance is what makes you stronger if you push through it. I focus on the next action I can take instead of the weight of the whole problem. The harder it gets, the more I lean in, because I know every challenge I handle now raises my capacity for the future.

When did you get your first Big Break? How did you get it? How did it go?

My first big break came when I met the founder of a startup company in California at a cookout. We got talking, I shared my ideas and how I approach building relationships and driving results, and that conversation turned into an opportunity to join the company. It was fast-paced, unpredictable, and a lot was on the line, but I thrived in that environment. I learned how to adapt quickly, work without a safety net, and deliver results when it mattered most. That experience shaped how I work today.

What is the most useful piece of career advice you got as a student, and who gave it to you?

The most useful piece of career advice I got as a student was that no one is going to hand you success, you have to create it yourself. It came from an older friend who was already working and building his own path. He told me that if I wanted something, I had to go after it relentlessly and not wait for permission. That mindset has stuck with me and shaped the way I approach every opportunity.