College Experiences That Helped A Director Of Marketing In Digital Finance Succeed
Houston's key to career success, gleaned from freshman orientation, was simply "say yes to everything," fostering unexpected connections and opportunities. This strategy, exemplified by collaborations during college that blossomed into later professional relationships, showcases the power of embracing diverse experiences and building a strong network early in one's career.
Networking, Openness to Experiences, Relationship Building, Saying Yes to Opportunities, Proactive Engagement
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Houston Morgan
Director of Marketing and Protocol Relations
Leading Digital Finance Organization
Arizona State University (ASU) - W. P. Carey
N/A
Business & Related, Communications
Finance (Banking, Fintech, Investing), Technology
Communication and Marketing
Scholarship Recipient, Transfer Student, Student Athlete
Video Highlights
1. Say yes to opportunities: Embrace diverse experiences and networking to build valuable connections that can last throughout your career.
2. Build relationships: Cultivate relationships with peers and professors; these connections can lead to unexpected career opportunities years later.
3. Embrace the unknown: Step outside of your comfort zone and try new things; you never know where it may lead you!
Transcript
What did you do in undergrad to set you up for success in your career?
This is going to sound really stupid, but I sat down for my freshman orientation. Most people skip freshman orientation; they're like, "F**k that, I'm out."
But I attended. And I'll tell you what they told me, in case you missed it. I think it was the dean who said this: "If there's one piece of advice I can give you going into your four years of undergrad, it's to say yes to everything."
Everyone initially reacted like, "Oh, you're going to give me heroin?" But no, it meant say yes to new experiences. If someone asks you to try something or do something, just say sure.
You never know what you're going to experience or what connections you'll make. I've met many great people who are still relevant in my career and industry today because I met them in college. Someone might ask, "Hey, I'm working on this code, do you want to take a look?" Even if I didn't really want to, I said yes.
It's for the experience. Worst case scenario, it bombs, but it's a great opportunity to expose yourself to as many different ideas and people as possible. Just say yes. You never know what opportunity might come around five or ten years later.
For example, I'm 26 now, but I recently reconnected with someone I met in middle school. He's now a VP at a tech company. He said, "Hey, remember the playground back in toddler school?" I said, "Yeah." He replied, "Nice to see you. I'm now at ShapeShift."
That kind of connection carries over. If you can think about a 20-year relationship that started when you were six, imagine how much people will remember you from college by building those relationships there. Just say yes. Just do it.